The recent news that David Fifita is re-considering his future at the Broncos post 2020 has set the rugby league world buzzing. Clubs are suddenly crunching their numbers to determine whether they have the capacity to offer the type of coin necessary to secure this potentially generational player for next season.
This got me thinking – a dangerous outcome at the best of times!
During the Brad Arthur era, the only true marquee signing for the Eels has been Kieran Foran. Forget about the issues faced by Foran. Though I can assure readers that Brad Arthur went above and beyond to support Kieran during difficult times (acknowledged by Foran in the media), the Eels were an off-field basket case and the 2016 salary cap dramas emphasised that the club was not ready for such a high profile, highly salaried recruit.
Let me also be clear. I’m not suggesting that other recruits or other players on the Eels roster aren’t quality players. I’m defining a marquee recruit as a player who would attract interest from most clubs, along with a top of the market salary commensurate with the demand for his services.
Over the past 18 months, Parra has assembled a roster which is arguably amongst the best in the NRL. Through quality, targeted recruitment, Arthur has ensured that positions of weakness have become areas of strength and the club has transformed from wooden spoon holders to a Premiership heavyweight in a remarkably short period of time.
In 2020, the Eels will field a very balanced top 17. There might be a few players on relatively high incomes, but there’s not the type of unhinged expenditure on select individuals that creates salary cap pressure and the need to offload players. Parra would undoubtedly express their gratitude to Penrith for subsidising a couple of key recruits.
Shaun Lane
As things stand, there are 14 players in the Eels top 30 who are off contract at the end of the current season. Of those, Stefano Utoikamanu has agreed to terms with the Tigers for 2021, whilst the high profile signatures of Shaun Lane and Reed Mahoney are yet to be secured. Kane Evans is now in the final year of his deal and Brad Takairangi remains unsigned having extended for just one season. Outside of the 14 players, Nathan Brown holds a player option for 2021, and is yet to indicate his intentions.
Depending on the result of negotiations, along with the decisions about the remaining off-contract players, the Eels could be left with a significant “war chest” to make a decent play for a marquee player such as Fifita.
But is that the way to go?
Locking in Mahoney and Lane would ensure that the Eels top 17 remains relatively unchanged moving into 2021. That level of stability is almost unheard of for an NRL club. But would stability take the club to the next level if the current team falls short in its Premiership campaign this season?
Every team should add new personnel to their roster each year in order to avoid stagnation, so we can therefore expect departures from the current top 30. The option, based on cap space created, is to either spend up on a marquee addition or to add depth to specific positions.
David Fifita
It’s hard to deny the impact that a David Fifita could provide for any team. The Broncos back rower is already the ultimate game-breaker. His power, mobility and pace out wide creates havoc at both club and representative level footy. Such is this 20 year old’s current standing in the game, it’s unfair to compare any edge player of similar age to him.
Wherever Fifita plays, he won’t come cheap. Therein lies the problem for any club looking to add him, or someone of a similar ilk, to their roster. The cost is not just in the money spent on him, it’s the money not spent on others. It might mean releasing a valued player or two. It might mean losing talented pathways players. It might mean sacrificing depth.
Then there’s the other end of the spectrum. A club might sign a marquee player with the hope of attracting other quality players, but this doesn’t always work.
For many seasons, the Eels boasted one of the NRL’s most elite athletes – Jarryd Hayne. He was home grown, but that didn’t mean that his continued retention didn’t come with significant costs. Without being disrespectful, from 2010 onwards Hayne had to take the field alongside some players who would have struggled to get an NRL gig at another club. His talent alone couldn’t lift the Eels to finals football, and the Blue and Golds continued to struggle to attract better players.
Similarly, unrealistic expectations should not be made if Fifita were to sign with a struggling club. Look no further than Kalyn Ponga for further evidence on that front. Without question, Fifita’s management would take such factors into consideration.
But the Eels are no longer a struggling club. They are not the 2010 – 2016 version which firstly competed with inferior personnel, then imploded administratively courtesy of the salary cap scandal. So are they ready or suited to add a marquee recruit?
Under the administration of Bernie Gurr and the merit selected Football Board of Directors, the Eels have become a salary cap role model. The processes in place provide complete transparency about all contracts registered with the NRL. Without question, those high standards will remain under new CEO, Jim Sarantinos and Head of Football Mark O’ Neill.
Then there’s the new Kellyville training facilities, a world class Bankwest Stadium, and a membership base which competes with the Rabbitohs to be the leading club in Sydney.
Off-field, the club is therefore ready to be a viable destination for the game’s elite.
On-field, there’s a strength in the roster to ensure that a marquee recruit wouldn’t be waging a solo war on a weekly basis.
The Eels have a top heavy squad. Like most genuine Premiership contenders, though there’s potential in the depth, the money is spent at the top end of the roster, and few “names” sit outside the top 17. Unless a highly salaried player is released, a player of Fifita’s caliber could only be secured by sacrificing club depth.
Reed “Cash” Mahoney
Nothing is certain in rugby league, but with the likes of Mahoney and Lane reportedly close to extending their time at the club, and the option sitting in Nathan Brown’s favour, it seems that a top 17 player is unlikely to be on their way out.
So would you sacrifice overall depth to secure a superstar?
As CEO, if Fifita’s agent told you that his client wants to pull on your club’s jersey, surely only insanity or an absurd asking price would stop you from setting a new speed record for signing a cheque. But, if you were the Eels CEO, would you enter a competitive marketplace, knowing the price will be high in many respects.
I don’t have an answer. I think chasing someone like Fifita is incongruous to the Eels current recruitment policies, but you’d surely consider dipping your toe in the water for someone like him. Or would you?
So whether it’s Fifita, or any other potential marquee recruit, do the Eels possess the type of roster or perhaps culture that would suit paying big coin to one player above all others?
If only real life roster building was as easy as NRL SuperCoach.
Eels forever!
Sixties
Credit to Eels media and Broncos media for the images used.
Interesting blog sixties, and one that hurts the grey matter a bit regarding the contemplation of this and its perhapser end piece.
There are more than a few questions to look at and answer regarding this perhapser to sign. I use the perhapser tag as no disrespect to the player at all as he is very much more than just that.
As I look down the list of players off contract at the eels next season, especially those in the forwards, and then look at Fifita’s position which I listed as 2nd row, at his general size he’s a definite pick for a back rower, yet have we not got sufficient quality back rowers already, to cover those two spots including off the bench? The sudden answer of course is oh we need to sign him as he is the missing equation that’s needed for the eels and our forwards.
So, using the big if prospect where else would he play? and that would have to be in the forwards if he came to the eels. Firstly though I believe the two remaining eels players off contract end of the year should be resigned, also N Brown as well unless he is targeted elsewhere and rejects his option, which I hope not.
So for Fifita to fit him in, there are in my mind several players who could be told they will be the sacrificial offerings in order to gain Fifita of course one is already retiring and a few others off contract, could release enough coin for the marquee allowance, certainly if he did agree to eels terms then there would be some nervous players, and we risk losing a couple that should be retained though.
An interesting discussion to follow without doubt.
And on top of that Colin, my post isn’t just specifically about Fifita. He is simply the most notable and potentially available marquee player. With such a strong Top 17, it seems a marquee recruit in any position would have to force a player out – like Cronk forced Pearce out.
That is the pity of the whole thing really. You get a marquee player and the most likely to get the chop is a player who has pretty fair credentials usually in the specific position. If the signing is older as per the Cronk case, then it pretty much pulls another player of possibly the same age or older out and the way things are these days, hard for the put out, its often hard to get a spot elsewhere.
In using the case of Fifita being signed on marquee contract he’s got at least 10 years game time in front of him, but what price at any club? If he goes down with a long term injury and we go to the Foran case, can he come back as good after a fair time out and with major surgery?
I guess that’s why so many clubs get recruitment wrong, and only a select few regularly get it right.
Too True, for me though & after some thinking on the original points you raised, while it would be seen as a big win or something for the eels if he did sign here as marquee, I actually wonder if he could really add to the team going forward.
Looking to the players we have now, and with those who leave end of year, that opens the door for some of the better young players that are already in the system that could very well add as much to the club/team at a lot less money, but with their heart more with the eels.
Therefore, if the scenario comes where you make a choice as to which to sign, which direction would you take?
So you’re a pathways man Colin? Not a bad position to be given we identify as a Development Club.
Looking at Fifita, he is a quality player with plenty of power, he had a huge game against the eels last year when the mules beat us, that try he scored showed those skills for all to see, thing is will those skills be able to be on show on a consistent basis, as other teams and coaches, including ours will have plans mapped out to counter that. Good defenders is a key there, and its something that we have developed and will continue to do so with the current team and others going forward.
We lost a fair number of quality jnrs end of last year as I understand, but we also have several quality options coming out as a result of what we saw in the trials, some are pretty raw at this point of time but those that have their abilities honed and a desire to really get stuck in hard, will provide us with good options.
Pathways? I guess I am but, there are a lot of paths out there, many with broken sections, that can cause some disasters if not fixed in time.
Only if the price was right and we had a slot for him. You are right though, every club would almost fall over themselves to sign him.
When you consider where the club is heading, we need the whole top 30 to act as one team. Every player on the park knowing his role and those outside the top 17 ready to fill a specific void due to injury or form. If a player such as Fifita can still fit within that framework then he would be welcome, but marquee players rarely ever just slot in. Invariably the team changes considerably to accommodate them.
Therein lies the conundrum surrounding the addition of a marquee to some rosters.
Short answer is Yes you would; but looking at our roster of players, we would need to shift i.e. not sign a few and then bring on some juniors. Yes for me but Fifita imo won’t leave Broncs unless for Souths or a Melbourne but Melb do not really pay overs for players but they may need to change their thought process.
Issue for me is the cost, as I am not comfortable paying $1mill plus for a backrower / prop type player.
With our current roster, what position would you recruit a marquee for Milo?
If forced I really believe you can’t have too many good fwds, but another strike centre as Jenko moves towards the end of a very good career stands out.
Fifita is a yes, but depth in the forwards is reasnable currently, but good centres are tough to find.
Dummy half or Fullback if we require one. I think the acquistion of RCG and Matterson improves our pack and Junior as prop also adds strength.
Let me clarify this, if Mahoney / Gutherson were not here i would look at someone there. These guys play 80 mins along with the halves. Issue for centre to me is that the game does not allow them as much room as the past so i would not pay heavy for one.
It’s interesting that as the worth of wingers goes up, centres seems to be coming down. I reckon as centres start to do as much yardage work as wingers off the back of kick returns, it might even out.
Fullback
How many marquee fullbacks exist? Is it just Tedesco?
Question for me in this debate is how many marquee players are there around? Sure Tedesco, Taumalolo, perhaps DCE and a couple of others, but each one are not getting any younger and that rules DCE out even though he’s still got some time on his contract.
As I have thought of this topic, the idea of a Marquee player for the eels is not essential at this point of time, maybe as this season progresses, and with the roster we have now, the need may show itself in some part of the roster if of course the current crop do not go a few rungs higher.
Watching the Eels v south trial on Friday showed the Eels need to lock up Mahoney asap. When he was on the field the attack was straight at the line then once he was off it was side to side. Lock in Lane as well & by all means they should defiantly look into Fifita but I certainly wouldn’t break the bank for him. Great young player but as we all know from the Hayne era, One player can’t win you a comp no matter how good he is & we have a really strong team FINALLY. Fifita played his guts out in the final at Bankwest last season but it meant squat. I like where we are at & if Fifita WANTS to play for the Eels then we have a look & see if he gives us value for money.
Jim, given our current roster, should marquee recruitment be part of our strategy or have we got the methodology correct at the moment?
There’s no question he’s an awesome player, but there’s a reason why they call the 1, 6, 7, & 9 positions the spine. That’s where the top money should be invested as far as I’m concerned.
Totally agree trouser , no spine no chance, anyway 1.2 mill , that buys our whole back 3 in pack and there pretty close to equal anyones,the way our teams being built is ok with me , what about harmony , playing for each other ,hunger for an opportunity not money , our jumper not our money , all these greatest player ever until someone finds another one , there out there just find them first ,that way if you treat them right and create loyalty they stay for those reasons for less money because theyre contented ,i believe if you spend more money at the start finding tomorrows players today you can finish up with marquee players at sensible prices , what decides a players value his ability or his greedy manager , i think we all know the answer .
So anonymous and Trouser, the consensus between you both is someone like a Fifita would be surplus to our needs. Trouser are you happy with our spine? Anonymous, are you a pathways advocate?
100% pathways , go after the best , fast track their development and make parra home for the best of them .
Rather than criticise certain parts of our current spine, I’ll make a further point to back up my statement.
Hindmarsh never won a premiership but was unquestionably one of the best second rowers in his era. Our inability to establish an unbreakable spine, I believe, is what prevented the premiership from materialising.
In 2001, our halfbacks & 5/8 got found out on the big day.
In 2009 we only really had a fullback.
Brian Smith never found any consistency in the spine – whatsoever. Consider the fullbacks, halves, dummy halves used during his tenure. It was insane – we were constantly having to reinvent. 2009 was exciting, we were robbed, but the personnel only clicked into gear for that golden period around Hayne.
Thought Tim Smith would be the answer and with the club for 10 years, tough to see such talent wasted, for his career and the success of the Eels.
He was one out of the box!
Actually i think the subject is which end are we going to spend at , development or developed , i prefer the former , my main concern is are we trying to be cheap at both ends
I can’t fault the senior buying in the last 18 months. I must trust that we are locking in the best young talent going forward.
Without the front row you go nowhere. Many front row partnerships have hidden poor halves.
RCG is a great recruit, and now there is emerging talent in our front row stocks.
I’ve spoken to Fifita myself and so have others I know who both know him and work at the Broncos. Forget the stupid media talk – he isn’t going anywhere and has no intention of moving. We need to move on.
Latrell is definitely going back to the Roosters in 2021 so he is off the table.
We need a good fast centre to take Jennings position.
Fathead, I’ve only used Fifita as an example. So rather than suggesting that we need to shore up centre, would you sign a marquee centre and invest massive coin or would you target a centre who would match our needs?
It was reported today that the Bunnies offered Fifita a five year deal for $5 million.
Sam Burgess was the salesman. He went to Brisbane in December last year. Fifita went close to signing but they failed to get the signature.
Was reported on FoxSport
John, as per my other comments, I was interested in opinions about whether the Eels would consider a marquee recruit in its strategy ie a million dollars plus signing. I used Fifita as a topical example and have slightly amended the conclusion of my blog to reflect this. So, what are your thoughts?
Sixties I do not believe that we would ever rule out the possibility of recruiting a Marquee recruit.
It does not matter how well the club is run things sometimes do not go as planned. The Roosters for example needed to recruit Cronk. The Storm who seemed to have everything under control in the spine suddenly realise that they are not now where they want to be and are desperate to find a quality half. Broncos also.
I believe that the Eels are right up there now with the better professionally run clubs. How much they can achieve moving forward will be revealed in the seasons ahead
For me the decision as to whether we need a Marquee signing or not is dependent on whether we have a glaring weakness.
If we decide that we do have a glaring weakness, who are we going to sacrifice to fund the Marquee. As you rightly point out to get a Marquee you will very likely have to sacrifice more than one player
I have enough confidence in our current Recruitment committee to make the best decision for the club regarding a Marquee.
To really answer this question in the here and now. Who of the current top 17 are you willing to sacrifice.
I probably wouldn’t right now, which is why I couldn’t be responsible for making tough calls! If such a call were to be made, it will probably polarise supporters.
Agree with your reply to John’s post sixties, also I think John has posted a good comment. I think I mentioned earlier regarding the prospect of Fifita becoming an Eels Marquee signing, and having looked at the players we have off contract end of this year, along with NB’s year option in his favour, I believe the need to sign/secure several of those players would mean we have little coin left for a marguee, and on that score, say losing Mahoney, Lane and NB for Fifita, I doubt would represent good value, at least at this point of time.
If we lost those players, for a marquee of any description how much would that really improve the eels overall?
I don’t think it would Anonymous. It’s considerations like this that had me thinking that this would be a good topic for a post.
Good read. Are we are club that a tracks a high profile player/s i say no unless we pay overs like we did with whatmough. 4 yrs worth a zillion dollars n only played what 10 games or so.
I think we are a all round balanced side with out a marquee player. We had Hayne n still didn’t bring home the title. so i think we stick with what we have.
Looking at the Roosters they don’t have a marquee signing or player/s there a well rounded side.
For the money that fafita is asking we could resign Lane n Mahoney to long term deals.
bring on 2020 year of the eels
Sorry mate I struggle to take the Roosters as a viable example. They have what, 12 players who have represented their state and/or country? This includes Tedesco and had Cronk last year. If they’re not marquee then I don’t know what is.
Yes I guess their team is well rounded but that’s because somehow they manage to afford so many players of such a high calibre.
I think we are a well rounded team that is developing depth as well. I do however believe we are becoming a team that can/will attract the likes of marquee players given what we now have to offer holistically. Having said that, I think our mature and measured recruitment processes will reduce the risk of paying overs for the sake of a name.
Sixties – as for my thoughts on if we should hunt a marquee player… Yes I think we need to investigate the option depending on who’s available and what position (centre as previously suggested?) but I think, like in any auction, you need to know the top $ you can intelligently invest and go no further. I’d like to think, unlike previous years, we now know where that limit is.
Fletch and Dead Man – I’m on the same page about well rounded. I do see Tedesco as a marquee player for the Roosters as was Cronk – though he reportedly signed for less than marquee money 🤣🤣🤣🤣.
Well rounded – it’s come out of being more circumspect about what is needed for the team and researching the market value a little better.
To that end I agree with you Fletch that we are ready/capable to buy the right marquee recruit, but I guess like Dead Man and others feel – perhaps it might not fit our roster direction?
Based on the current trajectory of our retention and recruitment strategy I’d have to say no, a marquee signing isn’t the answer. My general attitude towards marquees is that they are recruited to build a team around. This isn’t something the Eels require in my opinion. We’re admittedly a young squad but we seem to have built a good team culture with strong leaders.
We’re looking as well balanced in both talent and salary cap as we’ve been in over a decade, with no single player breaking the bank, nor paying massive overs for under-performers. Plus we all saw how well a strategy of financially responsible, targeted recruitment combined with blooding juniors worked in 2019.
Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe we’re one marquee signing away from completing the puzzle piece. But if the equation was as simple as having to lose two quality mid-priced players like Mahoney and N Brown in order to sign someone like Fifita, I know which way I’d be going.
I guess you’re stating that weakening two or more positions to excel in one is a bad plan. It’s hard to disagree. It’s would be that additional cost – just as losing depth would be.
1st off Fiffita will sign with the Broncos we see this every time a player does the off contract dance a delay and denials then announcement right on time for a good press relese.
In terms of a marquee signing at this point it will have to depend on who and what postion.
You sign a player you have to loose somone who is doing the role for less
Latrell Mitchell >Adam Douhilli as an example
So depends on 3 factors
Who you sign
Who you let go
Where does that signing put our cap in 2 years time.
Yes Offside, I expect Fifita to stay too, but it opened up the opportunity to consider where the Eels are at to examine other factors around such high profile recruiting. Your factors are valid.
Sixties, I’m not sure what I thought about most after reading this – Fifita or the challenges in building and retaining a decent NRL roster. I’m thinking I’d like to see how we go in 2020. Can we eliminate those 4 or 5 games where we get towelled through the middle, can we improve our winning ratio v top 8 teams, can we improve our away record? These are the signs that we are heading into top 4 and beyond. Maybe if we can find our next level, the value of Fifita to the Eels, and what you might pay, is easier to assess.
Fair point. So you are essentially saying we are in a hold position on the question of marquee recruits?
That’s my feeling sixties, but my better half thinks that I circle things a bit too much at times. This squad looks good to me on paper, including the spine,and the cap spreadsheet is likely getting tight. Do you get the opportunity to freeze the settings for a few years and watch your squad development play out? The answer, unfortunately, is no.
Do marquee players need winning Test,Origin and Premiership credentials?Skill,tenacity,leadership, game breaker. Thurston is the benchmark for me.And he can laugh too.
Still stuns me that Dogs let him go. He looked the goods even as a raw product.
Great hypo Sixties, we’ve seen the passion it has ignited in the following posts. Some have replied to the question “Does a Marquee player fit the Parramatta methodology created by BA”? Others have been motivated to express their desire or lack of to sign David Fifita.
Its a truly stimulating point of conjecture which I would like to add my opinion.
I have really enjoyed how quickly BA and his confidantes have identified and secured the players we have in our current roster, which is as you say quite well balanced. He has done this inspite of the turmoil that has surrounded our club since his arrival. We have genuine NRL standard, quality players across our top 17 to 20. Therefore I would be saying no to “A marquee type player” at the moment and I would look to continue the development of what might become another Dyl Brown or seek players who are good that in our system could become great ie; Mitch Moses. If we have to go wading around in the bull rushes to find another like him or Nathan Brown or Maika Sivo (plenty of Bull Rushes where he came from) then so be it.
So you’re supporting our Development Club philosophy and taking it to the next level by including the development of our established players into great players whilst looking for unfinished gems in either our pathways or elsewhere.
I sure’nough is bro!
👍👍👍
I’m an unashamed Fifita fan, but right now I think we need to develop this team we have now and see how far it really can take us. We have no real weaknesses apart from some minor backup gaps, and the addition of Ryan Matterson I think made going for Fifita an indulgence we just don’t need to take right now. Who knows, in 5 years time that could change, he is only 20. Let someone else take that risk right now.
On top of that, I think Matterson & his ballplaying skills is a better fit with Waqa Blake than Fifita would be. If Waqa can stay fit he could be that game breaker for us. His edge forward partner needs to have that complimentary skill set, not one that competes with it.
But Brett, Fifita aside, would you take the same approach about any marquee player on the market? If Tedesco suddenly became available would you answer the same? I’m thinking that your answer is the same, and I don’t disagree. For me that would be on the basis of the structure of our roster, and the associated costs of losing possibly multiple players or depth to secure one premium player. But who could say no to certain players?
It really depends on whether you have a specific gap you need filling. The reality is that marquee players rarely change clubs, in large part because of the massive salaries they command.
For a team to make a serious offer to someone like Fifita or Tedesco, you need the cap space available to do so, but to do so you almost certainly need to leave other players on your roster unsigned, which makes them vulnerable to being poached with no guarantee of you getting the marquee player, unless of course you pay massive overs, which in turn means you’ve got to put aside even more cap space and leave even more players unsigned.
Now that being said, would I make room for Tedesco, you’d be mad to not even look at the possibility. He’s probably the best player in the game currently, and you’d even seriously consider moving Gutho on to get Teddy, but that would still be a massive risk.
The key is still to identify young players and develop them and grow them together and fill in the gaps with upper mid level players like we’ve done with RCG, Matto & Waqa Blake.
Bottom line for me, there are only maybe 5 marquee players out there that I would be prepared to upset the apple cart to get. They would be Tedesco, Taumalolo, Latrell Mitchell, Cam Smith and Payne Haas. These are the 5 guys that I’m prepared to pull out all the stops to get.
So you believe in focussing on development pathways Brett? 😁
I think I’d leave out Cam Smith (age) and Mitchell (potential baggage though I think he’ll do well at Souths). Those others you name are real game changers.
Absolutely I believe in development pathways, I’ve never said otherwise. What I have said is that I don’t believe that the 16 Premiership clubs should be involved in underage development. The Premiership clubs involvement should only commence at the age of say 18-20. Underage development should be organised, managed & funded separate to the Premiership clubs.
However, once a player becomes a fulltime NRL professional then his NRL club assumes the development responsibility.
I would still pay Cam Smith to come to Parra for two years, even at age 36 or whatever he is. He is still that influential.
I guess he could get a dispensation from the NRL to have a motorised walking stick to play on.
And he would still be better than the vast majority
I think the re-signing of players such as Lane, Mahoney and Brown are more important, but if one or more of them move on, then why not go after Fifita. He’s obviously a great young talent. The other thing to consider is he will probably be the highest paid player on our roster. By not having that million dollar player, Parramatta have been able to recruit extremely well over the last few seasons. Our depth is amazing. Surely this would take a hit. Interesting topic. I’m not sure which way I’d go….
I think it’s one of those topics where you can accept the logic in different philosophies, West Coast.
We’re here to win a premiership and you recruit players that will deliver that to you, and you immediately think of the Roosters. They added just 2 players to win back to back, Tedesco and Cronk. We need the same mindset. Do we have a weakness in the back row? Not really but Fifita would massively improve that position. And our forwards do need strengthing, he’d be a weapon in attack and improve our defence, if just slightly. I doubt we’ll ever be top 2-3 in defence so you have to improve your attack to compensate.
To me this is a no brainer and I think our cap could accommodate him without too much player sacrifice. I’d think we’d be currently well under the cap which would shrink if Mahoney and Lane are upgraded. However us playing hardball with Lane could be for a reason, are we currently going after Fifita and he is the sacrificial lamb? All I can say is get it done Parramatta!
So I’ll mark you down for hell yeah to marquee players, Glenn.
Just one player atm Sixties. Doubt money is the only thing Fifita is looking for as he won’t get $1m from Broncos. Maybe a premiership opportunity which he won’t get from them either with Siebold, and he probably understands that also. He’d definitely improve our team and I believe we should have the best possible team on the park if we want to win a premiership.
Don’t get me wrong, our current team is good but doubt it is good enough, or even coached well enough, for a premiership but time will tell. There is a lot of expectation on the team to improve on last year’s effort and we all know how that went in 2018.
Your second last paragraph summed it up well.
You sign a marquee player you want a guarantee of loyalty from both sides. Big bucks for four years doesn’t make sense.
Parra has a marquee player they just don’t know it yet.
Ryan Matterson – I have watched him since he left Parra for Easts. He doesn’t have the dynamics of Fifta but, he has the makings of a loyal clubman and future captain. He is a very clever ball player and with muscle to back it up. Has a good footballers perception and I think he won’t put himself in an uncompromising position. Given time he will prove to be a marquee player.
True marquee players are hard to find and if pushed too early might not be able to handle the pressure. Think Ash Taylor.
Thurston was a marquee player but he did his apprenticeship first.
Thrusting Fifta forward at 20 years as a million dollar plus marquee man is somewhat foolish. I don’t doubt his ability but it is just too soon to put that title on him. A man chasing money after just one season is one who is thinking only of himself.
Should Parra chase him. Emphatically NO!
I believe from sixties training reports that at least two future top prospects forwards are being well coached now and maybe it would be better to focus on them.
In all probability Fifta will go to Easts.
Is it true a champion team will beat a team of champions?
Parra should focus on what we have and keep the team together. It’s the best team for some years and the best backline since the eighties.
excellent post.
Wonderfully crafted reply Zero58. Develop your own marquee. I guess in the early 80s we developed a few!
That sentiment is good but history has shown that we waste millions with juniors yet develop very few of first grade standard let alone any of marquee status. Hayne probably being the only one since the early 80s so about one every 30 years. In other words a pipe dream but Parra supporters always dream big.
Yes. That 80s group would be difficult to replicate by any club. Dylan Brown’s development is worth following.
Ah, ha! was wondering when this cool kid would be mentioned as a could be game breaker. He looks like a cross between Bert and Shterlo at this point of his development. Thrown in the deep end as a skinny 18 year old, played the same as he did in Flegg when elevated to Canterbury Cup and likewise when given the #6 during 2019 preseason. Not quite as dynamic as Bert nor does he have the ability to run the side like Shterlo (as Bert called him). At least not yet! If we lost Mitch Moses for any length of time? I would give him that responsibility at the drop of a hat, and maybe play BIG Jaemen Trout at 5/8. None of our other halves would better those two as a halves pairing!
Really enjoyed being able to follow Dylan’s progress from 16s to NRL Rowdy. TCT flagged him as a definite NRL star even at a young age. There are some kids that we believe will play NRL. With him, we just knew.
Thats not true glenn , what were guilty of is not retaining them , the list is endless , ask the boys 60,s & forty to list them for you – eg Lyons, Ryan, Tonga, Richards, Jason Cayless were all developed at Parra but left to find great success elsewhere.
If a marquee centre became available next season I would certainly sign them. We are OK for this year but we need a centre for next year and it doesn’t look like our current crop of juniors are ready to make the jump. We have Hollis and Hughes coming through and I would wait for them rather than sign Fafita and smash our cap. Would any marquee centre really want to come to Parramatta? Yes. Israel Folau. I would sign him in a heartbeat and he could cover the entire backline. New anti religious discrimination legislation is in the pipeline so I don’t think he could be denied a contract. We don’t REALLY need Fafita but Folau answers a lot of questions and fills a lot of holes that are coming up over the next 2 years plus he would probably want to come and play out his career here.
PT I like your thinking. Only question for me would be how he could handle centre especially in defence
He was never a particularly good defender even in his Melbourne days, but what he would give you the other way would still make it worthwhile
Brett I think Bennett tried to turn him into a centre at the Broncos. My memory tells me that it was not great. Seems he has played his best football in league as a winger
Craig Bellamy had already started the transition, but the problem was that the Broncos already had Justin Hodges at right centre so Izzy had to pay left side and he wasn’t nearly as effective.
Look out PT. That could open a hornets nest of opinions! To be honest, I don’t see any NRL club signing Israel. It’s not a reflection on his ability, but the associated negative publicity would likely render it impossible.
There would be zero negative publicity from Parramatta supporters. The rest can please themselves. The only person you can control is yourself and what anyone else says or thinks can’t hurt you unless you allow it to. The new legislation will prohibit any bans on him playing. Everyone (Parra supporters) will cheer his every try. I hope we have the goolies to sign him and bugger what anyone thinks
Super wouldn’t like it
In fact, I think it would be a HUGE shot in the arm for the game. Can you imagine the extra little bit of niggle in the crowd? Just like there used to be in the 70’s and 80’s. Real tribalism – the thing that made us all passionate about the game in the first place. He would create 100% the opposite effect on the game that Greenburg thinks he would…but I wouldn’t expect Greenburg to see it through PC glasses. He doesn’t have the required vision
The Roosters are already circling that particular wagon PT
I would not only be circling that wagon I would have a rider on every horse. I would also be supplying the bows and arrows. He would not bust our cap and he would want to come here.
The Roosters also have the inside track with Catalan’s coach Steve McNamara used to be Robbo’s assistant and is still good mates with him.
Do you think that the Roosters and other clubs might play that waiting game – watching how the stint in ESL plays out, both on field and off?
His deal with Catalan is only for one year, they are watching it very closely, be assured of that, and if there is one person in clubland who could get the NRL to register a contract for Izzy, it’s Uncle Nick.
I can’t argue about Politis Brett.
Little doubt that is the case, but would the NRL allow him back, after taking the stance against him as the Kiwi RU boss took? also lets not forget that he wanted to play for the eels after his first stint, but the contract was rejected as the NRL had set a too high salary figure on him, which the eels did not have, and RU kept him.
In fairness Anonymous, imagine us trying to sign him back then given the cap issues discovered after that!
Trouble with that sixties is its hindsight, and IIRC given the figure that the eels tabled for him allowed the club to be under the cap, but he would get extended coin the following years.
Depending on how he adjusts to the SL game will likely determine his future and possible staying over there or who knows where.
The club also told me that we had money to spare in 2016! We did not.
I’m tipping that no matter the ESL outcome, he won’t be playing in the NRL again.
I tend to agree with you regarding him playing NRL again, also I will be watching for news of how he goes this year in the ESL, he’s been out of contact sport for a while, & I’m not over sure how he will handle a full year though.
If he was going to come back to rugby league, it was a good choice to come back though ESL, even if he hadn’t created any other dramas. It eases him into the contact and pace.
In time i think fafita will in the end play prop say in 2 / 4 yrs time. call me crazy but the way he runs tells me he will try n run over players with out the side step or passing game that fafita has.
The roster development has been impressive each year since the salary cap fiasco to the point where the roster has the best balance and depth this year I can recall since the 80s.
And whilst Stefano may prove to be a loss in time, the club has promoted a long list; Reed, DBrown, Sivo, Marata etc with more to come.
So with the roster development and the club’s strategy and culture of being a development club I can’t see the need or room for a marquee – particularly if it means shedding players to make room.
That would be my prediction DDay. It seems our philosophy is based on assembling a quality balanced squad, with the challenge being retention with some promotion of developed players. Finding a spot for the pathways talent emerging could perhaps become a future (perhaps this time next year) topic for a post.
Sixties, while not a Marquee player, where does Jai Field fit into the equation If at all.
I don’t think he will be looking at a Development contract
I’ve liked how he’s trained since arriving. In the halves. We have 29 of top 30 filled. So there’s a spot.
Although a reward for effort and consistency in opposed sessions with good defense and fitness, Rhys Davies is still a sandwich short of an NRL picnic basket as a playmaker imo.
So Field will give us another Reggies half that might just need an opportunity as a late bloomer with good coaching and a little less pressure from expectation?
I’m tipping Parra to win the battle in the middle against the Riff and our halves to dominate on the back of that to give our three-quarters plenty of opportunity. Go Parra! .
Adding Field gives an extra dimension to the backline and bench stocks. We should watch his play at Canterbury Cup level with interest.