Sorry about the long post, got a heap to say on this topic. After watching some of these off contract players for a couple of years now, and over the first 3 rounds, personally I’m happy to let most if not all of them go regardless of the money. I understand the question who do we replace the min wage or lower paid players with? We might replace a plodder with a plodder etc, and I get that, but for me a change of scenery for everyone might be the best solution. We know what we have with these players/plodders, I say let them go and maybe we can find a diamond in the rough plying QLD cup, in PNG or Fiji somewhere. Search NZ rugby for an undervalued beast. Make up those numbers with some untested rookies who offer something, size, speed, leaping ability etc. Guys like Sivo or Semi didn’t know football, they had athletic abilities and were taught a basic set of league rules, plays etc. We don’t always need to grab the footballer. You can always teach an athlete to play football (in certain positions anyway), but it’s harder to teach a footballer to be an athlete! We should also Look to grab a Vet who is being moved on but still offers value for 1yr with club option for 2nd. I just think worst case scenario we sign a bunch of duds, well we have that already and know it. I’d like to see us maybe retain for the right price Meaney and Okunbor for cover FB/Outside backs and maybe JMK pending if we secure a quality hooker and also how Deitz plays. Maybe Atoni and Ogden if they can perform in the next couple of months. Recruits who we should target who might be at the higher price bracket are the same as everyone else has mentioned Hooker: BSmith/Clarke, Forwards Rudolf, Talaki, Su’a and outside backs Staggs, Coates. Value buys might include Bunty, Lui up front and Jackson Ferris is a young centre from Cronulla who looked good in the few times I’ve seen him play. Sam McIntyre formerly Tigers now GC looked good last yr at Tigers, haven’t seen him play this yr though, wouldn’t cost a lot. Billy Smith Roosters, outside back, he has had a few injuries but wouldn’t cost a lot and highly rated at the Roosters, they might be willing to let him leave given his injury history, he Could be worth a gamble. Rumour has it Matt Prior might be looking to come back to Aus from the ESL. He might have a good year or two left in him at a decent price. Bunnies have the young hooker Joshua Cook behind the beach sprinter.. I admit I haven’t seen him play but I’ve read about him a few times and is another highly rated rookie. I hope we are at least looking these options and more, not all these would work but again there are some targets available if we look hard enough and recruit smart. Surely these options gotta be better than what we have in the squad right now.
