Jason Ryles - Bondi bound

[Guest]

I thought it was reliant on Sa joining Catalans, but not totally sure

as for Ryles, he's as much of a risk as O'Meley was

But if we keep spinning the "sign guys older than 25 for big money" wheel, surely we'll get a result one day

I get your point but who says Ryles will be on big money?

[Guest]

Why? O'Meley spent most of the 2 years before he joined us on the sidelines with major injuries... Ryles has not suffered any serious injuries in the past 2 years.

Just because he hasn't been injured in the last couple of years, doesn't mean he isn't a massive risk. By the time next season starts he'll be 31 years old. It's hugely likely that his best football is behind him. He's been an underachiever for a number of seasons now. I'd love it if he could turn back the clock with his form, and maybe he will. But signing him is a low percentage play, especially when you consider what he'd be getting paid. You'd think they'd have learnt their lesson re signing ageing forwards for big money. But they'll never learn

[Guest]

I get your point but who says Ryles will be on big money?

common sense

[Guest]

common sense

Ryles is a Smith signing he does not usually pay overs for players

[Guest]

Ryles is a Smith signing he does not usually pay overs for players

What do you base that on?

[Guest]

Just because he hasn't been injured in the last couple of years, doesn't mean he isn't a massive risk. By the time next season starts he'll be 31 years old. It's hugely likely that his best football is behind him. He's been an underachiever for a number of seasons now. I'd love it if he could turn back the clock with his form, and maybe he will. But signing him is a low percentage play, especially when you consider what he'd be getting paid. You'd think they'd have learnt their lesson re signing ageing forwards for big money. But they'll never learn

Turn back the clock 1 year ??

He was easily in the top 3 props when he was in the NRL.

[Guest]

Turn back the clock 1 year ??

He was easily in the top 3 props when he was in the NRL.

No, it'd need to be turned back further than 1 year

hasn't played origin since 2005

I think it's generally well held that after being one of the dominant props in the comp early in his career (hasn't played for Aust since 2005 either), he then became an underachiever

hence he follows the usual pattern and goes to england for the cash

Now we sign him, at age 31

low percentage play

[Guest]

Turn back the clock 1 year ??

He was easily in the top 3 props when he was in the NRL.

No, it'd need to be turned back further than 1 year

hasn't played origin since 2005

I think it's generally well held that after being one of the dominant props in the comp early in his career (hasn't played for Aust since 2005 either), he then became an underachiever

hence he follows the usual pattern and goes to england for the cash

Now we sign him, at age 31

low percentage play

[Rooster_6]

No, it'd need to be turned back further than 1 year

hasn't played origin since 2005

I think it's generally well held that after being one of the dominant props in the comp early in his career (hasn't played for Aust since 2005 either), he then became an underachiever

hence he follows the usual pattern and goes to england for the cash

Now we sign him, at age 31

low percentage play

No coincidence that when we started to go away from having two metre eating props in the team and replaced them with backrowers and average props we started losing. If NSW took a page out of QLD's book on selection Ryles could easily be held in the same stead that Petero and Price are now.

His last year before leaving to England was probably his best, 31 is hardly old for a prop.... I heard the same thing when there were rumours of Petero possibly coming to our club in 2007. Too old apparently, should only sign him on a 1 year contract...

[Guest]

Nutley in 2007 and O'Meley in 2008 were VITAL to our go-forward. They provided the hard yards that Cayless did in 2002-2005.

Shillington was like Catic, a good bench prop but really not someone who can lead the pack. He was pisspoor for QLD and Australia, and was only selected because of QLD's Origin success, and injury to Price.

2006 was a terrible year for us, because we had NO pure prop-forwards. Morley and Fitzgibbon played prop mostly, and both of them are more suited to backrow, although Morley was an alright impact prop when he had to be. Glenn Hall and Charlie Tonga had size but struggled to find any consistency.

Ryles will carry our pack on his back I reckon.

[Rooster_6]

Nutley in 2007 and O'Meley in 2008 were VITAL to our go-forward. They provided the hard yards that Cayless did in 2002-2005.

Shillington was like Catic, a good bench prop but really not someone who can lead the pack. He was pisspoor for QLD and Australia, and was only selected because of QLD's Origin success, and injury to Price.

2006 was a terrible year for us, because we had NO pure prop-forwards. Morley and Fitzgibbon played prop mostly, and both of them are more suited to backrow, although Morley was an alright impact prop when he had to be. Glenn Hall and Charlie Tonga had size but struggled to find any consistency.

Ryles will carry our pack on his back I reckon.

The thing people seem to forget about Shillington is he's still so very young, he was immense for Canberra this season. He was a massive part of our 2008 form just so underrated because he was a 'pillow'.

[Guest]

No coincidence that when we started to go away from having two metre eating props in the team and replaced them with backrowers and average props we started losing. If NSW took a page out of QLD's book on selection Ryles could easily be held in the same stead that Petero and Price are now.

His last year before leaving to England was probably his best, 31 is hardly old for a prop.... I heard the same thing when there were rumours of Petero possibly coming to our club in 2007. Too old apparently, should only sign him on a 1 year contract...

Petero's a freak, so it's a bit silly using him as a yardstick

And similar type points to all the ones you make could have been made about O'Meley.

Sure, there's a chance Ryles will work out. I hope he does.

31 not old for a prop? 31 is old for any player nowadays.

I'd have kept Shillington, who's 26. And was just starting to blossom when they let him go

But we don't do that. We spin the wheel and hope. If Ryles doesn't work out, he'll just be offloaded as per O'Meley. Then we'll spin the wheel again.

A very short sighted approach

Maybe next year we might buy, I dunno, Ben Ross? Or maybe Joel Clinton?

[Rooster_6]

Petero's a freak, so it's a bit silly using him as a yardstick

And similar type points to all the ones you make could have been made about O'Meley.

Sure, there's a chance Ryles will work out. I hope he does.

31 not old for a prop? 31 is old for any player nowadays.

I'd have kept Shillington, who's 26. And was just starting to blossom when they let him go

But we don't do that. We spin the wheel and hope. If Ryles doesn't work out, he'll just be offloaded as per O'Meley. Then we'll spin the wheel again.

A very short sighted approach

Maybe next year we might buy, I dunno, Ben Ross? Or maybe Joel Clinton?

Who's we? I think you're missing the point that this is Brian Smiths signing, he tried to get him when he was at the Knights. Smith is hardly someone who just spins the wheel, he's someone who makes very calculated decisions and only signs players who will improve his team.

With Frank Paul, JWH, Paea we really lack someone who will make metres for us... our front row is too one dimensional. Ryles will give us mobility and a metre eater, not only will it allow blokes like Frank Paul to come into their own, it'll bring experience into the side and it'll give our halves all that much more room to play with. No point having potentially the best halves combo if we can't even hold field position.

I wouldn't mind Ben Rooss either, bar the injuries he's one of the better metre eaters in the comp. Lets face it the fact that age keeps being brought up is because no one can argue with his skill set... I'll be happy to watch him be our best player this year. Like Fitzy, like Nutley he'll prove that experience will always win over youth.

[Guest]

Completely agree that out pack in too one dimensional. Jason Ryles will definitely make an impact and it is a very astute buy and very calculated as you said Roosters 6. He will do a lot of work up the middle which would allow players such as Frank Paul-Nuusuala and Lopini Paea to play their power game. He also boasts of experience and that is something money can't buy. His leadership will also be an valuable asset to the team as some of the young players need some guidance. Having Ryles would allow him to also develop and mentor a player such as Martin Kennedy, who IMO is very, very similar to Ryles, a work horse prop forward.

[Chookies74]

He was pisspoor for QLD and Australia, and was only selected because of QLD's Origin success, and injury to Price.

How do the NSW selection componenent of the AUS team let the QLDers pick him. They are only doing it to develop him for Origin.