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Originally posted by Newman
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I find it extraordinary that anybody who really loves this club would want to sacrifice our premiership chances for another year by giving this player yet another contract extension. Let's be serious people. His last season of really top class football, before he was cruelly struck down by injury, was 2006. Since those back injuries he no longer has the ability to bust tackles regularly or competently collect a rolling ball. He is now 33. This season through 14 matches he has made just three line breaks, one try assist and one line break assist (both of which came last Friday night). That is easily the worst stats of any fullback in the NRL. The position of fullback is crucial in today's games, with players playing in lanes, the ability to create an overlap through a fullback's pace and ball skills is critical. We do not have that. We also concede far too many line drop outs as he struggles to run the ball out of the in-goal area in his upright running stance. He has an appalling passing game, can not kick, rarely saves a try through his defence and is just awful trying to catch a ball at speed. He often gets in the way when he is the least attractive attacking option.
With Mitchell Pearce now being eligible for the long serving playing allowance (you get no advantages by having multiple players eligible) it would add further $$$$ to our cap which we really can not afford. Remember we have to pay Jennings' full salary next year and the salaries of players like Cordner, JWH, RTS, Friend, Tupou will increase substantially next year and beyond, as will some of our younger players who will come into the top tier like Napa, Martin and Evans. We also have a myriad of our best young talent coming off contract at the end of 2014 (Evans, Moga, Langi, Milne, McDonald, Willis Meehan, Elliott). The one carrot we can throw at these players to entice them to stay beyond 2014, that other clubs can not offer, is to upgrade their 2014 contracts as part of any extension. Do you really want to risk losing these players to keep a bloke who'll be 34 next year and has as many flaws in his game as Mini?
Do you seriously think that RTS is not ready to play fullback in the NRL and be more effective than Mini? He is more than likely going to be NZ's test fullback at this years World Cup (and they are the defending champions). What message are you sending to RTS by extending Mini a further year? How many other NRL clubs would jump at the chance to play RTS at fullback at their club, compared to how many would jump to play Mini there? Do you remember his game against the Warriors in Round 2 that nearly cost us the game? Was that something, as he gets older, that we will not see again?
You can not believe he could be an effective fist grade winger? For starters he could not play right wing as he can not pass right to left (think - intercept pass v Melbourne, bombed try v Warriors to Aubusson) and his left to right passing isn't much better (think pass to RTS's feet on Friday night). if he played left wing he couldn't keep up with Jennings and would offer very little to a team wishing to press for grand final success. Do you seriously think that you couldn't get a better winger than Mini to play for the sort of money he'd demand?
We have looked after Mini very well and the club has been extremely loyal to him. He was our highest paid player for many years when he struggled to play due to injury (33 games in 4 years at one stage) and since those contracts expired he has never been the same player, and certainly never been amongst the better players in his position in the NRL, but we have kept extending his contract, far beyond what would be reasonable repayment for his great play of 2003-2005. You must call a halt at some stage and that stage is well passed. Last year the Top 4 teams had the best four fullbacks - it has become as important position as any in the game - let's not fill it based on sentiment - let's fill it based on what gives us the best chance to win a premiership. We have won just one competition in 38 years. They are bloody hard to win.
It's nice to feel affection for people, particularly for a player who has been with us since 1997, but you can not, and should not, put that affection above the best interests of the club and team. Most importantly, look at the whole package when you watch Mini, and do at the ground, not on TV, and be objective, and you will see a player who should not be contracted to my NRL club beyond 2013.
With Mitchell Pearce now being eligible for the long serving playing allowance (you get no advantages by having multiple players eligible) it would add further $$$$ to our cap which we really can not afford. Remember we have to pay Jennings' full salary next year and the salaries of players like Cordner, JWH, RTS, Friend, Tupou will increase substantially next year and beyond, as will some of our younger players who will come into the top tier like Napa, Martin and Evans. We also have a myriad of our best young talent coming off contract at the end of 2014 (Evans, Moga, Langi, Milne, McDonald, Willis Meehan, Elliott). The one carrot we can throw at these players to entice them to stay beyond 2014, that other clubs can not offer, is to upgrade their 2014 contracts as part of any extension. Do you really want to risk losing these players to keep a bloke who'll be 34 next year and has as many flaws in his game as Mini?
Do you seriously think that RTS is not ready to play fullback in the NRL and be more effective than Mini? He is more than likely going to be NZ's test fullback at this years World Cup (and they are the defending champions). What message are you sending to RTS by extending Mini a further year? How many other NRL clubs would jump at the chance to play RTS at fullback at their club, compared to how many would jump to play Mini there? Do you remember his game against the Warriors in Round 2 that nearly cost us the game? Was that something, as he gets older, that we will not see again?
You can not believe he could be an effective fist grade winger? For starters he could not play right wing as he can not pass right to left (think - intercept pass v Melbourne, bombed try v Warriors to Aubusson) and his left to right passing isn't much better (think pass to RTS's feet on Friday night). if he played left wing he couldn't keep up with Jennings and would offer very little to a team wishing to press for grand final success. Do you seriously think that you couldn't get a better winger than Mini to play for the sort of money he'd demand?
We have looked after Mini very well and the club has been extremely loyal to him. He was our highest paid player for many years when he struggled to play due to injury (33 games in 4 years at one stage) and since those contracts expired he has never been the same player, and certainly never been amongst the better players in his position in the NRL, but we have kept extending his contract, far beyond what would be reasonable repayment for his great play of 2003-2005. You must call a halt at some stage and that stage is well passed. Last year the Top 4 teams had the best four fullbacks - it has become as important position as any in the game - let's not fill it based on sentiment - let's fill it based on what gives us the best chance to win a premiership. We have won just one competition in 38 years. They are bloody hard to win.
It's nice to feel affection for people, particularly for a player who has been with us since 1997, but you can not, and should not, put that affection above the best interests of the club and team. Most importantly, look at the whole package when you watch Mini, and do at the ground, not on TV, and be objective, and you will see a player who should not be contracted to my NRL club beyond 2013.
And don't worry some on here aren't intelligent enough to talk about facts or stats so they will attack you personally.
Anyway good post.
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