2021 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[Hail Sezer]

Just to clarify...by linked we mean the media writing about the club trying to recruit a player?

Tbh I'm fairly happy with how solid our club is about recruitment being kept behind closed doors. I get that its fun to see that stuff in the media etc. but it's got to be the worst thing for the club's process to have journalists spinning it through the papers.

[BundyTitan]

Just to clarify...by linked we mean the media writing about the club trying to recruit a player?

Tbh I'm fairly happy with how solid our club is about recruitment being kept behind closed doors. I get that its fun to see that stuff in the media etc. but it's got to be the worst thing for the club's process to have journalists spinning it through the papers.

I would agree with you HS if we were actually seeing results. It’s okay (and a better idea) for recruitment to be played out behind the scenes but we literally have signed no one and all of these better quality free agents have already been signed elsewhere. We supposedly will have a pile of cash especially losing Ash and maybe Proctor so where are the new signings to show for it??? Well besides Marsters....

We are literally going to be a bottom 2 side next year with the way we have recruited - so poor. We still have no five eighth (with Reynolds, SJ, Hynes all going elsewhere), no hooker, no backrower and could even do with a winger. All of the better free agents have been snapped up so I don’t see what we are going to do tbh

[Mexican titan]

Johnson is 31 this year and has missed all but 4 games so far this season. It's still a huge no from me because there's no way he'd come here on peanuts.

But first and foremost it's our spine that needs work. I just don't want Johnson coming here on big bucks only to play a handful of games for us while spending the rest of his time injured on the sidelines.

Not having a go at you at all goT101, but who do you want. We have the worst pair of halves (or three halves if you add in Taylor) in the comp or close to it and we cannot win with them, and nothing is going to change. So, if no to Johnson, then who?

Before we even look at guys like Capewell we simply must get the halves and hooker sorted.

[gotitans101_]

Not having a go at you at all goT101, but who do you want. We have the worst pair of halves (or three halves if you add in Taylor) in the comp or close to it and we cannot win with them, and nothing is going to change. So, if no to Johnson, then who?

Before we even look at guys like Capewell we simply must get the halves and hooker sorted.

NP. I agree, but admittedly have no idea what we should do. I just don't see how a bloke who spends most of his time out injured is going to help us more than what we have now? He is about to be 31 and you'd think his injury concerns will only get worse as he gets older. But like I said, I don't know what other options we have tbh.

[Mexican titan]

NP. I agree, but admittedly have no idea what we should do.

LOL. I see you just edited your post but I had no idea who else other than Johnson is an option, and was hoping that you'd tell me.

All I know is, we must change what we have, otherwise we will lose any gains we made when we signed Tino and Fifita, if we haven't already.

[willhelm]

Three months ago we were crowing about how great our recruitment has been. Fifita and Tino the superstars, McIntyre and Herbert the astute cheapies, Ese’ese the reliable journeyman. Some poor results and that’s all forgotten.

While Fifita was played out in the media, Tino, McIntyre and Herbert were all pleasant surprises that came out of nowhere. Based on recent history, I trust that the recruitment is happening discreetly behind the scenes away from the media parasites.

[gotitans101_]

LOL. I see you just edited your post but I had no idea who else other than Johnson is an option, and was hoping that you'd tell me.

All I know is, we must change what we have, otherwise we will lose any gains we made when we signed Tino and Fifita, if we haven't already.

So our only option is to take a punt on SJ then? Oh man, that sucks. Don't get me wrong, love him as a person, but if there was a guy who takes up the mantle of glass-man after Foran and Copley, it's probably him.

[willhelm]

So our only option is to take a punt on SJ then? Oh man, that sucks.

I don’t understand how it’s taking a punt unless you just mean with respect to injury history. It’s a valid concern, but form wise he was the Sharks’ best player over the last 2 years.

[gotitans101_]

I don’t understand how it’s taking a punt unless you just mean with respect to injury history. It’s a valid concern, but form wise he was the Sharks’ best player over the last 2 years.

It's literally only his injury history, on top of the fact that he's getting older and with age comes the higher likelihood of even more injuries. Otherwise I love the bloke. But if he's the only option we have then fine, go for it.

[Mexican titan]

It's literally only his injury history, on top of the fact that he's getting older and with age comes the higher likelihood of even more injuries. Otherwise I love the bloke. But if he's the only option we have then fine, go for it.

Didn't want to push you into it mate! But if we don't get him, and there is nothing to suggest we will, god knows who we can chase. But as I have said to the point of being boringly repetitive, we will go nowhere with the three we have and a repeat of recent results will have blokes like Tino off and out of here.
I was really looking forward to this season but after the last few weeks I am back at the stage where I don't care if I go to games or not. We need something to look forward to, and I don't mean blokes that are still at school who might come through. Heard that for years now and few have.

[willhelm]

Didn't want to push you into it mate! But if we don't get him, and there is nothing to suggest we will, god knows who we can chase. But as I have said to the point of being boringly repetitive, we will go nowhere with the three we have and a repeat of recent results will have blokes like Tino off and out of here.
I was really looking forward to this season but after the last few weeks I am back at the stage where I don't care if I go to games or not. We need something to look forward to, and I don't mean blokes that are still at school who might come through. Heard that for years now and few have.

Yep, would be an absolute disaster if we managed to sign young guns like Tino and Fifita only to lose them because we can’t adequately address the other gaps in the roster.

[JunctionBlock]

It's literally only his injury history, on top of the fact that he's getting older and with age comes the higher likelihood of even more injuries. Otherwise I love the bloke. But if he's the only option we have then fine, go for it.

Haven't confirmed the stat but I have been told his edge has scored the most points in the NRL for the last 5 years.

[gotitans101_]

Haven't confirmed the stat but I have been told his edge has scored the most points in the NRL for the last 5 years.

Well with stats like that I'm definitely coming around to the idea.

[Hail Sezer]

I would agree with you HS if we were actually seeing results. It’s okay (and a better idea) for recruitment to be played out behind the scenes but we literally have signed no one and all of these better quality free agents have already been signed elsewhere. We supposedly will have a pile of cash especially losing Ash and maybe Proctor so where are the new signings to show for it??? Well besides Marsters....

We are literally going to be a bottom 2 side next year with the way we have recruited - so poor. We still have no five eighth (with Reynolds, SJ, Hynes all going elsewhere), no hooker, no backrower and could even do with a winger. All of the better free agents have been snapped up so I don’t see what we are going to do tbh

Fair enough. I don’t think any of the players you mention are obvious recruitment targets but that’s just a difference of opinion really.

I get the feeling we seem to forget why we’re losing games when it comes to recruitment, and sometimes get over excited by any player that becomes available who is half decent. We are leaking points like no tomorrow. I don’t see how any of the players you mention that have been signed by other clubs would be an obvious fix for that.

[Mexican titan]

I get the feeling we seem to forget why we’re losing games when it comes to recruitment, and sometimes get over excited by any player that becomes available who is half decent. We are leaking points like no tomorrow. I don’t see how any of the players you mention that have been signed by other clubs would be an obvious fix for that.

Fair point HS.....but the players he mentioned are better players than what we have, so by being better I would hope they are better defenders as well. When we talk defence, it would be great if we didn't have to tackle as much, which often happens by building pressure with repeat sets. In the last 6 rounds we have forced 6 line drop outs, that is hardly pressure. Plus our six tackle kick and hope bombs never force an error from the opposition. I am probably simplifying it but better attacking players hopefully lessen the defensive load?