NRL Player Movements & Rumours

[Wolfie]

Exactly. He's played 6 decent game at fullback in a team that was absolutely humming with a settled spine and attacking structure.

I'm most interested to see how he plays with the 15th placed dogs who will have Flannigan, Wakeham and who the **** knows at hooker in their spine with him.

Souths finished the 4th best attacking team last year... dogs only finished above us by 14 points!!

My big worry with him is he seems to switch off and be very lazy defensively. I keep saying it, but if people didnt like how Boyd was in defence in his final couple of years, they wont like the Allan i've been watching. He may improve, i hope he does because then he becomes a very good player. There is a lot to like about his ability at fullback, but at the same time i feel there is a fair bit to dislike as well.

 

[Fernando]

Don’t we have Flegler on like $650k+? Allan on ~$500k would’ve been a deadset steal in comparison to some of our signings and it’d fill our sides biggest hole. Even if his eoy form was inflated because of Souths’ form I’d still back him to comfortably outplay Isaako and Niu.

 

[Big Pete]

The concern in regards to Allan is the three-year commitment. The Broncos are currently going through a roster overhaul and they can't afford to risk their future on a few desperation signings. Allan maybe a better signing than Isaako and Niu in the immediate future, but will he be the best option available heading into 2022?

That's why I think Canterbury will prove the better fit because they've been through an overhaul and they're ready to move forward. They're in a position where they can give Allan time to develop his game under the pretence that the cavalry is arriving in 2022. In contrast, the Broncos are currently searching for answers so if Allan dares to have a poor run of form, that could potentially be his career right then and there.

I find it very odd that fans have already written off Tesi Niu. I don't think it's a risk at all to say the best is yet to come, I'd at least like to see how he goes with another off-season under his belt, he's only 19 after all.

 

[Sproj]

The concern in regards to Allan is the three-year commitment. The Broncos are currently going through a roster overhaul and they can't afford to risk their future on a few desperation signings. Allan maybe a better signing than Isaako and Niu in the immediate future, but will he be the best option available heading into 2022?

That's why I think Canterbury will prove the better fit because they've been through an overhaul and they're ready to move forward. They're in a position where they can give Allan time to develop his game under the pretence that the cavalry is arriving in 2022. In contrast, the Broncos are currently searching for answers so if Allan dares to have a poor run of form, that could potentially be his career right then and there.

I find it very odd that fans have already written off Tesi Niu. I don't think it's a risk at all to say the best is yet to come, I'd at least like to see how he goes with another off-season under his belt, he's only 19 after all.

I don’t think anyone has written him off, more that he looks about two-three seasons away from being ready for being good in first grade.

 

[Big Pete]

I've read plenty of comments that beg to differ. I would be extremely surprised if in three years time we're still sitting around scratching our heads over Niu, we'll know what he's capable over the next 18 months.

 

[Kooly87]

Corey Allen averaged 135 running meters in 2020 putting him at number 10 for all fullbacks in the NRL (although still much better than Mitchell who averaged a paltry 85)

he would be an improvement on Darius ... but that isn't saying much

According to NRL stats its 147 RM average. I can't be any clearer than that. That includes his 4 games on the Wing too.

 

[Kooly87]

The concern in regards to Allan is the three-year commitment. The Broncos are currently going through a roster overhaul and they can't afford to risk their future on a few desperation signings. Allan maybe a better signing than Isaako and Niu in the immediate future, but will he be the best option available heading into 2022?

That's why I think Canterbury will prove the better fit because they've been through an overhaul and they're ready to move forward. They're in a position where they can give Allan time to develop his game under the pretence that the cavalry is arriving in 2022. In contrast, the Broncos are currently searching for answers so if Allan dares to have a poor run of form, that could potentially be his career right then and there.

I find it very odd that fans have already written off Tesi Niu. I don't think it's a risk at all to say the best is yet to come, I'd at least like to see how he goes with another off-season under his belt, he's only 19 after all.

I haven't seen anyone really writing off Tesi Niu. I certainly didn't.

I just consider @Foordy to be making a fool of himself by basing his dismissal of Allan on 'needing to focus on performance and not potential' and then saying we should place our faith in either Isaako, who's performance we have actually seen and know to be highly questionable, certainly far more suspect at this stage than what Allan has delivered, or Tesi Niu, who literally only has potential to base your faith on because most people, @Foordy included, have barely seen him play.

Niu might be a gun one day, but if it's all about 'performance and not potential' then you can't dismiss Allan and promote Niu as the solution. It may end up being correct on Niu, but the logic he used to get there was highly contradictory to the point of absurdity.

 

[Kooly87]

I dont think he has shown anywhere near enough to warrant a good contract yet. Seems though a lot of clubs throw around big money contracts at players who havent achieved anything.

It's not just about him being a hype player, it's about him filling a key spine position that our current options both have enormous question marks over at this stage. If we can't get things right at Fullback this season we might well already be also rans. Allan isn't elite, I'd grant everyone that, but he's got less work to do to get there than what Niu and Isaako have shown so far. Surely no reasonable person could disagree with that?

I accept the three years was a fair commitment, but the price argument isn't a strong one because even with the incompetent clowns running that part of our business currently, it should still have been possible to put an offer on the table to his Manager that took advantage of the fact that we are his former club, based in the city he's lived all his life in, and offer a significantly lower cost of living for the money he gets paid to get us a look at him without needing to be the top bidder.

If we honestly can't make being based in Brisbane a competitive advantage for ourselves when negotiating with a guy like Corey Allan then we've absolutely failed as a club in the player market, though I suppose that won't exactly be news to anyone around here except @Foordy

 

[Wolfie]

It's not just about him being a hype player, it's about him filling a key spine position that our current options both have enormous question marks over at this stage. If we can't get things right at Fullback this season we might well already be also rans. Allan isn't elite, I'd grant everyone that, but he's got less work to do to get there than what Niu and Isaako have shown so far. Surely no reasonable person could disagree with that?

I accept the three years was a fair commitment, but the price argument isn't a strong one because even with the incompetent clowns running that part of our business currently, it should still have been possible to put an offer on the table to his Manager that took advantage of the fact that we are his former club, based in the city he's lived all his life in, and offer a significantly lower cost of living for the money he gets paid to get us a look at him without needing to be the top bidder.

If we honestly can't make being based in Brisbane a competitive advantage for ourselves when negotiating with a guy like Corey Allan then we've absolutely failed as a club in the player market, though I suppose that won't exactly be news to anyone around here except @Foordy

I reckon Allan has a heap to work on, probably as much as Isaako in certain areas. It just annoys me how they get big contracts before they have earned them.

 

[Bongo]

I reckon Allan has a heap to work on, probably as much as Isaako in certain areas. It just annoys me how they get big contracts before they have earned them.

There is a lack of experience and depth in lots of positions across the NRL. Particularly, Centre, Hooker, and Halfback and to a lesser extent fullback. Clubs are gonna throw money at potential hoping it comes good.

 

[Alec]

I've read plenty of comments that beg to differ. I would be extremely surprised if in three years time we're still sitting around scratching our heads over Niu, we'll know what he's capable over the next 18 months.

It could happen, we are still sort of sitting around scratching our heads over Milford.

 

[Big Pete]

It could happen, we are still sort of sitting around scratching our heads over Milford.

We've seen what Milford is capable of, it's just a matter of whether it's worth building an entire team around.

 

[Foordy]

Stephen Crichton is set to become the highest paid center in the game. after reneging on his handshake 500k a year offer from the Panthers, the Panthers are now reportedly offering him a 750k a season, 3 year deal.

 

[Sproj]

Stephen Crichton is set to become the highest paid center in the game. after reneging on his handshake 500k a year offer from the Panthers, the Panthers are now reportedly offering him a 750k a season, 3 year deal.

Is this another case of the Titans where one team outbids itself?

 

[Foordy]

Is this another case of the Titans where one team outbids itself?

I don't think so ...

more a case of Jerry McGuire where he takes his clients word for it instead of getting it in writing. although in this instance, they still got their man it just cost them more.

there have been reports around for a while that several teams were interested in making good offers to Crichton.

in the Titans case, Fifita had already rejected the other teams because they weren't located in South East QLD ... and the only other team in the area weren't prepared to raise their offer anymore. but they just kept bidding against themselves until they found out Fifita's squeal point (turns out it was $1.25 million a season)

 

[Wolfie]

Stephen Crichton is set to become the highest paid center in the game. after reneging on his handshake 500k a year offer from the Panthers, the Panthers are now reportedly offering him a 750k a season, 3 year deal.

What a joke. A player who has literally had one good year gets an upgrade of that amount. Laughable.

 

[BroncsFan]

What a joke. A player who has literally had one good year gets an upgrade of that amount. Laughable.

You'd think they must have fullback in mind for him.

Edwards hardly sets the world on fire back there and $750k is ridiculous money for a center.

 

[theshed]

You'd think they must have fullback in mind for him.

Edwards hardly sets the world on fire back there and $750k is ridiculous money for a center.

It’s not just the money, consider all the talent and team culture they’ve pushed out that they could’ve retained for that money. Their front row has taken a massive dent. I think they might have done themselves in with this. Wouldn’t be surprised if they drop away over the next 2 seasons. Unless N Cleary really is the next great half.