Recruitment and Retention for 2027

[Liverbird with Phins up]

"Arms length"...... sure. We all buy that one.

You could very well be right.

I for one, wouldn't think it was worth it. The prize money for winning the comp is $1 mil. Why would you risk getting fined, to win 1 mil as an NRL club.

You have owners like Bruce Gordon, who is amongst the richest owners in the league, who literally does nothing with the club. He owns the club so he can put WIN TV on free to air TV every weekend. I don't think he honestly cares about winning. And there is no relegation, so meh.

However, I agree, there maybe are clubs that cheat ( clubs for example that have gm's that are at risk of losing their jobs, the GM may think about getting an advantage - in that situation probably), but I think in our day and times, I don't think its as prevalent, as every club despite where they finish get a grant from the NRL as per the value of the TV rites deal. So really the only point in winning is the fans. Even game day revenue/ members rev is quite low. I posted a graph below. Look at one of the bigger segments, Corporate, if you were found cheating, as a club, would you risk your biggest income stream for a 1mil prize cheque at the end of the year? I dont think that would be wise.

However, look at Brisbane, and marry that up with what I said about TPA markets. Which are insignificant, but I discuss because of the belief the Sydney market is the biggest, this indirectly suggest the more powerful market of brisbane, despite the entry of the Dolphins.

 

[Liverbird with Phins up]

Do I think clubs used to cheat?

I'm happy to talk about this over a beer with you at the game one day.

Not happy to write anything here

 

[Liverbird with Phins up]

Out of all these teams who do you think is cheating the cap?

If I look at it honestly, I can only think of one team that I may suspect would be over.

I preface this by saying i know nothing, and this is just a guess.

Only team would be the Bulldogs, why? because the roster is such a mess, with players being punted and brought in left right and centre, and I would assume that having to pay the freight on those exiting, and the pressure to win now. That the only team I could think that might be pressing that button.

I dont think any of the others squads look like they would be over.

However, I could be naive. interested to hear who you guys may think look over the odds and why.

 

[midlands hobo]

View attachment 196


Here is a graph for you. This is the most recent publication of TPA's per club, they are so insignificant you cant find newer ones, or at least I cant.

And as you can see in the graph they are dropping to a point, where they will be relatively unused.

The cap back then may have been 10mil? I know its about 11.9 now.

I could sit here and say the Roosters or all Sydney clubs are trash. But I wont, because they are insignificant. They are so not an issue, that I doubt they even come up in negotiations.

Now if you do a nudge nudge wink wink deal, and get caught. Ask the Bulldogs about the 31 point point story.

Anything pre COVID is basically irrelevant though. Besides these don't account for under the table post retirement deals

 

[SwoopAE]

Matt Burton on the outer with Phil Gould and been told he will be offered a reduced deal next contract. He’s already accepted less to stay in his previous deal.

Dolphins need to explore every way out of this George Williams deal and sign Burton who will be perfect for Katoa and has the best kicking game in the NRL. Katoa kicking game doesn’t come close to Burton.

Burton is 6 years younger than Williams.

Absolutely not Burton has regressed horribly this season and is losing his pace and running game and while he has a nice spiral beyond that his kicking game has nothing on Katoa at this point you are basically paying for a centre who can do a spiral bomb with Burton and assuming we retain Herbie and Bostock we don't need a centre either if he doesn't work out in the halves.

He was substantially worse than Galvin this year and Galvin is massively before his prime and Burton is in his

I don't have a strong opinions about Williams either way yet but Burton is not the guy he was a year ago let alone a few years ago

It's only a two year deal for Williams it's the end of his prime yes but he isn't too old yet for a half

If he doesn't work out we release him a year early and promote from within or go to market

The only half id be tempted by on the market is Zane Harrison but the issue is he's a true game controlling 7 not a 6 and he'd be the same price as Williams anyway, he will either stay at the Titans or go to PNG though (assuming walker and Cleary stay put but we can't afford either with our cap anyway)

I think it's fine to trust in the coach and give Williams a year to see what he can do partnering Katoa it's only a two season deal and we can hopefully promote from within after that or go to market if we don't have a young half ready

We need our cap space to keep the back line together, extend Pouniu and ideally add a middle forward if anything if we are not re signing Flegler and Knowles

 

[By the Bay]

Paul Kent declaring on his podcast that the Herbie to the Roosters- “it’s all done”
Not sure how good Kenty’s mail is anymore.

Let’s hope he is into a tree on this one

 

[mr_c]

Paul Kent declaring on his podcast that the Herbie to the Roosters- “it’s all done”
Not sure how good Kenty’s mail is anymore.

Let’s hope he is into a tree on this one

believe it when see it , if so we must be looking at someone decent n nothing rumored

 

[SwoopAE]

Hope that info's wrong and Herbie stays

I get uncle nick plays by his own rules but Herbie can't even negotiate elsewhere until Nov 1 right