Toohey's News

Source from the Roosters have told me they have offered David Armstrong a 2 year deal
Makes sense given they've lost both their backup fullbacks for next season.

Despite his stellar start to his NRL career and the fact that he's been carving up Cup for 18 months, Fletcher Sharpe will be first-choice backup fullback next season as he was this year. If Sharpe didn't injure his hamstring we're not really having this conversation - now Davey could stay around and compete for a wing spot but he's not only competing with Marzhew/Tuala but will also be competing with Schiller as he attempts to force himself into an outside back spot.

Unless we have some plan to let him try make a transition to 6 (halves being our only genuinely open backline spot) then I'd be surprised if he's content with sticking around with the prospect of being 3rd string fullback and 3rd-4th string winger. He won't walk into any NRL side at fullback as it's the strongest position in the league - but at the bare minimum he immediately becomes the Roosters backup fullback and is in a similar position as with us in competing on their wing depth chart.
 
Like Armstrong to stay but Ponga injury has given him opportunity to display his skills in 1st grade and as he is doing well his value would have gone up so if he wants a contract with good pay and opportunity (Tedesco will retire before Ponga) then Roosters will likely be his best bet unless other offers are on table, unlikely we will match Roosters
 
I honestly believe we need to have him as a winger, Marz only has a couple of good years in him (happens with most of the stocky wingers) and Tuala whilst solid will never be elite. The things Davey can do cant be taught, he can bulk up slightly though. He would not cost us a lot either.
 
It really depends on our plans with Armstrong moving forward.
Is he really a legitimate wing option for us? He will still be a backup fullback at the Roosters. I am surprised the Raiders aren’t after him to play fullback 😌
 
He would be at his current weight i agree. He would need 5kg of muscle added
I reckon that 5kg would also certainly knock something off his existing strengths of a great swerve and acceleration. As a relatively short wing option, if that is what you'd try to make him into, I'm not sure how that trade off would work out for him either.

I personally think he is an out and out fullback (unless he has some halves skills we haven't seen) and that would mean that you would just have to take him as a Preston Campbell type and be happy with that.

If he had any motivation to make it about money, he would be an absolute stand out in ESL...Bevan French is a god in ESL and I could see him rating the same cult status over there
 
The reality is, Ponga is our only fullback. And Armstrong isn't anything other than a fullback. There's far more to being a FG winger than classy finishing. Armstrong is turning 24, he's not likely to do a Josh Dugan without some chemical assistance.

We've been blessed with a plethora of very talented specialist fullbacks but cursed by the timing. We just need to accept that we're probably going to lose them.

Sharpe is 18/19, bigger frame than Armstrong. Still time to become something other than a specialist fullback
 
The reality is, Ponga is our only fullback. And Armstrong isn't anything other than a fullback. There's far more to being a FG winger than classy finishing. Armstrong is turning 24, he's not likely to do a Josh Dugan without some chemical assistance.

We've been blessed with a plethora of very talented specialist fullbacks but cursed by the timing. We just need to accept that we're probably going to lose them.

Sharpe is 18/19, bigger frame than Armstrong. Still time to become something other than a specialist fullback
Agreed with all this. Stoked for Armstrong to be doing well and he’s taken his opportunity perfectly.

If we can hold onto him then great. That’s a great sign for the club that he wants to stay and fight for a role here. But I would t blame him for going and getting an opportunity.
 
Agreed with all this. Stoked for Armstrong to be doing well and he’s taken his opportunity perfectly.

If we can hold onto him then great. That’s a great sign for the club that he wants to stay and fight for a role here. But I would t blame him for going and getting an opportunity.
As much as I’m stoked for Armstrong with his start in the NRL I really struggle to see where he could go to get a starting FB slot. Eels possibly but they have Gutho when fit and Talagi as an excellent back up unless he moves on. As a country boy I’m not sure how Davey would enjoy city life.

When KP is back I’d like to see him get a go on the wing in place of Tuala. Would probably lose a bit in yardage out of our own end (but not that much) and we would gain some pace back out wide that the former Huddersfield Giant used to provide.
 
As much as I’m stoked for Armstrong with his start in the NRL I really struggle to see where he could go to get a starting FB slot. Eels possibly but they have Gutho when fit and Talagi as an excellent back up unless he moves on. As a country boy I’m not sure how Davey would enjoy city life.

When KP is back I’d like to see him get a go on the wing in place of Tuala. Would probably lose a bit in yardage out of our own end (but not that much) and we would gain some pace back out wide that the former Huddersfield Giant used to provide.
Between Tuala and Marzhew, it isn't Tuala who should be dropped.
 
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