Another replacement for Wakeham is Adien Sezer, yes there are issues, but he can play 7/14, is experienced and generally has a good kicking game.

Yep.
People think our halves are playing behind a defeated forward pack but I judge them on what they do inside the opposition 20m. Alot depends on the hooker I must admit and JMK is rubbish, but I don't see our halves doing anything creative either except for the last tackle cross field kick.

So before we feel we need a new dynamic forward pack, I say stuff that, we need to fix our 7 and 9 first and foremost.

A good forward pack will get you inside the opposition 30m. You still need good spine to create points.

Burton will fix 1 part of the halves equation, but unless we fix the 9 and other halves role, expect another bottom 4 position next year

We are not smart enough....

The silly part of it is it usually ends up in a slow ptb or ineffective offload.  Klemmer's biggest fault being turtled

When you say smart, no footballers are mensa geniuses.

2 separate parts, instincts and combinations.

The Averillo passes to Meaney and in particular Wardell are instincts.
Averilllo and Wakeham can throw that type of pass, from what I have seen so far Flanagan and Lewis can't.
I am backing BBO and Burton to be able to do ir.
It isn't hard, I have done it myself playing touch in the distant past.
It can be learned but the best age to learn it is under 18, best of all under 12.

Our last tackle kicks are mainly execution and combinations.
Kickers need more practice, but most of all we need more variety and the kicker needs more time.
Often off a slow play the ball and an average pass from dummy half the kicker gets the ball under pressure and rushes the kick. The opposition team know who to pressure. I would split it 50/50. Sometimes our kickers get plenty of time, but game situation, previous kicks, lack of confidence is a factor.

Next season we know Burton is a great natural kicker, if we play the Fox at fullback, I expect him to be a surprisingly good kicker of the ball. He rarely kicks, but when he does, he looks like a natural. If we play Dufty I have a hunch he can kick.

As well more big bodies and hard running will sap the oppostition energy giving our kicker more time.

This season the only quick fix is share the kicking around and have more players running at gaps to give our play makers options.

People bagging Averillo are making a big mistake, the kid is class, I am backing talent, as it doesn't grow on trees.
His role is 2nd choice kicker, maybe taking about 30% of kicks at the oppostition end and 40-50% in general play.

When I talk about smarts, I'm talking about reading the game situation, the field position,  the refs interpretation and tolerance level that day, the weather, the form of players in your team and opposition team.

I know it sounds like alot. It is. That's why only a handful if players can ever be classified as immortals IMO,  because when all their skills set desert them or they slow down, they still compete and excel because of their footy smarts.

I can see Burton has it. But right now, other than Meaney I don't see anyone that has it. Hoppa maybe had it 2 or more years ago but he has fallen off badly. 

What a team needs is to have one of your halves, hooker and fullback to have it. It helps if you also have a middle forward due to the 6 again rule. In the past, you didnt have to have it in your forwards. 

Dufty unfortunately doesn't have it and JMK certainly doesn't. What Dufty has is raw talent couple with mistakes. Cheese has parts of it only because of the Storm system but he too is just raw talent.

Hynes has it and Grant has it. DCE and Turbo and Tedesco. 

Pearce has it but as I said above, he is slowing down, is injury prone and so it's only his footy smarts that make him stand out. I'd still chase him on a 1 or 2 year contract as I think it will be hard for Burton to turn this group of misfits around...

We can't expect 20 year old kids to waltz into the NRL and dominate a game when their forwards are being dominatec.

I agree Grant, Teddy and Turbo are exceptional players, the are not many of them 
.
Burton looks a likely prospect one good player can make a big difference.
For Pearce the dollars don't stack up unless we are happy for the forwards to be badly beaten each week.
At Newcastle he has good a good pack of forwards, Best is a great centre, Ponga is exceptional.
Pearce is far from rhe only bullet in the chamber at Newcastle.

People also need to note how well a strategy of importing desperate quick fixes has gone.

T-Rex, Woods, etc.

Others like B-Moz have worked.

But keep thinking short term that is a recipe for staying where we are.

I didn't watch yesterdays game, but I had a look on the FB page where they have their player of the year ratings and in yesterdays game JMK collected quite a few 3's (out of 3) and and a 2 here and there. So they obviously didn't think he was the worst Bulldog on the field.

But this is just 110% you, you get a hard-on for a player and then that player is the answer to all our woes while the player in his position is the cause of them. Seen it all before.

But what does make me curious Marki, is that you tell us about the smart players and smart clubs but don't take no notice of what they say. Cooper Cronk, the bloke you reckon is the smartest man in League and who in fact you wanted (and maybe still do) to coach us has Cheese down as a $600k player. Melbourne are offering him $2.4 for 3 years, which surprises me a little, and Easts are gonna come in similar, yet they both want him to play back-row, his best position by plenty.

So why don't you take no notice of them?

Now I'd like Cheese sure, but I'd top out about $700 and he'd be coming here primarily to play back-row, his best position by plenty, and I'd want to be moving someone on to fit him in IF WE COULD. Maybe he play as Bellamy's doing... smartly... and start at hooker and move to backrow after 20 or so, but either way he'd come here as a back-rower that can fill in as hooker, not the other way around, and be payed accordingly.

And I ask have you not noticed how when Harry Grant comes on, Melb's impact out of DH improves 1000%? I'd say the comparison is like chalk and cheese but that's unfair to the chalk, it's more like caviar and cheese. And it applies to Cheese's game too, he improves 1000% in effectiveness. Now you can say that's because Harry Grant is an elite DH - AND THAT IS RIGHT. An elite DH worth up to a $mill a season. And you can also say JMK is not an elite DH too AND THAT IS RIGHT, but I ain't gonna pay him a $mill a season either.

But you'll pay Cheese a $Mill? for a goodish DH? And not half the player he is at backrow.

And the final thing you should consider is looking forward, if you're capable. Nov next year, by all reports there's gonna be clubs lining up with offers closing on a $mill for Burton (remember the '23 season is in his option so he's available for negotiations Nov '22 if we don't lock him up). So this time next year we're gonna have to be ready to match that, in fact to gain goodwill we're probably gonna have to upgrade him before he even laces on a boot for '22. He's walking in the door on $400k, worth on the market probably near double that now, will attract that and more Nov '22. So you want to keep him, find the money.

And then there's your mate Dufty, If he works, and I certainly hope he does, he won't be going around in '23 for us on... what is it $300k? or similar... so he's either gonna have to be upgraded too, OR if he don't work out, similar money found for an adequate replacement.

AND if none of our halves work out next to Burton, gonna have to find some money for one of them too, if Gus isn't already looking for one for '22 as it is.

So as always Marki, with your $mill contracts for the player that get's you hard in the moment before you move onto the next one -

Where's the money come from?

I'll give credit to TK for finding this, in between the bullshit "insiders" and chest beaters, sometimes someone posts something legible.

I did read this at the time but forgot about it. This may give an insight into Gus's thinking.

From Twitter:

@PhilGould15 who would be your ideal signing for Canterbury? Is there any players you think they should be all over?

@PhilGould15·Jun 8, 2020 Probably take 18 months but I’d be looking for the best halves they can find. One young. One older. Genuine edge forwards. Probably 3 of them. Two young and one older. CHN was a big loss for Bulldogs. 2 specialist outside backs. Tall ones. One experienced untilty player.

Zef, we dont have 1 million dollar player in the club. Not 1.

Most good clubs have 1 or 2. 

If our club is clueless as to manage that kind of spend, then I'm sorry but rather bring in a 17th team (2nd in brisbane), the NRL should just PUNT us in favour of them.

Coz we dont deserve to be in the comp if that is our usual excuse.....

The club has to decide which 2 players or 2 positions will be marquee dollars and which other ones will be on good-to-high dollars.

At the moment, we are paying big bucks to Napa (650k not worth it), Thompson (725k worth it IMO), Jackson (600k probably not worth it IMO), Cotric (650k not worth it), Flanno (500? Definitely not worth it)

I'm sure we are paying Hoppa, JMK and Elliott quite handsomely too. Lesser extent goes to Lewis, Wakeham, Atoni, Ogden.

Napa, Atoni, Lewis, Hoppa will all be gone after this year. There should be good dollars there.

We are alao picking up Dufty and Vaughan on value for money contracts exeptional 1 year deals. These are the best signings for the club as they dont carry baggage and allows the club to find out whether they should invest their cap money on those positions or indeed on those players going forward.

The real question the club needs to ask itself is whether they are getting value for money on their second rowers..... I dont think so and I believe we unnecessarily overspend on them. 

I'd like to see our club work towards having 2 superstar marquee players, complimented with average to well paid first graders and then a massive drop to low paid reserve graders.

It's basically the Manly salary cap model. 
I think it's the way forward in the modern day game. 

I am surprised no one has said anything about Des after the Melbourne game...he truly looked like the last drunk to leave the pub.

That doesn’t mean you pay someone a million just to have one.

I’d like to have one, maybe even two - who are worth it.

And by the end of next year I think we’ll be paying at least one, if we want to keep him for ‘24.

Then the NRL won’t have to punt us out of the comp!

Dman report to training asap, you and I are playing prop for the dogs this week.

I hope you can tackle, cos I can't, but I think I'll fit in.

Only surprise here is Gus doesn't mention hooker or prop,
I suspect the list is different today.
Cotric, JAC, Naden and Burton all signed - imo that is the outside back covered.

Edge forwards, I tend to agree thou TPJ covers the attacking side.
Our edge forwards are not flash in defence.

It's the Manly salary cap model that's partially put us in the predicament that we are in at the moment. What a fvcking blind comment that was.

Free beer and a sweet caroline sing-a-long.

Soon just being called Jack Hetherington will be an automatic 5 year suspension.

He needs to change his name to James Tedesco.

Teams can rest easy, with all our props on the sidelines we are no longer the premiership favourites...

They don't know Dman is going cold-turkey for 5 hours .... #ThirstyAndAngry

I’ll be fekked if I’m relinquishing that title!!!...

My contract says 5 minutes... my manager will be in touch... 

What's to say... 
He thought his team was riding high and had a chance yet they were once again schooled.

Both teams have talent. One just has more smarter players in more key positions and a winning culture. 

They can play 10 games and I reckon will win 8

If you can make a stupid mistake with every set of 6, you might even win the coaches award!

I think you'll find it was stupid money paid to too many fringe first graders and reserve graders.

We realistically only had Foran who edged the 1M mark (in his last year) but unfortunately paid afew too many forwards upwards of 600k and too many reserve graders upwards of 300 or 400k.

The proof is in the pudding when Lynne and the board  flagged "stupid and lopsided spending" on forwards. 

We've managed to tame the "forwards spending" and have a more balanced approach but its still not enough to my liking. I still think we have too many 2nd row options and pay them all too much. 

They were talking about backloaded contacts... players like, Woods, Mbye and probably many others on crazy contracts.... then we were paying Mbye, Woods, Graham and Reynolds to play for other clubs.

It is done and dusted now. The proof  that it is sorted is the signings for 22.

This season is all about giving some young players a run.
We should fight the Hertherington charge, I am surprised he was charged, charged and a sin bin for a tackle that was barely a penalty.

But we are likely to be without Thompson, Napa and Hertherington next game.
I can see Atoni, Stimson/Topine comimg into the side, unless Odgen is ok.

IMO forget Atoni, he isn't here next year and he doesn't want to be here.
Talented player, I think mentioned in the press he was sick of losing, I knew he was gone then if my memory and the reporting is accurate.

I recon play Topine at lock/Hooker, move Jackson to prop, maybe play Stimson and Odgen instead of Katoa .

Jackson at prop and Topine at lock is a small pack, but I would expect defence up the middle to be solid.
I would rather give young guys a shot.

I have seen more than enough of Napa,  Katoa, Atoni, and Hoppa.
Maybe try young Manu in the centres again and find a new winger.

What I don't like about Hoppa is zero intent and energy in every carry, I don't think he has broken out of a jog all season. 

The way things are going it is time to give some young players a chance, waste of time playing guys who will not be here next year.

The future for Jacko is as a prop/lock. 

BSmith has been the best hooker in the comp this year. You can ignore the facts all you want. But the truth is nobody has come close. 

I wholeheartedly agree.
And to top it off, if Melb and Easts are looking at the versatility of BSmith and upping his offer to 2.4M for 3 seasons, they can see that having a highly influential hooker at start of games, replaced by a crafty one (Grant/BBO/Verills) meanwhile Smith moves to middle forward without loss of interchange.

It's the new way of playing the game. In fact, having 2 hookers on at the same time and sharing dummy half is probably even better. Raiders also do it now. 

If you cant see that BSmith can play a minimum 60-70mins and provide impact in 2 key forward positions and you still question how he could be worth 1M, then you'll be pegged at the bottom of the ladder and kick yourself when Storm or Easts sign him up and he excels in the dual role...

Seems to be a common theme with the Dogs...  we want a player, know he will be spectacular yet pull out of the race due to a ceiling fee only to regret it soon after when that player inevitably proves his worth elsewhere.... 

We will just outbid the Roosters on a star player like we always do. 🤔

Last game- Meaney good but he is going,
JMK - good.
BBO - good, but currently looks better at hooker.
Averillo- mixed, some good mixed in with a few errors.

It is really surprising that a 21 year old in their first season of NRL isn't as consistent as players with 5 or more seasons of NRL.

We still need to sign a hooker, outbidding the Storm and Roosters for the Cheese should be easy.

I don't think there is a quick fix that has us winning the comp in 22.

What is ideal is find a young kid who is the next Harry Grant and fast track him, even if he only plays regular NRL in 2024. JMK/BBO and one other csn hold the fort.
I mentioned someone like Sezer is a good fit for us, the price is right and he covers 7/14 IMO.
If he chokes in the semis in 22, I'll cop that, but he has a few more years of experience, and world experience, under his belt.

No saying we shouldn't bid for the Cheese, just that we are very unlikely to get him.

Bwahaha!

He’s not even the best hooker in his team.

They haven’t upped hod offer, that is their offer. 800k, like I said yesterday.

And if you can’t see how anyone doesn’t think he’s worth 1m, ask Cooper Cronk, the smartest man in league.

So you tell me.