Hastings is the only one of the 3 that is a priority.. Brooks needs to be shown the door ASAP … Douehi is an average player and is not in a position to demand anything ,this will become apparent when a new coach arrives.Its one thing to look Ok amongst pretenders but when some quality is added it will be a different matter.
Hastings is the only one of the 3 that is a priority.. Brooks needs to be shown the door ASAP … Douehi is an average player and is not in a position to demand anything ,this will become apparent when a new coach arrives.Its one thing to look Ok amongst pretenders but when some quality is added it will be a different matter.
I think AD is a good solid first grader but not a star. Over time I suspect people have forgotten how poor some of his defensive reads were last year and how much he stifled our attack when playing at 6. He does seem to have a genuine attachment to the club but doesn't strike me as a Hastings "I'll show you the way" type of leader.
My hope is he flourishes at centre with Hastings and Brooks as he'll get early ball if our forwards make yards. Laurie running lines out the back will give us a good second option.
@mike That is right as Maguire was not going to coach this team to a top 8 finish .. had not for 3 seasons and was 3 &12 this season the rose coloured glasses have to come off at some stage.Next yr we will be in the 8
No we won’t. The fundamentals haven’t changed. Doubt we’ll be in the 8 in 2024/25 either. We are a soft touch, a ‘B’ grade club only.
Im worried for next year.
Our future spine of Laurie, Brooks/AD @6, Hastings and Api is not a top 8 spine. Api is the only real quality there.
The latest AD article says that Madge had intended to play Hastings 13 and Brooks/AD 6 & 7
Which I believe is Sheens intention also
I can only see this working if Hastings defends at 13 but then plays like a traditional 7 - like he has been always being first receiver - which then means Brooks and AD play like 6 either side of the field
Top 8 2023
The latest AD article says that Madge had intended to play Hastings 13 and Brooks/AD 6 & 7
Which I believe is Sheens intention also
I can only see this working if Hastings defends at 13 but then plays like a traditional 7 - like he has been always being first receiver - which then means Brooks and AD play like 6 either side of the field
I think you can pick them like that and then shift things around during the game.
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The latest AD article says that Madge had intended to play Hastings 13 and Brooks/AD 6 & 7
Which I believe is Sheens intention also
I can only see this working if Hastings defends at 13 but then plays like a traditional 7 - like he has been always being first receiver - which then means Brooks and AD play like 6 either side of the field
That there is reason enough to sack him lol
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
The latest AD article says that Madge had intended to play Hastings 13 and Brooks/AD 6 & 7
Which I believe is Sheens intention also
I can only see this working if Hastings defends at 13 but then plays like a traditional 7 - like he has been always being first receiver - which then means Brooks and AD play like 6 either side of the field
That there is reason enough to sack him lol
My worry is Sheens has been very vocal pushing for Hastings at 13 as well -
So I guess no one is perfect
Kimmorleys interview yesterday was interesting, he said:
- AD would be playing centres
- was asked was better at 6 and he didn't answer
- Brooks needed the confidence he's 6 and
- AD needed to play where's best for the team
- but pressure for spots is a great problem for the club
Top 8 2023
- @frullens I am really OVER the Brooks needs confidence .. how long as supporters do we have to endure this player after 150 + games and the rhetoric is he needs confidence.
My great hope is he finds another club and finally he can find that confidence to become the player that deserves the huge pay packet !
The latest AD article says that Madge had intended to play Hastings 13 and Brooks/AD 6 & 7
Which I believe is Sheens intention also
I can only see this working if Hastings defends at 13 but then plays like a traditional 7 - like he has been always being first receiver - which then means Brooks and AD play like 6 either side of the field
That there is reason enough to sack him lol
My worry is Sheens has been very vocal pushing for Hastings at 13 as well -
So I guess no one is perfect
Kimmorleys interview yesterday was interesting, he said:
- AD would be playing centres
- was asked was better at 6 and he didn't answer
- Brooks needed the confidence he's 6 and
- AD needed to play where's best for the team
- but pressure for spots is a great problem for the club
At a strong club I could definitely see Hastings playing as a 13, but at our club where he is the best 7 we have had in at least 11 years (16 years imo) then he needs to be 7. I'm not concerned about Brooks needing confidence, he adds something as a 6 that the other 2 just don't have and it provides our best attacking play in 2022.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
There is simply no workable solution to the spine issue which includes Luke Brooks next year because we can’t afford to pay him 1.1 million.
it will completely skew our salary cap and in all likelihood mean that we lose either Hastings or Douehi and seriously impact our ability to recruit for other areas of the team.
To be fair to him he’s done ok since moving to 6 but the money he’s on is just not sustainable.
We have to move forward next season and offload Luke. Play Hastings at 13 and Douehi and Madden in the halves. Three rolling forwards off the bench and either Nu or Rua as a 14
There is simply no workable solution to the spine issue which includes Luke Brooks next year because we can’t afford to pay him 1.1 million.
it will completely skew our salary cap and in all likelihood mean that we lose either Hastings or Douehi and seriously impact our ability to recruit for other areas of the team.
To be fair to him he’s done ok since moving to 6 but the money he’s on is just not sustainable.
Paying Luke Brooks $1.1m next year has no impact on our ability to retain Hastings and AD. We are also under the cap for this year, so I doubt it is going to effect our ability to recruit next season or for 2024.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
There is simply no workable solution to the spine issue which includes Luke Brooks next year because we can’t afford to pay him 1.1 million.
it will completely skew our salary cap and in all likelihood mean that we lose either Hastings or Douehi and seriously impact our ability to recruit for other areas of the team.
To be fair to him he’s done ok since moving to 6 but the money he’s on is just not sustainable.
Paying Luke Brooks $1.1m next year has no impact on our ability to retain Hastings and AD. We are also under the cap for this year, so I doubt it is going to effect our ability to recruit next season or for 2024.
Not sure how you reach that conclusion mate, we will need to upgrade Hastings for next year if we want to keep him and if we end up paying both our halves a million dollars each of course it will skew our salary cap and mean other areas of the team will be affected
if your AD or JH you are entitled to ask why you’re not earning the same money as Brooks.
Our salary cap may be under for next season but with Papali’i and Koroisau arriving on decent money will it still be under next year when we still need to recruit at least two second rowers and two front rowers and possibly a centre too.
Pay brooks forward for next year with LL’s money and whatever room with have in the cap for 22 and then offload him to Newcastle for 23. He’s not the future and I have watched every coach in the last decade think they can “get brooksy firing” and has failed.
Getting rid of brooks is a no brainer. The bigger questions for me are:
1) is Hastings going to extend beyond 23? If not then we must retain Madden
2) are douhie and Laurie top 4 players in their position? I don’t think they are and I’m not sure they ever will be. We need to be honest then about building a club around that spine
3) as much as I enjoy his passion, Douhies insistence that he’s a half might blow us up next year if he’s not producing. The fans will back their favourites even if they are persistently under performers (see recent Madge fiasco). I would not enjoy another blow up where we shift douhie away from 6 and he sooks and makes everyone’s life difficult
