Tuivasa-Sheck Or Tomkins???

[Guest]

That's a lie, I've stated numerous times my alternative option you just seem to have conveniently overlooked it and not for the first time. I don't have any objection of you disagreeing with me but at least read what I write if before asking me for answers I've already explained.

For what it's worth I suggested that the club buy a kid, if he shows promise and develops then great we persist if not then we throw the money at the right player. I wouldn't even be opposed to throwing RTS in at 5/8 despite thinking that his ball playing has got a long way to go, he'd add some flair to the spine and what's the worst that could happen? He'd struggle with the defensive workload and we'd figure out that he's not cut out for the 5/8 position?

I think it's quite clear our expectations of this squad are quite different, I don't think this squad is even a remote chance of pushing for the Premiership this year. If I thought we had all bases covered I'd be stoked with the signing of Maloney, at 27 he's in the prime of his career, he offers a great secondary kicking option, he's an extremely good support player & he's a real competitor.

My thinking is purely long term, with Maloney we are a better side in 2013 than any other option I could suggest. However if we were to pick up someone like Tomkins for 2014 and beyond, imo we're a significantly better side and one that would be pushing for a premiership in the coming years.

Recruitment is so easy. We just decide who we want and we get them when we want.

I think we need to do a swap with Melbourne for Cameron Smith.

I couldn't give a rats arse about a premiership right now. I just want to be able to watch the Roosters having confidence that we can win the game. It's been years.

[chook 56]

Recruitment is so easy. We just decide who we want and we get them when we want.

I think we need to do a swap with Melbourne for Cameron Smith.

I couldn't give a rats arse about a premiership right now. I just want to be able to watch the Roosters having confidence that we can win the game. It's been years.

Nailed it, for me.

Instead of sitting, watching the game, waiting for our team to implode & get rolled time after time wouldn't be nice to have consistency & know that we will be in the game for the 80 minutes, no matter what the score is?

Being able to watch a full game without wanting to slash my wrists would be just fine, thanks.

[Guest]

That's a lie, I've stated numerous times my alternative option you just seem to have conveniently overlooked it and not for the first time. I don't have any objection of you disagreeing with me but at least read what I write if before asking me for answers I've already explained.

For what it's worth I suggested that the club buy a kid, if he shows promise and develops then great we persist if not then we throw the money at the right player. I wouldn't even be opposed to throwing RTS in at 5/8 despite thinking that his ball playing has got a long way to go, he'd add some flair to the spine and what's the worst that could happen? He'd struggle with the defensive workload and we'd figure out that he's not cut out for the 5/8 position?

I think it's quite clear our expectations of this squad are quite different, I don't think this squad is even a remote chance of pushing for the Premiership this year. If I thought we had all bases covered I'd be stoked with the signing of Maloney, at 27 he's in the prime of his career, he offers a great secondary kicking option, he's an extremely good support player & he's a real competitor.

My thinking is purely long term, with Maloney we are a better side in 2013 than any other option I could suggest. However if we were to pick up someone like Tomkins for 2014 and beyond, imo we're a significantly better side and one that would be pushing for a premiership in the coming years.

fark you're a strange chap

why won't you name your preferred 5/8?

which "kid" did you suggest?

just any kid, or a specific kid?

[Yak]

fark you're a strange chap

why won't you name your preferred 5/8?

which "kid" did you suggest?

just any kid, or a specific kid?

My money is on Carlos Tuimavave as the mystery kid.

For the record, I agree with some of the points that you make R6. I'd love to have Tomkins here in 2014 but really that would still be a slim chance even if we had the money. I'm sure there would be a few clubs offloading players at will to offer him huge money.

I might be on my own here but I think Pearce is a much better player than he's given credit for. Last year he would have been playing second halves under extreme fatigue, it is no wonder he struggled to really finish games off other than the Souths game in round 1. And guess who wasn't his halves partner in that game. I watch him pretty closely in every game and the amount of running he does to get in position himself, chase kicks, and support line breaks is phenomenal. For a large part of the season we had Anasta playing first receiver handing off to Pearce which meant that when in some sort of attacking zone (halfway and beyond) for on average 3 tackles he would often have to switch which side of the ruck he was on and being second receiver means he travels an extra distance every tackle. He is a supremely fit young man but no player can expect to have a decent running game when you've spent that much energy "cruising". Thurston is the only half that has it in him to do that much off the ball work imo. For mine people are underestimating the impact that Maloney's presence will have on Pearce's quality. Maloney may not be a freakishly creative player who can pull a try out of his arse like Johnson for instance but he can control one side of the ruck competently, has a good long and short kicking game that will ease kick pressure on Pearce, is an excellent sweeper in attack who with pace can turn a half gap into a line break, and has a very good long ball which is far more consistently accurate than Anasta's. While Anasta did support ball runners more than people give him credit for Maloney's timing is much better and he is far more capable of turning good support play into a try with his speed. The fact Maloney is now in the team contributing all this probably on one side of the field will allow Pearce to focus more on his running game. We saw in round 1 that when it was needed he is capable of a creative run that will create an overlap for his outside men. And now that he also has SBW attracting players directly outside him I think his running game will flourish.

[mightyrooster]

When there are no obvious concerns about a guys overall ability, no you shouldn't. You just nitpick and bang on with your silly, pedantic faux-complex analysis re flair vs creativity vs vision or whatever the fark it is and how he won't suit our team blah, blah blah. Maloney is a classy player who played a big role in getting the warriors to a grand final. He's also an adaptable player, and there's no reason to suggest he can only play exactly the same type of role he did at the warriors. We've basically had no 5/8 at all ever since your man Braith came to the joint in 2006. Your suggestion that we'd be better off signing a player who can't get a go at another club is ridiculous. I know, in your eyes, no-one can ever replace Braith, but I can assure you, Maloney is 5 times the player Anasta is. The real shame is that we didn't fark your man off earlier.

Wow. Nice post Tony. Was at the cricket yesterday so have only seen it this morning. I'm getting worried about how much I am liking some of your posts of late lol!

[Kingsgrove-Loiner]

My money is on Carlos Tuimavave as the mystery kid.

For the record, I agree with some of the points that you make R6. I'd love to have Tomkins here in 2014 but really that would still be a slim chance even if we had the money. I'm sure there would be a few clubs offloading players at will to offer him huge money.

I might be on my own here but I think Pearce is a much better player than he's given credit for. Last year he would have been playing second halves under extreme fatigue, it is no wonder he struggled to really finish games off other than the Souths game in round 1. And guess who wasn't his halves partner in that game. I watch him pretty closely in every game and the amount of running he does to get in position himself, chase kicks, and support line breaks is phenomenal. For a large part of the season we had Anasta playing first receiver handing off to Pearce which meant that when in some sort of attacking zone (halfway and beyond) for on average 3 tackles he would often have to switch which side of the ruck he was on and being second receiver means he travels an extra distance every tackle. He is a supremely fit young man but no player can expect to have a decent running game when you've spent that much energy "cruising". Thurston is the only half that has it in him to do that much off the ball work imo. For mine people are underestimating the impact that Maloney's presence will have on Pearce's quality. Maloney may not be a freakishly creative player who can pull a try out of his arse like Johnson for instance but he can control one side of the ruck competently, has a good long and short kicking game that will ease kick pressure on Pearce, is an excellent sweeper in attack who with pace can turn a half gap into a line break, and has a very good long ball which is far more consistently accurate than Anasta's. While Anasta did support ball runners more than people give him credit for Maloney's timing is much better and he is far more capable of turning good support play into a try with his speed. The fact Maloney is now in the team contributing all this probably on one side of the field will allow Pearce to focus more on his running game. We saw in round 1 that when it was needed he is capable of a creative run that will create an overlap for his outside men. And now that he also has SBW attracting players directly outside him I think his running game will flourish.

Excellent post mate.

And you're not on your own....I think Pearce is very much undervalued on this forum. He's had to carry a lazy b@stard around for the last 4/5 years, which might explain why he hasn't developed at much as we would like.

Look what happened the season he had a decent partner.

[Cockadoodledoo]

Excellent post mate.

And you're not on your own....I think Pearce is very much undervalued on this forum. He's had to carry a lazy b@stard around for the last 4/5 years, which might explain why he hasn't developed at much as we would like.

Look what happened the season he had a decent partner.

I saw good signs from Pearce last year.. I really expect him to step up this season.

[Guest]

I saw good signs from Pearce last year.. I really expect him to step up this season.

surely though it's now or never

[Guest]

I saw good signs from Pearce last year.. I really expect him to step up this season.

There were definitely good signs from Pearce and as has previously been stated he has been carrying Anasta for years.

What I want to see from Pearce is some football smarts. I want to see him use the right strategies at the right time to win us matches. He has often failed to do this in the past. I think 2013 should see his best year in the NRL to date.

[Cockadoodledoo]

There were definitely good signs from Pearce and as has previously been stated he has been carrying Anasta for years.

What I want to see from Pearce is some football smarts. I want to see him use the right strategies at the right time to win us matches. He has often failed to do this in the past. I think 2013 should see his best year in the NRL to date.

I agree, 2 things (at least) that he needs to do is play more direct and take on the line more and also not panic at the back end of games and try to score off every play.

[Cockadoodledoo]

My money is on Carlos Tuimavave as the mystery kid.

I like him a lot but never saw r6 mention him in the past and I am not even sure if he was off contract.. The only person I ever saw him name was Todd Carney which is pie in the sky stuff..

[Guest]

I like him a lot but never saw r6 mention him in the past and I am not even sure if he was off contract.. The only person I ever saw him name was Todd Carney which is pie in the sky stuff..

Wighton, Milford and Norman are 3 more you can add. I see great potential in all 3 and also some good flexibility (Milford and Norman can also play fullback, Wighton can also play centres). I know Norman is definitely off at the end of the year and I also know that we tried hard to get him a couple of years ago so will be interesting to see how that plays out with POS still here and mini likely to retire and Norman behind Hunt, Wallace and Prince in the halves and Hoffman at the back

[Yak]

Wighton, Milford and Norman are 3 more you can add. I see great potential in all 3 and also some good flexibility (Milford and Norman can also play fullback, Wighton can also play centres). I know Norman is definitely off at the end of the year and I also know that we tried hard to get him a couple of years ago so will be interesting to see how that plays out with POS still here and mini likely to retire and Norman behind Hunt, Wallace and Prince in the halves and Hoffman at the back

I love the look of Jack Wighton. Once he matures he'll be NSW number 6. Milford is a player too, but I'm pretty sure Canberra have them both wrapped up til the end of 2016. Geez it would be nice to have a few good halves coming through the lower grades like the Raiders do. I don't agree with others that RTS will be a five-eighth any time soon. Maybe later in his career like Lockyer but his passing game has a hell of a lot of developing to do. He's got a nice right to left short ball but that's about it. And I'm sure he has a decent boot on him but when it comes to short kicking i can only remember him trying one last season and that was with only one recognised half in the team for most of the season. He'll get plenty of ball from fullback, and putting his obvious attacking ability aside, once he becomes more comfortable under the high ball, I think he'll end up one of the best defensive fullbacks in the game. He's a very quick learner and will get his positioning together very quickly and is an excellent front and side on tackler and seems to have an uncanny knack of being able to strip the ball in dangerous situations. The kid is a natural born running fullback who will develop his ball playing over time.

[Rooster_6]

fark you're a strange chap

why won't you name your preferred 5/8?

which "kid" did you suggest?

just any kid, or a specific kid?

It doesn't matter which kid, it's the strategy that I'm arguing.

If I name a random kid I know I'm going to get 100 reasons about why the club couldn't sign him.

I'll give you a bulk of examples; Milford, Carr, T Ryan, Cornish, Moses etc etc.

There's plenty of talent out there, my argument has never been that we should have signed player x it's that we should have used a different strategy in waiting for the right option to come up.

[Guest]

It doesn't matter which kid, it's the strategy that I'm arguing.

If I name a random kid I know I'm going to get 100 reasons about why the club couldn't sign him.

I'll give you a bulk of examples; Milford, Carr, T Ryan, Cornish, Moses etc etc.

There's plenty of talent out there, my argument has never been that we should have signed player x it's that we should have used a different strategy in waiting for the right option to come up.

It doesn't matter which kid?

Pretty important position just to through some random Toyota Cup kid into while we wait for "the right option" to come along

How long would we wait?