Recruitment And Retention Discussion

MullosLefttoRight said:
Trying to work out our depth chart for next season but getting stuck at a few points and feel like I'm missing something obvious - current NSW Cup 17 IMO:

1. Connor Votano/Fletcher Hunt
2. Greg Marzhew
3. James Schiller
4. Kyle McCarthy/Fletcher Hunt
5. Wilson De Courcey
6. Tyson Gamble
7. Matthew Hunter
8. Brodie Jones
9. Harrison Graham/Mat Arthur (One to start at 14 in first-grade)
10. Lachlan Crouch
11. Francis Manuleleua
12. ???????
13. Tom Cant
14. ?????
15. Peter Hola
16. Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
17. Wil Sullivan

Lots of personal preference - for context my current first-grade bench is:
14. Harrison Graham/Mat Arthur
15. Pasami Saulo
16. Cody Hopwood (Pure optimism - swap whoever you want in here and I likely won't argue)
17. Jermaine McEwen (Friz starts on an edge before moving to the middle)

Main points I would welcome suggestions on for the Cup side:
1) #12 - Easy answer is to move ESL back to the edge, I prefer him in the middle but that leaves us with 3(?) edges in the top 30.
2) #14 - Am I up-to-date in saying that Davis is gone? What about Hoad? Other bolters?
3) Fletcher Hunt - If Sharpe starts in the halves this isn't an issue, but otherwise I'm not sure where he best fits. I currently believe Wing is his position but Marzhew is well ahead and I can't move De Courcey after this cup season. I don't see Hunt as a fullback but I'm also not convinced Votano's prospects are that high. I rate McCarthy higher as a centre despite him being out of favour last season, which could easily change with new coaches - I could definitely see McCarthy working as an edge backrower but I'm not sure whether they'd shift him.
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My squad in BOLD

1 Connor Votano/Fletcher Hunt
2. Greg Marzhew
3. James Schiller
4. Kyle McCarthy/Fletcher Hunt
5. Wilson De Courcey
6. Tyson Gamble
7. Matthew Hunter
8. Peter Hola
9. Arthur
10. B. Jones
11. Francis Manuleleua
12. Asu Kepaoa
13. Tom Cant
14. A. Hoad - Apparently back for another season.
15. Cody Hopwood
16. Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
17. Wil Sullivan

Still a bit short on edge all of a sudden after feeling flush there. Jacob Taulani played up a few games last year as an edge/13 , Along with Kade Graham, as a middle, which could push jones to the edge. Harrison Graham can also easily play edge if not required in FG.

Kind of hoping for some sneaky T&T signing's to help out there though
 
BTP said:
My squad in BOLD

1 Connor Votano/Fletcher Hunt
2. Greg Marzhew
3. James Schiller
4. Kyle McCarthy/Fletcher Hunt
5. Wilson De Courcey
6. Tyson Gamble
7. Matthew Hunter
8. Peter Hola
9. Arthur
10. B. Jones
11. Francis Manuleleua
12. Asu Kepaoa
13. Tom Cant
14. A. Hoad - Apparently back for another season.
15. Cody Hopwood
16. Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
17. Wil Sullivan

Still a bit short on edge all of a sudden after feeling flush there. Jacob Taulani played up a few games last year as an edge/13 , Along with Kade Graham, as a middle, which could push jones to the edge. Harrison Graham can also easily play edge if not required in FG.

Kind of hoping for some sneaky T&T signing's to help out there though
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Saw a game last year where Hunt played fullback - possibly the one week he was dropped back for votano to make his debut and he was solid. Think he works well there.

I believe Davis is still with Cup for next season and was a reliable utility and would have him at 14. Arthur can only be a 14 if we have a reliable 9 who can move to other positions as Athur can’t fill any other spot. Graham can however. Davis and Graham valuable as depths - put Arthur in FG knowing you can move Smith or Crossy to 9 if he needs a spell. Or at least Crossy starting fg 9 and play similar to last year with Brailey.

Annan still with us? Where will he fit here?

My big suggestion to our incoming coaching team is let our juniors find their feet in their age. We were a VERY young cup side and it showed. Let them find their way and gain confidence before conditioning them in cup. Depth comes with Depth behind. Imagine if those boys playing cup last year sat more with flegg - we would have been watching them on grand final day!
 
Lynchyknight said:
Asu Kepau will definitely be in NSW cup he was the winger of the year this year
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I think Kepaoa will be on the bench in first grade. He can play 2nd row or wing, which makes him valuable coverage with in game injuries

I can see Sharpe on the wing, McEwen 2nd row and Kepaoa relieving him for a rest. If we get an injury anywhere in the backline, Kepaoa fills in on the wing
 
Les Misérables said:
@Billy sorry to labour you with the question, but how much can you tell us about the Hoad bros, age, positions etc. Are they genuine FG prospects?
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They don't look that impressive - both smallish guys - but they never stop trying and never stop thinking. If the opposition goes to sleep for half a second they are combining to score a try.
I don't know if they are firstgraders, but they make a lot of opposition players look like dummies and score a lot of tries and never miss a trick.
In short, real footy players. The one who plays hooker could probably sell you a dummy, score a try, and pick your pocket at the same time.
They are twins but don't look alike.
Too old for Flegg next year.
Sully has been playing centre or fullback but apparently wants to be a halfback.
Aydon mostly plays hooker or lock.
 
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Billy said:
They don't look that impressive - both smallish guys - but they never stop trying and never stop thinking. If the opposition goes to sleep for half a second they are combining to score a try.
I don't know if they are firstgraders, but they make a lot of opposition players look like dummies and score a lot of tries and never miss a trick.
In short, real footy players. The one who plays hooker could probably sell you a dummy, score a try, and pick your pocket at the same time.
They are twins but don't look alike.
Too old for Flegg next year.
Sully has been playing centre or fullback but apparently wants to be a halfback.
Aydon mostly plays hooker or lock.
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Well summed up. Knights were more keen on Aiden (13/9) but they come as a package. Still not a 110% confirmed they are back but if they are, I'm unsure where we put Sully, but he'd probably outplay McCarthy.

Also I completely forgot about Logan Aoake and Siteni Taumako for NSW Cup backline players, both could play FG if required in my opinion.
My preference would be

1. Votano
2. Aoake
3. Taukamo
4. Schiller
5. De Courcey

with FG being
1. KP
2. Hunt
3. Gags
4. Best
5. Young

Marz, finds another home before season starts

*Edit* just realized I left out Sharpe - Is there a world where we have him coming off bench as a roaming 13?

Or easier to just find a home for Schiller as well that way Hunt plays in Cup

**Double Edit** Aoake can play Flegg still, so that'll probably happen.
 
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BTP said:
My squad in BOLD

1 Connor Votano/Fletcher Hunt
2. Greg Marzhew
3. James Schiller
4. Kyle McCarthy/Fletcher Hunt
5. Wilson De Courcey
6. Tyson Gamble
7. Matthew Hunter
8. Peter Hola
9. Arthur
10. B. Jones
11. Francis Manuleleua
12. Asu Kepaoa
13. Tom Cant
14. A. Hoad - Apparently back for another season.
15. Cody Hopwood
16. Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
17. Wil Sullivan

Still a bit short on edge all of a sudden after feeling flush there. Jacob Taulani played up a few games last year as an edge/13 , Along with Kade Graham, as a middle, which could push jones to the edge. Harrison Graham can also easily play edge if not required in FG.

Kind of hoping for some sneaky T&T signing's to help out there though
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Completely forgot about Asu Kepaoa. Fair shout that he could be an edge option given our lack of depth there, we certainly have enough capable backs depth already.
 
Dom was good with the ball this morning his defensive reads at times were very poor but we already knew that was an issue. KPP absolute snot
 
I know this is never going to happen but Jesus Christ id be paying out Annan's contract and releasing him back to Union and I would be looking at seeing who is interested in either Schiller or Wil Sullivan to free up an extra roster spot.
With them two free'd up spots one would be to fit Sandon Smith into our top 30 and the other for NAS, we still desperately need to bolster our pack, would offer him a 1 year deal + an extra year as a mutual option.

Leaves our pack depth looking like this which makes me more confident:

Middles:
Jacob Saifiti # 8
Trey Mooney # 13
Nelson Asofa-Solomona # 17
Pasami Saulo # 15
Cody Hopwood # 8
Peter Hola # 17
Lachlan Crouch # 15

Back-Rows:
Dylan Lucas # 11
Jermaine McEwen # 12
Francis Manuleleua # 11
Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana # 16
Thomas Cant # 12

Utility Forwards:
Tyson Frizell # 10
Phoenix Crossland # 9
Mat Croker # 13
Brodie Jones # 10
Asu Kepaoa ???

* Green is my who I would have start, orange is bench - with what number I'd play them in either nrl or cup *
 
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