2018 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[Titanic]

1/2 a season doesn’t make a legend and although I’ll be happy to eat my words, I think Taylor will offer more in the long run.

On another topic, I think Brennan should hold open trials and see what turns up.

[Mexican titan]

I'm going to pose this question to everyone else that has a lot more NRL knowledge than I (so everyone really). Isn't this what Penrith have done? Or is there a successful club whereby that system wins premierships, or is the best we can hope for whilst we aren't a rich club is more stability coming from a better fan base?

It's a good question JB. I think it's a great idea developing and trying to bring through your best juniors but I firmly believe you have to spend on imports. Well you do if you want to win comps.
We could develop many juniors but eventually most get good offers to sign elsewhere and leave. The general idea that blokes will stay and play for their local club is fanciful once more money is offered elsewhere, with the Managers in players ears.
Frankly I want to win comps and I don't give a flying where our players come from. It would be great if we could keep and blend in 4 or 5 locals but if your team does the victory lap on GF day no one gives a sh1t where the players have come from. Some of the comments on here where people have elevated blokes from a pathetic under 20's team to NRL solutions surprise me, but it adds to good debate.

[Upthetits]

How would Morgan solve our fullback issue?

[Titanic]

I like that a lot more than in the half's.

[RavShamrock]

I like that a lot more than in the half's.

Yep that would work pretty well here.

[NZTITAN]

Important to note, that article was some incredibly lazy journalism by Dean Ritchie after Brent Read tweeted and suggested some "potential targets for 2019" that may include Morgan, Cordner and RTS so I very highly doubt any of them we are actually targeting as Read was merely suggesting we'd chase those players.

[ozynorts]

How would Morgan solve our fullback issue?

He won't fix it in 2018 but he is a very good fullback and if we could land M Gordon for a year that would work nicely.
And he is available for 2019 now. He hasn't resigned with the Cowboys beyond next year and is quoted in today's courier mail as saying he will be testing the market.

[Toads]

Does Lachlan Coote and Brennan have any history from Penrith?

[shamus]

Does Lachlan Coote and Brennan have any history from Penrith?

They would know each other but that would be about it. (JMO) Brennan coached the Penrith NYC in 2012 and parts of 2013 whilst Coote was playing for Panthers NRL squad.

[Mr Bods]

He won't fix it in 2018 but he is a very good fullback and if we could land M Gordon for a year that would work nicely.
And he is available for 2019 now. He hasn't resigned with the Cowboys beyond next year and is quoted in today's courier mail as saying he will be testing the market.

We could have had MGordon this year and next year already on minimal money if we had of made an effort late during the season. But no of course not-bringing back our own juniors is too difficult a concept for some.
If we want to have him now we have to give Mick a 2-3 year contract and pay him at least what the Roosters are paying him.
When the new owners come in I want Annesley moved on.
He’s calamity Annesley.

[Mexican titan]

We could have had MGordon this year and next year already on minimal money if we had of made an effort late during the season. But no of course not-bringing back our own juniors is too difficult a concept for some.
If we want to have him now we have to give Mick a 2-3 year contract and pay him at least what the Roosters are paying him.
When the new owners come in I want Annesley moved on.
He’s calamity Annesley.

As you know I agree with you about getting Gordon but I'm not sure we can blame Annesley for him not being here already. The signing of players is the call of the coach and then the CEO goes and does the deal and as you know, back then we didn't have a coach. I think we missed many players because we didn't have a coach in place which is why I didn't accept why the process took too long.
Yet again we are signing blokes that are excess to requirements at their current club. Even Latu, even though many support his signing, we only got him because Maloney squeezed him out of Penrith due to a salary cap screw up. One day we'll actually go a player and negotiate a deal because we have targeted him, and not because he is out looking for anything because he is considered excess at his current club. Not only is it no way how to build a team, we have players not doing a full pre season with us.
I'm sure the lack of progress on the ownership front is not helping at all as the club still know how much money will be thereand what the views of the new owners will be.

[ozynorts]

^^^ and further to that Hayne was still on the books as our fullback so the club wasn’t looking for one. It is a position that is a vital part of any clubs attack and we don’t have an NRL standard player in the club to fill it. It will be interesting to see how Brennan solves this one.

[Upthetits]

To think the incoming (to take over fulltime after cronk) Australian half and qld half will come to the gold coast to play fullback is abit ridiculous.

[Mr Bods]

As you know I agree with you about getting Gordon but I'm not sure we can blame Annesley for him not being here already. The signing of players is the call of the coach and then the CEO goes and does the deal and as you know, back then we didn't have a coach. I think we missed many players because we didn't have a coach in place which is why I didn't accept why the process took too long.
Yet again we are signing blokes that are excess to requirements at their current club. Even Latu, even though many support his signing, we only got him because Maloney squeezed him out of Penrith due to a salary cap screw up. One day we'll actually go a player and negotiate a deal because we have targeted him, and not because he is out looking for anything because he is considered excess at his current club. Not only is it no way how to build a team, we have players not doing a full pre season with us.
I'm sure the lack of progress on the ownership front is not helping at all as the club still know how much money will be thereand what the views of the new owners will be.

I say it because he’s reactionary and not proactive, he’s by nature a Conservative person, but also his performance at both the Fan Forum and His Post Hayne press conference displayed to me that he’s quite thin skinned and incapable of humbly admitting errors.
Unfortunately Hayne took the club, the fans and sadly our loyal players all back two years.

I just Googled him and he turns 61 in May, he’s had a successful career he would have a ton of superannuation.
Just like we now have a next generation Coach, let’s have a next generation CEO.

I’m not knocking him big time, he’s been pretty good all things considered but I do think his time is now up.
Morning Merry Melodies, long trips in a caravan, the Golf Courses, 4pm happy hours and the Bowls Clubs are calling him now.

[5 Year Contract]

Social media saying Clint Gutherson has been granted a release from Parra. Hope he is headed this way