Should we sign SBW?

[Guest]

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. When will we learn?

I supported Mason and O'meley coming, I won't make the same mistake again. How does it feel to see players like Tamou and Shillington run around? When will we stop the bleeding? Besides 2010 we have been a disgrace for the last 7 years looking for these short term fixes.

Our great period of 00-04 was built around bringing in the best young kids in and backing them. I have no problem signing players but we should be looking at young kids with upside. There are so many good back rowers we could buy.

If we sign SBW it will just be the same old cycle. This year JWH might leave and the following year it might be Cordner and we will be back to square one.

Sort of, but the reality is we had "the best young kids" plus Freddy. I think the theory is that we need to add that eqivalent x-factor to get back to consistent success - it seems we think SBW is Freddy in that analogy.

Personally I dont subscribe to the theory.

[Andrew Walker]

Sort of, but the reality is we had "the best young kids" plus Freddy. I think the theory is that we need to add that eqivalent x-factor to get back to consistent success - it seems we think SBW is Freddy in that analogy.

Personally I dont subscribe to the theory.

Freddy could win you a match single handedly Before SBW left League He could also do the same thing After 4.5 years out of the game will he be able to do the same thing ? Personally I do not know What I do know is after having that long away from the game The club must stipulate in his contract that he makes League his only focus in his sporting pursuits

I support the signing under these conditions I have massive massive misgivings about it if they allow him to box as well

[Guest]

Sort of, but the reality is we had "the best young kids" plus Freddy. I think the theory is that we need to add that eqivalent x-factor to get back to consistent success - it seems we think SBW is Freddy in that analogy.

Personally I dont subscribe to the theory.

Agree. We definitely need a world class player with that X-factor to take us to the next level. The team we have atm (even with James Maloney) will not win the comp.

But I think, for the money we are going to outlay for SBW, we could get better value elsewhere. It sounds like what we will be offering SBW is more than players like Slater, Cameron Smith, Marshal and Thurston are on.

[Guest]

The club must stipulate in his contract that he makes League his only focus in his sporting pursuits

Well we all know that ain't going to happen! We allowed Mason to box if he wanted to, although I can't remember if he ever did, so the precedence has been set. If SBW can keep his fights to the off season I would have no problem with it.

[Andrew Walker]

Well we all know that ain't going to happen! We allowed Mason to box if he wanted to, although I can't remember if he ever did, so the precedence has been set. If SBW can keep his fights to the off season I would have no problem with it.

Difference being Mason had not had 4.5 years away from Rugby League If SBW had been playijg for the last 4.5 years I wouldnt say a thing about him boxing

Personally I feel after this long out of the game If he wants to play again That rugby league should be his sole sporting focus

[Guest]

Difference being Mason had not had 4.5 years away from Rugby League If SBW had been playijg for the last 4.5 years I wouldnt say a thing about him boxing

Personally I feel after this long out of the game If he wants to play again That rugby league should be his sole sporting focus

No worries, I missed the distinction you were making, got it now. I agree it is the big unknown, how he will handle the transition back to the big time.

[chook 56]

How bout we let him box.....but only against Mundine.
How good would that be?

[Guest]

How bout we let him box.....but only against Mundine.
How good would that be?

At half time...of every game. Imagine the membership we'd have if you got to watch Mundane get his arse pumped every week.

Chook.

[DirtyHarry]

No way should we get SBW - we have had enough ex Bulldog players - when will we learn??

[Guest]

Remember the issues surrounding the third party endorsements in the Greg Inglis signing with Souths, Didn’t they eventually they got him cheaper due to third party payments, although at first, there was an issue with the order of the third party arrangements in relation to the signing.
Maybe the Roosters will do similar and get him cheaper, due to third party payments. How does the salary cap count against the club if he is paid by other parties?
Does being a Union player import offer salary cap?
Arrangements may have already been made with SBW.
Still hard to decide if I want him at he club, without hearing him talk about wanting to play, with a Rooster jersey on.

[milanja]

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. When will we learn?

I supported Mason and O'meley coming, I won't make the same mistake again. How does it feel to see players like Tamou and Shillington run around? When will we stop the bleeding? Besides 2010 we have been a disgrace for the last 7 years looking for these short term fixes.

Our great period of 00-04 was built around bringing in the best young kids in and backing them. I have no problem signing players but we should be looking at young kids with upside. There are so many good back rowers we could buy.

If we sign SBW it will just be the same old cycle. This year JWH might leave and the following year it might be Cordner and we will be back to square one.

in 00-04 we had freddy but also players we bought such as wing,moz,mullins,phillips,hodges and fitzy, you have to buy players when you have the chance.
those concerned with SBW being out of the game for to long should remember he has played union which is also a physical and athletic game, its not like he has gone and played golf or baseball for 5yrs.

[stsae]

Indeed so far we have debunked his theory I made the comments to him about lack of points being a concer Therfor any challenge we attempt to make this year our defence must be the cornerstone of it due to lack of points issue Whcih so far has been a fair call Our resident genius Fred68 then replied even if ourr defence is outsanding in this day and age we will be lucky to keep sides to under 20 points Early days yet but so far so good on that one

You come up with some comments thatt are very strange and bordering on contradictory On the one hand you say you have accepted our fate for the season and we ill not make the 8 Yet here you say you think we will keep most teams to under 20 points Personally i feel if we do that we will make the 8 because I am pretty sure if you keep the opposition to under 20 points a game over the course of the season You will win more games than you lose

I've stated before we are a 7-10 team, meaning I believe we will finish somewhere around the 8, IMO of course. But out of that I don't think we have the juice to challenge seriously for the title. I've said I understand our limitations as a side, being youth and Bwaiff and Mini.

Seems I'm not the only one, maybe the club believes something similar, otherwise why buy a point scorer in Baloney and openly look at $BW???

I think our defense is underrated by some of our fans. I thought last season it was very good except for Toad Carntey, he let the team down on many occasions from my observations. I see no reason why we can't keep a lot of opposition teams to under 20pts a game. Of course if we keep handing over the pill like recent weeks that theory may not work.

It's our attack where we will struggle IMO. We don't seem to have the spark in the all important 1, 6, 7 and 9 positions to offer as much as most of the other sides. We aren't known for repeat sets thru grubbers and rarely rip tiring defences up thru the middle. The exception of course may be Mortein. He looks good so far but time will tell what his contribution will be.

So I stand by my 7-10 theory. I hope I am wrong and we hit the top 4 but I haven't seen proof of this happening as yet.

[stsae]

Freddy could win you a match single handedly Before SBW left League He could also do the same thing After 4.5 years out of the game will he be able to do the same thing ? Personally I do not know What I do know is after having that long away from the game The club must stipulate in his contract that he makes League his only focus in his sporting pursuits

I support the signing under these conditions I have massive massive misgivings about it if they allow him to box as well

I'd be concerned if $BW was playing anything else but Yawnion. It's the closest game to ours and he's been playing it successfully at the highest level.

Rogers, Sailor and Lote are a few examples of blokes who have come back from longer spells in Yawnion to pick up from where they left off.

Add to that $BW is a non drinker and non smoker from all reports and has been boxing, a very physically demanding sport in itself.

I can't see where his interest in boxing would affect his football interests. I may be wrong on that point, but IMO i would prefer a player to train for a fight in the offseason rather than go on end of season trips and drink piss and chase skirt. Not that there's anything wrong with these offseason pursuits, just I don't see an issue with training for a fight either.

Fighting midseason would be another issue though.

[stephenj]

as long as we have a top notch fullback as well! i dont mind quade cooper for that spot?

[Guest]

How bout we let him box.....but only against Mundine.
How good would that be?

Gold