The current NRL transfer system is ridiculous. Because players can sign for another team nearly a season in advance, it would appear that most of the off contract players in the NRL have already been snapped up.
The picks of the bunch appear to be Justin Poore, David Stagg, Maurice Blair, Shane Shackleton, Travis Waddell and Matt Groat, who is otherwise known as the winner of the “Best impersonation of a tackle bag” award in 2012.
David Stagg would be a good replacement for someone like Nathan Hindmarsh at the Eels or Luke Lewis at Penrith.
He would possibly even be an astute signing for the Warriors, where he could impart some experience and a serious work ethic on a young and talented pack, Michael Luck style.
Shane Shackleton is crying out for a chance.
The former City representative forward had a few good seasons at the Roosters and was a prized recruit for Parramatta for the 2010 season.
A season-ending injury in his first game was a bad omen for the rest of his time there. He went to Penrith in mid-2012, and is unsigned for next season as a result. This has all the ingredients for a Craig Bellamy style makeover.
Maurice Blair is a handy centre who can hold his own without really offering too much special. He is a player who will be bought for depth, rather than a starting position.
With Brisbane losing Beale, T’eo and Gagai, and with Hodges frequently injured, the Broncos’ centre stocks could use some bolstering.
With the Tigers using five hookers last year, why not sign young Travis Waddell? He couldn’t be any worse than Politoni, Fulton (at hooker), Humble or Iosefa.
Matt Groat and Justin Poore will find it hard to even get a run at Centrelink, but Ben Roberts played 19 games last season so there is surely hope for the human tackle bag and his mate Justin!
So, with the duds out of the way, is there no one left to sign? Not necessarily.
Trent Hodkinson is clearly surplus to Des Hasler’s requirements, and he is taking a huge chunk out of the already bulging Canterbury salary cap. With genuine halfbacks being such a rare commodity in rugby league, there should be a few clubs willing to fork out for him.
With Hornby’s retirement and the Tigers’ lack of a halfback for the whole of last season, St George and Wests would be obvious contenders. Selling Hodkinson would enable the Dogs to top up the contract of Ben Barba, or of any good juniors who are coming through.
Kalifa Faifai Loa is contracted to the Cowboys for another two seasons, but last year he played a measly six games. Behind try scoring machines Ashley Graham and Antonio Winterstein, he found it hard to crack first grade last year.
A New Zealand international, he is too good to be playing Queensland Cup. With no Goodwin and Wright, the Bulldogs appear to have a starting wing spot available. So too do the Tigers, with Lote Tuqiri ageing, Koroibete still quite green and Beau Ryan Cronulla-bound.
Chad Townsend, Sam Williams and Daniel Mortimer are all quality halves who, unfortunately for them, are languishing behind better halves. Jeff Robson, Terry Campese and James Maloney will only give opportunites to their understudies through injury.
Something tells me the silly season isn’t over yet.
peeeko
Roar Guru
if drinkwater is any good Manly have had HOdkinson, DCE and Drinkwater come thru as first grade standard halfbacks in 4 years. pretty remarkable
peeeko
Roar Guru
i thought Romelo has gone elsewhere? i agree that Hodkinson may be better than Keating but my guess is they must have some salary cap pressure and getting rid of Hodkison would help
Tommygun
Roar Rookie
Matthew, you are the first Broncos supporter that is a fan of Dale Copley! Anyways, if Yow Yeh and Copley move to the centres who will be on the wings? I wasn't suggesting Blair as a walk up starter, but a depth player with experience that can be relied on when called upon.
Tommygun
Roar Rookie
No idea about Kite. There was the rumour in the papers that the Tigers were interested ...
Tommygun
Roar Rookie
I forgot about Beau Scott! Surely they are saving with someone in mind.
Tommygun
Roar Rookie
I think my biggest bug bear with Hodkinson being at the Dogs is the amount of salary cap space being wasted by playing him in NSW Cup. The 250K plus could be used to keep some of the up and comers or top up the contracts of players coming off contract next year. Eastwood, Reynolds, Pritchard and Tolman are all off contract at the end of next season. Plenty of clubs will be after Tolman and Reynolds that's for sure.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
If Romelo couldn't crack the side this year, no chance he will next year. Keating can cover both halves spots, and hooker as well, and offers a point of difference with his speed. Ennis is probably one of the slowest players in the NRL at the moment, I still remember him having a 10 metre head start on a 35yr old Kimmorely and he got beaten to the ball over 50 metres.
matthewthorpe
Roar Pro
i agree, plus des knows how to get the best out of hodkinson. he was just unlucky with injuries and a lack of confidence this season
matthewthorpe
Roar Pro
to tell the truth i didn't realise the talent pool was so small for transfers this season! as a broncos fan i don't think we need maurice blair or any centres, yow yeh is being groomed to take over from hodges and dale copley is a better centre than winger, just need those guys to gain a bit more experience. would love for us to sign david stagg tho. a broncos junior - they all love coming back to the club in the end. plus he can provide some starch in the middle third to aid our young props and take come of the tackling pressure off parker and mccullough
Tommygun
Roar Rookie
Mortimer playing NSW cup and Stagg unsigned for 2013. Should be a punishable offence!
Tommygun
Roar Rookie
I agree Keating appeared a touch out of his depth in the grand final and i personally rate hodkinson higher. In saying that Reynolds had the luxury of having Greg Inglis running off the outside him and an experienced halves partner in Sutton too. I think Ben Barba this season will be able to take more pressure of whoever his halfback is next year in a karmichael hunt, darius boyd style.
Mantis
Roar Guru
Dragons signed Josh Drinkwater from Manly u20's who is supposed to be a gun
Tommygun
Roar Rookie
I cant see both in the 17 next year Dogs. I think Halatau being able to cover centre, back row and hooker in desperate times and Romelo being a decent hooker and able halves replacement will see those two fight out the bench utility spot.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
Yes we got there, but a better kicking game, and someone who can direct the forwards a bit more would have made it harder for Melbourne to get away with the gameplan they used. We got shutdown on the edges and Keating wasn't able to produce anything different to challenge the status quo. I think Hodkinson brings that to the table, and if he hadn't been injured would have shown his hand. It took a few weeks once Hodkinson got injured for the team to work out how to effectively use Keating as his skillset wasn't as broad as Hodkinsons. Have a look at Souths and what Reynolds provided the team, Keating is not at that level, Hodkinson is, and it's what the Bulldogs need if they are to take the next step.
NickF
Guest
Add Beau Scott leaving also, you would thing that Doust would have some more cash and a serious reason to buy a backrower like Stagg or Jeremy Smith (he missed that one). But The Dragons, for some reason, seem to have a policy of not buying established players and hoping on internal promotions.
The Dribbler
Guest
Oh yeah and is kite signed yet?
The Dribbler
Guest
Keating not jesting
The Dribbler
Guest
I'd have to say I agree about Hodgkinson. I'm sure jesting will hold his spot considering they went to the grand final with him there. The dragons, wests, the eels (shifting Sandow to 5/8) and warriors would be mad not to try and got him on the cheap. Mortimer played great for the roosters when anasta or Pearce were out so he is good value as well. I go for Souths and even with our pack id love to have stagg. I cannot believe he is STILL unsigned.
Will Sinclair
Guest
I would imagine Matt Groat would have played a lot more 1st Grade this season if he wasn't injured. He actually missed so much footy this year that he wasn't eligible to play in the Toyota Cup Finals, although he was fit by the end of the season. I'd still be betting on him coming good. Not many front rowers play top grade at 18yo.
eagleJack
Guest
Yeah I agree that junior reps shouldn't be used exclusively. Many fall away. Losing Galloway early in the season was tough for the Tigers. Telling 2 blokes under 20 in Woods and Groat to lead the pack would have been very daunting. One stepped up. The other didn't. But that's not to say Groat wouldn't have learnt a helluva lot which will pay dividends later.