NRL Rumour Mill Thread (Spoilers/Game Results)

[The Mad Hatter]

I am all for talent equalisation too, but the salary cap needs to have certain things in it to reward development, recruitment, retention, expansion, etc. It's all good saying we have a cap, but it was actually brought in to work in conjunction with a draft system. So the game has been stymied by a half effort to equalise playing talent for nearly 25 years.

What the NRL really needs is more marquee payments/players, an increase of the minimum salary so low end player contracts are worth something so guys aren't smashing themselves for $50,000 a season, better advertising and image rights/promotion, an overhaul of the cap (in conjunction with a proper Players Assoc agreeing to a conditional draft), better development strategies and expansion development strategies.

But that's for another time and place and thread.

 

[MikeK]

Further, by retaining club veterans and rewarding THEIR loyalty, clubs also help maintain FAN loyalty. Honestly, as a long time Manly supporter, with all the rumours I'm hearing about senior players leaving, I'm not sure who I'm supposed to be supporting next year!

But then again, the NRL is a business, not a sport.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Further, by retaining club veterans and rewarding THEIR loyalty, clubs also help maintain FAN loyalty. Honestly, as a long time Manly supporter, with all the rumours I'm hearing about senior players leaving, I'm not sure who I'm supposed to be supporting next year!

But then again, the NRL is a business, not a sport.

The clubs and players are both to blame for the continual movements.

And we shouldn't use 'club' any more. It should be 'team' or heaven forbid, 'franchise'.

 

[Sharky]

Flanno free to return to coaching duties at the Sharks

 

[shane_sharks]

Good, Would love to have seen the faces of hooper,wilson and massoud at the telegraph when that was announced

 

[Sharky]

Good, Would love to have seen the faces of hooper,wilson and massoud at the telegraph when that was announced

yeah they have always had it in for the club. i find it hard to to even read that parper anymore..

better news is the return of boogs...

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Bec will be downing a double bourbon after that news. Quick…someone grab her car keys.

 

[veebs27]

James Roberts in trouble again!!

 

[Trephinator]

The Dragons players will be doing a public appearance tomorrow (1 November)

From the club:
The players will be appearing at Crown Street Mall, Wollongong (outside David Jones) this Saturday, and they'd love to see you there.

Come down to meet the players, grab an autograph between 11am and 12 noon

 

[Carter]

And I meant it as absolutely no disrespect to Para. And before anyone says "oh, but Watmough played at Northern Eagles, so technically, he's played for three clubs", only 8 games for NE and 278 for Manly.

I was the same with Hornby, Young, Burt, Hindmarsh, Menzies, etc. You play 250 games for a club, they should keep you. Clubs cast out talent/experience far too quickly. Some of these ageing warriors could still play a dozen + games a year and if they've played at one club, why should the salary cap hold a gun to a club's head?

I totally agree with what you are saying, though i would suggest 150 games so there is more to play with sooner than later.
I also reckon the current standard of player is 'poor' particularly having gone to the suncorp games and witnessing the rubbish some of the aussie players exhibited.

 

[Trephinator]

I'm a fan of the salary cap, definitely could be improvements. The third party payment system is very murky.

It seems like a contract is only for the benefit of the player not the club these days - off the top of my head all the major changes except SBW have been released from 2015 contracts - Watmough, Morris, Hayne, Burgess, Boyd, Hoffman, Mateo.

 

[Brendan_B]

I know we are down on troops but the selections in the current Australian team are now bordering on ridiculous

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Henry Perenara would have to be one of the most useless human beings on the planet.

Samoa robbed there.

 

[nznrl]

As a one-eyed Kiwi I'd have to agree.

Samoa were excellent again, it is great to have 4 competitive nations, hopefully more Pasifika players will now see a future in playing for the countries of their heritage.

It would be good to see some of these games played in Samoa, Fiji and PNG too.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Not having a go at NZ, but that Luke pass for the last try was a mile forward.

I also reckon the 4 Nations should have an undercard for each tournament. Right now they could have PNG, Fiji, Tonga and France/Italy.

That way they get healthy exposure to big venues, big crowds. Fans would be encouraged to get value for money on their ticket and see some thrilling, exciting footy AND even see players from other areas who might end up in the NRL if recruited.

It can be done. Boils down to money. The 'Home' of RL - Channel 9 - don't do the game any favours (I seem to remember it was them who eschewed the 2013 RLWC so Ch 7 aired it).

Anyway…good win to NZ. Great play from Samoa. International RL is on the rise if we grow it right.

 

[nznrl]

The owner of the Warriors has just tweeted that we have signed Foran? Seems very weird; perhaps he had a hard night out on the piss. I do know we were after him for 2016 though.

Could be the best week ever, losing two players who cannot tackle to save themselves in Bukuya and Mateo and replacing them with Bodene Thompson and Foran...one can only dream!

I'm picking that someone has hacked his account...

 

[ekalb]

The owner of the Warriors has just tweeted that we have signed Foran? Seems very weird; perhaps he had a hard night out on the piss. I do know we were after him for 2016 though.

Could be the best week ever, losing two players who cannot tackle to save themselves in Bukuya and Mateo and replacing them with Bodene Thompson and Foran...one can only dream!

I'm picking that someone has hacked his account...

I hope not! I would be gutted if Foran left Manly (a lot more than DCE leaving)

 

[Jaames]

@EricWatsonNZ: I definitely need to lay off the Halloween punch sorry to cause such a stir. Kieran Foran is on our wish list but not signed. Apologies fans

 

[nznrl]

Foran's manager has stated that they haven't discussed money yet

Indicates talks have been progressing at the very least

 

[footycardswaps]

Ben T'Eo fractures his arm on debut for Leinster.