Player Addin Fonua-Blake

[John Nick]

Which gun? None of them have proved themselves consistently at nrl level yet. I know there is an argument that they haven't been given the opportunity but surely the club knows who is and isn't ready to step up full time to nrl. There is a reserve grade for a reason, performing well in reserve grade and then doing the same in NRL are two very different things.

People were worried about SJ getting a start in FG a few years back as an example.Gotta give them a crack sooner or later otherwise they f off for opportunities elsewhere.

 

[Dantheman]

People were worried about SJ getting a start in FG a few years back as an example.Gotta give them a crack sooner or later otherwise they f off for opportunities elsewhere.

Yea but also how many 'guns' did we bring up too early that weren't developed properly and never kicked on? There has been so many but anyway, kind of getting off topic ahaha. Personally, I can see why we didn't want to release AFB, the season would have been over before it even begun.

 

[defensivebomb]

Yea but also how many 'guns' did we bring up too early that weren't developed properly and never kicked on? There has been so many but anyway, kind of getting off topic ahaha. Personally, I can see why we didn't want to release AFB, the season would have been over before it even begun.

Sam Lisone is the only success story I can think of. Multitalented genius that could do hit ups through the middle, then follow up with a field goal attempt the next set. Near-perfect execution, except the kick was ever so slightly off target

 

[John Nick]

Yea but also how many 'guns' did we bring up too early that weren't developed properly and never kicked on? There has been so many but anyway, kind of getting off topic ahaha. Personally, I can see why we didn't want to release AFB, the season would have been over before it even begun.

I agree with you Dan. It's not an exact science.
Some handle the step up and some don't

 

[The Warrior Waka]

If it was me (which it's not), and if the AFB rumours are true, I'd just get him to trot out with the reserve grade team and use it as an opportunity to blood younger players up

Win/win. A bit of an expensive exercise, having a marquee player in reserve grade, but it could lift both teams

Yeah send him to the Sharks now. They need more size( Kidding)
Look at the roid bodies, Royce Hunt ,Talakai , Hamlyn - Uele , Kaufusi , Hazelton, Jack Williams
They could make their own Pixar movie. The injectables

 

[Ever Hopeful]

I totally get that you are usually better off to release a player who doesn't want to be there.

Isn't it quite nice to see a rugby league player held to a contract though? The timing of his release request was diabolical. Clubs work so hard to structure their cap, and line things up for the upcoming season. Things come up that necessitate a change in plans, but the timing of his request meant no effective plan B could have been implemented.

It has been an awful no-win situation. You just hope in these situations that everyone can be respectful of each other in the way that they move forward.

 

[Beastmode]

I totally get that you are usually better off to release a player who doesn't want to be there.

Isn't it quite nice to see a rugby league player held to a contract though? The timing of his release request was diabolical. Clubs work so hard to structure their cap, and line things up for the upcoming season. Things come up that necessitate a change in plans, but the timing of his request meant no effective plan B could have been implemented.

It has been an awful no-win situation. You just hope in these situations that everyone can be respectful of each other in the way that they move forward.

Sorry not buying the koolaid
You’re saying there’s no plan B if he got injured ?
Young guns stood up when trusted with the assignment against Penrith & Dragons. Belief goes a long way.

 

[Beastmode]

Sorry not buying the koolaid
You’re saying there’s no plan B if he got injured ?
Young guns stood up when trusted with the assignment against Penrith & Dragons. Belief goes a long way.

Plan B

Ford
Barnett
Tohu
Jazz
Bunty
Ale
Zyon Maiu’u
Sifakula

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Sorry not buying the koolaid
You’re saying there’s no plan B if he got injured ?

Young guns stood up when trusted with the assignment against Penrith & Dragons. Belief goes a long way.

You know that is a different scenario entirely. Your cap is still invested the way you planned, you still have a squad you have engineered.

Sure if Cleary, Ponga, Hughes, DCE etc get injured a team can put in a plan to bridge the gap. Their clubs would be in a funk if if one of them decided to upsticks in January too. In longer term succession planning, and sustained success over a season(s) you need your big dogs to be accounted for - many a team has had their season derailed by losing a key player they can't afford to lose.

 

[Beastmode]

You know that is a different scenario entirely. Your cap is still invested the way you planned, you still have a squad you have engineered.

Sure if Cleary, Ponga, Hughes, DCE etc get injured a team can put in a plan to bridge the cap. Their clubs would be in a funk if if one of them decided to upsticks in January too. In longer term succession planning, and sustained success over a season(s) you need your big dogs to be accounted for - many a team has had their season derailed by losing a key player they can't afford to lose.

This argument doesn’t hold true if your key player is the reason everyone else is performing badly

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Which gun? None of them have proved themselves consistently at nrl level yet. I know there is an argument that they haven't been given the opportunity but surely the club knows who is and isn't ready to step up full time to nrl. There is a reserve grade for a reason, performing well in reserve grade and then doing the same in NRL are two very different things.

We have first graders that cant play at that level soooo

 

[MrFrankWhite]

You know that is a different scenario entirely. Your cap is still invested the way you planned, you still have a squad you have engineered.

Sure if Cleary, Ponga, Hughes, DCE etc get injured a team can put in a plan to bridge the gap. Their clubs would be in a funk if if one of them decided to upsticks in January too. In longer term succession planning, and sustained success over a season(s) you need your big dogs to be accounted for - many a team has had their season derailed by losing a key player they can't afford to lose.

This makes zero sense.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

This makes zero sense.

What specifically do you disagree with?

My points -

1. You are better to let go of a player that doesn't want to be at a club (even though it is a kick in the teeth to your chances of success)
2. From a social perception/sense of justice POV, isn't it just a little bit satisfying for a fan to see a player or agent not be able to take a club and its fans for a ride?
3. Your elite superstar leaving your club in the middle of preseason is a terrible situation
4. Your superstar being injured is very different to them bailing on the team unexpectedly.
5. The sustained success of a club is based on a sound multi-year plan and careful cap management.

 

[Emerald]

Been away for a little bit but heard some AFB thoughts on my travels.

A good mate who is great mates with Ivan Cleary (next door neighbours when he coached here and their kids went same schools etc) caught up with him when Ivan came over to support the Mt Albert Lions fundraiser. Was a bye week for the Panthers and the Warriors had just been dicked by the Tits. My mate asked him what his thoughts were on what was happening at the club and Ivan said the only reason teams lose like that is because of a toxic environment which he said was most likely caused by the rift that AFB is creating by being held here despite desperately wanting to leave. His thoughts were that it would have been much better for the club to have released him and bought up the next player in line while searching the market for a replacement.

Another mate who has an ear very close to the top of the club told me the exact thing a couple days later independently. The club are well aware of how AFB is starting to poison the well in the changing rooms but are basically stuck with him till the seasons end.

Kind of reminds me of Feleti Mateo in 2012 or Manu Vatuvei in 2016.

Left unchecked it is sure to cause damage that remains long after the cancer has been cut out. I'd honestly fuck him off now and bite the bullet about paying his salary to play for someone else...

I don’t have any access to inside knowledge, but there was another player movement thing which immediately preceded the mid season slump. Back in April we nearly beat the Storm (again), then beat the Raiders, Knights and Rabbits and drew with Manly, but then something happened and we lost to three supposedly easy opponents in succession, the Dragons (19th April), Titans and Knights again. The something that happened is the James Fisher-Harris announcement, on 17 April, just two days before the beginning of the slump.

If something - AFB throwing tamtrums - which shouldn’t affect how the team plays on the day does actually affect it, and very seriously, to the extent of the loss against the Titans ten days ago, could the Fisher-Harris announcement have put other noses out of joint or even exacerbated the bad feeling being generated by AFB?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

What specifically do you disagree with?

My points -

1. You are better to let go of a player that doesn't want to be at a club (even though it is a kick in the teeth to your chances of success)

That wasnt clearly articulated

2. From a social perception/sense of justice POV, isn't it just a little bit satisfying for a fan to see a player or agent not be able to take a club and its fans for a ride?

Winning is all that matters. See how may distractions there are when you entertain then? Its why the Warriors cant win. They dont put winning first. Fuck your feelings. (not you )

3. Your elite superstar leaving your club in the middle of preseason is a terrible situation

Then dont recruit badly

4. Your superstar being injured is very different to them bailing on the team unexpectedly.
5. The sustained success of a club is based on a sound multi-year plan and careful cap management.

Keeping unwanted players around regardless of outcome, yet again signals to your men that you prioritise other things above winning.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

At the upper echelons of male physical competition, you simply wont succeed unless everyone buys in 100%. Shit you might get that and STILL lose.

How are you going to win if only 16/17 people are commited?

 

[Dantheman]

We have first graders that cant play at that level soooo

Do you even like the club?

 

[Beastmode]

Do you even like the club?

Not when they’re losing.
Do you?

You don’t play to “participate”. That nonsense if for 5 year olds. You play to win.

Not sure what I’m even arguing about now

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Do you even like the club?

Enough to post on the forums for close to a decade

 

[mrblonde]

and everyone bagged the fark out of them for releasing him- guess youre damned if u do, damned if u dont

I thought the bagging was because of the amount of money Matt Lodge got, not the decision to let him leave itself.