NRL Player Movements & Rumours

[Wolfie]

What's funny is that Ponga isn't playing well enough right now to warrant the salary he's asking for and to also tolerate an absolute fuckwit manager like Andre.

Would be funny if Andre's actions saw Ponga's contract get pulled and then his current form & value sees him get well below what he had sitting there from a very tolerant Newcastle admin

Luckily for him he can fall back on his already very good contract.

 

[BroncsFan]

Luckily for him he can fall back on his already very good contract.

True, but if he did the writing would be on the wall for Ponga and Newcastle.

It would also flag to Ponga that Andre is potentially causing him huge issues with his career... he may also be at the peak of his earning potential with him not necessarily living up to the hype, but teams still willing to bank on potential.

Is he even a certainty for fullback in origin this year?

At worst he probably gets the utility role off the bench, as he has performed well at that in the past, but does his form really warrant automatic selection at fullback

 

[BooKhaki]

Ponga should absolutely be QLD fullback. Who would we even consider in front of him?

 

[Sproj]

Ponga should absolutely be QLD fullback. Who would we even consider in front of him?

Good question, here are the options really:

Ponga
Hammer
Holmes
Brimson
Cobbo (not really an option obviously)
Walsh
Savage (not really yet)

That’s about it. If Brimson was still at fb, I’d happily go with him but he isn’t playing there.

 

[BooKhaki]

Hammer - Not even the best fullback at his club
Holmes - Not even a fullback
Brimson - Playing 6, at his best still not on Pongas level
Cobbo - lol
Walsh - Way too soon, still not as good as Ponga.
Savage - See Cobbo

 

[Foordy]

Hammer - Not even the best fullback at his club
Holmes - Not even a fullback
Brimson - Playing 6, at his best still not on Pongas level
Cobbo - lol
Walsh - Way too soon, still not as good as Ponga.
Savage - See Cobbo

Then who is the best fullback at the Cowboys

 

[ZTop]

Then who is the best fullback at the Cowboys

He probably thinks Scott Drinkwater is

 

[BooKhaki]

Then who is the best fullback at the Cowboys

He probably thinks Scott Drinkwater is

Yep.

 

[Wolfie]

Hammer is still learning the fullback role. I think he can be a bit passive at times still but they are obviously going to invest their time and effort into him as a fullback.

 

[Super Freak]

Ponga is staying at Newcastle.

Bennett misses out on yet another marquee signing... I think this whole thing has shown Bennett doesn't have the pulling power he once had.

Hell, Ponga and his dad didn't even tell Bennett they were staying at Newcastle.

It's just a matter of time until Munster re-signs with Storm. Braith is Munster's manager and the way he's talking, Munster's happy at Melbourne and will want to stay.

 

[jd87]

Ponga is staying at Newcastle.

Bennett misses out on yet another marquee signing... I think this whole thing has shown Bennett doesn't have the pulling power he once had.

Hell, Ponga and his dad didn't even tell Bennett they were staying at Newcastle.

It's just a matter of time until Munster re-signs with Storm. Braith is Munster's manager and the way he's talking, Munster's happy at Melbourne and will want to stay.

would seem that way and if THE Dolphins go into this coming nrl season with no marquee signing then it will be real egg on the face of the nrl.

I dont for a second think THE Dolphins will have a bad first year. I still rate bennett highly and believe no matter what roster he puts out they are going to at least me competitve and push for a top 8 spot.

The problem is the NRL are so hellbent on pulling all these so called new fans into THE Dolphins that they even made them drop there Location in the hopes they will draw in more ppl(which btw is still the most retarded thing i think the nrl has ever done)

And without marquee signing the nrl and THE dolphins cant market then they wont gain the fans the nrl are hoping for

 

[Wolfie]

Anyone who thinks Bennett doesnt have pulling power is seriously kidding themselves. As much as players might want to play for Wayne, money is a bigger factor for players these days because the gaps in the contracts are huge compared to years gone buy. They have had some disappointments, but apart from Grant, Welch and Paulo, i dont think they will be too concerned about who they havent got.

Dolphins wont have any troubles long term. The got sold down the river by the NRL with the time frame they had to start recruiting. Anyone with any common sense would have known 2024 is when they will get a better squad. I know plenty of Dolphins supporters, and i dont think anyone is overly unhappy they missed out on Ponga. Its people outside the club who are obsessed with getting this Marquee signing. We got one of those this year in Arey, and its not done us much good. You need a good team, not a superstar. Look at Manchester United. Plenty of so called Marquee players, but they are a pretty ordinary side.

 

[Wolfie]

Ponga is staying at Newcastle.

Bennett misses out on yet another marquee signing... I think this whole thing has shown Bennett doesn't have the pulling power he once had.

Hell, Ponga and his dad didn't even tell Bennett they were staying at Newcastle.

It's just a matter of time until Munster re-signs with Storm. Braith is Munster's manager and the way he's talking, Munster's happy at Melbourne and will want to stay.

That probably says more about Ponga and his father than it does about anything the Dolphins have done.

 

[Sproj]

Anyone who thinks Bennett doesnt have pulling power is seriously kidding themselves. As much as players might want to play for Wayne, money is a bigger factor for players these days because the gaps in the contracts are huge compared to years gone buy. They have had some disappointments, but apart from Grant, Welch and Paulo, i dont think they will be too concerned about who they havent got.

Dolphins wont have any troubles long term. The got sold down the river by the NRL with the time frame they had to start recruiting. Anyone with any common sense would have known 2024 is when they will get a better squad. I know plenty of Dolphins supporters, and i dont think anyone is overly unhappy they missed out on Ponga. Its people outside the club who are obsessed with getting this Marquee signing. We got one of those this year in Arey, and its not done us much good. You need a good team, not a superstar. Look at Manchester United. Plenty of so called Marquee players, but they are a pretty ordinary side.

Of course this is all true but you still need a squad. Currently they have what 7 players? One of whom is currently out with a busted knee and may not even be ready come round 1 maybe.

They don't necessarily need a marquee but they do need a team. I reckon they'll have something like:

1. Walsh
2. Oates
3. Opacic
4. Farnworth
5. Isaako
6. Milford
7. O'Sullican
8. Bromwich
9. Turpin/Purcell
10. Nicholls
11. Kaufusi
12. Bromwich
13. Stone

14. Graham
15. Lui
16. ??
17. ??

 

[Wolfie]

Of course this is all true but you still need a squad. Currently they have what 7 players? One of whom is currently out with a busted knee and may not even be ready come round 1 maybe.

They don't necessarily need a marquee but they do need a team. I reckon they'll have something like:

1. Walsh
2. Oates
3. Opacic
4. Farnworth
5. Isaako
6. Milford
7. O'Sullican
8. Bromwich
9. Turpin/Purcell
10. Nicholls
11. Kaufusi
12. Bromwich
13. Stone

14. Graham
15. Lui
16. ??
17. ??

They still have plenty of time in reality. And like Wayne said, there are always players who arent playing who get disgruntled and want to leave their current clubs. I've said it from day one though, they are in reality building for 2024. The NRL just didnt give them enough time to start talking to players. You cant really talk about your aims as a club when you dont even know if you will be in the NRL.

 

[Bull Shark]

listening to Andre Ponga speak at that presser today..

 

[Foordy]

did anyone see Kent on NRL360 this is what he said about the Dolphins chances of getting a marquee player for the debut season:

Paul Kent on NRL360:

The best hope the Dolphins have now of getting someone who is a marquee quality player to the club, is to find someone who is under contract and get them to break it

 

[Wolfie]

did anyone see Kent on NRL360 this is what he said about the Dolphins chances of getting a marquee player for the debut season:

Paul Kent on NRL360:

The best hope the Dolphins have now of getting someone who is a marquee quality player to the club, is to find someone who is under contract and get them to break it

I still cant see who they will get for 2023. The market just isnt there and i cant think of anyone who is likely to break a contract.