2022 New halfback?

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bayraider
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2022 New halfback?

Post by bayraider »

For me unless we get a Adam Reynolds, we are in a world of hurt. Any other options?
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Re: 2022 New Half Back?

Post by Luffto »

Milf
Raiders666
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Re: 2022 New Half Back?

Post by Raiders666 »

Can we get McCrone back?
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GreenMachine
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Re: 2022 New Half Back?

Post by GreenMachine »

I don't agree.
The squad needs to be developed with 2023 / 2024 in mind and not for next week...
Penrith and Melbourne are too good and too young to be overcome this year and possibly next...
Build a squad with speed and youth (keep some older heads) and reap the rewards later...we clearly have some gems in the lower ranks..
Accept we missed this window and don't waste time shuffling players around to try and overcome what cannot be overcome...
Planning should start now.
Reynolds is a pipe dream that will cost us more longer term.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by zim »

bayraider wrote: May 11, 2021, 10:35 am For me unless we get a Adam Reynolds, we are in a world of hurt. Any other options?
The best option as far as squad fit but the problem would be the length of the contract. He's not interested in something like a 2 year deal. There's mention of him pushing for 4.
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Re: 2022 New Half Back?

Post by TongueFTW »

Milford is an interesting one. One of our juniors, close friends with some players, should have won the CCM in 2015 and taken Broncos to a premiership. Talent never fades, though desire does. Has been totally out of form since 2017ish, but still provides moments of brilliance. If Hodgson was at his best, controlling the game and picking his moments, a halves pairing of Wighton and Milford would be OK in attack at least, given Milford drops back to his previous playing weight (Broncos did the same thing to Barba, that killed his effectiveness). The issue is, without Hodgson playing to his potential, we don’t have a player with the football IQ and temperament to control a game, putting the pressure back on Milford in a role he struggles in.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Timbo »

We're going to end up with Luke Brooks. I can just feel it.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Mickey_Raider »

It would be negligent to not make an offer for Reynolds.

It is openly about money for him.

The tragedy is the club is probably happy to pay overs for club legends reaching the plodding stage of their careers, but will take a hardline on actual needle movers, probably because of said overpayment.

I heard from someone recently who knows the Cotric clan personally that the “Sydney lifestyle” part of the negotiation narrative isn’t correct. Cotric would have stayed had we stumped up an extra 50k but we refused to play ball.

Don’t make the same mistake with Reynolds. Give him a competitive offer with a murrays bus voucher Canberra to Sydney chucked in there.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by PerthRaider86 »

Does Nicho Hynes want to play in the Halves or Fullback?????
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Mickey_Raider
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Mickey_Raider »

From the GW thread.

GW leaving might be a good thing insofar as it hasn’t dragged out.

We need to make a play for Adam Reynolds right now.

And for those who write it off as wishful thinking....is it?

His preference is to remain in Sydney but it doesn’t look like Sharks are coming to the table with the right dóllar figure, which is why the Broncos 700k x 4 year deal is in the box seat.

He will move interstate for the right dollar figure.

If money is the primary factor and proximity to Sydney is a secondary factor then I reckon if we come in with a competitive offer vis a vis Brisbane then we would be a chance.

Give it a crack Reynolds is exactly what we need.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Botman »

I dont think Reynolds is a realistic option. We have no Sam Walker type player ready to emerge...

Our options really might come down to a bold play for someone like Pearce... kicking the tyres on the prodigal son Milford or trying to identify the NEXT Sam Walker type and luring him with a godfather offer...

Yikes.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Rickmando »

Milf is not a half. His best position is FB, he’s looked much better there for both the Raiders and the Broncos. (I would take a punt on him in the #1 fwiw).

Reynolds - we shouldn’t be the mug club that pays his superannuation plan. Decent organising half, competitor, but his body has an injury history and miles on the clock. Souths have correctly assessed him as a year to year proposition at this point - you’d take him if we were a halfback short of a premiership-calibre squad... but at 3 years + he’s very much a chance of another millstone contract like Croker’s
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Timbo »

Rickmando wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:08 am Milf is not a half. His best position is FB, he’s looked much better there for both the Raiders and the Broncos. (I would take a punt on him in the #1 fwiw).

Reynolds - we shouldn’t be the mug club that pays his superannuation plan. Decent organising half, competitor, but his body has an injury history and miles on the clock. Souths have correctly assessed him as a year to year proposition at this point - you’d take him if we were a halfback short of a premiership-calibre squad... but at 3 years + he’s very much a chance of another millstone contract like Croker’s
1 - Milf
3 - CNK
6 - Wighton
7 - S.Williams

Could work maybe?
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Rickmando »

Botman wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:05 am I dont think Reynolds is a realistic option. We have no Sam Walker type player ready to emerge...

Our options really might come down to a bold play for someone like Pearce... kicking the tyres on the prodigal son Milford or trying to identify the NEXT Sam Walker type and luring him with a godfather offer...

Yikes.
Pearce hasn’t put his shoulder into a tackle since around 2015. The drop from George in that department is monumental.

We shouldn’t be chasing a big name half until our house is in order. It clearly isn’t, looking at the back 5 we name on each week’s team sheet as a starting point...

This forward pack should be good enough* to set a platform for young halves to develop behind, or to deploy a combo of a youngster and a bridge veteran

* assumes league average physical fitness and coaching levels
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Canberra Milk »

Ok reality check needed here - we're the Raiders. Do you really think we're in a position to say no to Reynolds, Milford, Pearce?

If we don't get one of them, we're looking at Sam Williams. You have to take the best available, not the best available in your imagination. A two year contract would still allow us to try and identify the next young talent
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Rickmando »

Timbo wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:09 am
Rickmando wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:08 am Milf is not a half. His best position is FB, he’s looked much better there for both the Raiders and the Broncos. (I would take a punt on him in the #1 fwiw).

Reynolds - we shouldn’t be the mug club that pays his superannuation plan. Decent organising half, competitor, but his body has an injury history and miles on the clock. Souths have correctly assessed him as a year to year proposition at this point - you’d take him if we were a halfback short of a premiership-calibre squad... but at 3 years + he’s very much a chance of another millstone contract like Croker’s
1 - Milf
3 - CNK
6 - Wighton
7 - S.Williams

Could work maybe?
Not bad. You’d definitely scour the veteran market for someone a little better than Sam, but if the price wasn’t right, I think this combo would win more games than it’d lose
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zim
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by zim »

Think S Williams is on his last legs. A definite no to having him first grade in 2022.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by SeeBee101 »

TBH, we have no chance of getting Reynolds.

Our most likely candidates are:

Pearce
Johnson
Widdop
Brooks

The first three are injury prone and the other has never lived up to the hype. Interesting....Looking at Fox stats, Brooks has the 5th highest assist total (9).

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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Rickmando »

Canberra Milk wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:12 am Ok reality check needed here - we're the Raiders. Do you really think we're in a position to say no to Reynolds, Milford, Pearce?

If we don't get one of them, we're looking at Sam Williams. You have to take the best available, not the best available in your imagination. A two year contract would still allow us to try and identify the next young talent
No offence, but this is exactly the type of short-sighted and inferiority-complex thinking of old.

Why shouldn’t we say no? Especially to over priced, late career veterans who are likely only in it for the money? Why shouldn’t we stand our ground?

It’s exactly that type of thinking that gets you a Matt Orford...
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Northern Raider »

Mickey_Raider wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:01 am From the GW thread.

GW leaving might be a good thing insofar as it hasn’t dragged out.

We need to make a play for Adam Reynolds right now.

And for those who write it off as wishful thinking....is it?

His preference is to remain in Sydney but it doesn’t look like Sharks are coming to the table with the right dóllar figure, which is why the Broncos 700k x 4 year deal is in the box seat.

He will move interstate for the right dollar figure.

If money is the primary factor and proximity to Sydney is a secondary factor then I reckon if we come in with a competitive offer vis a vis Brisbane then we would be a chance.

Give it a crack Reynolds is exactly what we need.
I agree Reynolds is the best option. 3 years deal yes. 4 years I'd be hesitant.

To make him fit under the cap would need some roster reshuffling. G Willy isn't on anywhere near what Reynolds will cost. Hodgo could be the casualty there. Reynolds and an upgrade for Starling could be around the same cap value as Hodgo and G Willy.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Rickmando »

SeeBee101 wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:15 am TBH, we have no chance of getting Reynolds.

Our most likely candidates are:

Pearce
Johnson
Widdop
Brooks

The first three are injury prone and the other has never lived up to the hype. Interesting....Looking at Fox stats, Brooks has the 5th highest assist total (9).

Left field
Hynes
I like Hynes, but if we are persisting with Jack at #6, he needs a game-manager type. Do we know how much halves experience Hynes has? I don’t think a ball playing full back-cum-five eighth helps all that much (hence my no to Milf in the #7)
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by afgtnk »

I can feel us ending up with Brooks tbh.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by GreenMachine »

Pearce and Milf are not the solution...deck chairs on the titanic...

Reynolds would only make sense if you thought we were a halfback away from winning the competition (which I don't believe when you observe the benchmark teams) so you are setting yourself up for long term cap pain...

Go the youth option and plan long term...would be nice to see if Ricky and Don can actually pull this off instead of tying us up in cap Hell...
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Rickmando »

SeeBee101 wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:15 am TBH, we have no chance of getting Reynolds.

Our most likely candidates are:

Pearce
Johnson
Widdop
Brooks

The first three are injury prone and the other has never lived up to the hype. Interesting....Looking at Fox stats, Brooks has the 5th highest assist total (9).

Left field
Hynes
I probably like Johnson the most on that list - what if for the first time in his career he’s here to not “be the man”?? Slot him in next to Jack and give him a ball playing FB, tell him to steer the team around the park?? I see he’s 31 this year so 2 year deal max.

Regardless, if we land any of the big names suggested - can any of them withstand the “Destroyer of Halves”?
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by rayden83 »

It doesn’t have to be a half back ie Reynolds, who would cost 1 million + and a waste of money guiding our gastropods around the park. The focus of our rebuild needs to be our outside backs. We forget too easily we nearly won a premiership with Sezer and prelims with Sezer and Williams. If you can snag a good half back for fair money then go for it, but it doesn’t make sense to break the bank for a gun half only to leave gaping holes in other areas.

I’d rather see us invest in strong, skillful centres and some speed and agility down the wing. And in the event Hodgson leaves, a game manager, on field conductor type, either a full back or hooker, who can free up JW to focus on his running game.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by zim »

GreenMachine wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:20 am Pearce and Milf are not the solution...deck chairs on the titanic...

Reynolds would only make sense if you thought we were a halfback away from winning the competition (which I don't believe when you observe the benchmark teams) so you are setting yourself up for long term cap pain...

Go the youth option and plan long term...would be nice to see if Ricky and Don can actually pull this off instead of tying us up in cap Hell...
I'm taking from this that you think Ricky is great at developing young halves? Because most of the chat on here tends to be that Sticky is actually terrible at it.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by afgtnk »

Shaun Johnson and 'game manager' do not go together.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by afgtnk »

rayden83 wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:24 am It doesn’t have to be a half back ie Reynolds, who would cost 1 million + and a waste of money guiding our gastropods around the park. The focus of our rebuild needs to be our outside backs. We forget too easily we nearly won a premiership with Sezer and prelims with Sezer and Williams. If you can snag a good half back for fair money then go for it, but it doesn’t make sense to break the bank for a gun half only to leave gaping holes in other areas.

I’d rather see us invest in strong, skillful centres and some speed and agility down the wing. And in the event Hodgson leaves, a game manager, on field conductor type, either a full back or hooker, who can free up JW to focus on his running game.
We can get away with a Williams/Sezer type IF we upgrade large on fullback and keep Hodgson IMO.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Canberra Milk »

The youth options were clearly Sam Walker and Reece Walsh, and both horses have bolted. For every Matt Orford, there's a Marc Herbert, Josh McCrone, happy to go on...
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Botman »

Canberra Milk wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:12 am Ok reality check needed here - we're the Raiders. Do you really think we're in a position to say no to Reynolds, Milford, Pearce?

If we don't get one of them, we're looking at Sam Williams. You have to take the best available, not the best available in your imagination. A two year contract would still allow us to try and identify the next young talent

Reynolds, no.
Milford, yeah i absolutely think we'd be in play here. This is a guy who is absolutely at his lowest ebb and who's star was born in Canberra and he still has some very close friends here. I think he'd absolutely be in play

Pearce? He wouldnt like it, but i dont know how many other NRL opportunities are out there for him.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Rickmando »

afgtnk wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:24 am Shaun Johnson and 'game manager' do not go together.
I’d tend to somewhat agree in general but I think he has mellowed with age, and believe he has the nous for the position. He has suffered from being in teams where he “has to do everything” and ends up overplaying his hand. He would have to come with the knowledge that it’s not his show - but to be fair I think any half has to know that, Jack is our big attacking weapon
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by GreenMachine »

zim wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:24 am
GreenMachine wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:20 am Pearce and Milf are not the solution...deck chairs on the titanic...

Reynolds would only make sense if you thought we were a halfback away from winning the competition (which I don't believe when you observe the benchmark teams) so you are setting yourself up for long term cap pain...

Go the youth option and plan long term...would be nice to see if Ricky and Don can actually pull this off instead of tying us up in cap Hell...
I'm taking from this that you think Ricky is great at developing young halves? Because most of the chat on here tends to be that Sticky is actually terrible at it.
I don't think he is.
I think people over cook this notion that coaches 'develop' players.
For me, most natural playmakers are playmakers to begin with....the most 'development' a coach brings is around game management...
A good coach, teaches the team how to manage the game (when your up and down)....I don't put weight into Ricky or any other coach for that matter sinking time into personally developing players .
Find a young natural play maker and teach them how to manage the game....not easy but the Roosters are giving it a go.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Botman »

afgtnk wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:18 am I can feel us ending up with Brooks tbh.
I dont see it. I cant see Stuart tolerating his defence at all. Stuart relentlessly targets him every time we play... doesnt strike me as a fit for Stuart's mold

I actually think one of the more likely scenarios is Aiden Sezer coming back to the team
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by BadnMean »

Rickmando wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:18 am
SeeBee101 wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:15 am TBH, we have no chance of getting Reynolds.

Our most likely candidates are:

Pearce
Johnson
Widdop
Brooks

The first three are injury prone and the other has never lived up to the hype. Interesting....Looking at Fox stats, Brooks has the 5th highest assist total (9).

Left field
Hynes
I like Hynes, but if we are persisting with Jack at #6, he needs a game-manager type. Do we know how much halves experience Hynes has? I don’t think a ball playing full back-cum-five eighth helps all that much (hence my no to Milf in the #7)
Hynes isn't a halfback type half. He played 2 or 3 seasons of 5/8 in QLD Cup but has been a fullback for the last few years.

If we got Hynes, he'd be a nice ball playing FB, which Reynolds plays well with (Latrell) or compliment Jacks run and gun style at 5/8. But it'd be a real stretch to manufacture a controlling half out of him.
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Re: 2022 New halfback?

Post by Rickmando »

Botman wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:29 am
Canberra Milk wrote: May 11, 2021, 11:12 am Ok reality check needed here - we're the Raiders. Do you really think we're in a position to say no to Reynolds, Milford, Pearce?

If we don't get one of them, we're looking at Sam Williams. You have to take the best available, not the best available in your imagination. A two year contract would still allow us to try and identify the next young talent

Reynolds, no.
Milford, yeah i absolutely think we'd be in play here. This is a guy who is absolutely at his lowest ebb and who's star was born in Canberra and he still has some very close friends here. I think he'd absolutely be in play

Pearce? He wouldnt like it, but i dont know how many other NRL opportunities are out there for him.
Re Milford - if we do have any edge to exploit in terms of recruitment as you say then I agree we should at least be enquiring. But expectations would need to be communicated clearly and managed smartly by both sides.

The upside of Milf is greater than any other potential signing out there. For the right price (and with him at fullback) I’m in
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