Roosters sign Tagive....Linnett off to NQ

[Kurt Sherlock's Mo]

My thoughts are:

1. We already have locked in SKD as a premium centre and probably couldn't match the Cows' money after they released Tonga, it may have just come down to $;
2. We deadset have one of the slowest back 3 combos in the League and that needs to change; and
3. I'm sorry to see Kane go but its not to bring in some at/after zenith star *cough*Inglis*cough* on a crazy backfilled contract.

Still not sure how Leilua will fare at Centre but hey, we've got five extra trial matches between now and finals where we can find out!

[bondi-boy]

'Everyone' is injury-ravaged these days.

[Guest]

So who was the poster that first mooted the signing of Tagive over a month ago?
They obviously have some inside knowledge.

[Guest]

Funky Chicken gets the Gold for first mentioning P.Tagive as a possible recruit or someone he'd like to see at the Roosters.

[theGman]

G, this is a comment formed from nearly 10 years of moronic signings or non-signings.

I cite Brett Finch and Willie Mason for the signing idiocy.

I also add the fact that we had the chance to sign Jonathan Thurston in 2003 but Ricky Stuart, Phil Gould and Bernie Gurr said no when he was offered to them.

Duke,
According to a Gould column in the Sun Herald a few yrs ago (at the height of his feud with Stuart) it was the other way around.
Politis & Gould wanted Ricky to coerce Thurston & bring him over but Stuart thought otherwise, believing he wasn't the right #7.
Gould sprayed Ricky deluxe, emphasizing in detail the many young half-backs Stuart signed and turned over during his time at the Roosters/Cronulla because Ricky was expecting these youngsters to naturally play like he once did for the Raiders i.e making the right
decisions all of the time.

[crikey chris]

Linnett would be on way less money than Tonga was on. Smart accounting by the Cowgirls.

Thurston will make him look like a superstar!
Good luck Kane, the club did not really want to keep you.
JT will make sure he will bite us on the butt next time we play the Cowgirls.

At least now, the Blow-myster should get a decent crack at centre.
Moga still has a way to go, but will be something special.

Ok politically incorrect, but Smithy likes big Polli boys in his backline.
Looks like Oldfield is the wrong colour and not on our radar!
Tagive is quick but injury-prone. But would be cheap.
Ex Aust schoolboys, his captain was Jr Jr in 2006.

[bondi-boy]

Ok politically incorrect, but Smithy likes big Polli boys in his backline.

Probably because... Olsen Filipaina, once voted the hardest player to tackle.

They also have the size and strength to be able to tackle one on one.

[crikey chris]

Duke,
According to a Gould column in the Sun Herald a few yrs ago (at the height of his feud with Stuart) it was the other way around.
Politis & Gould wanted Ricky to coerce Thurston & bring him over but Stuart thought otherwise, believing he wasn't the right #7.
Gould sprayed Ricky deluxe, emphasizing in detail the many young half-backs Stuart signed and turned over during his time at the Roosters/Cronulla because Ricky was expecting these youngsters to naturally play like he once did for the Raiders i.e making the right
decisions all of the time.

Correct Gman.

Sticky farked up bigtime!
His ego would not allow him to admit that 'his easts juniors' at the time were inferior, and that JT had the 'potential' to be something special, and be a better player than he was! Then in 2003 we signed Finch lol. The blame is solely on Sticky. Idiot. That was the beginning of the end for the Gould/Sticky relationship.

[Guest]

The same guy that told me we had signed Tagive last night told me about Dugan, this gives me hope.
I say its a great move by the club, now with BJ and SKD in the centres and Perrett and Tagive on the wings we have a more potent backline, eventually BJ > Forwards and Moga comes in.
We all wanted a fast winger who could finish, this is our guy, cheap, fast, strong and a great finisher. WELCOME TO THE CLUB PENI, GOOD LUCK IN NQ LINNETT!

[Guest]

The same guy that told me we had signed Tagive last night told me about Dugan, this gives me hope.
I say its a great move by the club, now with BJ and SKD in the centres and Perrett and Tagive on the wings we have a more potent backline, eventually BJ > Forwards and Moga comes in.
We all wanted a fast winger who could finish, this is our guy, cheap, fast, strong and a great finisher. WELCOME TO THE CLUB PENI, GOOD LUCK IN NQ LINNETT!

So the Roosters go out and buy a buddy for Cherrington, at least they can get each other through rehab i guess.
I hope Dugan doesnt come to the club, his on the ground more then my underwear.

[Guest]

I notice I tarred Gus and Bernie with the same shit covered brush as that fool Ricky Stuart. I apologize for my error and any libel I have imparted on Mr. Gould and Mr. Gurr by equating them with Stuart.

[Rooster_6]

Not exactly happy with losing Linnett, he was our best option at centre for next year although if I was the Roosters I wouldn't of offered him anymore than 2 years with the potential Moga is showing.

The positive side of all this is that we don't lose a whole lot by playing Leilua in the centres, but we do gain a whole lot by playing a natural winger instead of Leilua on the left wing. In terms of balance we probably won out here. It's a much more balanced back line now despite it being largely untested.

Phil Graham needs to be re-signed now though, his versatility will be needed.

[Headless Chook]

Linnett would be on way less money than Tonga was on. Smart accounting by the Cowgirls.

Thurston will make him look like a superstar!
Good luck Kane, the club did not really want to keep you.
JT will make sure he will bite us on the butt next time we play the Cowgirls.

At least now, the Blow-myster should get a decent crack at centre.
Moga still has a way to go, but will be something special.

Ok politically incorrect, but Smithy likes big Polli boys in his backline.
Looks like Oldfield is the wrong colour and not on our radar!
Tagive is quick but injury-prone. But would be cheap.
Ex Aust schoolboys, his captain was Jr Jr in 2006.

gee he must have hated that Parra team of his in 2001 then....the closest he had to a Polynesian was Vaealiki

[Chook Norris]

I think Kane will excel at the Cowboys. He does run hard and straight at speed so will probably bag a heap of tries with Thurston being a left side dominant player.

i too think he will excel at the cowboys, but given our current team.. i don't think he really fit our structures and neither could we get the best out of him

[Guest]

1. Anthony Minichiello (2012)
2. Sam Perrett (2012)
3. Shaun Kenny-Dowall (2015)
4. Joseph Leilua (2012)
5. Peni Tagive (2013)
6. Todd Carney (2012)
7. Mitchell Pearce (2013)
8. Martin Kennedy (????)
9. Jake Friend (????)
10. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (2012)
11. Braith Anasta (2012)
12. Mitchell Aubusson (2013)
13. FP Nuuausala (2013)

14. Anthony Mitchell (????)
15. Aiden Guerra/Tinirau Arona (2011 - contract pending)
16. Mose Masoe (????)
17. Jason Ryles (2011 - contract pending)

prop - Kane Evans (????) - NYC graduate
prop - Lama Tasi (????)
backrow - Tom Symonds (2013)
backrow - Jack Bosden (2013)
backrow - Boyd Cordner (2012) - NYC graduate
backrow - Ethan Lowe (????) - NYC graduate
back - Justin Carney (2012)
back - Phil Graham/Steve Naughton/Rhys Pritchard/Mark Kheirallah (2011 - contract pending)
back - Tautau Moga (????) - NYC graduate
back - Cheyse Blair (????) - NYC graduate

That is what I'm hoping to see. I'd keep Takairangi on only if Guerra or Ryles leaves (I have a feeling we will keep one or the other), and I would keep one of Graham, Naughton, Pritchard and Kheirallah.

A big issue is our hooker/halves depth. We have a lot of stop-gap options, but are Lazarus and Dumbrell viable options?