2023 Recruitment & Retention Thread

Billy said:
I'm happy with the direction we are going.
Most of our buys are guys who try really hard, even if they aren't world beaters.
We have a lot of kids coming through who have had a lot of success and have self confidence.

My feeling is that Wests have decided to never pay overs, and big names don't come to Newcastle unless it's for much more than they are worth, so basically, we have to look for under rated players or breed our own, which is the only way we've ever won a premiership in the past and the only way we'll win one in the future.
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That’s it. The direction is correct at this point in time. Barring a horrendous injury toll we have a competitive squad. If they click together it could be a good year.

With a go outs on junior development I’m very hopeful of what is to come in coming years.

But for 2023. I just want to see passion and fight in every game for 80mins. If they want the crowds back and big member numbers. That’s what they have to do.
 
Birthing success 'organically' is ideal but it requires certain things to precede it, like having a talented and accomplished coach, for one.

I like the direction we're going because it seems better than where we've been recently. But let's not kid ourselves, for 2023 we're officially without an FG fullback, short a classy middle forward, short a backrower and arguably short an NRL quality centre/wing. Preseason has begun and we've only recruited a single player. Maybe juniors will can assist us with these deficits in our roster, but they can't realistically help us compete against good teams.

I'd like to see the club recruit an anchor mentor for the younger players to help us bring on the talent over the next few seasons. Someone to replace Klemmer. An Angus Crichton type of forward. Unfortunately having a backrow of Elliott, Fitz and an old Frizell just doesn't cut it in the NRL.
 
Les Misérables said:
Birthing success 'organically' is ideal but it requires certain things to precede it, like having a talented and accomplished coach, for one.

I like the direction we're going because it seems better than where we've been recently. But let's not kid ourselves, for 2023 we're officially without an FG fullback, short a classy middle forward, short a backrower and arguably short an NRL quality centre/wing. Preseason has begun and we've only recruited a single player. Maybe juniors will can assist us with these deficits in our roster, but they can't realistically help us compete against good teams.

I'd like to see the club recruit an anchor mentor for the younger players to help us bring on the talent over the next few seasons. Someone to replace Klemmer. An Angus Crichton type of forward. Unfortunately having a backrow of Elliott, Fitz and an old Frizell just doesn't cut it in the NRL.
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We have also signed Elliot and Hetherington.
 
Les Misérables said:
Birthing success 'organically' is ideal but it requires certain things to precede it, like having a talented and accomplished coach, for one.

I like the direction we're going because it seems better than where we've been recently. But let's not kid ourselves, for 2023 we're officially without an FG fullback, short a classy middle forward, short a backrower and arguably short an NRL quality centre/wing. Preseason has begun and we've only recruited a single player. Maybe juniors will can assist us with these deficits in our roster, but they can't realistically help us compete against good teams.

I'd like to see the club recruit an anchor mentor for the younger players to help us bring on the talent over the next few seasons. Someone to replace Klemmer. An Angus Crichton type of forward. Unfortunately having a backrow of Elliott, Fitz and an old Frizell just doesn't cut it in the NRL.
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Yeah - 2023 will be another tough year - but I think we'll look back at this off season as a turning point.
 
Les Misérables said:
Birthing success 'organically' is ideal but it requires certain things to precede it, like having a talented and accomplished coach, for one.

I like the direction we're going because it seems better than where we've been recently. But let's not kid ourselves, for 2023 we're officially without an FG fullback, short a classy middle forward, short a backrower and arguably short an NRL quality centre/wing. Preseason has begun and we've only recruited a single player. Maybe juniors will can assist us with these deficits in our roster, but they can't realistically help us compete against good teams.

I'd like to see the club recruit an anchor mentor for the younger players to help us bring on the talent over the next few seasons. Someone to replace Klemmer. An Angus Crichton type of forward. Unfortunately having a backrow of Elliott, Fitz and an old Frizell just doesn't cut it in the NRL.
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I like the recruitment approach so far, it seems well planned out to bring in guys who are gritty and I'd argue that is something we have sorely lacked.

Where I despair heading in to the off season is that we have lost all three guys who became too old for Flegg next year, particularly Purcell. And we did it through telling them there was no pathway here. That's criminal for mine. All three should have had a year against men next year to see if they sunk or swim. Otherwise, it is a young Flegg side with most guys at least 12 months off regular grade, and probably with less faith in our pathways after what has just happened with teammates.
 
Owey said:
I like the recruitment approach so far, it seems well planned out to bring in guys who are gritty and I'd argue that is something we have sorely lacked.

Where I despair heading in to the off season is that we have lost all three guys who became too old for Flegg next year, particularly Purcell. And we did it through telling them there was no pathway here. That's criminal for mine. All three should have had a year against men next year to see if they sunk or swim. Otherwise, it is a young Flegg side with most guys at least 12 months off regular grade, and probably with less faith in our pathways after what has just happened with teammates.
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Another example of a crucial oversite. But yea couldn't agree more.
 
Jones looks like a centre to me, but the last thing we need is another centre.
We really need a hooker, but I don't think that's his future.
A big, running 5/8 maybe.
 
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