Opinion What's your opinion on our recruitment so far for 2022 ?

[bradtalo]

Do you have faith that we'll get it right by 2022 ?.

Personally the things that have really pissed me off are:

- Seems we may not have even made a play for a decent experienced half in Adam Reynolds.

- Seems we may not have actually made a play at all for Dufty from what I've heard. The Raiders are likely to get him (he toured the club) and they already have a very decent fullback so they will likely have 2 good fullbacks while we have none given that Allan failed this year.

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE WE NEEDED A DECENT HOOKER SO

- How did we miss out on Tom Starling by the way. Again the Raiders have 2 good hookers while we have none.

- If Josh Hodgson leaves the Raiders though he's tipped to go to the Broncos so then they can have 2 decent hookers while we have none.
We couldn't even get young Paikura off the Broncos when they're already stacked with young forwards.

- I do believe from many multiple reports the Storm were willing to let B.Smith out early if they got a decent player swap. How did we f.. that up ?. We don't have 1 decent player they would take seriously ? They took Reimis and he wasn't great

- We've long needed a decent prop badly for 2022 but we've let the barrel run dry, why ?

Yes I'm looking forward to JAC, Burton and Naden (who can't even get a run in first grade during Origin). Not nearly enough to turn us around though. What are we doing ? I hope we're not sitting on our hands waiting for bargain buys like more Flanagans, Allans and Waddells. If we sign Kenny as a hooker yes it's better than JMK or Katoa but only slightly and it's pretty poor of our recruitment team frankly.

 

[Spoonman84]

JAC and Burton at this stage gives the recruitment a big tick if you like it or not. There’s still so much water to pass under the bridge until next year until we know the final roster it’s impossible to judge it at this stage.

 

[Scoooby]

Fox and burton huge plus , TBAZ will kill it in 22.!!

 

[bradyk]

I didn't want the club making a play for Reynolds. Burton and Averillo are our halves next year (I wouldn't rule out Flanagan coming back into the team at some point) and we have BBO and Khaled Rajab coming through. We need a hooker, prop and second rower before another back/half (limited salary cap).

I didn't want the club making a play for Dufty. He's been good this year (in attack) but I've never rated him up until this year. There's also something terribly wrong with him behind the scenes. I think JAC can and will be a better fullback than Dufty (we also have DWZ on the books at this stage, Meaney probably should be re-signed and Allan - whose signing alone pretty much meant we couldn't get a Hynes or Dufty). We need a hooker, prop and second rower before another back/fullback.

We should have made a genuine play for Starling, even tho I want better, e.g. Brandon Smith (who's a must get at this stage if we want to do anything next year), he would of been a good stop-gap solution/back-up if we failed to get Brandon Smith (now best case scenario is Turpin - if Hodgson goes to the Broncos and Kenny).

I'm torn on the club making a play for Hodgson. I'd only want him as a short term option, but he's going to want a long term deal (which I'd only consider if Brandon Smith was no chance, even for 2023).

I'd give the Storm almost anyone for Brandon Smith, obviously there's a priority list and I wouldn't want to give them our best player (I don't think it'd come to this), but I'd do it if I had to.

There were some other props we should of gone for (e.g. Guler), but missing out on Leniu and Rudolf are big misses. The Sharks ended up re-signing Rudolf for almost 600k a season (I think, not 100% sure if that was reported) and that's what our max offer should of been anyways.

Naden was the best centre off contract and with Schoupp and Alamoti our only genuine centres in the top 30 next year (assuming they're both promoted) we obviously needed another one (even tho someone like Allan will probably play there).

 

[Howie B]

I didn't want the club making a play for Reynolds. Burton and Averillo are our halves next year (I wouldn't rule out Flanagan coming back into the team at some point) and we have BBO and Khaled Rajab coming through. We need a hooker, prop and second rower before another back/half (limited salary cap).

I didn't want the club making a play for Dufty. He's been good this year (in attack) but I've never rated him up until this year. There's also something terribly wrong with him behind the scenes. I think JAC can and will be a better fullback than Dufty (we also have DWZ on the books at this stage, Meaney probably should be re-signed and Allan - whose signing alone pretty much meant we couldn't get a Hynes or Dufty). We need a hooker, prop and second rower before another back/fullback.

We should have made a genuine play for Starling, even tho I want better, e.g. Brandon Smith (who's a must get at this stage if we want to do anything next year), he would of been a good stop-gap solution/back-up if we failed to get Brandon Smith (now best case scenario is Turpin - if Hodgson goes to the Broncos and Kenny).

I'm torn on the club making a play for Hodgson. I'd only want him as a short term option, but he's going to want a long term deal (which I'd only consider if Brandon Smith was no chance, even for 2023).

I'd give the Storm almost anyone for Brandon Smith, obviously there's a priority list and I wouldn't want to give them our best player (I don't think it'd come to this), but I'd do it if I had to.

There were some other props we should of gone for (e.g. Guler), but missing out on Leniu and Rudolf are big misses. The Sharks ended up re-signing Rudolf for almost 600k a season (I think, not 100% sure if that was reported) and that's what our max offer should of been anyways.

Naden was the best centre off contract and with Schoupp and Alamoti our only genuine centres in the top 30 next year (assuming they're both promoted) we obviously needed another one (even tho someone like Allan will probably play there).

Spot on.

Also what’s important to remember that there is 9 months until round 1 next year. Any decent player that is off contract has pretty much been snapped up.

No one here knows for sure what goes on behind the scenes. A lot of players get moved on later in the year when they still have time to run on their contract.

Bottom line - it’s waaaaay to early to judge our recruitment for next year. We probably won’t know until December what our side for next year will look like

 

[Bulldog1966]

For me the frustration put simply is there could be a lot of recruiting going on behind the scenes(the more likely scenario)or very little but we are almost completely in the dark and a lot of the whispers by journos are a headfuck i feel.
Now i'm getting to understand this is not a new thing but as only a recently joined member the BS that is written and proven inaccurate or baseless, i find staggering.

To answer the question slightly more directly IF Barry Ward is the extent of our latest recruitment this year....we're well and truly fugged.
Becoming quite concerned good players may be baulking at wanting to come here, we need something pretty big and asap!!!

 

[dogwhisperer]

I just want to see some coordination when attacking. Is that too much to ask?

 

[bradtalo]

Last decent prop off contract Bunty Afoa just re-signed with the Warriors. Cowboys and Sharks interested. Not us it seems. Storm have just signed ex Eels forward Tepai Moeroa from rugby for the rest of this season. I'd bet Peter Sharp didn't even know he was available.

 

[Spoonman84]

Last decent prop off contract Bunty Afoa just re-signed with the Warriors. Cowboys and Sharks interested. Not us it seems. Storm have just signed ex Eels forward Tepai Moeroa from rugby for the rest of this season. I'd bet Peter Sharp didn't even know he was available.

So much of your argument involves hypotheticals just because it wasn’t reported by the media doesn’t mean we weren’t interested in Afoa and he re-signed so it means nothing now even if we were. As for Moeroa are you really getting up set over a player like that? He was average at the Eels and has now had a few years away from rhe NRL. I’m glad he’s not a Bulldog.

 

[Matthew G]

Them two are great but no 9 or forwards will mean our recruitment for next year look average as no go forward, wont allow our backs to perform.

JAC and Burton at this stage gives the recruitment a big tick if you like it or not. There’s still so much water to pass under the bridge until next year until we know the final roster it’s impossible to judge it at this stage.

 

[Spoonman84]

Them two are great but no 9 or forwards will mean our recruitment for next year look average as no go forward, wont allow our backs to perform.

That’s why you can only judge the recruitment once it’s complete but if you’re judging it at this stage it’s a pass mark so far just on JAC and Burton. Of course that can change depending on what the final roster looks like.

 

[Matthew G]

That’s why you can only judge the recruitment once it’s complete but if you’re judging it at this stage it’s a pass mark so far just on JAC and Burton. Of course that can change depending on what the final roster looks like.

True, yeah I agree with you , for now it looks solid, forwards and a 9 surely a priority going forward

 

[The Faz]

JAC and Burton at this stage gives the recruitment a big tick if you like it or not. There’s still so much water to pass under the bridge until next year until we know the final roster it’s impossible to judge it at this stage.

I agree that they are great buys Spoony. But them coming was fortuitous for us. JAC wanted to come home and Burto was sitting behind Cleary and Luai.

The question is... Would they have still come across if the circumstances were different? I think, probably not.

 

[Spoonman84]

I agree that they are great buys Spoony. But then coming was fortuitous for us. JAC wanted to come home and Burto was sitting behind Cleary and Luai.

The question is... Would they have still come across if the circumstances were different? I think, probably not.

Does it matter? You’re probably right but we got them at the end of the day. Sometimes things just fall your way.

 

[D.O.W.]

If someone said to me you’d be getting Burton, JAC and Naden for 2022, as an entree, I’d say recruitment was on pointe so far. I like the fact they are not “depth signings”.

We have several more recruits to follow but not all clubs announce signings mid-season and some players like to negotiate at the back end of the year. It also appears the deals we’re trying to make have key dependencies, Patience…

Flanno, Allen and Waddell have not turned out to be the signings we’d hope for but on a better note, Hetherington and Cotric have been pretty much what we expected.

Development-wise, Atoni has been one of our best forwards, whilst Topine and Schoupp have been a success story, these two will have a positive effect on the team for years to come.

 

[GrogDog]

Jac & Burton = A
Anyone else = F

Overall = C-

 

[Chris Harding]

If I could use an analogy: after I badly broke my leg, the surgeon quickly fixed the shattered bones with titanium rods and pins; but he warned that it would be many months before I could put any pressure on the joints, let alone run and jump.

I think that's how the surgery on the Dogs will go. We'll see some competent replacements, but it will take a while before it all begins to work as it should.

 

[Isaac]

Marquee Hooker??????????????????????
Marquee Fullback?????????????????????
Marquee Halfback????????????????????
We have none so poor recruiting atm.
JAC is not a fullback. Has no ball skills, dufty is way better in attack.
Next year ride off as well.

 

[kmr07]

Marquee Hooker??????????????????????
Marquee Fullback?????????????????????
Marquee Halfback????????????????????
We have none so poor recruiting atm.
JAC is not a fullback. Has no ball skills, dufty is way better in attack.
Next year ride off as well.

Which marquee players in those positions were available ?

 

[NPC83]

It was going great guns until things went quiet.. hopefully sparks back up again soon.