Penrith Panthers land Paul Momirovski in swap deal with Wests Tigers

[Bulldog1966]

fuck this circus im getting pissed

 

[B-Train]

We are making a already weak position for us even weaker by losing another prop though. Like it or not but Napa is an experienced player and second behind Thompson in our depth chart there. You take him out and we are left with Thompson, Atoni, Hetherington and Ogden plus a few make shift props in Britt and possibly Stimson even at full strength (with Napa) I can see them only being able to contain the opposition front row and I certainly can't see them getting over them.

The best case scenario is Thompson leads and Atoni, Hetherington and Ogden step up but we are banking on nothing going wrong and they are all in form for a full season which is highly unlikely to happen. You have injuries, Hetherington's judiciary record plus Atoni and Ogden's fitness and inconsistent form could all come to bite us and then what are we left with? Napa is just another layer saving us from the worst case scenario and gives us depth at the very least.

Even if that prop isn't Napa we defiantly need another one in there to replace him for this year if he goes and it has to be an established one. We can't bank on a another rookie or journeyman coming good IMO. Will that be possible given what's available on the market and what shape our cap is in after getting Burton and paying freight on Napa?

Yeah we definitely need more bodies and I doubt an established prop becomes available aside from overpaid rejects like Lodge, Packer etc.. I'm of the belief that solid props can be found on the cheap and be as productive if not moreso than guys like Napa. Players like Rudolph, Joliffe, Paseka, Tatola, JTB, Guler, Ford etc showed last year that you can get good production from cheaper guys.

I'm hoping that Thompson, Hetherington, Renouf, Ogden, Doorey and Stimson can have huge offseasons and that Renouf and Ogden are better utilised under Baz than they were with Pay. Which shouldn't be hard. If those guys can step up, then we'll be fine. If not, then we might struggle in the middle for sure.

I'm also hopeful that a more expansive and more up tempo gameplan will create more space and time for the props to make easy metres as opposed to the slow predictable play of the last few seasons. But either way Napa has a lot to prove and hopefully being off contract finally forces him to pull his finger out.

 

[Spoonman84]

Yeah we definitely need more bodies and I doubt an established prop becomes available aside from overpaid rejects like Lodge, Packer etc.. I'm of the belief that solid props can be found on the cheap and be as productive if not moreso than guys like Napa. Players like Rudolph, Joliffe, Paseka, Tatola, JTB, Guler, Ford etc showed last year that you can get good production from cheaper guys.

I'm hoping that Thompson, Hetherington, Renouf, Ogden, Doorey and Stimson can have huge offseasons and that Renouf and Ogden are better utilised under Baz than they were with Pay. Which shouldn't be hard. If those guys can step up, then we'll be fine. If not, then we might struggle in the middle for sure.

I'm also hopeful that a more expansive and more up tempo gameplan will create more space and time for the props to make easy metres as opposed to the slow predictable play of the last few seasons. But either way Napa has a lot to prove and hopefully being off contract finally forces him to pull his finger out.

The problem is finding guys in the Rudolf range and it can be hit and miss as we are experiencing with Atoni and Ogden. I don’t think we are in a position where we can gamble on someone coming good now and we have to get a finished article or a very promising prop that has little risk like Leinu would have been.

If Doorey or Stimson are playing more than a couple of games at prop I think we will be in huge trouble. Our biggest issue is that we are hoping for a hell of a lot of guys to step up it’s pretty much every prop in the club! History shows you might get one or two but asking for more than that is a big ask.

Even Thompson has some question marks on him. He did look more comfortable in at the end of the season but if he has a slow start or reverts to his early form things are going to look very grim up front.

 

[B-Train]

The problem is finding guys in the Rudolf range and it can be hit and miss as we are experiencing with Atoni and Ogden. I don’t think we are in a position where we can gamble on someone coming good now and we have to get a finished article or a very promising prop that has little risk like Leinu would have been.

If Doorey or Stimson are playing more than a couple of games at prop I think we will be in huge trouble. Our biggest issue is that we are hoping for a hell of a lot of guys to step up it’s pretty much every prop in the club! History shows you might get one or two but asking for more than that is a big ask.

Even Thompson has some question marks on him. He did look more comfortable in at the end of the season but if he has a slow start or reverts to his early form things are going to look very grim up front.

You'd think Thompson will only get better after arriving without an offseason. Ideally what we have steps up short term. Leinu would have been perfect but Penrith were always going to make him a priority. Hopefully we can sign someone else with similar upside.

 

[Moedogg]

Cleary hates us. No way he's going to release Burton.

 

[Rockford]

The 24-year-old, who has 14 tries in 19 NRL games, had been training at five-eighth during the pre-season and requested two releases after being told by coach Michael Maguire he was behind Joey Leilua and James Roberts in the pecking order at Concord.

He will now go head to head with Brent Naden and Tyrone May for Penrith’s right centre spot and also provides handy goalkicking depth should Cleary’s son, Nathan, go down with injury.

So the has gone from being behind two other players, to being behind two other players....

 

[oldpuppy]

The tigers always swapping momirovski like an overprinted footy card back in the day.

 

[chemdog]

can rfm play as a prop though? or is he better suited for edge backrower?

 

[B-Train]

can rfm play as a prop though? or is he better suited for edge backrower?

He's probably better on an edge but he's also performed well when he's played at prop.

 

[racin jason]

can rfm play as a prop though? or is he better suited for edge backrower?

We don't need RFM to play prop, just play Captain JAckson there.....Simples.

 

[Mitch Connor]

He's not miles ahead with the ball! Ogden is miles ahead in that department. But defensively Ogden struggles massively and even though Napa is an average defender also, he's much more reliable defensively.

It all depends on how much or little improvement guys like Hetherington, Renouf, Ogden, Stimson and Doorey have shown compared to last year. Or how Napa has looked in the offseason and how desperate Baz is to get rid of him.. Time will tell.

Lol what?

What has Ogden ever done with the ball to give you that impression?

 

[Alan79]

I'm not going to assume that this player swap will have any flow on effect with Burton getting released.

The big difference is that having a lot of quality depth in your halves is a huge benefit. Plenty of teams have had seasons derail when they run out of halves options. So a cheap half that offers quality is something they'll want to hold onto while they think a premiership is attainable.

The Momo/Laurie swap is one that benefits both clubs with regards to getting the depth they require. If Penrith are patient, a decent prop or two will become available as clubs look at shuffling their rosters to bolster weak positions.

 

[B-Train]

Lol what?

What has Ogden ever done with the ball to give you that impression?

Make good metres, break some tackles and get quick play the balls.. He was the only prop that put a dent in the line some games last year.

He had zero fitness last year and would fatigue quickly after 10-15 minutes and that would lead to very sloppy defence from him so that's a huge concern with Ogden but I thought he was very effective in attack last year.