I'd prefer JMK can manage the 80, but in response to HDs post re a rotation, then yes I'd prefer lich start... Unless he has rediscovered his running game and learnt to pass off the ground, coming off the bench would kill any momentum we may have generated...

I guess that's better than when your homes used to roll the ice cream kids on the terry lamb family hill...

Is there anyone at Belmore HQ that can persuade Brandon Smith to come across to Belmore now that Cam Smith has stayed on for another 2yrs?


The guy plays the game like a Bulldog!

This is probably the most sensible post this year.

I'm not sure if Cam Smith will actually see out the full 2 years (will probably pull the pin after 400 games). Meanwhile he will might receive 2 years salary worth (somehow)....

Either way, a starting spot in our team for Brandon is on offer. We just need our club to acknowledge how important a good hooker is and how much of an attacking dimension it can provide. 

Was watching some older Dogs games on Fox the other day and both Corey Hughes and even Adam Perry made Lichaa look pedestrian. That says it all.

Marki...what the fekk would you know..you are like a little kid envying the kid across the street's new bike...Brandon Smith had hardly any time in NRL got injured and you rate him as the greatest hooker of the century..

Interesting story relayed to me last night concerning the aftermath of a certain NRL grand final ...not the 1988 or 1990 one and a visit was made to the dressing room by PM Hawke as the star player was performing a self gratification on the massage table....for all the world to see...seems too ridiculous to be true but no more so than another Grand Final star player less than a decade later (his interview after expressed a desire to get drunk) who had a penchant for fellatio giving 14 year old girls...

Seems I know more than you Stevie boy....
You obviously dont watch many games. 
He played a significant part of last years Melb charge to the GF. Not all was at hooker but thanks for reminding me about his versatility in other positions (lock, second row).

His value just went up a couple of notches.

Did I mention he also played for the NZ Kiwis?

Stick to your Lichaa love-fest. You're good at it.

Roy and H G page "In reference to an alleged dressing room incident following the Canberra Raiders' first grand final win in 1989, where Daley celebrated by allegedly popping his own "magnum" of champagne, in full view of his team mates and then Prime Minister Bob Hawke. "Tool" is a slang word used often by Roy and HG for penis. "

Seems it is okay to do in front of the Prime Minister if an elite player BUT to pretend to do in the privacy of a function room by two less than elite players is the greatest crime under the sun.

Mummy...that little schite over the road has a new bike and I don't..."shut up Marki...his daddy is Nick Politis"

Your cryptic post has me baffled....
By intentionally excluding 1988 and 1990, I'm assuming the first one is 1989 the year Canberra won. Kind of makes sense given it was their first premiership but I cant figure out who the player may have been. Have my suspicions.

The other I assume is 1997 and not from the Super League, meaning it is probably one of the Immortals or the cocaine busted player.....

I could be wrong altogether.....

The Roy & HG reference takes any of the cryptic out of it...

Re #2...I believe money changed hands..considerable money

Smith's nickname is 'the bulldog'...  With cam smith signing on for a couple more years and not playing rep, and smith's hard running style I see him progressing to play lock, I think his talents will be wasted a 9. He's about 6 foot and will put on a few more kegs over the next two years...
Nobody has seen enough of him playing hooker to compare him to :the nugget'... We all know my thoughts on Corey... "DONT KICK COREY"!!!!...

#1 There is no way this would happen... 
#2 There is every chance that could happen...

First story is well known by plenty, the second one well known by plenty in a certain region...

Congrats to Morgan Harper


Took up the final top 30 spot today



No more rumours, no more signings..... let’s move on!

I will not even be totally surprised if Morgan runs out in the side in round 1 and plays there most of the season.

More realistically, it will take a few rounds to get a chance, but once he gets in I can see him playing a lot of games.

They already said last year Harper was in the first 29, as a development player, only eligible for selection later in the 2019 season.
Whatever, glad he gets a go one way or another.

Edit: I just read it on the official site. He 'was' a development player, but now promoted to eligible at the start of the season.

Dogs to play ISP trial Feb 23 I think at Belmore VS Tigers


No doubt Pay will use this game to get more K’s in the legs for some fringe first graders & the new signings

So it's top 30 players, and as well as that, additional development players. I don't know which lunatics article I read months ago but it had me way off track since. I've been under the impression the development players were part of the top 30. Harper, Okunbor & Wakeham can all start round 1. Not as thin on outside backs in the event of early injuries with that possible, so that's good to hear.

BN looking at the official top 30 list, there is plenty of youth listed. Naturally it will only go one of two ways. 1: too much youth and too much inexperience and we will have another long hard season but we will be better off for it. or 2: we are going to have a cracker of a season with the youth re-invigrating the experience, we will surprise everyone finish really welk this year and next season be a powerhouse. I believe option No.2 will be the outcome.

We won't finish "welk" as in Lawrence but well.

Was under same impression...

I think top 30 can play anytime.

4 additional development players can play after June 30?

With Harper being promoted, my guess is we have another development slot.

It is great to see lower graders getting a chance.

You always need the right mix of youth an experience, but a good player is a good player at any age over 18.
No point in parking good players in reserve grade, while average players play NRL. 

 

Last line is very important.
We tend to be a club that is afraid to promote younger players to NRL. Its OK to hold them back if the guy they are suppose to replace is a star. 
That's the reason why Meany left the Knights and thee are quite afew similar examples.

We have been poor in this department particularly with keeping dead wood when the opportunity to promote youngsters has been there. A lot had to do with Des and Folkes and their reluctance to play young guys. 

Des

Marki.... the plan is, as I have been reliably informed by the M.I.B., is that when Val Holmes fails in his bid for a NFL contract... the Dogs will pounce offering him a development contract outside the top 30

Now I’m off to spend my 80mill Powerball winnings

I reckon they'll move up the ladder, just wouldn't go as far as expecting the minor premiership. I can't believe some writers predict the spoon. Parra can keep it.
Even with half a dozen or so youth players, it still leaves over 20 experienced first-graders.

Brother can you spare a Mill?

(That's inflation) 

I tried to find where we saw the top 29 last year. All I could find was this so it's probably it :
https://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/nrl-2019-squads-team-lists-contracts-signings/1rxfv6xm2m76z1dx6v9qs9ziy8
There were no development players listed, so those of us that jumped straight to Canterbury on that page probably just assumed development players were in the top 30.
It had Wakeham, Okunbor & Sadler, but Harper wasn't listed there. I definitely remember from last year Harper was named one of the development players, must've assumed he was in that top 29 list. I didn't spend much time looking over it at the time.