You were talking about giving a million, like everybody else that catches your eye.

And if The Tigers are in the game, it mightn’t be far off. Because They think like you - everyone gets a million. Even JR.

Its business fekken....

That's right.
He's probably on 500k now and asking for at least 600k. So give it. And tell him he gets a bonus 100k in first year if he agitates and gets released for '21

There is a definite memory of his passing being awful in the last game he played majority at rake... but I won’t judge him in one game that sticks in my mind... 
thinking maybe he was a little rusty and perhaps trying too hard... but no reason to write him off at hooker...

I cant believe we are debating the value of a player who is better than anyone we currently have in that position, and even if he fails in that position, he becomes the best 2nd rower in the team anyway!!!

What is the cost of versatility? Nothing?

The only reason he isnt playing hooker for the storm is because 2 other guys are better than him. 

I wouldn't call him the most entertaining hooker....but certainly the most influential/valuable and that makes him the best IMO.

Because we exist to try and win premierships. 
That's why.

If he is the best available hooker, irrespective of him being the best fullback or halfback, then we play him at hooker and yes we pay him hooker money if that's what it takes.

We have not been able to get Api, Starling, Grant, etc. Its time we set our goals and achieved them.

We haven't seen enough of him playing 9 to come to any conclusion.

I would like to see more of his passing game, Zef says it is terrible, I don't remember that.

Smith and Grant are smarter and throw lots of excellent passes, at the Storm the competition is stiff.

At the Dogs, JMK is average at best.

Even if his passing was no better than JMK he is an upgrade on what we have, defence is way better,  impact running the ball is better.

If his passing is worse than JMK, we tell him he is playing lock,

I don’t reckon anyone has seen enough of him playing at 9, and regularly so to be able to come to that conclusion...

No I’m not actually.

I’m focussed on his best football, by plenty, has consistently been played in the back row. He’s not the same footballer at DH. And as a DH, he’s got no game management skills, he doesn’t scoot and has a terrible pass. The best that can be said is he’ll bulldoze some metres, back rower style, and tackle all day.

I just see no point in playing him in a position that will see him playing below his best. That’s the whole point.

I’d actually pay him elite back rower money, the highest in the game to get him. But he’d be playing back row all game every game.

No matter what he thinks he is. Ask any footballer in the game where they see themselves as playing best and every one of them will answer either 1, 6, 7, or 9. So pay no attention to that. Pay more attention to what the best NRL coach of the modern era, perhaps of all time, thinks.

He sees himself as a DH, that is where he played the majority of his career before he came to the Storm.

You are overly focused on the money, he may come for less, if he gets a crack at his preferred position.

If money is the only object, maybe there is a number we can't agree on.

But he will not come for less, if we tell him he can't play his preferred position.

Unless Wakeham makes the cut, any alternative currently DH at the club is probably under 20.

I can't think of a proven quality DH playing NRL who we can sign anytime soon.

The Storm might not let him go early.

The Cheese is worth talking to as there are not many other alternatives, if we have a price in mind, stick to our price.
Position wise give him a crack, he needs to perform to keep the spot, that is if he accepts our offer

Do you know he isn’t the same player that we have seen in the past? Do any of us? He became a running forward to fit the team. He isn’t a natural second rower. Have we seen his best in either role? 

That’s a fair point. Cam Smith is the best hooker I have seen in my lifetime. So roughly the last forty years. I would probably go as far as calling him the best player I have seen. But it’s just my humble opinion 

The first question to ask when deciding who is the best in any position is. "When is the game being played"?  The requirements of virtually all positions has changed over the years.

You blokes are all talking about Cheese the middle forward as Cheese the DH.

He’s not the same player. Would anyone here wanting Cheese as a DH say he plays better football at DH than he does as a back rower? Anyone? Really, honestly, not just for the sake of argument? No you wouldn’t would you, because you know you couldn’t.

So, the plan is to buy him and play him in a position where it means he’ll play below his best every game, and then pay him more for it.

That’s the plan?

why not just offer him back rower money, to play back row, and if he knock it back then stiff sh.t.

Mick O, although what you say is mostly fact there is one thing I cannot agree with you on, and that is Cameron Smith being the best hooker the game has seen. I have been watching the game since 1960 and I can tell you there has been some cracker hookers over the past six decades. Smith maybe the best No.9 in the modern era, but hardly the best ever. Who knows, the best No.9 to ever play the game has probably not been even born yet.

The cheese is the best signing we can make from the options available. He plays in the position we desperately need to fill. 

The Cheese can play 80 so we can try both approaches.

JMK off the bench is to come on fresh and run at tired defence, JMK can play 14, he is an ordinary starting hooker.

Cheese has a sneaky little kicking game close to the line, and used sparingly at the right time adds to the decisions defenders have to make...

Good post. 
With Flanagan, Burton and Lewis, we have enough organising halves who can kick. All we need from the hooker is to run. Run bloody run

If he agitates, we might even get him earlier 
But we need to be prepared to go after him even on big bucks.
I think afew too many people think if we sign him on big bucks for 2 or 3 years, that we are stuck with him and have to pay him that much for any contract thereafter. Well, we dont.
We dont have any big money players so we can afford to splash it on him. In 2 or 3 years if a higher profile player is on the market, we can cut him loose or offer him less.

I reckon it’s a little difficult to judge whether he is a better hooker than lock at this point in time considering how little take he has played... 
Melbourne thought he was a good enough replacement for his namesake until the freak that is HDs boyfriend hit the scene...
Cheese will have plenty to prove at 9, and will be champing at the bit to get one over Grant in NV’L then In the test scene...
Easily the best option currently available for ‘22, and will play 80 minutes on his ear... 
Making him an offer to play his preferred position is the right thing to do...

Imagine after watching the absolute shit dished up from our dummy halves ever since Ennis left in 2014 and not wanting to throw the fucking bank at Brandon Smith? Yes not $1m a year but I'd be more than happy for a player like him to get $7-800 if that's what it takes. He will compliment our halves and fire up our forward pack. 

Money wise we just need to balance the books.

There is no better #9 that we can sign for spine money, however the cap needs to be managed professionally.

He offers a lot we don't have.

In any case the Storm will want a player swap that suits them and doesn't suit us. Storm are smart either they win on the deal or they keep the Cheese.

What we should ask ourselves is, if the Storm are prepared to swap for the Cheese and they will win on the deal, why are we swapping. It has to be a swap we can live with and be happy about in 2 years time.

They are not swapping Remis Smith for the Cheese, Smith was what happened last time we tried to swap.

So thow a line in the water and if we hook a white pointer, don't try to land it.

Desperate gambles on quick fixes are what the Tigers do.

Paying someone like him 1M wouldnt exactly send us into a SC mess.

He's a multi premiership winner and as you say, he can play multiple positions other than hooker.

But we need him at hooker just as NSW needed Andrew John's at hooker while Kimmorley needed to be in the team at half.

Get him for 3 years. It's not as bad investment as you  think, and that's how other clubs will see it

All very good plan, move him to lock when this when that. But always ends with move him to lock doesn’t it.

BUT, this bloke is asking for #9 money, spine money. And somebody is going to be stupid enough to offer him it. Tigers are likely to go close to a $mill, like they always do.  Do you think we should compete against that money to eventually move him to lock?

I’d offer him lock money tomorrow, elite lock money, but that’s where he’s gonna play and there won’t be another cent more.

I needed the money, gee journalism is easy, just make it up, then type it up.

5 minutes later story on Fox linking cheese to us... 

You need to factor in that JMK doesn't have it in attack and defence, and certainly not for 80.
Wakeham is a possible prospect but has limited experience in that position.

As a lock the Cheese is right up there with the best, we can always move him to lock when we have a better hooker.

But the big plus is he is a mad bastard, and he would take that description as a complement.

We would add a lot of energy, grit and leadership.
If there is a better hooker on the market they would be the priority.

Our next top class hooker is probably in the lower grades.

We need to run with what we can get.

If the Warriors are interested they might be favourites to sign him, maybe Manly, I can't see too many serious contenders.