2023 Recruitment & Retention Thread

Yeah personally I hope there’s more churn in the squad than outlined above.

- If we sign Pryce and another half I don’t think there’s a reason to put Hoy in the top 30. I think that’s a waste of a spot for a guy who isn’t likely to get offers from elsewhere. For me Dylan Lucas is the guy who should be in line for an upgrade, but there’s a good chance one out of Mapapalangi or Veailia gets bumped up IMO.

- I’ve been impressed with Jirah in NSW Cup but he needs to show more to warrant being re-signed. He also gets injured all the time.

- I’m not a betting man but if I was gonna get on anyone in the squad retiring it’s Jesse Sue. Even if he doesn’t it’s not a priority re-signing for my money.

- There is likely money in the cap to go after a difference-maker in the forward pack and I think that’s what needs to happen, I wasn’t Barnett’s biggest fan but I don’t think Euan Aitken really replaces his contribution to the team as a player.

- There are better prospects than Madden out there IMO.
 
Watching the Panthers NSW Cup team’s game from a couple weeks ago and it makes me want to cry, they’re so well-drilled and the way they play is a mirror-image of the first grade team. The guys on the field look so ready to step in if someone is injured. Doesn’t really matter who we sign if we can’t get ourselves to this same place, playing with a philosophy and systems which are the same through multiple grades. That’s why they can let good players go eg Burton, Capewell or lose blokes to injury eg To’o, Cleary and have guys ready made replacements. Just signing a bloke means nothing if we don’t have that.

In saying that… we should absolutely sign J’maine Hopgood lol.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Yeah personally I hope there’s more churn in the squad than outlined above.

- If we sign Pryce and another half I don’t think there’s a reason to put Hoy in the top 30. I think that’s a waste of a spot for a guy who isn’t likely to get offers from elsewhere. For me Dylan Lucas is the guy who should be in line for an upgrade, but there’s a good chance one out of Mapapalangi or Veailia gets bumped up IMO.

- I’ve been impressed with Jirah in NSW Cup but he needs to show more to warrant being re-signed. He also gets injured all the time.

- I’m not a betting man but if I was gonna get on anyone in the squad retiring it’s Jesse Sue. Even if he doesn’t it’s not a priority re-signing for my money.

- There is likely money in the cap to go after a difference-maker in the forward pack and I think that’s what needs to happen, I wasn’t Barnett’s biggest fan but I don’t think Euan Aitken really replaces his contribution to the team as a player.

- There are better prospects than Madden out there IMO.
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Look on the off contract list, there isn't many options out there. Yes penrith have a few off contract but knowing them boys they won't be leaving anytime soon so I'd nearly think it's safe to say they're all unavailable. Just trying to make best of what was available. Sue is only 30, I think you'd be giving away your money if you bet on him to retire
 
The Penrith lower grade guys know they’re in a good system and aren’t gonna leave for the same money at another club. But we’ve seen that if you offer a bit more money they can’t match it - which makes sense, a lot of their cap is tied up in, you know, a bunch of the best or 2nd/3rd best players in the game in their position.

Hopgood is an out and out ball playing lock in the Radley mould, playing at the same club as the best modern 13 in the game at the moment. Yeo is 27 so at least 3 and probably more like 6 years from retirement. So it’s $125K-ish to play NSW Cup with no prospect of being a first grade starter, or $250K to come up the M1 and compete for a jersey with Kurt Mann and a guy most people have never heard of in Simi Sasagi. If he was at our club right now he would at minimum be on our bench.
 
I’ve scoured the Internet and the only stuff I can find about his contract situation is fluff about trying really hard to earn a new contract with Panthers. There’s no Dolphins rumour. He is from SE Queensland but his family has moved down to NSW so it’s not a case of a bloke who’d be itching to “return home” or whatever.
 
I think Burton is abit overhyped to be honest. Even at Penrith at left centre they were talking about him for Origin when he’s not in the same universe as Latrell or Trbojevic.

He was a decent player in a great team and is now an decent player in a **** team. Not saying he doesn’t have upside because he has a great long kicking game and is big enough to handle his defensive duties whilst being a decent running threat. Just think his asking price would be too high for the return you’d get.
 
mozza said:
I think Burton is abit overhyped to be honest. Even at Penrith at left centre they were talking about him for Origin when he’s not in the same universe as Latrell or Trbojevic.

He was a decent player in a great team and is now an decent player in a **** team. Not saying he doesn’t have upside because he has a great long kicking game and is big enough to handle his defensive duties whilst being a decent running threat. Just think his asking price would be too high for the return you’d get.
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He’s looked a lot better lately playing with a genuine #7, even one as mediocre as Flanno.
 
JuniorFromNewyy said:
Since this being the recruitment/retention chat for 2023 this is what I would be aiming for doing with our off contract players...

Losses:
Mitchell Barnett (Warriors)
Anthony Milford (Dolphins)
Phoenix Crossland (Release)
Brayden Musgrove (Release)
Pasami Saulo (Release)

Re-Sign:
Kalyn Ponga (2027)
Simi Sasagi (2025)
Mat Croker (2024) - replaces Saulo
Edrick Lee (2024)
Tex Hoy (2024) - upgraded for the last top 30 spot
Sauaso Sue (2023)
Jirah Momoisea (2023)

Hit List:
Kai Pearce-Paul (replace Barnett)
Will Pryce (replace Milford)
Euan Aitken (replace Musgrove)
Jock Madden (replace Crossland)
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Personal take:

Mitch Barnett -> Ryan Matterson
Anthony Milford -> Will Pryce
Phoenix Crossland -> Chanel Harris-Tavita
Brayden Musgrove -> Dylan Lucas
Pasami Saulo -> Mat Croker
Sauaso Sue -> J’maine Hopgood
Jirah Momoisea -> Consider re-signing but honestly wouldn’t be in a rush, I’d actually be willing to take Ese’ese back if the price has come down a bit
Kai Pearce-Paul would be taking spot #30 if we signed him I believe?
Edrick Lee re-signed if he gets through the season
Sasagi is gonna get extended 2 years so this is a moot point but gee he’s gotta show a bit more than the odd promising run to repay us
Adam O’Brien -> Shane Flanagan or John Morris
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Personal take:

Mitch Barnett -> Ryan Matterson
Anthony Milford -> Will Pryce
Phoenix Crossland -> Chanel Harris-Tavita
Brayden Musgrove -> Dylan Lucas
Pasami Saulo -> Mat Croker
Sauaso Sue -> J’maine Hopgood
Jirah Momoisea -> Consider re-signing but honestly wouldn’t be in a rush, I’d actually be willing to take Ese’ese back if the price has come down a bit
Kai Pearce-Paul would be taking spot #30 if we signed him I believe?
Edrick Lee re-signed if he gets through the season
Sasagi is gonna get extended 2 years so this is a moot point but gee he’s gotta show a bit more than the odd promising run to repay us
Adam O’Brien -> Shane Flanagan or John Morris
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Perfect and realistic list. I would personally not want ese ese back at the club because he is lazy
 
Ese’ese’s defence was not up to standard. We would be better concentrating on a quality import or our juniors.
 
I agree re: Herman but he’s also better than a lot of our other guys on that count atm tbh. I think he’d be our fourth best prop again if he came back. Which is more a comment on the quality of our depth than him.

I think at about $250K he’s worth it.
 
Another change for me would be putting Huth back on the development list, with a view to possibly replacing Randall in the top 30 in 2024, and playing him off the bench when Brailey is injured.
 
Yeah Ese is lazy but he would instantly make more of an impact than any forwards that we've been calling into the team for injuries this year. This is not me advocating for the signing of Ese, but more of a comment on how average our wider squad is at the moment.
 
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