Where is our salary cap going?

Agreed, this isn't good enough from a world class coach. But as for the topic of this thread, apart from the halves debacle I don't see a problem with how he has spent the funds. Bird is a great player, happy we put him on the books but how he is being managed is shiting me. How the **** can the coach let him pack on the kgs like he has? And if he isn't ready then **** him off until he is. And the Boyd deal could probably have gone either way, as he is a great player, an international, origin star, captain etc. He's playing like a busted arse but without a crystal ball Wayne could have quite easily looked golden if he was playing the house down, which he is capable of doing. Like you mentioned the players shifting all over the park is killing any possible combinations and momentum. And it does scream panic.
People bag out Bennett ball, but it is simple and mechanical almost in its reliability. Thing is I'm not seeing this anymore, I don't know what the **** I've been watching for the past couple of seasons but when I think about 'Bennett Ball' I think about a side that know their roles and that push to make those 1%.
I don't think a 4 year deal for a fullback who is 30 and injured is ever a smart idea. It's different to halves / hooker where you can lose a step or two of pace. Fullback you pretty much need peak fitness, and he isn't anywhere near that. Absolutely no reason to sign him for more than 2 years at a time at that age.
 
I don't think a 4 year deal for a fullback who is 30 and injured is ever a smart idea. It's different to halves / hooker where you can lose a step or two of pace. Fullback you pretty much need peak fitness, and he isn't anywhere near that. Absolutely no reason to sign him for more than 2 years at a time at that age.

Who says there isn't a clause in the clubs favor.
 
Alternatively, given Bennett's history with said fullback, who says there is?

Well Bennett isnt the only person involved in the contracts. It's a business and I'm sure they would've considered such situations as with most older players.
 
Alternatively, given Bennett's history with said fullback, who says there is?
Bennett has very little to do with contracts. He will indicate on who he wants and the upper mgmt and player manager sorts out a deal. What a player earns wouldn't hold much relevance to WB as long as it is cap friendly.
 
Bennett has very little to do with contracts. He will indicate on who he wants and the upper mgmt and player manager sorts out a deal. What a player earns wouldn't hold much relevance to WB as long as it is cap friendly.
See I would have thought differently on this. He'd know exactly how much players were offered at the time of negotiations and how deals were being done. He might not get buried in details surrounding 3rd party deals and minor details but how else would he plan for the future or maintain the roster if he isn't concerned with player deals?
 
See I would have thought differently on this. He'd know exactly how much players were offered at the time of negotiations and how deals were being done. He might not get buried in details surrounding 3rd party deals and minor details but how else would he plan for the future or maintain the roster if he isn't concerned with player deals?

Of course coach is following the cap tightly. Especially one like Bennett which would have massive sway. Not the Roosters where an international is worth $1.50 and a frozen chicken.
 
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Ennis doesn't hold back, as usual. He does however come dangerously close to calling Hunt a game manager lol

Let's see, out of the blokes that we could have supposedly signed according to Ennis:

Cronk: Sydney exclusive.
Maloney: used in a swap with Cronulla.
Green: we were still dealing with Taylor, and the Warriors made him a huge offer that I doubt Wayne would have matched.
Hunt: not worth the money he's getting at the Drags (for us).
Pearce: we could have signed and probably should have made an offer. Not sure why Wayne came out and ruled him out publicly.

Moses or Pearce were basically it in terms of potential signings this year for us. Moses, well if you watch Eels games you don't really need further details on how shit he's been.

McKinnon talks the most sense in that piece. When we looked forward to this season the team was winning games with Niko at HB and Taylor was strongly hinting that he was coming back. The tits elected to ruin Taylor's development and their team for the foreseeable future with a stupid offer, and Niko has gone backwards this year despite a full off season. At least we should be able to keep most of our young forwards without an 800k-1.2mil half (Pearce/ Taylor), we do need a Ryley Jacks/ Green type player tho.
 
Any idea what that "huge" contract offer to Blake Green was? I am not sure I have read anywhere how much he is on but I can't imagine its much more than we could have afforded to pay him.

They already had Johnson, Luke and Mannering tied down on big contracts. They also re-signed Mason Lino and RTS (remember the All Blacks were apparently chasing him so you would think he's on a fair bit).

Meanwhile they threw cash at Tohu, Beale and Blair (600k wasn't it?) while also bringing in Hiku, Paasi, Pulu and Lawton. Not to mention they have their claws on Ah Mau from the Dragons already for next year.
 
Let's see, out of the blokes that we could have supposedly signed according to Ennis:

Cronk: Sydney exclusive.
Maloney: used in a swap with Cronulla.
Green: we were still dealing with Taylor, and the Warriors made him a huge offer that I doubt Wayne would have matched.
Hunt: not worth the money he's getting at the Drags (for us).
Pearce: we could have signed and probably should have made an offer. Not sure why Wayne came out and ruled him out publicly.

Moses or Pearce were basically it in terms of potential signings this year for us. Moses, well if you watch Eels games you don't really need further details on how shit he's been.

McKinnon talks the most sense in that piece. When we looked forward to this season the team was winning games with Niko at HB and Taylor was strongly hinting that he was coming back. The tits elected to ruin Taylor's development and their team for the foreseeable future with a stupid offer, and Niko has gone backwards this year despite a full off season. At least we should be able to keep most of our young forwards without an 800k-1.2mil half (Pearce/ Taylor), we do need a Ryley Jacks/ Green type player tho.

Looking back, I think Pearce would have really suited us. We all know he SUCKS in Origin, but he's one of the best halves at NRL level. Plus he plays with a lot of energy, more than most halves, something that I feel like would have brought the most out of our pack. One of the best halves at hitting the 2nd rower too.
 
Looking back, I think Pearce would have really suited us. We all know he SUCKS in Origin, but he's one of the best halves at NRL level. Plus he plays with a lot of energy, more than most halves, something that I feel like would have brought the most out of our pack. One of the best halves at hitting the 2nd rower too.
Should have went all out for Pearce. He is an excellent NRL level player and has been for a number of years. Just unable to successfully make the step up. Normally that would have suited us fine (not getting picked for Origin) but if Smith hadn't retired I think the only good chance for Origin would have been Oates and that is far from a certainty.

Of course hindsight is a wonderful thing. I was critical of the length of Boyd's contract and the signing of Bird but even I didn't guess the former would go downhill so fast and the latter would justifiably be in reserve grade after a few games.
 
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Any idea what that "huge" contract offer to Blake Green was? I am not sure I have read anywhere how much he is on but I can't imagine its much more than we could have afforded to pay him.

They already had Johnson, Luke and Mannering tied down on big contracts. They also re-signed Mason Lino and RTS (remember the All Blacks were apparently chasing him so you would think he's on a fair bit).

Meanwhile they threw cash at Tohu, Beale and Blair (600k wasn't it?) while also bringing in Hiku, Paasi, Pulu and Lawton. Not to mention they have their claws on Ah Mau from the Dragons already for next year.
Reported to be $600k for 3 years.

To me that is pretty excessive for a +30yr old halfback/five-eight.... noting Green was probably most interested in the longevity/security of the contract, which we would also have to match.
 
When Bennett ruled out Pearce, do we know if Wayne had potentially sounded him out beforehand? The fact that he went to a shit club for the most dollars says to me that Pearce wasn't going to be the right player for us. As much as I think he's a twat, he was legit burned by the Rorters and probably decided to cash in his chips and enjoy a lucrative ease in to retirement.
 
Looking back, I think Pearce would have really suited us. We all know he SUCKS in Origin, but he's one of the best halves at NRL level. Plus he plays with a lot of energy, more than most halves, something that I feel like would have brought the most out of our pack. One of the best halves at hitting the 2nd rower too.
Pearce also wanted $800k-1m a year for 4 years. That is a shit ton of cap tied up into the halves.

His game would suit milf down to the ground, but we don't play that style anyway ie a first receiver halfback. Which would require a full change to tactics.

FWIW I wish we would adopt that style of play.

I think the plan moving forward is basically Milf as the dominant half, which I'm 100% for and I believe he has shown this year he can do it.

The issue at present is he doesn't even have a competent half standing next to him that can relieve any of the pressure. Literally getting zero help from whoever they chuck in the 7 jersey means he can't be caught with the ball on 4th or 5th, which are the plays he should be looking to exploit the defence.
 
When Bennett ruled out Pearce, do we know if Wayne had potentially sounded him out beforehand? The fact that he went to a shit club for the most dollars says to me that Pearce wasn't going to be the right player for us. As much as I think he's a twat, he was legit burned by the Rorters and probably decided to cash in his chips and enjoy a lucrative ease in to retirement.

I think you’re right, he was loyal AF to the roosters and loved the club, doubt he would play with the same heart elsewhere but would trade his skills for the most coin.

FWIW I would have loved it if he signed here, has exactly what we need from a #7
 
Imagine those forward Pearce would have thrown to Gillett all season. Wouldn’t get away with it in Brisbane
 

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