Curtis Scott signs with Canberra Raiders to end 2023

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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by greeneyed »

Why Curtis Scott’s looming arrival will make-or-break Canberra Raiders centre Joey Leilua

With Jordan Rapana heading for a code switch to Japanese rugby, Curtis Scott’s pending arrival at the Raiders has now turned up the heat on the wild side of the “Leipana” magic act like never before.

The Raiders are offering Scott a four-year deal that will guarantee his long term future from 2020. Given Jarrod Croker owns the left centre position, that means Leilua and Scott will be fighting it out all summer to see who deserves first crack on the right edge.

Read more: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport ... b72ab4efc4
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Botman »

Yeah a 4 year committment to a player like Scott... that isnt to play Mounties. Thats to come here and play centre from day one.

I will be very surprised if Beej is here for round 1 2020, if Scott is on our roster. It maybe that Scott stays at Melbourne for the year, Beej finishes up here for his year and it's that clean... but if Scott is here for 2020, Beej wont be is my guess
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Matt »

You may have come across Adrian Buttery on the GH FB page, or any number of NRL ones, but he is a GE/RR equivalent for the Storm.

Adrian writes:

Clarkey's Rugby League Column you know nothing about Melbourne mate - Sorry.

The fact is that given Smith is completely unwilling to trust anybody to play as a true 7 - they should have done it 2 seasons ago and have completely blown 2 Premierships by not doing it.

If Smith isn't going to trust anybody to direct their attack at 7 then they are better offf just having him doing it and let Brandon play 9.

Smith's schizophrenic back and forth between 9 and 7 insisting he can do it all himself was always going to be a total failure.

Yes they can win games with the U15's Game Plan they are playing to accommodate Smith's Cam Ball style of play. Yes they can rack up scores against poor opposition with it. But it relies 100% on the opposition gifting field position with errors and penalties all game long.

The fact is that whenever they come up against a team not giving the game away - it falls flat on it's face. It is impossible to win a Premiership with it! Having 3 consecutive finals opponents in a row not making you work for it just is never going to happen.

The proof is in the pudding - in the last 2 Finals Series, Storm have come up against a genuine contender on their game 3 times. They have lost all 3 of those matches. They have been held to 1 try in all 3 of these matches.

Right now, Brodie Croft is the only true 7 on their roster and still in my eyes, the highest potential young 7 around - Smith refuses to back him and has done since kick off Rd 1 2018. Apart from that, they are loaded up with 5/8's who are not genuine organising halves - Munster, Hughes, Cooper Johns... Clearly Smith's attitude to Croft hasn't changed.

The only hope they have at a Premiership in 2020 is for Smith to just move to 7 full time seeing as he isn't going to let anybody else play it.

Personally - I stand by my comment from the start of this year - Storm wont win another Premiership until after Smith retires. His actually just playing 7 would at least give them a chance.

"With Smith controlling the game from the middle the Storm have been able to mitigate this factor since Cooper Cronk left."

Not really

A - He's been fluttering all over the place as opposed to just playing 9.

B - Their inability to produce points against top finals opponents in the last 2 seasons is not coincidental - it is entirely due to the style of Play Smith has engineered in order to keep all on field control with him.

They haven't mitigated anything.

"Personally, I would give Jahrome Hughes a full season there to develop, or continue to develop Brodie Croft. "

Mate - this statement shows how disconnected you actually are with what's been happening in Melbourne for 2 years.

For starters - Hughes has never been a 7 - he is a ball running 6 / Fullback, the same as Munster.

Secondly - Brodie Croft, Ryley Jacks, Jahrome Hughes - it DOES NOT MATTER who wears the 7 for Storm - it is a minimised role and none of them are actually trusted by Smith or allowed by Smith to actually play as a 7.


Read more, less thoughtout, but similar comments on Clarkeys FB page: https://m.facebook.com/clarkeys.rl.colu ... 08/?type=3
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by FROG »

I agree. As I've said elsewhere.. 3 quality first grade centres doesnt fit into 2.... i wouldnt be surprised to see him end up at the dogs tbh
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by FROG »

BadnMean wrote: November 21, 2019, 4:13 pm I'm gonna go on record as saying Smith has jumped the shark.

The diamond ring scam was such a weird move by Greenburg that the mod just shifted. Smiths moments of brilliance are getting rarer. He no longer has Slater and Cronk delivering quality execution again and again after he picks the go. Munster and Papenhuyzen are good, but won't be in future immortals discussions. Papenhuyzen is a rookie and Munster is nowhere near consistent as the two aforementioned.

Melbourne will win more than they lose. They have some good cattle, a big scary pack and a really great winger. But I think they'll go on the slide. You heard it here.
Not exactly a gutsy call.. i mean they won the minor premiership by 6 points!! Short of winning the premiership there is really only one way to go and its down
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by BadnMean »

FROG wrote: November 21, 2019, 7:05 pm
BadnMean wrote: November 21, 2019, 4:13 pm I'm gonna go on record as saying Smith has jumped the shark.

The diamond ring scam was such a weird move by Greenburg that the mod just shifted. Smiths moments of brilliance are getting rarer. He no longer has Slater and Cronk delivering quality execution again and again after he picks the go. Munster and Papenhuyzen are good, but won't be in future immortals discussions. Papenhuyzen is a rookie and Munster is nowhere near consistent as the two aforementioned.

Melbourne will win more than they lose. They have some good cattle, a big scary pack and a really great winger. But I think they'll go on the slide. You heard it here.
Not exactly a gutsy call.. i mean they won the minor premiership by 6 points!! Short of winning the premiership there is really only one way to go and its down
Fair enough. I'm saying they'll make up the numbers in the 8. What's your call?
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Botman »

Im going to make a really **** bold call

The storm will be a really good team and Smith, at THIRTY **** SIX may no longer be the greatest player of all time but is probably going to still be one of the best in the game and lead his team to another very successful season.

I know it's bold, but im a gambler that way.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Botman »

Matt wrote: November 21, 2019, 6:56 pm You may have come across Adrian Buttery on the GH FB page, or any number of NRL ones, but he is a GE/RR equivalent for the Storm.

Adrian writes:

Clarkey's Rugby League Column you know nothing about Melbourne mate - Sorry.

The fact is that given Smith is completely unwilling to trust anybody to play as a true 7 - they should have done it 2 seasons ago and have completely blown 2 Premierships by not doing it.

If Smith isn't going to trust anybody to direct their attack at 7 then they are better offf just having him doing it and let Brandon play 9.

Smith's schizophrenic back and forth between 9 and 7 insisting he can do it all himself was always going to be a total failure.

Yes they can win games with the U15's Game Plan they are playing to accommodate Smith's Cam Ball style of play. Yes they can rack up scores against poor opposition with it. But it relies 100% on the opposition gifting field position with errors and penalties all game long.

The fact is that whenever they come up against a team not giving the game away - it falls flat on it's face. It is impossible to win a Premiership with it! Having 3 consecutive finals opponents in a row not making you work for it just is never going to happen.

The proof is in the pudding - in the last 2 Finals Series, Storm have come up against a genuine contender on their game 3 times. They have lost all 3 of those matches. They have been held to 1 try in all 3 of these matches.

Right now, Brodie Croft is the only true 7 on their roster and still in my eyes, the highest potential young 7 around - Smith refuses to back him and has done since kick off Rd 1 2018. Apart from that, they are loaded up with 5/8's who are not genuine organising halves - Munster, Hughes, Cooper Johns... Clearly Smith's attitude to Croft hasn't changed.

The only hope they have at a Premiership in 2020 is for Smith to just move to 7 full time seeing as he isn't going to let anybody else play it.

Personally - I stand by my comment from the start of this year - Storm wont win another Premiership until after Smith retires. His actually just playing 7 would at least give them a chance.

"With Smith controlling the game from the middle the Storm have been able to mitigate this factor since Cooper Cronk left."

Not really

A - He's been fluttering all over the place as opposed to just playing 9.

B - Their inability to produce points against top finals opponents in the last 2 seasons is not coincidental - it is entirely due to the style of Play Smith has engineered in order to keep all on field control with him.

They haven't mitigated anything.

"Personally, I would give Jahrome Hughes a full season there to develop, or continue to develop Brodie Croft. "

Mate - this statement shows how disconnected you actually are with what's been happening in Melbourne for 2 years.

For starters - Hughes has never been a 7 - he is a ball running 6 / Fullback, the same as Munster.

Secondly - Brodie Croft, Ryley Jacks, Jahrome Hughes - it DOES NOT MATTER who wears the 7 for Storm - it is a minimised role and none of them are actually trusted by Smith or allowed by Smith to actually play as a 7.


Read more, less thoughtout, but similar comments on Clarkeys FB page: https://m.facebook.com/clarkeys.rl.colu ... 08/?type=3
What an insult to GE.
THis man is clearly a **** ****. Sorry, but he doesnt know football.

This is a man child, spoilt by years of unbridled success throwing his toys out of the pram because the storm had the game in hand and Tapine forced an error on Addo-Carr, and Leulia and Bateman turned it into a match winner where there was no time to respond. This resulted in them ending up on the "wrong" side of the draw and facing one of the best teams in modern history.

This guy needs to **** check himself.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Botman »

FROG wrote: November 21, 2019, 6:57 pm I agree. As I've said elsewhere.. 3 quality first grade centres doesnt fit into 2.... i wouldnt be surprised to see him end up at the dogs tbh
Assuming Scott signs, this is going one of two ways

1) Scott and Beej see out the final year of their respective deals, and then move to their new clubs, Scott to us and Beej where he lands

or

2) Scott comes early and Beej departs.

I could be wrong but i dont see any way this ends up with Beej and Scott on the roster for 2020.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Seiffert82 »

The point about Melbourne now struggling to score against a quality defence is a point well made.

They are still good at playing robotic football that chokes average opponents out of the game. Have been for years.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Seiffert82 »

Can Scott play on the right wing for a season?

Either way, the odds of Leilua still being with us by the end of next season are rapidly diminishing. The club clearly won't stand in his way if his manager finds a multi-year deal elsewhere.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by sprintman »

I spend a lot of time on other teams forums. Nobody is talking about BJ. Lomax yes, BJ no.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by -TW- »

Don't think many clubs are willing to take the risk at his price tag

Will win you a game one week, will lose you one the next week

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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Cranky Old Man »

I'm with Matt and B&M, Smith is still a top class player and an even better leader except he is becoming a Cranky Old Man. The refs are sick of him, the Tele is declaring jihad on him and I think he is a little offside with a few of the younger players. His end will be brutish and nasty.
Munster is an interesting story. I thought he was poor during the short run through the semis, albeit he had some flashes of brilliance. I thought maybe the pressure to produce more than a normal share to the Storm effort saw him flag somewhat. I will be watching his season 2020 with interest. He might have a touch of the Jack Birds about him.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by zim »

Seiffert82 wrote: November 21, 2019, 8:44 pm Can Scott play on the right wing for a season?

Either way, the odds of Leilua still being with us by the end of next season are rapidly diminishing. The club clearly won't stand in his way if his manager finds a multi-year deal elsewhere.
He'd do fine on the wing. It's not his best position but he'd adapt.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by zim »

Cranky Old Man wrote: November 21, 2019, 9:43 pm I'm with Matt and B&M, Smith is still a top class player and an even better leader except he is becoming a Cranky Old Man. The refs are sick of him, the Tele is declaring jihad on him and I think he is a little offside with a few of the younger players. His end will be brutish and nasty.
Munster is an interesting story. I thought he was poor during the short run through the semis, albeit he had some flashes of brilliance. I thought maybe the pressure to produce more than a normal share to the Storm effort saw him flag somewhat. I will be watching his season 2020 with interest. He might have a touch of the Jack Birds about him.
That's not helped by having your halves partner replaced by a fullback. Adds even more pressure than being the senior partner.
Croft would have been the better choice.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Seiffert82 »

Cranky Old Man wrote: November 21, 2019, 9:43 pm I'm with Matt and B&M, Smith is still a top class player and an even better leader except he is becoming a Cranky Old Man. The refs are sick of him, the Tele is declaring jihad on him and I think he is a little offside with a few of the younger players. His end will be brutish and nasty.
Munster is an interesting story. I thought he was poor during the short run through the semis, albeit he had some flashes of brilliance. I thought maybe the pressure to produce more than a normal share to the Storm effort saw him flag somewhat. I will be watching his season 2020 with interest. He might have a touch of the Jack Birds about him.
Yeah, I've been death riding the Storm for a few years. To their credit they have done remarkably well during the regular season the last 2 years with their grinding style of play. I just don't think it's a particularly cohesive spine at the moment. They still rack up big scores against ordinary teams, but they do struggle to score points when it matters - unlike in their heyday.

Their defence is still top shelf though.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by BadnMean »

Botman wrote: November 21, 2019, 7:27 pm Im going to make a really **** bold call

The storm will be a really good team and Smith, at THIRTY **** SIX may no longer be the greatest player of all time but is probably going to still be one of the best in the game and lead his team to another very successful season.

I know it's bold, but im a gambler that way.
That's almost sarcasm, which is your preferred method. But I reckon it's a bit off, and you'll have to define very successful season.

EDIT: I now realise my earlier post came after a step by step rundown demolition of the Storm by another source. So my posture that- "you read it here" looks dumb.

But you did. So there's that. And I will enjoy 2020 a lot if the Storm stink a bit and Cam decides to Farah it up.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Beejay »

Matt wrote: November 21, 2019, 6:56 pm You may have come across Adrian Buttery on the GH FB page, or any number of NRL ones, but he is a GE/RR equivalent for the Storm.

Adrian writes:

Clarkey's Rugby League Column you know nothing about Melbourne mate - Sorry.

The fact is that given Smith is completely unwilling to trust anybody to play as a true 7 - they should have done it 2 seasons ago and have completely blown 2 Premierships by not doing it.

If Smith isn't going to trust anybody to direct their attack at 7 then they are better offf just having him doing it and let Brandon play 9.

Smith's schizophrenic back and forth between 9 and 7 insisting he can do it all himself was always going to be a total failure.

Yes they can win games with the U15's Game Plan they are playing to accommodate Smith's Cam Ball style of play. Yes they can rack up scores against poor opposition with it. But it relies 100% on the opposition gifting field position with errors and penalties all game long.

The fact is that whenever they come up against a team not giving the game away - it falls flat on it's face. It is impossible to win a Premiership with it! Having 3 consecutive finals opponents in a row not making you work for it just is never going to happen.

The proof is in the pudding - in the last 2 Finals Series, Storm have come up against a genuine contender on their game 3 times. They have lost all 3 of those matches. They have been held to 1 try in all 3 of these matches.

Right now, Brodie Croft is the only true 7 on their roster and still in my eyes, the highest potential young 7 around - Smith refuses to back him and has done since kick off Rd 1 2018. Apart from that, they are loaded up with 5/8's who are not genuine organising halves - Munster, Hughes, Cooper Johns... Clearly Smith's attitude to Croft hasn't changed.

The only hope they have at a Premiership in 2020 is for Smith to just move to 7 full time seeing as he isn't going to let anybody else play it.

Personally - I stand by my comment from the start of this year - Storm wont win another Premiership until after Smith retires. His actually just playing 7 would at least give them a chance.

"With Smith controlling the game from the middle the Storm have been able to mitigate this factor since Cooper Cronk left."

Not really

A - He's been fluttering all over the place as opposed to just playing 9.

B - Their inability to produce points against top finals opponents in the last 2 seasons is not coincidental - it is entirely due to the style of Play Smith has engineered in order to keep all on field control with him.

They haven't mitigated anything.

"Personally, I would give Jahrome Hughes a full season there to develop, or continue to develop Brodie Croft. "

Mate - this statement shows how disconnected you actually are with what's been happening in Melbourne for 2 years.

For starters - Hughes has never been a 7 - he is a ball running 6 / Fullback, the same as Munster.

Secondly - Brodie Croft, Ryley Jacks, Jahrome Hughes - it DOES NOT MATTER who wears the 7 for Storm - it is a minimised role and none of them are actually trusted by Smith or allowed by Smith to actually play as a 7.


Read more, less thoughtout, but similar comments on Clarkeys FB page: https://m.facebook.com/clarkeys.rl.colu ... 08/?type=3
Imagine being so entitled as a Storm supporter that you take Brodie Croft's side over Cameron Smith.
Brodie Croft, who has shown his inability to defend at first grade level multiple times.

Melbourne Storm lost 4 games in regular season 2019.
Before that they were in 3 Grand finals in a row.

Just all down to their U15's game plan.
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Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by The Nickman »

Jesus, I think a lot of you are completely missing the fact the Storm were just the most dominant minor premiers in history. If Tapine doesn’t knock that ball out of Addo-Carr’s hands they very nearly come close to winning the comp again. It was a very, very good season, despite the fact they didn’t win the comp. In fact, it was better than ours, and history will remember us as not winning the comp either.

The way some of you are talking they’ve just come off a garbage season where they were completely awful. This place is deadset **** strange sometimes.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Seiffert82 »

It's not really about arguing whether they've had a garbage season (which they obviously haven't), it's a discussion about how they are transitioning into the next phase after Smith retires.

Seems like a rational thing for every person to have their own opinion on.

If anything, their history over 15 odd seasons demonstrates how important it is to have a solid defence as the backbone of your game plan.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by The Nickman »

I just think perhaps we should all hold off the high fiving and back slapping about the demise of the Storm until it ACTUALLY happens, yeah?
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Seiffert82 »

Or we could just talk about our opinions about a football team on a football forum?

It's an interesting discussion. Who cares what actually happens. It's the offseason.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by TongueFTW »

The Nickman wrote: November 22, 2019, 6:29 am Jesus, I think a lot of you are completely missing the fact the Storm were just the most dominant minor premiers in history. If Tapine doesn’t knock that ball out of Addo-Carr’s hands they very nearly come close to winning the comp again. It was a very, very good season, despite the fact they didn’t win the comp. In fact, it was better than ours, and history will remember us as not winning the comp either.

The way some of you are talking they’ve just come off a garbage season where they were completely awful. This place is deadset **** strange sometimes.
Couldn’t agree more with this. Addo-Carr holds onto the ball and they win that game, and likely make another GF, having lost 4 games all year.

I actually think the issue is they don’t manage their work load very well. Bellamy is burnt by a single season where he rested players and they lost momentum. Classic overreaction to a small sample size. The season is far too long now to not rest players - Roosters did it very well over the course of the year, and Stuart was certainly vindicated by his decision to give some key players a break in the final week. Melbourne play at a high intensity every week, and have quite a few rep players playing extra games. While I feel we were lucky to pip Melbourne at the death, I do think we were the better side over 80 minutes of that game, and that Melbourne (and Souths) were physically drained by the time the Prelims came around.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by edwahu »

Every top team at the pointy end of the year has the same tactic. Defend like maniacs for 80.

Really if that gets done you will struggle to score more than a token try without a lot of elite players and that's probably where the Storm have a challenge. It's not like it's unique to them though.

It will be interesting to see if they go to the market for that sort of player.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by yeh raiders »

Especially since what happens to the Storm next season directly relates to our premiership chances.

Roosters, Storm and Manly (now that their hooker is in trouble), are fairly likely to produce lesser teams in 2020.

By all means, I really hope Melbourne have Cam Smith playing at halfback. Not only will their attack take a hit, but in defence he’ll be isolated and targeted.

Anyone suggesting Bellamy is immune to making mistakes is quickly forgetting how poorly he handled the halfback situation at the back end of 2019 and how he persisted with Sandor Earl despite being a park quality player. In fact that’s probably selling Park footy short.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Wiki Special »

When this topic is dug up in the future I just want to go record here saying I am on the side of Smith being the most important factor in the Storms continued success over the past decade (plus). He is the best player I have seen. The Storm will not be better if he retired so Brodie Croft can take the reins.

Can't believe I even had to write that.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Matt »

Wiki Special wrote: November 22, 2019, 7:13 am When this topic is dug up in the future I just want to go record here saying I am on the side of Smith being the most important factor in the Storms continued success over the past decade (plus). He is the best player I have seen. The Storm will not be better if he retired so Brodie Croft can take the reins.

Can't believe I even had to write that.
He is the best player I have ever seen too, but everyone reaches their used by date. I look at the NFL, and there are a lot of the top flight QBs that are starting to regress this yr because of father time, and wear and tear, even the great Tom Brady is starting to show the effects.

Saying that its time for the Storm to move on isnt that crazy. It might make an effect on the Storm, it might not. They still have a talented enough roster to play finals footy.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by GreenMachine »

The Nickman wrote: November 22, 2019, 6:41 am I just think perhaps we should all hold off the high fiving and back slapping about the demise of the Storm until it ACTUALLY happens, yeah?
100%.
It's laughable to suggest the Storm will be anything other than a competitive professional unit. With or without Smith.
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Botman »

BadnMean wrote: November 21, 2019, 11:03 pm That's almost sarcasm, which is your preferred method. But I reckon it's a bit off, and you'll have to define very successful season.
Top 4 in both regular season and post season.
Very successful as in, they will again contender to win the premiership.

People have been writing the Storm off for half a decade now... when Falou goes, when Inglis goes, with Slater goes, when Cronk goes... and ON it goes... As Nickman said, perhaps we should all learn our lessons and stop writing off Smith and Bellemy

I mean you guys can keep throwing those darts and EVENTUALLY you'll be right, but it wont mean **** to crow around saying how right you were in 2023 when you were wrong the previous 9 **** seasons :lol:

Ill tell you this, ill believe Bellemy and Smith are done only when i actually see they are done. Ill be the very last man off that train and happily so
I learnt my lesson 5 years ago.
Cranky Old Man
Brett Mullins
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Cranky Old Man »

I just can't accept the argument that "once were great, forever great". Nobody in their right mind denies the greatness that Smith has achieved, nor that of the Storm, the greatest team of the last decade and a half. But to extrapolate that out to them remaining great in perpetuity is wrong. Both Storm and Smith are much closer to their end of run than they are to its heyday. There can be no controversy in saying that. Without having examined the relevant stats I believe Smith deteriorated in effectiveness in the last third or so of the season, probably from the fatigue of being overloaded with responsibility to generate points and lead in a team missing the superstars of yore. I also believe the mental and physical exhaustion he accumulated in that time was the reason he so publicly ruminated on retirement.
I will be sorry to see Smith go whenever he does decide to go, the game will be poorer for his going. But I really think he is going at least one season too long. What will come for Melbourne I don't know, but I doubt they will have such a dominant home and away season again in 2020 but expect them to be in the top 8 at least.
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Beejay
John Ferguson
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Beejay »

There’s a big difference between saying Cameron Smith will eventually succumb to mortality and;
Storm would be a better team if they cut Smith loose now and hand the team to Bodie Croft.
Or that it was Cameron Smith that’s holding them back in 2018 or 2019....
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Botman
Mal Meninga
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Botman »

No one thinks Cam Smith is going to play forever.
Or that he's as good as he once was. He's 36 and has 400+ worth of tread on his tyres. He isnt as good as he once was but he was still comfortably the best player for a storm team that won the minor premiership by 3 full games and was a Josh Addo Carr error away from hosting a home prelim final (which they'd have almost certainly won against Souths) and going back to their 4th consecutive GF.

Sure there are signs of Smith declining, but his starting point from the decline is at being the best to ever do it. So even if he's only 50/60% of what he once was, that's still going to be a top 10 player in world!
Did anyone honestly watch Cam Smith last year and think he wasnt one of the best players in the league? I sure as **** never saw any decline significant enough to say he's fallen out of the top 5-10 players in the game.

Guys like Seif have been declaring the Storm run dead for nigh on 5 off seasons now... sure if you say every year you'll eventually be right but at that point, after 2-3-4-5 however many seasons it has been of being wrong, im just saying it might be time to just wait to see the man flatline before declaring him dead.
Old School Green
Dean Lance
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by Old School Green »

Seiffert82 wrote: November 21, 2019, 8:44 pm Can Scott play on the right wing for a season?

Either way, the odds of Leilua still being with us by the end of next season are rapidly diminishing. The club clearly won't stand in his way if his manager finds a multi-year deal elsewhere.
At his current dollar value yes, I agree. But if reality bites (and i suspect it may have already with BJ) and he takes a significantly reduced deal, I would think we would be crazy not to keep him. Sure he is good for a brain explosion every now and then but still has huge x factor, something we haven't got much of necessarily.
Given the neck situation this year no club is coming near what he is currently on. Surely, the best odds would have been on a supplemented deal (by us) and for him to move in 2020. That's not happening now apparently, so from where i sit we are in the box seat with him.

I hope he stays. I re-watched highlights from the dogs game from Belmore from 2018 again the other day where we scored about a million points in the last 10 mins to somehow win. He went into beast mode for the last try and left all and sundry askew like tenpins, had his jumper ripped to bits and then let them know who was boss. Every team needs a dude like that.
87, 89, 90, 91, 94, 19
I was there. Go the Milk !!
woppadingo
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Re: Canberra Raiders close in on major signing coup with Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott

Post by woppadingo »

Im no fan of Smith but can acknowledge he has been the best hooker and one of the best all round players for years. Even if he is no longer the 'best' hooker now, he is still up there among them. No way the Storm should move him on.
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