DCE now linked

[Billy Gunn]

Most of the talk is that the deal was done when May was let go.

still hoping it’s not true, but why the hold up in the announcement? Does it need to be after June 30 for some reason?

They don't have to announce it at all. I can't remember the club ever announcing the deal when Dom was signed, it was just a given that he was coming.

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

Our young halves are doing great but we have to remember that they are outplaying very average teams with very average halves combinations. Both the Dolphins and Dragons will be around that bottom 4 mark come end of year.

The club is looking to sign DCE not just to be competitive with these average sides but also to be competitive against sides like the Bulldogs, Melbourne, Penrith (When they become good again) and other top tier sides. Beating the lower end sides and choking against the top tier sides is the same spot we've been in from 2020 through to 2024.



Further on this, if a deal is done by the Roosters then nobody who will speak publicly is going to be told about it. DCE made it very clear in his interview that he wanted to focus on Manly and that a decision (Or announcement) would be made at the end of the year as to not disrespect or disrupt Manly, if the Roosters went off and announced it they could ruin the deal not to mention they'd look very unpro.

Seriously man, you keep hanging your hat on "we've only beaten the Dragons and Dolphins with our young halves, what about against Melbourne???"

The Storm have lost 2 games this season. Who were they against? I'll give you a clue, we've played them the last 2 weeks.

It's a nonsense argument. If you can play in the NRL you can play against any team. Any team can beat any other on their day. Wake up.

You're other straw man argument was sarcastically "maybe Hugo will be the next Joey Johns one day, but blah blah bag bag bag." He doesn't need to be Joey Johns. Cherry Evans is not Joey Johns either.

Stick with the highly promising much younger current Roosters we have, with Sam to return, who both LOVE THE ROOSTERS and have miles of upside, or sign a 37yo who has played all his career at Manly, the oldest player in the comp. And spend 3x the money doing it. You are kidding. But incredibly, you're not.

It's a no brainer. Hugo is a gun.

[Superdag]

I think this deal was done early when everyone thought Sandon was not the future 5/8 of the club and Hugo and Ridwell had a couple more years to go before they would be ready for FG

[milanja]

They don't have to announce it at all. I can't remember the club ever announcing the deal when Dom was signed, it was just a given that he was coming.

I live in hope then that there is no deal done with DCE and that we can back out if we want to.

[Mickie Lane]

Seriously man, you keep hanging your hat on "we've only beaten the Dragons and Dolphins with our young halves, what about against Melbourne???"

The Storm have lost 2 games this season. Who were they against? I'll give you a clue, we've played them the last 2 weeks.

It's a nonsense argument. If you can play in the NRL you can play against any team. Any team can beat any other on their day. Wake up.

You're other straw man argument was sarcastically "maybe Hugo will be the next Joey Johns one day, but blah blah bag bag bag." He doesn't need to be Joey Johns. Cherry Evans is not Joey Johns either.

Stick with the highly promising much younger current Roosters we have, with Sam to return, who both LOVE THE ROOSTERS and have miles of upside, or sign a 37yo who has played all his career at Manly, the oldest player in the comp. And spend 3x the money doing it. You are kidding. But incredibly, you're not.

It's a no brainer. Hugo is a gun.

I know you dont want the Roosters to sign DCE but do you think the Roosters will sign him?

[MKCS]

Seriously man, you keep hanging your hat on "we've only beaten the Dragons and Dolphins with our young halves, what about against Melbourne???"

The Storm have lost 2 games this season. Who were they against? I'll give you a clue, we've played them the last 2 weeks.

It's a nonsense argument. If you can play in the NRL you can play against any team. Any team can beat any other on their day. Wake up.

You're other straw man argument was sarcastically "maybe Hugo will be the next Joey Johns one day, but blah blah bag bag bag." He doesn't need to be Joey Johns. Cherry Evans is not Joey Johns either.

Stick with the highly promising much younger current Roosters we have, with Sam to return, who both LOVE THE ROOSTERS and have miles of upside, or sign a 37yo who has played all his career at Manly, the oldest player in the comp. And spend 3x the money doing it. You are kidding. But incredibly, you're not.

It's a no brainer. Hugo is a gun.

You say my argument is nonsense I think yours is also, if you're ready to say bye bye DCE because Sandon played a good game again St George and Hugo has been decent in 3 games that's your choice but most people in professional sport don't make rash decisions like that, it's called a gamble.

You're right in that Hugo doesn't need to be Joey Johns but if we're giving up DCE and keeping just one of Sandon, Rodwell, Foley and Elliot then the gamble best pay off as DCE probably does indeed deliver us a premiership in 2026/2027 or we at least go close whilst with Hugo in that 6 position we'd probably finish 5th - 8th in 2026 and 2027 as we wait for his full ability to come good in week to week NRL competition.

Doesn't matter if a player loves the team or not it comes down to ability and as it currently stands DCE is 10 times better than both Savala and Sandon Smith.

[Mr Whippet]

You say my argument is nonsense I think yours is also, if you're ready to say bye bye DCE because Sandon played a good game again St George and Hugo has been decent in 3 games that's your choice but most people in professional sport don't make rash decisions like that, it's called a gamble.

You're right in that Hugo doesn't need to be Joey Johns but if we're giving up DCE and keeping just one of Sandon, Rodwell, Foley and Elliot then the gamble best pay off as DCE probably does indeed deliver us a premiership in 2026/2027 or we at least go close whilst with Hugo in that 6 position we'd probably finish 5th - 8th in 2026 and 2027 as we wait for his full ability to come good in week to week NRL competition.

Doesn't matter if a player loves the team or not it comes down to ability and as it currently stands DCE is 10 times better than both Savala and Sandon Smith.

At 37 it's all downhill.

[MKCS]

At 37 it's all downhill.

Disagree and that hasn't been proven with DCE at any point yet. He is still an Origin player and if Australia wasn't a couple years off a World Cup he'd still be part of the national team set up as well as a depth player for Cleary.

[gragra]

[QUOTE=MKCS;n1098540]

You say my argument is nonsense I think yours is also, if you're ready to say bye bye DCE because Sandon played a good game again St George and Hugo has been decent in 3 games that's your choice but most people in professional sport don't make rash decisions like that, it's called a gamble.

You're right in that Hugo doesn't need to be Joey Johns but if we're giving up DCE and keeping just one of Sandon, Rodwell, Foley and Elliot then the gamble best pay off as DCE probably does indeed deliver us a premiership in 2026/2027 or we at least go close whilst with Hugo in that 6 position we'd probably finish 5th - 8th in 2026 and 2027 as we wait for his full ability to come good in week to week NRL competition.

Doesn't matter if a player loves the team or not it comes down to ability and as it currently stands DCE is 10 times better than both Savala and Sandon Smith.[/QUOTE

I see DCE also as a gamble. If he doesn't deliver us a premiership as you believe he would, then we will have let go of a couple of potential guns that Robbo has been developing which are much more valuable long term. Manly have no premierships over the past 13 years , with a top side and DCE in his prime. I'd stay the course with the developing talent.

[Inflictor]

You say my argument is nonsense I think yours is also, if you're ready to say bye bye DCE because Sandon played a good game again St George and Hugo has been decent in 3 games that's your choice but most people in professional sport don't make rash decisions like that, it's called a gamble.

You're right in that Hugo doesn't need to be Joey Johns but if we're giving up DCE and keeping just one of Sandon, Rodwell, Foley and Elliot then the gamble best pay off as DCE probably does indeed deliver us a premiership in 2026/2027 or we at least go close whilst with Hugo in that 6 position we'd probably finish 5th - 8th in 2026 and 2027 as we wait for his full ability to come good in week to week NRL competition.

Doesn't matter if a player loves the team or not it comes down to ability and as it currently stands DCE is 10 times better than both Savala and Sandon Smith.

That is the dumbest point made in the whole argument.
You are saying it will take Hugo 3 years to get to his full potential. He has played 4 games with Sandon as a partner and already winning games for us just with his kicking ability. Had he played instead of Townsend there is a good chance we would already be in the Top 4 and a definite hope of getting there this year. That is even before Sammy, Cheese, Collins and NButch come back in the team.
You are also not considering the improvement in the team especially the likes of Foketi, Toia, Marky, Losalu and the list goes on.
You are also not considering any the future signings we may have already including Robson.

Will the team improve that much more with DCE instead of Hugo or Sandon or Rodwell? It is all subjective depending on which side of the fence you sit. 5 weeks ago I would have said Yes. But since the speed hump got dropped and Hugo and Sandon have shown us what they are capable of I have changed my views.

FFS

[MKCS]

[QUOTE=gragra;n1098569]

You say my argument is nonsense I think yours is also, if you're ready to say bye bye DCE because Sandon played a good game again St George and Hugo has been decent in 3 games that's your choice but most people in professional sport don't make rash decisions like that, it's called a gamble.

You're right in that Hugo doesn't need to be Joey Johns but if we're giving up DCE and keeping just one of Sandon, Rodwell, Foley and Elliot then the gamble best pay off as DCE probably does indeed deliver us a premiership in 2026/2027 or we at least go close whilst with Hugo in that 6 position we'd probably finish 5th - 8th in 2026 and 2027 as we wait for his full ability to come good in week to week NRL competition.

Doesn't matter if a player loves the team or not it comes down to ability and as it currently stands DCE is 10 times better than both Savala and Sandon Smith.[/QUOTE

I see DCE also as a gamble. If he doesn't deliver us a premiership as you believe he would, then we will have let go of a couple of potential guns that Robbo has been developing which are much more valuable long term. Manly have no premierships over the past 13 years , with a top side and DCE in his prime. I'd stay the course with the developing talent.

We lose players that people here are high on regardless. If we keep Hugo long term then odds are we lose Sandon, Rodwell and Foley, if we sign DCE then we lose Hugo and Sandon most likely but Foley and Rodwell would likely be first grade ready when DCE leaves.

I disagree about Manly having a top side, apart from DCE and Trbojevic Brothers they've had little to offer since that great team in the early to mid 2010s.

That is the dumbest point made in the whole argument.
You are saying it will take Hugo 3 years to get to his full potential. He has played 4 games with Sandon as a partner and already winning games for us just with his kicking ability. Had he played instead of Townsend there is a good chance we would already be in the Top 4 and a definite hope of getting there this year. That is even before Sammy, Cheese, Collins and NButch come back in the team.
You are also not considering the improvement in the team especially the likes of Foketi, Toia, Marky, Losalu and the list goes on.
You are also not considering any the future signings we may have already including Robson.

Will the team improve that much more with DCE instead of Hugo or Sandon or Rodwell? It is all subjective depending on which side of the fence you sit. 5 weeks ago I would have said Yes. But since the speed hump got dropped and Hugo and Sandon have shown us what they are capable of I have changed my views.

FFS

The argument made on here by many is that we should give Sandon Smith more time as he will need a minimum of 2-3 seasons in the starting role to meet his full potential, now with Hugo that argument is changing and suddenly players do not need 2-3 seasons to reach their full potential? Odd.

I've taken into consideration the improvements of the team but the reality is that you need a spine full of stars to win the comp these days, the last team to win without a star player in every spine position was the 2016 Sharks, we've tried to win a comp without star spine players from 2020 through to 2025, it isn't something that works for us, if you leave Savala at 6 for the foreseeable future we'll be where we were last season where we'll have a stacked team but will struggle against top sides due to lack of ability in the spine.

I like Hugo and personally would like to see him take up the utility spot for 2026 onwards but DCE is a world class halfback whilst right now Hugo is a player who has played well against a few struggling sides. DCE is an origin player, international, a leader, has won competitions and done everything there is to do in the game.

At the end of the day with Tedesco, Walker, DCE and Robson in the spine next season if we sign another really decent prop we most likely make the grand final and will be competitive with Melbourne and whoever else makes it deep into the finals that year. Go with Hugo and who knows? Could be Keary/Walker 2.0. Go with DCE? Most likely take the 2026 comp at the very least.

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

[QUOTE=MKCS;n1098576]

We lose players that people here are high on regardless. If we keep Hugo long term then odds are we lose Sandon, Rodwell and Foley, if we sign DCE then we lose Hugo and Sandon most likely but Foley and Rodwell would likely be first grade ready when DCE leaves.

I disagree about Manly having a top side, apart from DCE and Trbojevic Brothers they've had little to offer since that great team in the early to mid 2010s.





The argument made on here by many is that we should give Sandon Smith more time as he will need a minimum of 2-3 seasons in the starting role to meet his full potential, now with Hugo that argument is changing and suddenly players do not need 2-3 seasons to reach their full potential? Odd.

I've taken into consideration the improvements of the team but the reality is that you need a spine full of stars to win the comp these days, the last team to win without a star player in every spine position was the 2016 Sharks, we've tried to win a comp without star spine players from 2020 through to 2025, it isn't something that works for us, if you leave Savala at 6 for the foreseeable future we'll be where we were last season where we'll have a stacked team but will struggle against top sides due to lack of ability in the spine.

I like Hugo and personally would like to see him take up the utility spot for 2026 onwards but DCE is a world class halfback whilst right now Hugo is a player who has played well against a few struggling sides. DCE is an origin player, international, a leader, has won competitions and done everything there is to do in the game.

At the end of the day with Tedesco, Walker, DCE and Robson in the spine next season if we sign another really decent prop we most likely make the grand final and will be competitive with Melbourne and whoever else makes it deep into the finals that year. Go with Hugo and who knows? Could be Keary/Walker 2.0. Go with DCE? Most likely take the 2026 comp at the very least.

Your post is a river of garbage.

Garbage 1 "If we sign DCE and another prop we most likely make the grand final next season" That's just farkin ridiculous
Garbage 2 "If we sign DCE then we lose Hugo and Sandon most likely but Foley and Rodwell would likely be first grade ready when DCE leaves." These are unknown SG Ball players. You're happy to lose 2 promising FIRST GRADE HALVES so we can sign a 37yo from Manly.

You have it all completely around the wrong way. Of course it's a gamble with the younger guys, but DCE is a gamble as well. He isn't going to get any better. Soon he will get worse, quickly, and retire. Hugo and Sandon might both get a whole lot better. But truly, they aren't far behind Cherry Evans even now. He's nowhere near the superstar anymore that you rate him as. That's why Manly are making the smart play, and moving him on.

I fear we have signed the farking guy and they're waiting on the 10 day cooling off period.

We've made some terrible old guy signings over the years, this will be right up there if they have.

[HDTONE]

Seems toe that in League contracts aren't worth much so hopefully its just a verbal and we just say yeah...nah pass

[BondiBob]

I think if DCE was actually being pursued by the Roosters (Which I doubt) it'd be to play with Sam Walker and not replace him. We'd be risking upsetting either Chad Townsend or Sandon Smith for a 38 year old Daly Cherry-Evans.

I doubt they would be worries about Townsend he looks settled in reserve grade and not cannot handle the top level. I can’t see the benefit of signing DCE on one assumes big dollars better off to tie up the good young guys we have. Still shaking my head why we let May go

[top_joe]

We won't win a comp in the next 5 years with the current crop. Love the idea of the kids coming through but we need a couple of big signings - DCE and/or KP.