Moves, Rumours,Judiciary, Injuries ...

[DavidM]

1 hour ago, Graham said:

Bulldogs are considering moving him into centres where Raiders saw him as a winger.

Bulldogs have paid a lot for him so seems they want to get more out of him by playing him there.

He's not the answer to all their problems so it depends who they have playing round him.

He’s 21 , a seasoned NRL player , played in a grand final , played origin and played for Australia . He wants to play centre , but he’s a top winger as well . In a way also  its similar to Fifita in that both will need quality from inside to show their full worth , and both are going to teams with below par halves . But both signings show intent 

Edited July 26, 2020 by DavidM

[Clogiron]

2 hours ago, DavidM said:

Just on Cotric , I’m a big fan personally , I think that’s an outstanding signing for the bulldogs . He’s big , strong , makes good yards and can finish a try . I don’t see any real weaknesses in his game 

I'm a fan of his too but his weakness is shooting out of the defensive line too often then watching play take place behind him as he scrambles to get back. If he held his position it would be far better and prevent the tries the Raiders concede down whichever side he is playing on. I would have thought Ricky would have ironed it out of his game by now but apparently not.

[Farmduck]

Quote

The losses of McCullough and Watson by the half-hour mark come as particularly cruel blows given Jayden Brailey is already out for the season with an ACL rupture.

"Andrew’s ripped his hamstring off the bone," O’Brien said. "Connor’s a ruptured Achilles. Both gone for the year."

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/07/26/knights-hooking-stocks-stretched-after-watson-mccullough-hobbled/

 

 

[Graham]

Injuries from Round 11:

• Andrew McCullough – hamstring – season
• Connor Watson – achilles tendon – season
• Sione Mata’utia – knee – TBC
• Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad – dislocated finger – 2 weeks
• Jesse Ramien – hamstring – 2-4 weeks
• Chad Townsend – calf – TBC
• Joel Thompson – ankle – 0 weeks
• Anthony Milford – thigh – TBC
• Kikau/Cordner/McLean – midweek scratchings

[DavidM]

McCullough’s looked very nasty . That’s a big blow , he’s fitted in fantastically there . Really unlucky to be followed by his replacement Watson . Initially I thought Thompson had tripped him up ! CKN was pretty gruesome but not long term it seems 

[Farmduck]

Quote

Sharks halfback Chad Townsend could miss up to six weeks with a calf strain while centre Jesse Ramien is in doubt this round with hamstring tightness.

Scans confirmed Townsend suffered a grade-two calf strain against the Dragons on Saturday and would miss between 4-6 weeks.

 

Quote

Storm back Paul Momirovski will miss up to 12 weeks after having surgery on a torn finger tendon.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/23/casualty-ward-all-the-latest-nrl-injury-news/

[Farmduck]

After a mid-season release from the Warriors, Blake Green will join his 9th club.

Quote

Newcastle will be 33-year-old Green's seventh NRL club, after stints at Parramatta, Cronulla, Canterbury, Melbourne, Manly and the Warriors. He also spent four years in the English Super League from 2011-14 with Hull KR and Wigan.

 

[Graham]

1 hour ago, Farmduck said:

After a mid-season release from the Warriors, Blake Green will join his 9th club.

 

Quote

Veteran playmaker Blake Green has joined the Knights after being granted an immediate release by the Warriors.

One of those players with a really interesting career. He’s worked hard wherever he’s been. I doubt that his time at Warriors will be the highlight. Still it will have been highly memorable in the very strange lockdown times.

Edited August 4, 2020 by Graham

[DavidM]

Quite strange interview with Todd Payten on NRL360 last night ... was interviewed for the Warriors job , it went really well he says , was offered the job and turned it down . I was wondering why he bothered with the interview but I’m guessing after that Green got sacked and he’s eyeing that up ?

Edited August 4, 2020 by DavidM

[Clogiron]

2 hours ago, Farmduck said:

After a mid-season release from the Warriors, Blake Green will join his 9th club.

 

I know the Warrior's owner said he didn't want Green for next season but the present team without him will be running around like headless chickens, they have no one to replace him with. Fair do's to Green, no point in staying where your not wanted especially in their present circumstances, but once again the Warrior's management stuff up. I get that they would have rather thrown the towel in on this year but for the NRL holding them to some sort of ransom but it's not a good look is it.

[DavidM]

2 minutes ago, Clogiron said:

I know the Warrior's owner said he didn't want Green for next season but the present team without him will be running around like headless chickens, they have no one to replace him with. Fair do's to Green, no point in staying where your not wanted especially in their present circumstances, but once again the Warrior's management stuff up. I get that they would have rather thrown the towel in on this year but for the NRL holding them to some sort of ransom but it's not a good look is it.

What about Kodi Nikorima ? He’s 26 now but he has just never developed as you’d have hoped . Bits n pieces are all you see . Very disappointing in the main 

[Clogiron]

1 minute ago, DavidM said:

Quite strange interview with Todd Payten on NRL360 last night ... was interviewed fir the Warriors job , it went really well he says , was offered the job and turned it down . I was wondering why he bothered with the interview but I’m guessing after that Green got sacked and he’s eyeing that up ?

I think Payten has dodged a bullet there, probably took pleasure in telling them to stuff it when offered, I would.

[Clogiron]

Just now, DavidM said:

What about Kodi Nikorima ? He’s 26 now but he has just never developed as you’d have hoped . Bits n pieces are all you see . Very disappointing in the main 

He was their big hope for this season wasn't he, tells you a lot about the Warriors doesn't it.

[DoubleD]

10 minutes ago, Clogiron said:

I know the Warrior's owner said he didn't want Green for next season but the present team without him will be running around like headless chickens, they have no one to replace him with. Fair do's to Green, no point in staying where your not wanted especially in their present circumstances, but once again the Warrior's management stuff up. I get that they would have rather thrown the towel in on this year but for the NRL holding them to some sort of ransom but it's not a good look is it.

I agree they probably will be like headless chickens. Doesn't help that they don't have a decent rake either to control the ruck.

That said, Green is getting on, and perhaps they see the future in Nikorima and Tavita-Harris. I'm not sure whether they'll gel as a partnership though or that either are the leader that they need

[Futtocks]

2 hours ago, DavidM said:

Quite strange interview with Todd Payten on NRL360 last night ... was interviewed for the Warriors job , it went really well he says , was offered the job and turned it down . I was wondering why he bothered with the interview but I’m guessing after that Green got sacked and he’s eyeing that up ?

Maybe the Warriors' people liked what they heard from Payten, but he wasn't enthused by what they said about their vision for the club's immediate future.

[DavidM]

8 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

Maybe the Warriors' people liked what they heard from Payten, but he wasn't enthused by what they said about their vision for the club's immediate future.

Maybe . He was interviewing them just as much as vice versa . He’s definitely eyeing that cowboys gig though 

[Graham]

Souths' Jaydn Su'A will miss this week's match with his former club the Broncos after unsuccessfully defending a dangerous contact charge at the NRL judiciary this week.

His problem was a late hit on Cameron McInnes in the 78th minute of his side's win over the Dragons.

[Graham]

Specuation in the air over when Cameron Smith and Craig Bellamy will retire. Example of one speculating: Rothfield.

He reckons the 'vibe' is that Smith will retire at the end of this season, and Bellyache the season after when their current contracts end.

Foe me it would be nice if Cameron Smith were to be able to play again at AAMI Park.

The worst case scenario would be both finishing at the same time this year. If Cam Smith has to go, I'd like Bellyache to be there getting the new regular hooker properly bedded in.

[DoubleD]

3 hours ago, Graham said:

Specuation in the air over when Cameron Smith and Craig Bellamy will retire. Example of one speculating: Rothfield.

He reckons the 'vibe' is that Smith will retire at the end of this season, and Bellyache the season after when their current contracts end.

Foe me it would be nice if Cameron Smith were to be able to play again at AAMI Park.

The worst case scenario would be both finishing at the same time this year. If Cam Smith has to go, I'd like Bellyache to be there getting the new regular hooker properly bedded in.

They have 2 quality back up hookers who don’t need any bedding in 

[DoubleD]

8 hours ago, DavidM said:

Maybe . He was interviewing them just as much as vice versa . He’s definitely eyeing that cowboys gig though 

Interestingly Payton is on a 5 man shortlist with Kristian Woolf and Shaun Wane for the Cowboys job

[Graham]

So Trent Robinson has dropped Kyle Flanagan after a loss of form.
There’s a coach who can take a tough decision in the interests of the side and the player. Flanagan has been the top points scorer in the NRL this season.

Lachlan Lam named to partner Luke Keary in the halves.

TOP POINT SCORER

		Kyle Flanagan	126
		Cameron Smith	106
		Zac Lomax	104
		Shaun Johnson	104
		Nathan Cleary	98

FULL LEADERBOARD

Edited August 5, 2020 by Graham

[DoubleD]

58 minutes ago, Graham said:

So Trent Robinson has dropped Kyle Flanagan after a loss of form.
There’s a coach who can take a tough decision in the interests of the side and the player. Flanagan has been the top points scorer in the NRL this season.

Lachlan Lam named to partner Luke Keary in the halves.

TOP POINT SCORER

		Kyle Flanagan	126
		Cameron Smith	106
		Zac Lomax	104
		Shaun Johnson	104
		Nathan Cleary	98

FULL LEADERBOARD

Am surprised by that. Flanagan never tore up any trees but he always seemed to do a steady job that the side required. And he's a great goal kicker. Lam is a more dynamic half, with a better running game but is that what they need?

I would suggest that Roosters inconsistent form is due to injuries and the disruption that's caused, rather than Flanagan's form

Edited August 5, 2020 by DoubleD

[DavidM]

I’m surprised by that to

[Graham]

Good coaches with respect in the camp can do this and up the performance of players. I don’t reckon it will be necessarily that someone else is better, but that Trent Robinson believes he is not consistently achieving the standards he can. This doesn’t work when players don’t respect their coach. If Kyle is made of the right stuff he’ll want to show Robinson he should be back in the side.

[Graham]

Melbourne Storm have signed Ricky Leutele from the Toronto Wolfpack for the rest of the 2020 League season.

Storm general manager Frank Ponissi said the deal for the 30-year-old centre was completed with 20 minutes to spare before Monday's deadline.