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canberra raiders to target more super league players

aj1908

By aj1908
in The General Rugby League Forum

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aj1908

aj1908

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https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/english-raiders-canberra-identify-next-batch-of-super-league-imports-20191224-p53mq2.html

this has turned canberra around and helped propel them to a grand final this year.  canberra in the past had a major problem attracting good talent due to the weather, often paying overs for mediocre players.  any of their good players would happily leave for greener pastures.

with the salary cap where it is and english players having no issues with the weather, this is a very smart move.

josh hodgson has been one of the best players in the nrl, hes absolutely killed it for them

it will be interesting to see how williams goes as a replacement for aiden seizer.  hes in the hot seat for sure.

peter mullholland is a gun recruitment guy, i was a bit gutted when we lost him at the dragons.

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aj1908

aj1908

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13 minutes ago, Jim Prendle said:

Rather than embarrassing himself in public like this, maybe he should think more about how to develop his own pool of players?

Just a thought.

yeh making a grand final against the raging hot favourites and one they shouldve won if the refs werent incompetent is a so embarrasing.

wigan fan are you lol.   you should be happy to see your boys doing well.

canberra produce loads of juniors.  its just these guys are better 

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Adelaide Tiger

Adelaide Tiger

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1 hour ago, Jim Prendle said:

Rather than embarrassing himself in public like this, maybe he should think more about how to develop his own pool of players?

Just a thought.

Totally agree Jim.

Those 3 SL players mentioned in the press release should ring Mulholland this evening and say ‘There is no way that I would move to a great country like Australia, play in the best RL comp in the world and be paid better than I am back in England because you cannot develop better players!’.

Yep, that would sort Canberra out.

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aj1908

aj1908

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3 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

Totally agree Jim.

Those 3 SL players mentioned in the press release should ring Mulholland this evening and say ‘There is no way that I would move to a great country like Australia, play in the best RL comp in the world and be paid better than I am back in England because you cannot develop better players!’.

Yep, that would sort Canberra out.

by his logic what about those all powerful wigan team of the 80s full of fantastic australian players ?  

and dont anybody tell him their current coach is from over here as well

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aj1908

aj1908

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1 minute ago, Allora said:

I think Williams may struggle badly.

yeh it will be interesting.  stuart is taking a big risk with his key playermaker being untested.  especially after they made a grand final.

tommy bishop would be the last halfback who made it in australia.

as a former halfback clearly stuart sees something in him.  he hasnt gone wrong yet with his imports

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AB90

AB90

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8 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

yeh it will be interesting.  stuart is taking a big risk with his key playermaker being untested.  especially after they made a grand final.

tommy bishop would be the last halfback who made it in australia.

as a former halfback clearly stuart sees something in him.  he hasnt gone wrong yet with his imports

Williams is will be under enormous pressure this year. If Canberra finish anywhere other than the top 4 he will unfortunately be the scape goat as he is the only major change to the team from 2019. Jordan Rapana has left but Bailey Simmonson looks a decent replacement.

In 2016 the Raiders finished 2nd and actually won two more regular season games than in 2019. The next year in 2017 they finished 10th so historically they are a bit of yoyo team.

In recent times the new English imports have generally gone to poorer teams who previously finished outside the top 8 the year before arriving (as they are the ones that generally have more salary cap to spend). So expectations aren't as high. Williams is the first that is joining a contender so it better work out.

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Sports Prophet

Sports Prophet

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2 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Why wouldn’t every NRL club be looking to sign some, Super League players unproven  in the NRL are great value signings.

Totally agree, get them in young and cheap. There oils be heaps of equal UK talent to Aus talent at age 18-21 and a whole host more 21-25 that with the right coaching and team environment could swiftly excel in NRL. I fully believe you are predominantly a product of your surroundings.

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aj1908

aj1908

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45 minutes ago, AB90 said:

Williams is will be under enormous pressure this year. If Canberra finish anywhere other than the top 4 he will unfortunately be the scape goat as he is the only major change to the team from 2019. Jordan Rapana has left but Bailey Simmonson looks a decent replacement.

In 2016 the Raiders finished 2nd and actually won two more regular season games than in 2019. The next year in 2017 they finished 10th so historically they are a bit of yoyo team.

In recent times the new English imports have generally gone to poorer teams who previously finished outside the top 8 the year before arriving (as they are the ones that generally have more salary cap to spend). So expectations aren't as high. Williams is the first that is joining a contender so it better work out.

its there for the taking.  roosters without cronk dont look as dangerous.  souths have signed very well.  it would be very good for the game for canberra to win it

they are one of those teams though that when expectation is high they usually fold like a house of cards.

theres a lot of pressure from round one.  they cant fly under the radar anymore

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Dunbar

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I am really not sure what to expect of Canberra this year. Both Jack Wighton and George William's are excellent players in their own right but neither is a classic, scheming half, bossing his team around the park. I know that 6 and 7 are more interchangeable than ever before in our game but the Raiders are absolutely starting the year with two out and out sixes.

It looks like more of the organisational structure is going to fall on Josh Hodgson's shoulders and the two halves will be strike weapons. 

If Ricky Stuart successfully gets either of Wighton or Williams to play the Sezer role from last season, he will have earned his coaching badges for sure.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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aj1908

aj1908

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9 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Totally agree, get them in young and cheap. There oils be heaps of equal UK talent to Aus talent at age 18-21 and a whole host more 21-25 that with the right coaching and team environment could swiftly excel in NRL. I fully believe you are predominantly a product of your surroundings.

yes good call.  nrl has signed so many union juniors and turned them into stars.  getting these guys from a younger age would be even more beneficial.

with the nrl salary cap where it is, any mundane player can get 500k a season now

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aj1908

aj1908

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1 minute ago, Dunbar said:

I am really not sure what to expect of Canberra this year. Both Jack Wighton and George William's are excellent players in their own right but neither is a classic, scheming half, bossing his team around the park. I know that 6 and 7 are more interchangeable than ever before in our game but the Raiders are absolutely starting the year with two out and out sixes.

It looks like more of the organisational structure is going to fall on Josh Hodgson's shoulders and the two halves will be strike weapons. 

If Ricky Stuart successfully gets either of Wighton or Williams to play the Sezer role from last season, he will have earned his coaching badges for sure.

one player i really dislike is leulei.  he cost them in the grand final by not passing with the line open.

hodgson is such a good player.  probably ahead of smith.

funny he did nothing for GB given his nrl form.

 

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Dunbar

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2 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

one player i really dislike is leulei.  he cost them in the grand final by not passing with the line open.

hodgson is such a good player.  probably ahead of smith.

funny he did nothing for GB given his nrl form.

 

I said last year that I think the Raiders are a better team without Leilua. He is capable of some great plays but his discipline (both penalties conceded and ball control) is awful and that can bite you in the big games.

The Raiders were going so well last year that if I was Ricky Stuart, I wouldn't have brought him back into the side for the play off's.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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aj1908

aj1908

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16 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I said last year that I think the Raiders are a better team without Leilua. He is capable of some great plays but his discipline (both penalties conceded and ball control) is awful and that can bite you in the big games.

The Raiders were going so well last year that if I was Ricky Stuart, I wouldn't have brought him back into the side for the play off's.

the nrl was tough about rapana.  they couldve allowed him to do the offseason in japanese ru then come back

probably scared more players will do it.

nrl has been so boring roosters can just wait till september and switch on.  i think they are making a massive mistake letting mitchell go.  losing him and cronk they come way back to the pack

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Wigan Riversider

Wigan Riversider

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1 hour ago, aj1908 said:

by his logic what about those all powerful wigan team of the 80s full of fantastic australian players ?  

Remind me of who they were please❓

I can only remember short term contracted players who guested. That was of course after the ban on Australian players was lifted for the 1983-1984 season.

Gene Miles did a full year 1991-1992.

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aj1908

aj1908

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Just now, Wigan Riversider said:

Remind me of who they were please❓

I can only remember short term contracted players who guested. That was of course after the ban on Australian players was lifted for the 1983-1984 season.

Gene Miles did a full year 1991-1992.

so short term imports dont count lol

the whole idea back then was for aussie players to come short term when our season was over and yours was running in winter.

 

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