RLW Best and Worst buys for 2009 Season.

[Foordy]

Best Buys

01. Israel Folau (Broncos)
02. Michael Ennis (Bulldogs)
03. Jeremy Smith (Dragons)
04. Stacey Jones (Warriors)
05. Darius Boyd (Dragons)
06. Brett Kimmorley (Bulldogs)
07. Colin Best (Rabbitohs)
08. Neil Henry (Cowboys)
09. Chris Bailey (Sea Eagles)
10. Josh Morris (Bulldogs)
11. Neville Costigan (Dragons)
12. William Zillman (Titans)
13. Willie Tonga (Cowboys)
14. Ben Hannant (Bulldogs)
15. Wayne Bennett (Dragons)
16. Gareth Ellis (Tigers)
17. Anthony Tupou (Sharks)
18. Trent Barrett (Sharks)
19. Antonio Kaufusi (Cowboys)
20. Isaac De Gois (Knights)
21. Lagi Setu (Broncos)
22. Daniel Anderson (Eels)
23. Reni Maitua (Sharks)
24. Tony Williams (Sea Eagles)
25. Denan Kemp (Warriors)

Worst Buys

01. Shannon Hegarty (Cowboys)
02. Mathew Head (Dragons)
03. Bronson Harrison (Raiders)
04. Ben Rogers (Knights)
05. Rhys Wesser (Rabbitohs)
06. Aaron Gorrell (Broncos)
07. Shane Elford (Panthers)
08. Jordan Tansey (Roosters)
09. Kane Cleal (Rabbitohs)
10. Wairangi Koopu (Storm)

My thoughts on these lists.

* Lagi Setu, Antonio Kaufusi, Neil Henry, William Zillman and Wayne Bennett (Best buys list) are to low while Darius Boyd and Colin Best (best buys list) is to high

* It is amazing that all of the Bulldogs off season buys have made the best buys list

* Mathew Head and Aaron Gorrell (worst buys) have both been hard done by. while i don't think they should have made the best buys list, they certainly shouldn't have made the worst buys list

 

[spoonbled]

Colin Best should be No.1 on the worst. I guess with Gorrell not playing here for awhile is why he is thought of that way. If he signed with another club i'd probably thinking why did they buy a has been like that ;)

 

[Fozz]

Matthew Head at 2, rubbish! He's an excellent halfback although injury prone.

 

[Clintos]

I actually thought Bronson Harrison was a good signing for the Raiders. I thought he played well last year and had a strong world cup campaign. Other than that, I'm with you bfoord. Head and Gorrell didn't deserve to be in the worst buy's list and I didn't think Neville Costigan was that good a buy for the Dragons.

 

[Hamm.0]

My thoughts;

LOLZ...not even Round 1 and they are drawing up best buys lists.

 

[mick]

They have stated that "Best buys" include basically a list of guys who are expected to perform and perform well. Essentially those that have reputations to live up to.

They also, very clearly, stated that the "worst buys" list was guys who had a point to prove. When you look at it that way, it's pretty much right. Hegs was awesome in his heyday but has been cod ordinary for five years. Head can barely get out of his bedroom without breaking a bone, and Gorrell is returning to the NRL after two years in the ESL to a powerful club.

But hey, let's keep taking it out of context!

 

[Coxy]

RLW shouldn't be taken out of context either. It's about as legitimate a publication as the thursday night footy show....

 

[Professor47]

Dogs recruited well but at what price?
But the club was in the shitter - they needed to pay more to lure them in.

 

[Sabu_2008]

Jacob Lillyman, Joel Moon, Denan Kemp and Stacey Jones surely have to ensure that the Warriors recruited the best

 

[mick]

Jacob Lillyman, Joel Moon, Denan Kemp and Stacey Jones surely have to ensure that the Warriors recruited the best

IMO Moon isn't at first grade standard yet, and like it or not there's still a huge question mark over Stacey Jones' ability to cut it in the top grade again.

Morris, Kimmorley, Ennis, Hannant, Stagg and others means the Dogs recruited the best IMO. Warriors not *too* far behind though.

 

[Coxy]

Clearly the Broncos getting Israel Folau and Mick De Vere in exchange for Kemp, Stagg, Hannant, Ennis and Moon was far superior........................

 

[Assassin]

The thing I hate about this list is it totally disregards how much each club had to pay to get these buys... if the cowboys got Hegarty for $50,000 and souths had to pay $300,000 for best... who really got the best buy??? Its not just a case of ... well we spent our whole cap for the next 4 years so that means weve made "best buys".... just ask the sharks about ben ross or the roosters about mason, those mega buck - multi year signings are often the most risky a club can make. In my opinion its the buys you get on the cheep that come good that are the best... i.e. peter wallace ...perfect example of the buy of the year for last year.

 

[The Brizz]

Civo was the best buy last year by a mile regardless of what he cost (although I do agree Wallace was really a bargain). Worst was Joel Clinton if he really is on 275k like I read in the paper the other day considering Kenny was far better than him and is probably on half his wage.

 

[Assassin]

I have mixed feelings on Penriths investment in Petro, not because I don't rate him highly but because he was in the wrong position for what the team really needed.

Basicly they took Gowers money (I don't know how much but it was reported to be about $385,000??) and spent it all on petro... now they have a great forward pack there now but they apear to have left no dollars for a playmaker, the best they can aford is sammut which I think gives the team the apearance of a Shirman Battle Tank being driven by a 15 year old school girl. Lots of power but no idea how to use it. Personally I think the Broncs got the best deal in that transaction by picking up Clinton and Wallace for about the same money.

 

[HITMAN82]

[quote="Sabu_2008":3ux1bhms]Jacob Lillyman, Joel Moon, Denan Kemp and Stacey Jones surely have to ensure that the Warriors recruited the best

IMO Moon isn't at first grade standard yet, and like it or not there's still a huge question mark over Stacey Jones' ability to cut it in the top grade again.

Morris, Kimmorley, Ennis, Hannant, Stagg and others means the Dogs recruited the best IMO. Warriors not *too* far behind though.[/quote:3ux1bhms]
Moon has been brilliant in the 3 trials for us, scoring and setting up tries, kicking goals and even two 40/20s last weekend. Perhaps a change of scenery and a half chance is what he needed. Will see come round 1 when he will definitely be starting in our 6 jersey.

I rate our signing of Jesse Royal as pretty decent too.

 

[Jazza]

The jury's still out on Moon imo, but Royal had some decent showings for Newcastle last year. He's getting on a bit I think but front rowers often mature later. I don't know if he'll crack the top side though because I really rate some of their young forwards like Packer and Matulino.

 

[Coxy]

Moon needs consistency. As HITMAN82 said, he's been a gun in trials. He had the odd very good game for the Broncos in first grade too, but then long spells of nothingness or downright incompetence (semi vs Storm eg).

Perhaps if he cements a first grade spot at the Warriors and Cleary persists with him he might break the shackles and show the talent he showed in the Q Cup for years.

Or maybe he's just a Nick Parfitt.......

 

[Jazza]

I was thinking today, how on earth did Corey Hughes not make the worst buy list? Sure, he's experienced but has never been anything more than solid. He's good for at least one penalty conceeded per game and surely would be pushing 30 years of age. Why the sharks let De Gois go for him is beyond me. However it will ensure that the sharks will be one of the most disliked teams in the comp between him and Gallen.