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Melbourne Storm looking to add Blake Austin for 2019

MELBOURNE are set to launch a bid to sign Raiders playmaker Blake Austin for 2019. Still looking for a long-term replacement for Cooper Cronk, the Storm have joined Parramatta in the battle to sign Austin.

He wants to return to his home town of Sydney but the lure of playing under super coach Craig Bellamy may tip the scales in Melbourne’s favour.

Meanwhile, English club Castleford are desperate for a fullback - and have targeted Raiders back-up Brad Abbey.

Read more: https://wwos.nine.com.au/2018/06/19/07/ ... ake-austin

Basically every li e in that article contradicts reality.

He won't leave, he hasn't been offered a contract.

He isnt back in form, we just won a game, and he scored a try.

He isn't in demand, both Melbourne and Parra can understand he is running out of options so they can get a versatile, experienced back up on low coin.

Bulldust...

Man, that contract he knocked back.... wooooof

anyways, id love to see him under Bellemy, the talent is all there to be a superstar, albeit a limited one given his kicking and passing game... not sure he'll ever have it all together though

Seems like a manager article to me, I don't see Melbourne having halves of Munster and Austin

-TW- wrote: ↑June 19, 2018, 12:45 pm Seems like a manager article to me, I don't see Melbourne having halves of Munster and Austin

Munster will be fullback soon enough, but yeah, it's hard to see Bellamy accepting the downsides of Austin's play.

Thanks for your time at canberra blake...... but its time to move on

Beejay wrote: ↑June 19, 2018, 1:08 pm

-TW- wrote: ↑June 19, 2018, 12:45 pm Seems like a manager article to me, I don't see Melbourne having halves of Munster and Austin

Munster will be fullback soon enough, but yeah, it's hard to see Bellamy accepting the downsides of Austin's play.

Definitely an article from his agent. If he goes to another NRL club it will be as a back up half.

Isn't that the same story from a couple of months ago? Just replaced the name Sezer with Austin.

He showed glimpses of what he's capable of against the Tiges, but there was also way too much of why we need to find a replacement on display. That contract he knocked back will surely haunt him.

The million dollar question is - should he go, will we be able to find someone to fill his boots? Williams and Hingano are no upgrade.

I wont be sad to see him go.
I also wont be surprised if Bellyache turns him into a world beater. However, that will be more on the coach than the player.

Where does he fit though?
Surely you cant have Munster and Austin in the halves. Surely 2 ball runners with average kicking games wont work. Though Smith is carrying them ATM.
If Munster goes to fullback, what do they do with Hughes? He is also highly rated there.
Not to mention Jacks and Croft. I know Croft got dropped, but they put a hell of a lot of time and effort into him not to give him a second shot.

Timbo wrote: ↑June 19, 2018, 1:58 pm He showed glimpses of what he's capable of against the Tiges, but there was also way too much of why we need to find a replacement on display. That contract he knocked back will surely haunt him.

The million dollar question is - should he go, will we be able to find someone to fill his boots? Williams and Hingano are no upgrade.

I don't think Williams is a downgrade really. Creates as many points and lets just as many in. At least he is way cheaper.

If we fall out of contention for the 8 by the end of the month and assuming he isn't sacked I'd be handing Jack the spot for the rest of the year. I reckon he is much better equipped to it now and we have some good fullback options, and an exciting wing option in Ravalawa.

This continues my belief that Austin is worth the effort.

Sezer should not have been re-signed.

Any time the Storm look at a player and genuinely want to sign him, the current club should make every effort to keep that player on their books.

The view held by people that he isn't worth keeping just seems absurd to me.

More likely to go to Eels

I would not be letting him go unless we've got a clear upgrade in the bag.

Sezer/Williams or Sezer/Hingano misses the 8.

Love4Noa wrote: ↑June 19, 2018, 2:19 pm This continues my belief that Austin is worth the effort.

Sezer should not have been re-signed.

Any time the Storm look at a player and genuinely want to sign him, the current club should make every effort to keep that player on their books.

The view held by people that he isn't worth keeping just seems absurd to me.

I don't think it's absurd to look at letting a player go who hasn't defended at a first grade level for a long period. What do you think of his defense?

The Storm also sign plenty of duds, especially lately. I mean I don't think we should've thrown the bank at TLL, Nicholls, Hawkins and Troy Thompson when they got interested.

Love4Noa wrote: ↑June 19, 2018, 2:19 pm This continues my belief that Austin is worth the effort.

Sezer should not have been re-signed.

Any time the Storm look at a player and genuinely want to sign him, the current club should make every effort to keep that player on their books.

The view held by people that he isn't worth keeping just seems absurd to me.

well the storm were chasing sezer....

Where does the idea come from that we now have any say of whether he stays or not? He's knocked back 2 contracts. Pretty sure that shows our say in this is over.

Change is required and the club picked Sezer so time to move on.

If the option were to keep one, I would take Austin over Sezer any day of the week. Austin has at least shown his potential at the Raiders in 2015 while Sezer is yet to put more than one/two games together with any consistency.

However, as this decision has already been made with Sezer's re-signing and considering it looks like his position is cemented in for the near future, we need to find someone who can complement his style.

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???

Shows flashes and can score a try but lets as many points in and im not so sure hes a team player at all.

Can we do a swap with a Storm player?

Ill be sad to see Austin go but from what ive heard from a female raiders players, his public persona is a but different from his private persona, i dont want norman, the guy is a loose unit and only a slight upgrade on austin in my opinion. I think we need to go after a good halfback either from the uk or from the melbourne system, brodie croft or such.....if our spine next year contains williams then all will be lost

Happy to see Austin go and I'd prefer we set our targets on an elite half, even if that means having to use Williams or Wighton next year.

I'm happy with Hodgson running the show and Sezer basically doing what he's told.

He can alleviate some pressure off of Hodgo by just kicking into the corners and basically just shuffling the ball out wide and let the rest of the team do the work. Don't miss any tackles and his role should be very simple and would benefit as a season progresses.

As for Austin he probably needs to go to a Storm system, wants to be the main man which he isn't cut out for and probably needs to brought back a peg or 2.

Not fussed whether we go after a fullback or 5/8, there's plenty of good fullbacks so I'd probably go after a fullback and with Wighton into 6. Not to sure but earlier Albert Kelly was having a good season over in the EPL at 6 or Ben Barba @ 1. Both may have matured with age or you could make positional changes and bring in a winger. Plenty of options Imo to make things better next year.

pacman wrote: ↑June 19, 2018, 3:26 pm If the option were to keep one, I would take Austin over Sezer any day of the week. Austin has at least shown his potential at the Raiders in 2015 while Sezer is yet to put more than one/two games together with any consistency.

However, as this decision has already been made with Sezer's re-signing and considering it looks like his position is cemented in for the near future, we need to find someone who can complement his style.

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???

Really is a tough one deciding between the two. In attack I much prefer Austin. He's in and out of games, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing when you are as erratic as he and Sezer are. Sezer overplays his hand way too much in attack.

Defensively Austin is a nightmare though.

With Hodgson back I guess I prefer Sezer. He won't have to do so much and defensively he is much more sound.

God I hope this is true... I’m hoping for a miracle where we sign this amazing halve by June 30 and we remove Austin and have a new halve begin from 1 July!


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Timbo wrote:I would not be letting him go unless we've got a clear upgrade in the bag.

Sezer/Williams or Sezer/Hingano misses the 8.

Sezer and Austin also misses the 8..

LP Raider wrote: Not fussed whether we go after a fullback or 5/8, there's plenty of good fullbacks so I'd probably go after a fullback and with Wighton into 6. Not to sure but earlier Albert Kelly was having a good season over in the EPL at 6 or Ben Barba @ 1. Both may have matured with age or you could make positional changes and bring in a winger. Plenty of options Imo to make things better next year.

Don’t buy a fullback until you’ve tried Cotric and Rapana there I reckon.

The way Wighton is playing we don't need a fullback....

How about we swap Austin for Croft?

Matt wrote:How about we swap Austin for Croft?

I wouldn’t be upset at that to be honest. Would still prefer Norman or if Norman went to the Cowboys maybe Martin might be an option?

I saw people on Facebook suggest Kane Elgey, I reckon he is garbage but people seem to think him and Sezer went well at the Titans together, I honestly can’t remember? I don’t remember the Titans being World Beaters.


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There's a rumour going around that he's toured the facilities

I don't think Elgey is any better than Sam Williams tbh

I'll tell you now (and probably be wrong but who knows?) that Austin will go and Abbey will be the new 5/8. We will have a big bank set up from losing Austin, Paulo and Boyd, and we will be set up for a play at whatever half comes available sooner or later. who would be walking into a a win-now situation with a ready-made team.

Sezer will do as he's told - 6 or 7, he'll do it.

Isn't Abbey off to England? Also can the kid pass a ball?

Raiders666 wrote:I don't think Elgey is any better than Sam Williams tbh

Kane Elgey is twice the player Sam Williams is. I am basing that on his form the year he made his debut. Lots of injuries since, plus change of players and coaches around him. Hope we get him cheap and give him a decent shot. His defence is crap but if he captures the form he started with, it wont matter


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