Re: So Jammer's off then : Fri Mar 12, 2010 12:54 am  

Cayless was the guy I was thinking of when I wrote this. I don't know why Saints chose to let him go. Perhaps the player wanted a return to Oz. Perhaps we thought we weren't getting value for money. Or perhaps the decision was based purely upon medical assessment. If it's the latter and he goes on to perform consistently throughout this season for Wests then doubts must be raised about the methods of that assessment. A fit Cayless would be in our starting 17 today. No question about it.

Cayless was the guy I was thinking of when I wrote this. I don't know why Saints chose to let him go. Perhaps the player wanted a return to Oz. Perhaps we thought we weren't getting value for money. Or perhaps the decision was based purely upon medical assessment. If it's the latter and he goes on to perform consistently throughout this season for Wests then doubts must be raised about the methods of that assessment. A fit Cayless would be in our starting 17 today. No question about it.

Re: So Jammer's off then : Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:32 am  

Mugwump wrote: Cayless was the guy I was thinking of when I wrote this. I don't know why Saints chose to let him go. Perhaps the player wanted a return to Oz. Perhaps we thought we weren't getting value for money. Or perhaps the decision was based purely upon medical assessment. If it's the latter and he goes on to perform consistently throughout this season for Wests then doubts must be raised about the methods of that assessment. A fit Cayless would be in our starting 17 today. No question about it. Agreed, but Cayless hasn't been fit for over 2 seasons. It was a wise decision not to renew his contract and look at other options, because there was no guarantee that Cayless would ever return the same player. Fozzard may not be the best prop around, but he's been relatively injury free in the last 7 or 8 years and gives us an extra body up front that we clearly lacked last year. He will always give you his absolute best and he is a character around the dressing room. The players certainly seem to like him.

Mugwump wrote: Cayless was the guy I was thinking of when I wrote this. I don't know why Saints chose to let him go. Perhaps the player wanted a return to Oz. Perhaps we thought we weren't getting value for money. Or perhaps the decision was based purely upon medical assessment. If it's the latter and he goes on to perform consistently throughout this season for Wests then doubts must be raised about the methods of that assessment. A fit Cayless would be in our starting 17 today. No question about it. Agreed, but Cayless hasn't been fit for over 2 seasons. It was a wise decision not to renew his contract and look at other options, because there was no guarantee that Cayless would ever return the same player. Fozzard may not be the best prop around, but he's been relatively injury free in the last 7 or 8 years and gives us an extra body up front that we clearly lacked last year. He will always give you his absolute best and he is a character around the dressing room. The players certainly seem to like him.

Re: So Jammer's off then : Fri Mar 12, 2010 11:57 am  

Mugwump wrote:

Jack Gibson (BOW to your phucking KNEES when I utter his name) knew more about RL than the entire collection of posters to this forum put together (excluding me, of course).

He's right. Graham is not irreplaceable - provided McManus has his head screwed on. It may be a case of buying like for like (Graham is one of our highest earners, so it's not like we'll be short of cash), or we may have to strengthen in other positions - perhaps split the money between a veteran Aussie or Kiwi prop on the verge of retirement (something like Fairleigh) and a young, promising and BIG southern hemisphere back row forward. Or split the money between two simply GOOD props. Or take the riskier option of trying to lure a genuine hot-poop stand-off to pair with Eastmond and hope their combined talents can offset the loss of forward power. There are always ways and means. You just need to be smart enough to spot them. IS McManus smart enough?

I dont doubt Jack Gibsons redentials but it certainly helps that when you lose a Laurie Daley you can replace them with a Brad Fittler and when you lose him you replace him with a Darren Lockyer .... Like you rightly point out though some of it will be down to smart management and imo a degree of luck when it comes to possible replacement(s)

Re: So Jammer's off then : Fri Mar 12, 2010 3:44 pm  

Blobbynator wrote:

Agreed, but Cayless hasn't been fit for over 2 seasons. It was a wise decision not to renew his contract and look at other options, because there was no guarantee that Cayless would ever return the same player.

Then, by your rationale, we should have got rid of Tommy Martyn.

Re: So Jammer's off then : Fri Mar 12, 2010 4:00 pm  

Which players are out of contract this year? I know this is KC last year but who else do you loose?

Re: So Jammer's off then : Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:22 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

Then, by your rationale, we should have got rid of Tommy Martyn.

The difference is, Tommy Martyn was young when he picked up his injuries whereas Cayless is 30 and approaching the end of his career.

Lippy wrote:

Which players are out of contract this year? I know this is KC last year but who else do you loose?

It gave a list on the radio yesterday but for definite:

Gidley
Cunningham
Fozzard
Hargreaves

Wellens, Meli and one or two others maybe out of contract too.

Re: So Jammer's off then : Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:24 pm  

Blobbynator wrote:

Gidley
Cunningham
Fozzard
Hargreaves

Meli and Gardner as well.

Not sure about Pryce?

Re: So Jammer's off then : Fri Mar 12, 2010 7:16 pm  

Blobbynator wrote:

The difference is, Tommy Martyn was young when he picked up his injuries whereas Cayless is 30 and approaching the end of his career.

That would be all well and good if it weren't for the fact that good props tend to do their best work at - 30.

Re: So Jammer's off then : Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:24 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Meli and Gardner as well.

Not sure about Pryce?

Surley how pryce is playing his contract has to be up?

Re: So Jammer's off then : Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:32 pm  

pryce and faasavalu are