Raiders player signing speculation 2019

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zim
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by zim »

The cows are an interesting case. I think their roster is stuck in the 2016 model.
You need a better back 5 and ours **** all over theirs. We have one of the best back 5s in the comp.
You can accommodate one less than mobile prop and they've chosen to start 2 (Scott and McLean).
You also can't run a single kicker anymore unless you're the roosters.
Clifford can kick but they don't use him enough. Granny is not an option. They should have TMM as an option out back.

On paper they should be a great side but their 17 is unbalanced and their overall plan is just poor.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by gerg »

zim wrote:The cows are an interesting case. I think their roster is stuck in the 2016 model.
You need a better back 5 and ours **** all over theirs. We have one of the best back 5s in the comp.
You can accommodate one less than mobile prop and they've chosen to start 2 (Scott and McLean).
You also can't run a single kicker anymore unless you're the roosters.
Clifford can kick but they don't use him enough. Granny is not an option. They should have TMM as an option out back.

On paper they should be a great side but their 17 is unbalanced and their overall plan is just poor.
Agreed. I think their biggest issue over the past few years is the lack of speed out wide. If you put their back 5 in a Matt's matchup type sprint with opposite numbers from all NRL sides - would they win a skin/running race ... just one... against anyone?

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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Botman »

Their team is Morgan and Lolo. Some cameo's from Hess and occasionally the match up works for Cooper.
That's really about it.

The back 5 is absolutely horrendous. Matt Scott is on his last legs and McGuire used to be pretty good but looks well off his best now.
They do have John Asiata, and a little birdy told me last week that Justin Hodges feels like he compliments Michael Morgan well and asks questions of the defence, as well as other empty platitudes.

They need a major infusion of talent. Amazing that this team allowed Ponga to walk out the door.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by RedRaider »

edwahu wrote: April 9, 2019, 1:49 pm They average early 60's (Lolo) to early 70's (Burgess) with the other two mid 60's. TPJ average is around 60 but plays 70+ without issue.

You can't look at minutes as a factor without considering they are different positions with different workloads. There are virtually no 80 minute middles because the intensity is much higher than for a half. So I don't see how it's a factor unless it's a like for like comparison with other middles (e.g 650k for Boyd vs a normal middle in that price range)
I think the clubs that come back into contention year after year are not spending such huge money on Props. Storm, Chooks get their D in order and stay with some core middles who don't cost $1m. They spend it on Spine players. Smart.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by gangrenous »

PigRickman wrote: They do have John Asiata, and a little birdy told me last week that Justin Hodges feels like he compliments Michael Morgan well and asks questions of the defence, as well as other empty platitudes.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Wiki Special »

zim wrote: April 9, 2019, 9:04 pm The cows are an interesting case. I think their roster is stuck in the 2016 model.
You need a better back 5 and ours **** all over theirs. We have one of the best back 5s in the comp.
You can accommodate one less than mobile prop and they've chosen to start 2 (Scott and McLean).
You also can't run a single kicker anymore unless you're the roosters.
Clifford can kick but they don't use him enough. Granny is not an option. They should have TMM as an option out back.

On paper they should be a great side but their 17 is unbalanced and their overall plan is just poor.
I think the Cowboys main problem was they tried to milk their 2015 Premiership too long rather than replenish their squad. Pathways for young players to come into the team should have been created when you have players like Ponga, Hughes, Kikau, Smith, etc. coming through.

McLean and McGuire are great gets lately though.
Last edited by Wiki Special on April 9, 2019, 10:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by zim »

That's a good point. Seems to be the trend that squads that don't have some turnover then need a cleanout before they come good again.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Beejay »

PigRickman wrote: April 9, 2019, 9:25 pm Their team is Morgan and Lolo. Some cameo's from Hess and occasionally the match up works for Cooper.
That's really about it.

The back 5 is absolutely horrendous. Matt Scott is on his last legs and McGuire used to be pretty good but looks well off his best now.
They do have John Asiata, and a little birdy told me last week that Justin Hodges feels like he compliments Michael Morgan well and asks questions of the defence, as well as other empty platitudes.

They need a major infusion of talent. Amazing that this team allowed Ponga to walk out the door.
Ponga, Kikau and Brandon Smith all came out of their Junior system and left 2016 or later.
The what-not-to-do of Squad renewal.

Take out LoLo and Asiata and the entire pack is cashing cheque’s on performances from 2-4 years ago. That includes Hess.
Worst back 5 in the comp.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Green Blogger »

We also got Horsburgh from their Toyota Cup team.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by The Nickman »

Honestly, the Cowboys look to me like a team that needs a change of coach. Paul Green looks to have lost the playing group last year as a hangover to their 2017 grand final loss, and I don't think he can win it back.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Coastalraider »

The Rickman wrote: April 10, 2019, 1:01 pm Honestly, the Cowboys look to me like a team that needs a change of coach. Paul Green looks to have lost the playing group last year as a hangover to their 2017 grand final loss, and I don't think he can win it back.
Bang on.

I said it in an anti-Sticky rant previously - for a team to have continued success, there needs to be a fair amount of regular 'new messaging'. If the same coaching staff keep selling the same story to the same playing group over a long period of time, there will be an inevitability of the results becoming stale. This doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with the coaching philosophy, or the playing group, but the combination has tired. There are 3 ways to achieve this revamp:

-change of head coach - brings in a completely new concept. As a model see a relatively unchanged Souths squad improving out of sight with the change from Maguire to Seibold last year. This means a major squad overhaul may not be needed.

-Constant evolution of support staff - See Melbourne Storm for most of the last decade with their regular changes in assistant coaches. This brings fresh concepts around components of training and playing style - be it a new defensive plan, halves coach, forwards coach etc, reinvigorating the squad. This also means that a high turnover of players is not usually required (admittedly they have been forced into a different approach in the last 3 years with retirement of Slater and transfer of Cronk)

-Squad change - Changing the key players who are hearing the message will refresh existing squad members. See teams such as the Roosters - They dont have a big need to change the coach or messaging, as by moving on players who are stale in that environment such as Pearce and Gordon, they can refresh the motivation and environment by sliding in new senior players such as Cronk and Tedesco. Also see the short term results, long term fatigue of any squad that James Maloney has been to!

We have arguably shunned the most obvious answer in option A for this season by applying a combination of B+C, by bringing in quality support staff such as McFadden and Ennis, and a refresh of senior player such as Bateman, we have a great combination of renewed motivational factors. Most people on here (including myself) where very underwhelmed by our player recruitment in the offseason, but the combination of the 2 options mentioned above has seen the balance of the squad actually improve over the offseason far beyond what I was expecting.

The Cowboys arguably have done none of those 3 options well, and are suffering as a consequence.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by BJ »

Good insight Coastal Raider. I agree.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Wiki Special »

The Rickman wrote: April 10, 2019, 1:01 pm Honestly, the Cowboys look to me like a team that needs a change of coach. Paul Green looks to have lost the playing group last year as a hangover to their 2017 grand final loss, and I don't think he can win it back.
I agree with this too. I also believe he was a big part of keeping the gang together as opposed to bringing young guys through.

I live in Townsville so get boos when I say this; I think Green and Morgan are both overrated.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by roneel78 »

Wiki Special wrote:
The Rickman wrote: April 10, 2019, 1:01 pm Honestly, the Cowboys look to me like a team that needs a change of coach. Paul Green looks to have lost the playing group last year as a hangover to their 2017 grand final loss, and I don't think he can win it back.
I agree with this too. I also believe he was a big part of keeping the gang together as opposed to bringing young guys through.

I live in Townsville so get boos when I say this; I think Green and Morgan are both overrated.
green maybe.....Morgan no way.


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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by RedRaider »

Good post Coastal Raider.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Beejay »

On the Matty Johns podcast, James Hooper said BJ is on $800k per year. We signed him when he was the best centre in the game.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by julian87 »

I reckon that’s a complete guess from Johns.
well, I guess you could say that I'm buy curious.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by BadnMean »

Beejay wrote: April 11, 2019, 9:15 am On the Matty Johns podcast, James Hooper said BJ is on $800k per year. We signed him when he was the best centre in the game.
Hmm we signed him when he was talented but overweight and acting like a tool and in danger of stuffing it all up and Newcastle... but did we extend him recently when he WAS playing like the best centre in the game?
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by edwahu »

We extended him June 2017 when he was playing badly. I doubt he is on 800 unless there was loading.

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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

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julian87 wrote: April 11, 2019, 9:23 am I reckon that’s a complete guess from Johns.
It was James Hooper.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Beejay »

edwahu wrote: April 11, 2019, 9:33 am We extended him June 2017 when he was playing badly. I doubt he is on 800 unless there was loading.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/canber ... wm2b9.html
That deal could have been done in early 2017, and it was finer details that took it out to June to be announced.
You would imagine dollar figures and offers were made following the 2016 season.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Northern Raider »

Beejay wrote: April 11, 2019, 9:15 am On the Matty Johns podcast, James Hooper said BJ is on $800k per year. We signed him when he was the best centre in the game.
Current Dally M centre of the year so arguably still the best in the game.

Not a lot of star centres these days. Not like in the past where guys like Mal, Miles, Cronin, Rogers etc were the superstars of rugby league.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Matt »

Coastalraider wrote: April 10, 2019, 1:50 pm
The Rickman wrote: April 10, 2019, 1:01 pm Honestly, the Cowboys look to me like a team that needs a change of coach. Paul Green looks to have lost the playing group last year as a hangover to their 2017 grand final loss, and I don't think he can win it back.
Bang on.

I said it in an anti-Sticky rant previously - for a team to have continued success, there needs to be a fair amount of regular 'new messaging'. If the same coaching staff keep selling the same story to the same playing group over a long period of time, there will be an inevitability of the results becoming stale. This doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with the coaching philosophy, or the playing group, but the combination has tired. There are 3 ways to achieve this revamp:

-change of head coach - brings in a completely new concept. As a model see a relatively unchanged Souths squad improving out of sight with the change from Maguire to Seibold last year. This means a major squad overhaul may not be needed.

-Constant evolution of support staff - See Melbourne Storm for most of the last decade with their regular changes in assistant coaches. This brings fresh concepts around components of training and playing style - be it a new defensive plan, halves coach, forwards coach etc, reinvigorating the squad. This also means that a high turnover of players is not usually required (admittedly they have been forced into a different approach in the last 3 years with retirement of Slater and transfer of Cronk)

-Squad change - Changing the key players who are hearing the message will refresh existing squad members. See teams such as the Roosters - They dont have a big need to change the coach or messaging, as by moving on players who are stale in that environment such as Pearce and Gordon, they can refresh the motivation and environment by sliding in new senior players such as Cronk and Tedesco. Also see the short term results, long term fatigue of any squad that James Maloney has been to!

We have arguably shunned the most obvious answer in option A for this season by applying a combination of B+C, by bringing in quality support staff such as McFadden and Ennis, and a refresh of senior player such as Bateman, we have a great combination of renewed motivational factors. Most people on here (including myself) where very underwhelmed by our player recruitment in the offseason, but the combination of the 2 options mentioned above has seen the balance of the squad actually improve over the offseason far beyond what I was expecting.

The Cowboys arguably have done none of those 3 options well, and are suffering as a consequence.
Great post, and I do remember you writing something similar previously.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Seiffert82 »

Zing!
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by sprintman »

Titans forum saying Penrith are shopping Dylan Edwards. Opportunity at Raiders probably long gone
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by edwahu »

Yep, unless we fall in a heap.

You kind of understand why players are mercenary when the club can deny a player a release and then shop him a month later ( if that's really how it's gone down)
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Botman »

sprintman wrote: April 21, 2019, 2:44 pm Titans forum saying Penrith are shopping Dylan Edwards. Opportunity at Raiders probably long gone
Not sure it should be, we've seen some false dawns at fullback before... Robinson and Milne come to mind who had some bumper starts... we should keep tabs on things and monitor it still IMO, Edwards talent is undeniable... but as of right now, yeah you wouldnt be looking to move away from CNK, he's young and talented himself and proving to be a little Schif like for us defensively and positionally.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by gangrenous »

I hadn’t thought of him like Schif at all, but now you mention it, I think that’s a really good call
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Botman »

edwahu wrote: April 21, 2019, 3:44 pm You kind of understand why players are mercenary when the club can deny a player a release and then shop him a month later ( if that's really how it's gone down)

No one should ever kind of understand it, it should be expressly understood and known and every fan, to a man or women, should side with the players... the clubs, the administrators, the coaches, they continue to march... it's the players who put their bodies on the line, and risk debilitating injuries long term for a 10 year career if they're elite and like 100 games if they're good but not great.

The players should always, ALWAYS go and get theirs, be that money or opportunity whenever they can, **** the contracts and **** the clubs, because unless you're elite, the clubs dont give a **** about the players or their contracts either.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Botman »

gangrenous wrote: April 21, 2019, 6:43 pm I hadn’t thought of him like Schif at all, but now you mention it, I think that’s a really good call
Yeah it came to me a bit tonight, he's not as dynamic in attack, but he does do that jinking stuff and yeah that feeling of knowing our fullback will be in the best position to stop a try or line break is the same i had with Schif.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by julian87 »

I was willing for the club to get Edwards to save us from Abbey but have always been very reserved on him as a player. He hasnt even played 30 NRL games and I reckon at least 10 of them would have been well below par.

I think you’d be crazy as a club to offer him anything more than a very low salary given how completely useless he has been in 2019. He also really doesn’t offer any real depth as he doesn’t look capable of playing first grade anywhere but fullback.

A club might get a bargain, but they might also get a hindrance if on too much money.
well, I guess you could say that I'm buy curious.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by -PJ- »

Brad Abbey..

I'd forgotten we still had him.

Nice one Jules.
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by dubby »

gangrenous wrote:I hadn’t thought of him like Schif at all, but now you mention it, I think that’s a really good call
Very different player to Shif. Almost totally polar.

I honestly can't think of a Raiders comparison to measure against. The only player comes to mind is Michael Gordon, years ago.

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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Rickmando »

sprintman wrote: April 21, 2019, 2:44 pm Titans forum saying Penrith are shopping Dylan Edwards. Opportunity at Raiders probably long gone
He’s a future rep player, he just happens to be having a rough patch of form. Normally you would try and cash in, but as it stands today we couldn’t offer him any first grade football. If he fits under the cap I would make it happen though. You can’t deny talent (especially if you can buy low on it).
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Re: Raiders player signing speculation 2019

Post by Seiffert82 »

He reminds me a bit of Garry Jack. Hard running, good hands, backs up, great positioning, can tackle hard and can take a tackle, good under the high ball. He doesn't jink around like Schif or have the phobia of tackling like Mullins. Nor does he ball-play like Schif or Belcher did (although this might evolve). He's just that guy who does everything asked of him at an extremely high standard. I have no idea why he wasn't getting a run for the Warriors.

The bloke nearly has his kneecap inverted in the first half and by late in the second he is taking two hitups in a pressure set of 6. He has been immense for us. Surely has to be the bargain signing of the NRL.
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