Halfback concerns for 2009 and beyond.

[terrylamb4lyfe]

Who else is concerned with whats going to happen next year and after that?

My main concern is that we are signing an old Kimmorley. While he has a wealth of experience and is a great signing I would personally prefer if we didnt have him.

Here is my take on what I can see happening quite easily.

Kimmorley half / roberts 5/8 / corey or sully hooker (one of them will be benched)

If either of them is injured Holdsworth plays. If holdsworth is out williams will play.

So when will groom and barba get a chance?

Sure, groom made a single debut recently but he isnt going to be seen again now maybe untill 2011 if kimmorley gets injured. In this time what do you think is going to happen? Simple answer : we will release him since he is getting no game time and already have a wealth of halfbacks. I also think we may release him / not re-sign him due to the fact that there is alot of players coming on the market next year and we will want to have our fingers in those pies.

Now, for all of this to occur I think one more key thing needs to occur. The re-signing of corey hughes or sullivan. If we keep either of these guys Groom will never get a chance. If either of them leave I can see groom being on our bench. Otherwise he isnt going to make the team unless we are freakishly unlucky and everyone gets injured at once.

So where does that leave us in 2011? Exactly where we are now. Scrounging around for a decent halfback. Just replace Holdsworth this year with Danny Willaims in 2011.

All IMO, I am just scared that we are taking the wrong options... We arent going to win the comp in the next 2 years - I love the dogs but am being realistic. Our future is blooding some of our great juniors and having a quality squad in 3 to 5 years.

I hope the boys in charge have vision to see all of this and arent so short sighted as to sign anyone any chance we have just because of $$$...

 

[terrylamb4lyfe]

My main fear in all of this is that we are going to lose groom / barba, not only will we be exactly where we are now but its going to be like when penrith lost wallace or when we lost thurston. A huge mistake, and unfortunately I can easily see it happening at this stage.

2 Awesome players who werent given enough time and then BOOM, go to another club and become stars.

PRIORITY 1 : SURE UP OUR QUALITY JUNIORS!

 

[Jigga]

Kimmorely will bring alot of experience to the club from which not only the yong halves will benefit from but the rest of our younger players will do also, another positive will be the easing of pressure on our senior players, can understand your concern but I think we will be allright. Seems to me that the same thing is happening as when ricky stuart and brad clyde came here with the rumour of an ex origin star also been signed.And in my opinion that didn't go to badly.

 

[MPS]

We need some senior heads in the team. Kimmorley has done everything & still has alot to offer. I would rather see him at the Dogs than fly out to England and the comp lose another one. The Dogs have always been on the money bringing talent thru. He will be an excellent mentor for the juniors u speak of.

 

[terrylamb4lyfe]

Yeah, im sure he will be a great mentor. Hopefully he doesnt mentor them to success (along with joey) and then they leave for another club and kill it.

I have nothing against Kimmorley, i think hes good and probably what we need next year. An old head to steer the ship. I just have a bad feeling we are going to lose quality young players. That will be another setback.

I think my concerns are valid TBH. Where exactly DO these guys belong in the grand scheme?

 

[astroboy]

Yeah, im sure he will be a great mentor. Hopefully he doesnt mentor them to success (along with joey) and then they leave for another club and kill it.

I have nothing against Kimmorley, i think hes good and probably what we need next year. An old head to steer the ship. I just have a bad feeling we are going to lose quality young players. That will be another setback.

I think my concerns are valid TBH. Where exactly DO these guys belong in the grand scheme?

I will be disappointed if Ben Barba, Aaron Groom, John Kite, Daniel Harrison, Paki Afu and Jamal Indgris leaves.

 

[Hansta]

isnt hughes retiring??

 

[Woofie]

I'm pretty sure Hughes contract is up at the end of next year and it won't be renewed. Kimmorley is only signed on for two years. Hopefully Groom and Barba will learn and benefit from the old heads (both Hughes and Kimmorley are premiership winners) around them.

I agree with Jigga, just like Brad Clyde and Ricky Stuart at the end of their careers, gave the youngsters the benefit of experience.

 

[Hansta]

if hughes is retiring then groom shud b our utility on the bench. Barba im sure will get a game or 2 sometime next yr just 2 acclimatise. Jamie Clark mite not b here 4 long

 

[piggy]

Signing Kimmorley was a desperate move by the dogs to sign a high profile player who is seen as attracting others to the club. Groom came to the club to get a chance at halfback. He won't get that opportunity for at least another 2 years. He came to the club to seek an opportunity after sherwin left us. What opportunty has he ever being given ? Holdsworth gets injured, no Groom. Instead Ben Roberts, who is a better five-eighth goes to halfback He will either ask for a release or hang on until end of next year when he is off contract and leave us. Kimmorley's signing defies logic. Yes, we have had problems in the halves. But FFS management have faith in Groom, give him some decent props to work with and watch him go. If he leaves I really will have lost complete faith in our management.

 

[terrylamb4lyfe]

isnt hughes retiring??

Speculation. He is a hughes. Deeply ingrained into the club, if corey wants to play we will sign him regardless of whether its good for us or not.

 

[terrylamb4lyfe]

Signing Kimmorley was a desperate move by the dogs to sign a high profile player who is seen as attracting others to the club. Groom came to the club to get a chance at halfback. He won't get that opportunity for at least another 2 years. He came to the club to seek an opportunity after sherwin left us. What opportunty has he ever being given ? Holdsworth gets injured, no Groom. Instead Ben Roberts, who is a better five-eighth goes to halfback He will either ask for a release or hand on until end of next year when he is off contract and leave us. Kimmorley's signing defies logic. Yes, we have had problems in the halves. But FFS management have faith in Groom, give him some decent props to work with and watch him go. If he leaves I really will have lost complete faith in our management.

Pretty much what im afraid will happen.

 

[Hodgo007]

Do people in here understand the role of a halfback ?

The one thing we have lacked this year is an organising halfback. We don't need someone to be an absolute matchwinner (although it would be nice) but we need someone who can take control of our team and the match.

Kimmorley is excellent at this and probably one of the best in the business. He will work up a great partnership with Roberts who isn't a halfback but a 5/8th (even if he has played in the number 7). He can do his own thing and take on the line as need be.

If you start worrying about our options in the case of an injury then you are in a little bit of trouble. If that does happen Groom showed a few things to suggest he might be able to step in if needed.

Barba needs a few more years before he can step into FG and really make an impact so a 2 year contract is a good one in this circumstance. Reports say that we will make a play at JT which would be even better.

 

[terrylamb4lyfe]

Do people in here understand the role of a halfback ?

The one thing we have lacked this year is an organising halfback. We don't need someone to be an absolute matchwinner (although it would be nice) but we need someone who can take control of our team and the match.

Kimmorley is excellent at this and probably one of the best in the business. He will work up a great partnership with Roberts who isn't a halfback but a 5/8th (even if he has played in the number 7). He can do his own thing and take on the line as need be.

If you start worrying about our options in the case of an injury then you are in a little bit of trouble. If that does happen Groom showed a few things to suggest he might be able to step in if needed.

Barba needs a few more years before he can step into FG and really make an impact so a 2 year contract is a good one in this circumstance. Reports say that we will make a play at JT which would be even better.

I have no idea what you are trying to say or what point you are making.

Yeah, i stated its going to be kimmorley and roberts next year? thatll be great till kimmorley retires then what? We arent going to win the comp while kimmorly is here. We dont have the personnel, full stop. THIS IS NOT THE SAME as when ricky and clyde signed with us. Sorry, but we have way more problems currently. It isnt even a remotely close comparison.

Also notice i didnt mention barba much? Thats because yes, he is still young so we have more of a chance with keeping him around for longer (at this stage) then groom. Groom i believe is 21. Heres hoping we dont make him (groom) the next isaac luke for the bunnies.

If we lose groom and he turns into a gun player for someone else, f)*&# if we lose barba and he becomes a star and all we have to show for it is signing kimmorley and finishing 12th for the next 2 years rather then shoring up our younger stocks for years to come... well, I will be irate.

 

[Hodgo007]

I have no idea what you are trying to say or what point you are making.

Yeah, i stated its going to be kimmorley and roberts next year? thatll be great till kimmorley retires then what? We arent going to win the comp while kimmorly is here.

Like I mentioned Kimmorley can keep the seat warm till either Groom shows he is first grade material and is ready to make the next step or we go after Thurston which has been mooted for the last few weeks.

That was my point

I'd be happy if Groom played good enough that the coach had no choice but to put him in first grade even at the expense of Kimmorley.

 

[terrylamb4lyfe]

we wont get thurston

we wont get cronk

we wont get cameron smith

why do people persist with these? we are patting each other on the back about signing josh morris and kimmorley (whos club didnt want him + hes old)

Thurston will stay in QLD forever now. He loves it there and is paid enough that i doubt the cows will ever be stupid enough to let him go. Thats where his family is.

Cronk wont join us, cant see it mate. Everyone will be after him and he will go for someone who has more of a chance then us. We will only have $ to offer him. Other clubs will have opportunity.

Cameron smith will stay at melb or go to the broncos.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET THURSTON.

Why would anyone even think "uh, who cares if we lose groom LOL we have thurston in the bag!!!". Mate, we need to sure up everything we can. There is tough times ahead unless we start doing what we have been doing for a long time:

Signing up fringe players and developing them. We are NOT going to start taking back players we have released (only to become stars).

I honestly cant comprehend why people think it will be so easy for us to sign these guys in years to come. it wont be, we wont get them. re-sign what we have. FFS.

 

[Dognacious]

At least for a while id much rather Kimmorley than Groom or Barba.

 

[Hodgo007]

Why would anyone even think "uh, who cares if we lose groom LOL we have thurston in the bag!!!". Mate, we need to sure up everything we can. There is tough times ahead unless we start doing what we have been doing for a long time:

Signing up fringe players and developing them. We are NOT going to start taking back players we have released (only to become stars).

I honestly cant comprehend why people think it will be so easy for us to sign these guys in years to come. it wont be, we wont get them. re-sign what we have. FFS.

Can you actually read ?

Where did I say we have Thurston in the bag ? I didn't even remotely suggest that. I just commented that I've read reports that we have already started the process of trying to get Thurston in 2010.

So we should just re-sign what we've got ? Yeah I guess we should because we are currently sitting about 3rd last so there isn't any need to go for better quality players LOL..

 

[Hodgo007]

At least for a while id much rather Kimmorley than Groom or Barba.

Thats the point. Kimmorley isn't a long term option. Anyone with half a brain realises that.

Like I said its going to give Groom an opportunity to show that he is good enough for First grade or let the club make plays at other possible halfbacks.

 

[Moe]

Kimmorley
Roberts
Holdsworth
J Williams
Groom
Barba

We aint doing too bad.