Official Samuel Stonestreet

[Western Sharkie]

Kick returns would take half an hour

Cross field zig zags

 

[Born&bred]

Cross field zig zags

He wouldn't get passed the first zig...

 

[Gumby]

Heard we’ve got a 2 year deal on the table for him.

 

[Blue_Eyes84]

He’s too good for the NSW Cup.

 

[Tiger Shark]

Heard we’ve got a 2 year deal on the table for him.

If true you'd assume his path to being a regular first grader has been mapped out and they're going to making a call on someone leaving.

Ronnie being off contract is easiest and would save us the most money but would prefer we keep Ronnie at a reasonable price and Katoa can score a bigger deal elsewhere. We'd still be a better cap position you'd think ?

 

[Proud Shark]

If true you'd assume his path to being a regular first grader has been mapped out and they're going to making a call on someone leaving.

Ronnie being off contract is easiest and would save us the most money but would prefer we keep Ronnie at a reasonable price and Katoa can score a bigger deal elsewhere. We'd still be a better cap position you'd think ?

I'd say Ronnie/Stonestreet probably leaves us in a similar position right now. Katoa/Stonestreet probably saves us some money.

The idea of Stonestreet playing on the right receiving that Nicho early chip kick gives me movement though. I would love to see a Ronnie/Stonestreet pairing.

 

[bort]

There's definitely something to be said for squad management around the cap, building someone up until they are good enough they are too expensive to keep, and moving on to the next up and comer..

But Ronaldo starts next season at 25 with 110 appearances and 83 tries
Katoa recently 27, 113 games 76 tries
Sam starts the season almost 23 with 5 games (although an impressive 8 tries)

All players @ the age of 23
Ronaldo 87 games, 65 tries (5 seasons)
Sione 35 games, 23 tries (3 seasons)
Sam 5 games, 8 tries (1 season)

It's not like Sam is some prodigious 18 year old and we have a couple of middle aged plodder journeymen.
If anything Ronaldo is the prodigious talent of the three - I'd love to keep Ronaldo. He is the most likely to price us out though if he wants to chase the money. There is a reason he will be offered the biggest money of the three.

(I know nobody is really saying that the other two are plodders, just putting Sam's age and experience into context with the other two)

 

[Proud Shark]

There's definitely something to be said for squad management around the cap, building someone up until they are good enough they are too expensive to keep, and moving on to the next up and comer..

But Ronaldo starts next season at 25 with 110 appearances and 83 tries
Katoa recently 27, 113 games 76 tries
Sam starts the season almost 23 with 5 games (although an impressive 8 tries)

All players @ the age of 23
Ronaldo 87 games, 65 tries (5 seasons)
Sione 35 games, 23 tries (3 seasons)
Sam 5 games, 8 tries (1 season)

It's not like Sam is some prodigious 18 year old and we have a couple of middle aged plodder journeymen.
If anything Ronaldo is the prodigious talent of the three - I'd love to keep Ronaldo. He is the most likely to price us out though if he wants to chase the money. There is a reason he will be offered the biggest money of the three.

(I know nobody is really saying that the other two are plodders, just putting Sam's age and experience into context with the other two)

Sam's also trying to break into the side behind two pretty seasoned performers at this point. I think he would have gotten a few more games under his belt if he was competing against Feki/Gray/Lee like the other two were.

 

[bort]

Sam's also trying to break into the side behind two pretty seasoned performers at this point. I think he would have gotten a few more games under his belt if he was competing against Feki/Gray/Lee like the other two were.

True, and I did consider that
It's also true then that maybe we shouldn't throw out some guys who have been consistently good for us in the hope a younger guy with decent stats early goes on to be better.

Aaron Gray played 12 games for 7 tries at 21 years old. 42 games for 17 tries by 23.
Obviously nothing like the strike rate Sam has (first season was decent) but we finished 4th, Rabbitohs were 7th, 12th and 12th for Gray's first 3 seasons. He was also an under 20s SOO rep.

Edrick Lee by 23 was 24 games for 15 tries - again the strikerate lacks but we are talking about a guy playing wing for a team who finished 6th, 13th, 15th and his debut year, they finished 6th, he was 7 games 6 tries - that's not far off.

Feki debuted at 22 but by 23 he had 39 games for a measly 16 tries. We finished 6th his first year, but were outscored by 10 of the other 15 teams. The next year we were last, and outscored by every team. Now that is a **** showing from a young fella and clearly the kind of bloke you wanna replace if you plan to win a grand final.

 

[HaroldBishop]

Aaron Gray's wife is a better player than Aaron Gray.

 

[Ryan McGoldrick #1 Fan]

Aaron Gray's wife is a better player than Aaron Gray.

She comes across as one of the most well-educated footballers.....and shes' married to him!!!!!

 

[Proud Shark]

True, and I did consider that
It's also true then that maybe we shouldn't throw out some guys who have been consistently good for us in the hope a younger guy with decent stats early goes on to be better.

Aaron Gray played 12 games for 7 tries at 21 years old. 42 games for 17 tries by 23.
Obviously nothing like the strike rate Sam has (first season was decent) but we finished 4th, Rabbitohs were 7th, 12th and 12th for Gray's first 3 seasons. He was also an under 20s SOO rep.

Edrick Lee by 23 was 24 games for 15 tries - again the strikerate lacks but we are talking about a guy playing wing for a team who finished 6th, 13th, 15th and his debut year, they finished 6th, he was 7 games 6 tries - that's not far off.

Feki debuted at 22 but by 23 he had 39 games for a measly 16 tries. We finished 6th his first year, but were outscored by 10 of the other 15 teams. The next year we were last, and outscored by every team. Now that is a **** showing from a young fella and clearly the kind of bloke you wanna replace if you plan to win a grand final.

For sure, and I think everyone would agree that if there was a way to keep all 3 and have Stonestreet slowly break into the side by outplaying the others that would be best for everyone.

The position we are in though is that Stonestreet offers some attributes that the side is missing, and he's shown enough to start somewhere if not with us likely. I think there is risk in opting for Stonestreet, and there is risk in not prioritising him.

It's likely that he's not as complete a player as the other two at this stage, but I believe there's enough evidence to suggest his upside is worth taking the risk on.

 

[bort]

For sure, and I think everyone would agree that if there was a way to keep all 3 and have Stonestreet slowly break into the side by outplaying the others that would be best for everyone.

The position we are in though is that Stonestreet offers some attributes that the side is missing, and he's shown enough to start somewhere if not with us likely. I think there is risk in opting for Stonestreet, and there is risk in not prioritising him.

It's likely that he's not as complete a player as the other two at this stage, but I believe there's enough evidence to suggest his upside is worth taking the risk on.

Yeah I'm happy to keep him, unless the other two really come to the party in terms of cost.

Just pointing out an alternate view and that while he did look good he's far from the first young winger to do so and it guarantees nothing.

 

[Proud Shark]

Yeah I'm happy to keep him, unless the other two really come to the party in terms of cost.

Just pointing out an alternate view and that while he did look good he's far from the first young winger to do so and it guarantees nothing.

Yeah no guarantees in pro sport. Would you back against him though? Just interested in your opinion.

 

[bort]

Yeah no guarantees in pro sport. Would you back against him though? Just interested in your opinion.

Yeah he looks good to me

I do think people are overvaluing Sam's highlights vs the body of work Katoa has, including Katoa's efforts, his tackle breaking (which does earn meters and quick ptbs) and his connection with Ramien.
Hur hur winger shoot in is all well and good but since he became a starter our right edge has conceded an NRL best 34% of our points (right is 40) - so the best defensive right edge in the game across 5 seasons. (Obviously he's not the only factor in that)
People are frothing that Sam is 193cm and Katoa is only a miniscule 180 but he doesn't get regularly abused in NRL due to that and Ramien (the odd brain snap aside) is a good leaper to challenger for kicks on offence anyway.

If we can end up spending about the same as now (or less!) and have Ronnie and Sam I think that'd be a good outcome though.
If Ronnie prices us out I think we stick Sam on the left and keep Katoa and Jesse together and that should be a good outcome too.

 

[Sparkles]

There's definitely something to be said for squad management around the cap, building someone up until they are good enough they are too expensive to keep, and moving on to the next up and comer..

But Ronaldo starts next season at 25 with 110 appearances and 83 tries
Katoa recently 27, 113 games 76 tries
Sam starts the season almost 23 with 5 games (although an impressive 8 tries)

All players @ the age of 23
Ronaldo 87 games, 65 tries (5 seasons)
Sione 35 games, 23 tries (3 seasons)
Sam 5 games, 8 tries (1 season)

It's not like Sam is some prodigious 18 year old and we have a couple of middle aged plodder journeymen.
If anything Ronaldo is the prodigious talent of the three - I'd love to keep Ronaldo. He is the most likely to price us out though if he wants to chase the money. There is a reason he will be offered the biggest money of the three.

(I know nobody is really saying that the other two are plodders, just putting Sam's age and experience into context with the other two)

If you had to guess, you'd think Sione ages less well than Ronnie.
Sam being four years younger doesn't add much to the argument... hmm...

I can't imagine either Ronnie or Sione sucking up enough in the cap to make replacing them that worthwhile, unless you were really sure the new guy was going to be a gun. I don't think you save much (or anything) moving Ronnie into centre, either. Or fullback!

Based on our current crop of players I think both wingers are pretty safe for a while. Sorry Sam.

 

[puma1355]

Remember we also have another future star in Christian Dixon in the flegg

 

[bort]

If you had to guess, you'd think Sione ages less well than Ronnie.
Sam being four years younger doesn't add much to the argument... hmm...

I can't imagine either Ronnie or Sione sucking up enough in the cap to make replacing them that worthwhile, unless you were really sure the new guy was going to be a gun. I don't think you save much (or anything) moving Ronnie into centre, either. Or fullback!

Based on our current crop of players I think both wingers are pretty safe for a while. Sorry Sam.

Unless Ronnie prices himself out I do think we could end up going Ronnie and Sam - attitude on both edges!

Get an extra season to look at Sam before deciding what to do with Sione. If we can save any money there we might have to.

Remember we also have another future star in Christian Dixon in the flegg

There's always a young up and comer for at least a few positions, can't spend your whole top 30 planning worrying about what happens if they get good.

For everyone the club has lost who ended up going great at another club we've lost more who went okay or worse.

 

[Proud Shark]

Yeah he looks good to me

I do think people are overvaluing Sam's highlights vs the body of work Katoa has, including Katoa's efforts, his tackle breaking (which does earn meters and quick ptbs) and his connection with Ramien.
Hur hur winger shoot in is all well and good but since he became a starter our right edge has conceded an NRL best 34% of our points (right is 40) - so the best defensive right edge in the game across 5 seasons. (Obviously he's not the only factor in that)
People are frothing that Sam is 193cm and Katoa is only a miniscule 180 but he doesn't get regularly abused in NRL due to that and Ramien (the odd brain snap aside) is a good leaper to challenger for kicks on offence anyway.

If we can end up spending about the same as now (or less!) and have Ronnie and Sam I think that'd be a good outcome though.
If Ronnie prices us out I think we stick Sam on the left and keep Katoa and Jesse together and that should be a good outcome too.

Yeah, that may be the case for some.

I believe we currently have a top 5 winger pairing already. The prospect that we have a local junior that could elevate that further is exciting. The metres aspect of his game is one he'll have to up, as we already have a fullback who's strength isn't metres gained. It works at the moment because our wingers and centres are so strong there.

I'm just frothing at his pace. In those 5 games he scored tries that we wouldn't have scored with someone else in his place I genuinely believe that speed is a point of difference that could see us convert a lot more half-chances into tries. It's some additional X-factor that we're crying out for.

Take nothing away from our current wingers though because they have been doing an awesome job.

 

[Jaz]

Really need to lock this guy in ASAP. Re-sign him and Ronnie and figure it out next year.