'We definitely 1 million per cent want to keep Trey': Raiders keen for Mooney to stay

[greeneyed]

I think Trey wants to stay. He just wants to play first grade, understandably, when he’s clearly been playing better than those with “seniority”.

See, I have been dragged down now…

[MJY]

From Treys comments earlier in the year it seemed as though the only sticking point was playing first grade.. hopefully he cements the spot and re signs
We are generally good with offers like this in terms of paying a fair price the players are happy with. If someone wants to pay 1 million re Shannon Boyd and now Junior Paulo with eels the club won't compete with that

[Rick]

At the end of this year it will be really interesting to see what our full strength forward pack looks like.

At the start of the year I thought Smithies playing 13 pushing Horse back into the prop rotation was a blessing but now we have to fit;

Tapine
Papali
Horse
Ata
Saulo
Mooney

Into 5 spots. If Saulo keeps going the way he is we will need to rely on injuries or rotation.


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[Seiffert82]

If he was desperate to leave and another club was desperate to sign him, he would have signed elsewhere. He's had plenty of time to do so.

It's like the Sanders situation. People these days have zero patience.

His form last season didn't warrant a regular first grade gig, despite what many people on the forum wanted to believe. This year it does. It's good to see.

[NoMan]

I’m not sure what games you watched but it warranted a spot. He was outstanding in NSW cup last year.

[greeneyed]

His form last year definitely deserved a first grade gig.

[Botman]

woooof
That’s one way to tell on yourself.

[gerg]

Should have been given a decent crack last year when he had earnt it. This could only be described as utter stupidity if we lose him. We debuted him, he wanted to play for us desperately and we didn't give him the opportunity when he had earnt it. If it bites us in the **** we deserve it.

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[bayraider]

I would prefer Trey over Red
If we had to get rid of one
There I said it!

[-PJ-]

I would prefer Trey over Red
If we had to get rid of one
There I said it!

No way..

Red, Trey and Ata before Emre and Saulo everyday of the week.

In saying that Saulo has been great.

[Seiffert82]

His form last year definitely deserved a first grade gig.

He was excellent, but wasn't dominating consistently near the level he has been this season. Ata was the pick of the bunch at that level. However, Mooney was deservedly given a couple of cracks in First Grade. Hard to crack a rotation with Tapine, Papa and Horsburgh all ahead of you.

People love to compare the form at NSW Cup and First Grade level and think it's the same thing. The issue for me is that he'd kill it 80% if the time, but not be as effective in a good number of games.

This year he has been regularly punching out long minutes of next level quality football.

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[simo]

Trey has exceeded cup quality but saulo has been improving in the nrl.
Will be good to compare them on sunday in the same game.

[Coastalraider]

His form last year definitely deserved a first grade gig.

He was excellent, but wasn't dominating consistently near the level he has been this season. Ata was the pick of the bunch at that level. However, Mooney was deservedly given a couple of cracks in First Grade. Hard to crack a rotation with Tapine, Papa and Horsburgh all ahead of you.

People love to compare the form at NSW Cup and First Grade level and think it's the same thing. The issue for me is that he'd kill it 80% if the time, but not be as effective in a good number of games.

This year he has been regularly punching out long minutes of next level quality football.

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Seiff I get this narrative and understand it in isolation.

The issue I have with it is that Mooney is/should be being compared directly with those he is in competition with.

Saulo came to us last year with minimal nsw cup games at newy also, and was given a year to learn almost exclusively in first grade - he has certainly improved this year. But when he has gone back to cup on occasions he has not showed nearly the level of dominance that Mooney has at that level.

This months comparison is Emre - Mooney has completely outshone him in cup the last 2 weeks.

I get the angle that kids have to earn their spot, but it misses the fact that regularly the first grade bench isn’t earning theirs.

[Andymachine]

100% Coastalraider. 100 bl00dy percent!

We were critical of the first grade team for most of 2023 for fading when the second middle unit came on. Saulo has been better this year (still only cracked 100m one time mind you) but last year he was pretty damn ordinary and was given the jersey for the whole year! Guler has been ordinary the whole way through and there was no way that either of those guys should have kept Trey out of first grade all year. If Stick had given him a deserved bench spot last year and he'd racked up 20 games, you'd have to think that Trey would have re-signed already.

[NoMan]

Everyone knows NSW cup isn't NRL level but it’s an indicator and its the development path. Like when the more sensible people talk about Juniors. Form is no guarantee of success but showing nothing special almost always is.

Fact is Mooney’s development path has been very atypical. It’s rare a highly rated junior player plays nearly 50 good and great games in NSW cup and doesn’t get a chance to lock down a first grade spot.

I’m not even critical of that part of it. He is a better player now and last year was a wash anyway. So he has developed well. I will be critical if it and other moves backfire and he leaves though.

Anyway hopefully he gets an extended chance, sticks around and this is all academic.

[Raidersteve]

From my perspective, he was solid in his nrl level games last year but didn't dominate and didn't really significantly outperform those above him. I didn't get to watch many cup games last year, so I don't know where his form was leading into his nrl call up.

This year, by all reports, he is dominating at Cup level. If that transfers over to nrl level in the coming weeks, then he could well move up the pecking order.

However, if he fails to outperform those currently above him at NRL level and decides that he wants to go elsewhere to play in the NRL so be it.

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[NoMan]

He showed a glimpse of what he can do that Saulo and Guler can't when he scored that try in the semi. Otherwise he had pretty limited minutes and a few spot games, so I wouldn't mark him down because he didn't star.

I do think he is a better starter than off the bench and they seem to have focused on developing him in that direction this year.

[Rick]

The versatility of Hosking being able to play in the centres and Mariota being able to play second row gives us the opportunity to have a bench like we have this week and have 3 big guys on it.

Personally with our line up this week I would like to see Mooney starting with Tapine and Papali move to the bench.

I think Mooney can cement himself as a starter.


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[Coastalraider]

The cup vs first grade debate is age old. But in the last 12-24 months there have been a few people who have clearly looked a step above cup while playing that level:

-Mooney
-Strange late last year
-Schiller this year
-Savage late last year
-Chevy in patches
-Levi last year (as much as I dislike that comment)
-Woolf this year


There has also been players who have had first grade time that fail to stand out at cup level:

-Saulo
-Emre
-Hoppa
-Cotric

My frustration, and that of many, is that the second group has on average been given far more opportunity and leeway in first grade, while most in the first group have been ‘made to earn’ their position.

I’d really like GEs take on this as I know how much pathways he sees, which is more than I get to watch.

[The Ang]

Should have been in the team most of last year, but we’ve persisted with one or two certain middles and an old, slow back rower who have nowhere near the talent or impact that don’t or won’t even dominate cup level the way he does. I’ll be p….d if we lose him

[Mickey_Raider]

I mean yeah if you’re playing Football Manager you try lock him in long term whilst his value only reflects being a NSW cup player.

But if you’re his manager you’re insane if you’re advising him to sign now when his value wikl probably shortly skyrocket when he shows he is clearly a FGer over the coming weeks.

[MJY]

I think the club would have offered 1st grade money and a good deal. I can't remember a time we've under cut a players value. And they could out bid any other bids if necessary to a fair point..
It will all come down to being cemented in first grade

[-PJ-]

The club need to cuddle the boy and pay him accordingly.

There would be clubs out there keen to snap up the young bull.

It sounds like staying is his first option OR he’s giving the club first chance to talk which is encouraging.

In the next 1-2 years Papa will have retired.

A middle rotation of Joe, Red, Ata, Trey with Saulo and Guler and Hola as back up looks rosy.

[Seiffert82]

From my perspective, he was solid in his nrl level games last year but didn't dominate and didn't really significantly outperform those above him. I didn't get to watch many cup games last year, so I don't know where his form was leading into his nrl call up.

This year, by all reports, he is dominating at Cup level. If that transfers over to nrl level in the coming weeks, then he could well move up the pecking order.

However, if he fails to outperform those currently above him at NRL level and decides that he wants to go elsewhere to play in the NRL so be it.

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Agreed. There's obviously a lot of factors that go into selection for first grade.

There's plenty of people who look at stats or game highlights or regurgitate what other people are saying about a player. I'm almost certain many who have strong opinions about Mooney barely watched him play last season. I'm also sure the coaching staff look at many aspects of a player, including their training performance and attitude.

Mooney is a special player. Last season I saw NSW Cup games where he dominated and a few games where he didn't.

I think the coaching staff were particularly keen to see him be consistently impactful playing long minutes, something he couldn't do sitting on the bench for first grade.

So, he had 4 games in Firsts last season. None particularly stand out to me, but in the final he was good.

So, much like with Savage, I think he's much more prepared to consistently contribute and perform this season. I'm excited to see it, and not particularly concerned that he wasn't sitting on the First Grade bench for much of last season.

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[Seiffert82]

100% Coastalraider. 100 bl00dy percent!

We were critical of the first grade team for most of 2023 for fading when the second middle unit came on. Saulo has been better this year (still only cracked 100m one time mind you) but last year he was pretty damn ordinary and was given the jersey for the whole year! Guler has been ordinary the whole way through and there was no way that either of those guys should have kept Trey out of first grade all year. If Stick had given him a deserved bench spot last year and he'd racked up 20 games, you'd have to think that Trey would have re-signed already.

Hopefully he plays well while Horsburgh is injured and extends his contract in a month or two. What's the difference then? He hasn't signed elsewhere.

There's no question in my mind, that as good as he was in 2023 his game has stepped up a notch this season thus far.

[Bloody_Burnham]

Rumours circulating on X that the dogs have signed Mooney though denied directly by Gould.

[Finchy]

The Dogs desperately need a front rower, but if they’d signed him I don’t reckon Ricky would play him in firsts.

[Bluesbrother]

Given the hype, I'm surprised at no one has signed Trey. People on this forum talk about him like he is the next Tino or Payne Haas. Those 2 were signed up well in advance by clubs on big $. The fact this hasn't occurred with Trey tells me he isn't as good as what many think.

I need to see more of him in the NRL but he is quite slow IMO - on both sides of the ball.

[Hong Kong Raider]

The Dogs desperately need a front rower, but if they’d signed him I don’t reckon Ricky would play him in firsts.

Yes, he would play Guler instead. I recall Ryan Sutton signing for the Dogs and not getting near the 17 until it was the last resort. They do need some front rowers but Gould is likely to try to sign experience. He tried to sign SST from Catalans last year. He may try to go for NAS

[Hong Kong Raider]

Given the hype, I'm surprised at no one has signed Trey. People on this forum talk about him like he is the next Tino or Payne Haas. Those 2 were signed up well in advance by clubs on big $. The fact this hasn't occurred with Trey tells me he isn't as good as what many think.

I need to see more of him in the NRL but he is quite slow IMO - on both sides of the ball.

I thought his carries were strong against the Gold Coast. I'll be interested to see how he goes against Xavier Willison this weekend.

[greeneyed]

Trey also seemed to be injured when he went off, holding a towel, ice to the side of his head.

[Finchy]

Are there concerns he’s the next Luke PAGE? Dominant at cup level but can’t cut it in firsts?

[Rick]

I think Mooney needs to be starting to get the best out of him until he is more comfortable with his position in the side. I also think this would be best for the team.


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[Bluesbrother]

I think Mooney needs to be starting to get the best out of him until he is more comfortable with his position in the side. I also think this would be best for the team.


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Over Papalii and Tapine?

[Bluesbrother]

I'd like to see Trey and Ata reach the heights of Paps and Tapine but I can't see it right now. Ata is miles ahead. Trey is 21, both Tapine and Papalii were significantly ahead of him at the same stage. He has a lot of work to do to be a walk up starter in our 17 for mine. I'm personally more excited about the trajectory of Smithies.