Pre-Season

[WASSHHH]

In my head he's retiring before his contract is up. It's not a prediction: it's something that's somehow been hardwired into my expectations.

It’s a pretty solid bet TBF.

I was just thinking today when I saw the thing about his back soreness / tightness that we need to seriously think about our plans for after him, as it’s hard to see his body holding up long enough to see him play beyond his current contract, if that.

 

[Big Pete]

It’s a pretty solid bet TBF.

I was just thinking today when I saw the thing about his back soreness / tightness that we need to seriously think about our plans for after him, as it’s hard to see his body holding up long enough to see him play beyond his current contract, if that.

1000%

For all this talk about the dummy half position, it's the replacement of Adam Reynolds that's been my biggest concern for the club moving forward.

We all saw how poorly Reynolds played towards the end of last season. Clearly he needs to be managed effectively and the other halves are going to have to step up.

 

[theshed]

1000%

For all this talk about the dummy half position, it's the replacement of Adam Reynolds that's been my biggest concern for the club moving forward.

We all saw how poorly Reynolds played towards the end of last season. Clearly he needs to be managed effectively and the other halves are going to have to step up.

It’s why the Karl situation was such a blunder.

We have about 12 months to find out if Madden, Mam, or Walsh have a career as a halfback in them. If so then we are pretty set, if not we need to start planning for a market raid.

In an ideal world Mam can make the transition. He has all the physical skills, it’s wether or not Reynolds and Kev can train him to have the right mentality for the role.

 

[Sproj]

It’s why the Karl situation was such a blunder.

We have about 12 months to find out if Madden, Mam, or Walsh have a career as a halfback in them. If so then we are pretty set, if not we need to start planning for a market raid.

In an ideal world Mam can make the transition. He has all the physical skills, it’s wether or not Reynolds and Kev can train him to have the right mentality for the role.

It was a blunder to lose a kid who can play 6 or 13 and is totally unproven because our very experienced but busted 7 might go down?

If anything, it is weird we let Josh James go, he’s a far more similar player type.

 

[Xzei]

1000%

For all this talk about the dummy half position, it's the replacement of Adam Reynolds that's been my biggest concern for the club moving forward.

We all saw how poorly Reynolds played towards the end of last season. Clearly he needs to be managed effectively and the other halves are going to have to step up.

i think alot of that was our other players falling into the pass it to reno trap on the last it was the same with milford hopefully with walsh being a left foot option(?) and mam hopefully taking some of that responsibility away from him he can pick and choose on the last play option a bit more,hopefully paix/walters/smoothy who ever it may be gives him good service when he wants it.

 

[theshed]

It was a blunder to lose a kid who can play 6 or 13 and is totally unproven because our very experienced but busted 7 might go down?

If anything, it is weird we let Josh James go, he’s a far more similar player type.

Yes. It was a blunder, as was letting James and Gray go. Which are part of the same blunder because Karl was prioritised over them.

Karl was a 6 but if he kicked in at the club you would have another option that would allow Mam to play 7.

That being said, I was shocked and fairly disappointed that we gave up on James so easily.

 

[Sproj]

Yes. It was a blunder, as was letting James and Gray go. Which are part of the same blunder because Karl was prioritised over them.

Karl was a 6 but if he kicked in at the club you would have another option that would allow Mam to play 7.

That being said, I was shocked and fairly disappointed that we gave up on James so easily.

So was I, he looked promising.

 

[theshed]

Halfback options currently coming off contract the same time as Reynold plus how old they will be

Adam Reynolds (34)
Nicho Hynes (28)
Tyson Gamble (28)
Jarome Luai (28)
Jack Wighton (32)
Luke Keary (33)
Tom Dearden (24)
Tanah Boyd (24)
Anthony Milford (31)
Mitchell Moses (30)
Toby Sexton (24)
Chad Townsend (34)
Billy Walters (31)

Dont forget to wish Billy a happy 29th birthday tomorrow!

This list will obviously shrink as the date draws closer but at the moment it’s actually a pretty good year to go to market for a half.

Based on age and talent, I would personally rank them something like:

High priority:
Nicho Hynes
Mitch Moses
Tom Dearden
Jarome Luai

Second tier:
Toby Sexton
Tannah Boyd

Everyone else

We could also extend Reyno by 1 year or take a punt for a year on an existing player and try and land Sam Walker at the end of 2025 - he would be 25 years old.

 

[Xzei]

Toby Sexton

actually didnt mind what i saw of sexton last year and think the tits would be better off partnering him with foran over brimson or boyd

 

[pagey]

Halfback options currently coming off contract the same time as Reynold plus how old they will be

Adam Reynolds (34)
Nicho Hynes (28)
Tyson Gamble (28)
Jarome Luai (28)
Jack Wighton (32)
Luke Keary (33)
Tom Dearden (24)
Tanah Boyd (24)
Anthony Milford (31)
Mitchell Moses (30)
Toby Sexton (24)
Chad Townsend (34)
Billy Walters (31)

Dont forget to wish Billy a happy 29th birthday tomorrow!

This list will obviously shrink as the date draws closer but at the moment it’s actually a pretty good year to go to market for a half.

Based on age and talent, I would personally rank them something like:

High priority:
Nicho Hynes
Mitch Moses
Tom Dearden
Jarome Luai

Second tier:
Toby Sexton
Tannah Boyd

Everyone else

We could also extend Reyno by 1 year or take a punt for a year on an existing player and try and land Sam Walker at the end of 2025 - he would be 25 years old.

we could agitate an early release for tom weaver or johnah pezet , to work under Reynolds. to young NSW halfs could be persuaded, it would also **** over the Storm and titans.

 

[McHunt]

Strike Brodie Croft off your wishlist. He's extended until 2030:

Brodie Croft: Salford Red Devils half-back extends deal until 2030

Salford Red Devils half-back - and 2022 Super League Man of Steel - Brodie Croft signs a new seven-year deal.

www.bbc.com

 

[Kimlo]

Strike Brodie Croft off your wishlist. He's extended until 2030:

Brodie Croft: Salford Red Devils half-back extends deal until 2030

Salford Red Devils half-back - and 2022 Super League Man of Steel - Brodie Croft signs a new seven-year deal.

www.bbc.com

They must be pretty happy to sign him for 7 years, wow.

 

[McHunt]

1000%

For all this talk about the dummy half position, it's the replacement of Adam Reynolds that's been my biggest concern for the club moving forward.

We all saw how poorly Reynolds played towards the end of last season. Clearly he needs to be managed effectively and the other halves are going to have to step up.

The plan with Reynolds should've always hinged on succession, with the reasonable expectation he'd move into more of a mentoring role in the third year of his contract. The fuckup wasn't Oluapu: it was Dearden. He should be our 6 now, with Ezra as backup maybe even at 14. We already had it in place.

There is lots to discuss and disagree about on this topic, with timing being one of the keys, but in retrospect that was the mistake.

We should go to market for a marquee half this year, which will be tough because that money is wrapped up in Reynolds. Otherwise, Walsh is a possibility, but no certainty.

 

[Sproj]

The plan with Reynolds should've always hinged on succession, with the reasonable expectation he'd move into more of a mentoring role in the third year of his contract. The fuckup wasn't Oluapu: it's was Dearden. He should be our 6 now, with Ezra as backup maybe even at 14.

We should go to market for a marquee half this year, which will be tough because that money is wrapped up in Reynolds.

Dearden looks every bit a 6 as well. He doesn’t have a long boot on him either and you need that in a 7. Dearden has done very well at the Cows so this is no knock on him at all either just to be clear. I do think Mam has the higher potential out of the two though but that said, Dearden currently had the better season overall.

In any case, I don’t think Dearden is necessarily a 7 either, the good ones are rare as hen’s teeth. I could also be totally wrong on all these points in hindsight in a few years time.

 

[McHunt]

Dearden looks every bit a 6 as well. He doesn’t have a long boot on him either and you need that in a 7. Dearden has done very well at the Cows so this is no knock on him at all either just to be clear. I do think Mam has the higher potential out of the two though but that said, Dearden currently had the better season overall.

In any case, I don’t think Dearden is necessarily a 7 either, the good ones are rare as hen’s teeth. I could also be totally wrong on all these points in hindsight in a few years time.

Dearden came to us as a very confident young 7 and left broken. He's very much a 7 in waiting up there. I don't see us getting him back under the current coach.

 

[007]

The Dearden argument is a hampster wheel that never has a result.

Madden would be of a very good age to take over at 7 and would be more suited then Mam i think. As to how soon, depends on Reynolds body?

 

[theshed]

They must be pretty happy to sign him for 7 years, wow.

Has anyone been watching him play over there? Is he going alright?

 

[Sproj]

Has anyone been watching him play over there? Is he going alright?

Yeah he has gone pretty well to be honest but the standard is still so much lower. Don't forget, Albert Kelly was Man of Steel a few years back.