(Archived) THE RUMOUR MILL - Player Movement

burgess1978 said:

It’s only partially true.

Jets gave up 9 tries in the finals. 4 were from kicks and 2 were Iro being a turnstile.

Sure - get Klemmer if the price is right. He’s great. Nothing wrong with the performances of those other two for the Jets though.

The biggest factor for the Jets going out in straight sets was scheduling. Panthers game was played after Panthers NRL but before the Sharks. Bulldogs game clashed with Sharks game. This meant that for both games the Jets sat out several players (mostly backs) on standby for NRL, but their opposition was full strength.

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This is more true.

Have to say I didn't follow a lot of the Jets season so was just looking at the first grade part. I'd say that while they look promising, we'd be very lucky to have Colheun or Hazelton step up into the squad permanently next season and make us an as good or better side.

I've hopes for Jack Wiliams... but do think we need to sign one more proven, quality big boppa.

Art Vandelay said:

ok so you move on...who to?
theres no one atm that suits the team as ell as moylan does, and if you do you cant spend in other areas of need. middle forward etc

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I actually don’t think he suits the team at all, he’s great at eyes up but that’s it.

I think he’s detrimental to Nicho tbh - we need gameplan, structure, a base, fifth tackle options etc to go to that next level… Moylan provides opposite to that

We were the worst second place team in lord knows how many years and the first second place team to get knocked out in straight sets

bort said:

I think if we missed out on Kennedy we could still cobble together a good 2024 season off of Miller, Dykes and Taukamo

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We should intentionally keep Kennedy off contract for a while see if he is willing to lift his game and put his body on the line and earn that extension because as it stands his defense is not where it needs to be for NRL (which is a shame cause his hands are safe and can be a weapon in attacking plays + he doesn't seem to be as concerned about contact when he returns the ball from a kick)

If he doesn't then yea let some other desperate club come in and take him away on overs and we fast track Dykes with Miller a decent interim option / backup. Alternatively we extend Kennedy but without a pay bump (if other clubs aren't interested) and/or drop him to reggies for a bit, see if he gets the message.

If Kennedy does lift and we are potentially now competing with other clubs for his signature then oh well he prob was going to expect a salary bump from us regardless. But at least by then we know we are backing a good FB willing to put himself in front of attackers

He should at the least improve from late 2022 season as he gets more confidence into his body post injury

HaroldBishop said:

Definitely better than what they've had recently.

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All I care about is that they are good enough to lock down 9th spot - then everything will feel right in the NRL world again

Skankhunt47 said:

Cooper Johns to get an nrl
Lifeline from Manly

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Well someone gotta count those grains of sand down on the beach

bort said:

I didn't see how he went against Tonga, not that he'd have much hope. But you're right he has looked good and could certainly be in the mix.

From what I saw he did a lot of hovering to backup in the middle which meant attacking plays did not go through him and he didn't get his hands on much good ball. Once opposition learnt not to kick to him his capacity to fight out yards (his strength) was also a bit diminished.

Potential for these things to be game planned around and/or with more fitness and training he can better position himself to back up in middle at times but also enter backline as a runner at times.

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Hey Bort, this isn't meant as a nyah, nyah post but is interesting in light of above highlighted text. From Clarkeys RL column

Gards said:

We should intentionally keep Kennedy off contract for a while see if he is willing to lift his game and put his body on the line and earn that extension because as it stands his defense is not where it needs to be for NRL (which is a shame cause his hands are safe and can be a weapon in attacking plays + he doesn't seem to be as concerned about contact when he returns the ball from a kick)

If he doesn't then yea let some other desperate club come in and take him away on overs and we fast track Dykes with Miller a decent interim option / backup. Alternatively we extend Kennedy but without a pay bump (if other clubs aren't interested) and/or drop him to reggies for a bit, see if he gets the message.

If Kennedy does lift and we are potentially now competing with other clubs for his signature then oh well he prob was going to expect a salary bump from us regardless. But at least by then we know we are backing a good FB willing to put himself in front of attackers

He should at the least improve from late 2022 season as he gets more confidence into his body post injury

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Agree, part of the reason he was down my priority list. We have some decent competition options for the spot so no rush if we were to miss and puts the pressure on him to prove he must be kept.

Frenzy said:

Hey Bort, this isn't meant as a nyah, nyah post but is interesting in light of above highlighted text. From Clarkeys RL column

View attachment 27814View attachment 27815View attachment 27816

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He was still making good meters (as per graphic).
Takes them some time to realise no to kick to him plus obviously some still go to him. Those that don't he looks for a follow up hit ups still, but those can be a bit tougher to grind out as much meterage (he still made it work in Cup though).

There is a reason it is his strength - where his bread is buttered as Fitz said - he is a damn good meter maker and doesn't shirk looking for the work either.

If anything in what I saw it more showed up when he was hovering around middle for offloads and not getting them, but also not able to contribute to backline movements as he wasn't always getting across to join in. CI also looked more threatening with him running kicks back than just taking hitups but those early set one off the ruck hitups are rarely expected to be threatening so that's not a criticism of him.

HaroldBishop said:

Yeah I don't think anyone would be against getting Klemmer for the right price.

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This is the important bit

bort said:

Agree, part of the reason he was down my priority list. We have some decent competition options for the spot so no rush if we were to miss and puts the pressure on him to prove he must be kept.


He was still making good meters (as per graphic).
Takes them some time to realise no to kick to him plus obviously some still go to him. Those that don't he looks for a follow up hit ups still, but those can be a bit tougher to grind out as much meterage (he still made it work in Cup though).

There is a reason it is his strength - where his bread is buttered as Fitz said - he is a damn good meter maker and doesn't shirk looking for the work either.

If anything in what I saw it more showed up when he was hovering around middle for offloads and not getting them, but also not able to contribute to backline movements as he wasn't always getting across to join in. CI also looked more threatening with him running kicks back than just taking hitups but those early set one off the ruck hitups are rarely expected to be threatening so that's not a criticism of him.

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Nothing negative there. Looking forward to watching him progress.

Skankhunt47 said:

I haven’t seen much of hazelton. Is ready for the NRL? Is he too good for nsw cup?

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He's probably not ready, but that's how much I don't want Klemmer here on 800K.

snowman said:

we came second and got destroyed on the forwards in the finals and you think the answer is 2 reserve grade players who also got destroyed in nsw cup

ok

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Yep, that's how much I don't want to overspend on a bloke who frankly isn't worth it. I'm happy to get a good deal, sure, but he just isn't worth a big money contract to a club like ours. We aren't desperate. The tigers are, he could go there for a lot.

And our finals performance in the forwards is not down to "having crap forwards". You'd make a rubbish coach if you were using those 2 games as a reason to go to market and blow a big bunch of the cap.

HaroldBishop said:

Yeah I don't think anyone would be against getting Klemmer for the right price.

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Exactly. The right price. If he weants to come to a club that could get a title in the next few years, he can take a pay cut to do it.

CHOGM said:

Exactly. The right price. If he weants to come to a club that could get a title in the next few years, he can take a pay cut to do it.

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His deal for next year is 800k, I can cop that (even more so if Knights are chipping in) but any extension would have to be lower.
I suggested around 800, 600, 600 but really all numbers are just guesswork... even more so now the cap next year is unknown...
Imagine there are quite a few guys contracted for next year in no rush to sign anything knew until they know the new size of the pie.

bort said:

His deal for next year is 800k, I can cop that (even more so if Knights are chipping in) but any extension would have to be lower.
I suggested around 800, 600, 600 but really all numbers are just guesswork... even more so now the cap next year is unknown...
Imagine there are quite a few guys contracted for next year in no rush to sign anything knew until they know the new size of the pie.

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The Knights have to chip in for mine if they want to get rid of him.

As you say, post next year 600k is a fair price.

Why would we take on Klemmer for anything over 400 ? Do you take him over any of our forwards ?

Hunt,BHU etc are all on upwards trajectory with their best ahead of them… Klemmer is ageing and he’s not as hungry as he once was, if Hunt or BHU don’t hit their next level next year we go to market but fk spending big $ on Klemmer right now with the potential of those boys plus Kaufusi and Rudolph hitting their straps

Wizard said:

Why would we take on Klemmer for anything over 400 ? Do you take him over any of our forwards ?

Hunt,BHU etc are all on upwards trajectory with their best ahead of them… Klemmer is ageing and he’s not as hungry as he once was, if Hunt or BHU don’t hit their next level next year we go to market but fk spending big $ on Klemmer right now with the potential of those boys plus Kaufusi and Rudolph hitting their straps

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I agree but I'd pay a bit more then 400k.

What we really need is an aggresive ****er and Klemmer isn't really that these days.

HaroldBishop said:

I agree but I'd pay a bit more then 400k.

What we really need is an aggresive ****er and Klemmer isn't really that these days.

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I just looked Klemmer is only a year and a bit older then both of them but he ain’t no enforcer anymore which is your right what we need most

Wizard said:

Why would we take on Klemmer for anything over 400 ? Do you take him over any of our forwards ?

Hunt,BHU etc are all on upwards trajectory with their best ahead of them… Klemmer is ageing and he’s not as hungry as he once was, if Hunt or BHU don’t hit their next level next year we go to market but fk spending big $ on Klemmer right now with the potential of those boys plus Kaufusi and Rudolph hitting their straps

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BHU - 27
RH - 27
DK - 28

Much of a muchness in terms of age.

Just ignore the above

Frenzy said:

BHU - 27
RH - 27
DK - 28

Much of a muchness in terms of age.

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Frenzy said:

Just ignore the above

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Rudy lifted last year, he was very impressive.

I'm not sure BHU will change much going forward, as much as I'd like him to.

HaroldBishop said:

What we really need is an aggresive ****er and Klemmer isn't really that these days.

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Any signing of Klem should come with the requirement he shave his head, which will instantly make him play more aggressively. But yes he'd be coming as more of a workhorse than an out and out Enforcer.
I'd probably rather have a bunch of guys who play aggressive than one absolute liability though and I think Klem can contribute to that.

You're more signing him for his tremendous workload
Per Fox Stats averages (rankings are all players unless otherwise noted) Klem makes
50th most tackles in NRL (14th for props) with 18th best efficiency overall
Coupled with 16th highest run meters (3rd for props)

Defensively we have Toby (54th), Dale (68), BHU (244) and Hunt (262) who are ranked 122, 139, 168 and 173 efficiency collectively.
Kaufusi is 179 and 36 (good efficiency!)

For average meters we have Toby (135th), Dale (192), Hunt (226) and BHU (245) with Kaufusi (212) incoming.

Klem averages 61 mins a game with Rudolf 51, Dale 48, BHU 33, Hunt 29 & Kaufusi 35.
We have quite a few guys Fitz seems to like using for fairly restricted minutes when he can.

So he joins Toby and Dale as a good tackler but with standout efficiency (which Fitz would love) meanwhile he makes a tonne more meters than any of our current guys, beating Toby 146 to 101. He close to doubles the rest.

I'm not all in on Klem or anything I'm just joining the recurring convo.
I'd be surprised if it happened, but I think it'd be good.
I think our position is strong enough we won't feel pressured to overpay anyone.

HaroldBishop said:

Rudy lifted last year, he was very impressive.

I'm not sure BHU will change much going forward, as much as I'd like him to.

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BHU has some great games, his biggest improvement would probably be consistency TBH, and I think that is something he can work towards