If they had a Dally M award for buy-of-the-season it would be a toughie for the judges.
There are a number of standout candidates spread across the NRL, with Ricky Stuart and the Canberra Raiders perhaps recruiting better than their rivals.
At a family gathering last weekend, my brother-in-law declared Raiders’ five-eighth Blake Austin a runaway winner in the ‘best buy’ category, but his insistence merely lit the fuse to a very lively debate.
I thought The Roar might be the best place settle my (friendly) family argument and today I am inviting our army of league fans to fire in their nominations.
It’s incredibly hard to split Austin, Blake Ferguson (Roosters) and Michael Ennis (Sharks) for the fictitious gong. Each has had a resounding effect on his new club with excellent contributions in his own, inimitable way.
The goatee-bearded Austin has been playing like a state five-eighth all year, sparking the Canberra attack with his astonishing speed and brilliant sidestep.
He has 13 tries to his name and has become the Canberra player most talked about in pre-game discussions about danger men.
Ferguson has made an enormous impact since he was cleared to play for the Roosters and if they are to go deep into the finals series, you can bet he’ll be in the thick of the action.
His powerful try out wide sunk the resurgent Bulldogs last week and his defence is up there with the best centres in the game.
I wasn’t sure if Ennis would be the right fit for the Sharks, but he has added a tremendous dimension to the rugged Cronulla pack in a terrific season. He has provided direction and dash from dummy half and his 16 try assists suggests he is doing plenty right for a team on the improve.
Ennis, of course, can be a menace with his niggly, in-your-face antics but there is no doubting he has been a fabulous buy for the Sharks.
I’ve run my eyes through the NRL ranks and come up with some players who have been really good for their new clubs in 2015. Is the ‘buy of the season’ here or can you provide another?
Broncos: Anthony Milford, Darius Boyd
Bulldogs: Brett Morris, Curtis Rona, Michael Lichaa
Cowboys: Jake Granville
Dragons: George Rose
Eels: Reece Robinson, Danny Wicks
Knights: Tariq Sims
Panthers: Apisai Korosau
Rabbitohs: Glenn Stewart, Tim Grant
Raiders: Blake Austin, Iosia Soliola, Josh Hodgson, Frank Paul Nu’ausala, Sam Williams
Roosters: Blake Ferguson
Sea Eagles: Willie Mason
Sharks: Michael Ennis, Jack Bird, Ben Barba
Storm: Dale Finucane, Marika Koroibete, Blake Green
Tigers: Kevin Naiqama
Titans: Kierran Moseley, Eddy Pettybourne
Warriors: Ryan Hoffman
S.L. Craven
Guest
Ennis has had a huge impact at the Sharks. He's brought a football brain with him, which they've needed for some time.
Kirk
Guest
so whichever team is on the top of the ladder has made the best buy? that's flawed logic. I would say the Broncos success this season has been due to the coach and not the signing of Milford. Blake Austin has got people genuinely excited about the Raiders this season and is being talked up as NSW 5/8 for 2016. Just remember he was a fringe first grader in 2014.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Probably Granville and Austin are the two standouts but definitely Canberra Raiders have done the best buying in the off season. Austin, Soliola, Hodgson, Williams, Waqa, Niusalaa have all put in this year at various times and wouldn't have come with high price tags because they were not 'stars' like Ferguson, Milford, B. Morris etc.
Kevin
Guest
Barba? He's been really quiet. Doesn't have the pace of years gone by.
AJM
Guest
It has to be Ferguson. What other player has gone from recruitment officer to star player and fitted under the third party agreement phantom salary cap? -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
KillaKanga
Roar Rookie
Without a shadow of a doubt Blake Austin to the Raiders is the best move in 2015...followed closely by Sandow to Warrington....just glad to see the back of him !
JVGO
Guest
Well the Sharks won the wooden spoon last year and are fifth with a bullet at the moment mostly due to Ennis.
JVGO
Guest
The Sutherland Hemisphere
SpongeBob
Guest
Time will tell. If he was on $3-400k it's a whole other ball game, for the rumoured amount of money he needs to really perform. Broncos paid Inglis dollars for an unproven player and are using him out of position. Big gamble.
American Dave
Guest
They should probably have a chat to the guy they hired at the Hurricanes.
Geoff Foley
Roar Rookie
I'd like to see how the Milf goes without Alfie standing behind him telling what to do. Need to let the training wheels off Broncos, he was very good down at Bruce, albeit less consistent.
The eye
Guest
did arthur beetson have a gama at number 7 some time during his career ? Then consider him a halfback..
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Probably doesn't count... but the Tigers getting Tedesco to backflip on the Raiders has been absolutely huge. The kid will be a superstar in the NRL for 15 years, and he could have been lost before he really got started.
Ian
Guest
I agree. Hodgson has made a huge difference for the Raiders. Would be curious to see what Austin's impact might have been if Buttriss and McCrone were the hookers.
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
Milford was a great buy but he wont hit his straps completely this year, Austin has been awesome in getting his team from from the spoon territory to mid table, but my pick for most astute buy is Granville for being the missing piece that moved his team from mid table to very possible Minor premiership
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
PC
Guest
My roughie (as a broncos supporter) is Adam Blair. Rubbish in the first few rounds but has been a pretty handy addition to our forward pack (especially when Maguire has been out) Granville has been great, Milford has been great and Austin has been great.
Grand Armee
Guest
Jake Granville by a fair few furlongs.
Chinmay Hejmadi
Roar Guru
I guess Koroibete can also come under the "honourable mentions" list. But yeah, Granville no doubt has had the greatest impact on any team this year. Austin a close second.
Pain Game
Guest
Jake Granville, Cowboys.