*Official* NRL 2011 Season thread

[howardj]

Who cares what he's doing it for, is quite frankly laughable the people getting up in arms because "he's just a mercenary doing it for the money" (no-one on this site ftr, just other comments I've read and heard). Good luck to him if he is doing it for the money. I've never particularly liked the man, but if you're going to call anyone in the NRL in mercernary, surely the Coach who spent 20 years at the 1 club is the last bloke on that list?

I don't care how much he's getting paid.

Just so over, 'he's doing it for the challenge'. (as in the Courier Mail).

Personally, from afar, it's a pretty selfish decision to spend the next four years away from your family when you've already got a ****load in the bank.

Just my $0.02

 

[Ausage]

Question regarding Bennett: is he earning more money than the highest paid NRL player? And for that matter, is he earning more money than the highest paid AFL player?

Interesting debate today on SEN about whether the best coaches (which I assume Bennett is from what I've heard and read of his record) should be paid more than the best player, if the situation warrants it.

85% of the SEN listeners voted no, basically advocating that the best player is always worth more. The hosts (Tim Watson, Andrew Gaze, Andy Maher... so not rugby league experts by any stretch) however disagreed. They made an AFL example, stating they believe that if Judd was available to a club, or Paul Roos, then Paul Roos should be paid more.

Now Paul Roos' record doesn't even come close to matching Bennett's. I reckon coaches have potentially been underpaid until recently. So will this be a change in the way things go with regards to coach salaries? Or is Bennett just a freak and hence this is a one-off?

Bennet's contract will be worth $5m over 4 seasons, so he's paid around double the highest paid NRL player (Thurston @ 600k p/y from memory). IMO every cent is justified, and a good coach is worth far more than any single player in a team sport. Good coaches are a multiplier on your investment in players. They get the most out them when they're on the park, they turn average players into good ones, good ones into great ones and turn a team as a whole into more than the sum of its parts. The evolution of Darius Boyd and Jamie Soward and the Dragons team itself are cases in point.

Interesting that you bring up Roos as imo Bennett's work at St George is probably not all that different to Roos work with the Swans team of the mid 00s (as much as you can compare coaching between the two codes). Bennett inherited a team with good players, but no real star power. He built a team around the strengths of the players he had, high workrate, good defenders, Soward's kicking game, a player in Boyd who he moulded into one of the best fullbacks going around today. The Dragons aren't overly exciting or flashy, but it's clear they have a strong gameplan that is built on the natural strengths of the players. As a result the team is worth far more than the sum of it's parts. The reward is a team who's consistency defies the stringent salary cap environment of the NRL.

 

[Burgey]

He's worth every cent he's paid. The best NRL coach by so far it isn't even a contest.

 

[Prince EWS]

Wouldn't be so sure Boyd is going to the Knights. Would mean at least 1 of Henry, Mullen & Gidley would be ditched from a starting position. Can't see Gidley/Mullen getting turfed for obvious reasons, and if Henry were to have a decent second part of the season (upon his return from injury) I find it hard to believe he'd be given the short shift after just 1 season at the club given his apparent potential.

Well the Dragons didn't try too hard to re-sign Henry because Bennett thought he was a dickhead with tickets on himself, so it wouldn't surprise me too much to see him released and Boyd brought in. It'd be a mistake though IMO; I know they've had a bit of success together but the Mullen/Gidley halves combination lacks composure, organisation and structure IMO.

The other option of course is to play Boyd in the centres if he comes.

 

[Johnners]

Don't disagree about Mullen/Gidley (think I may have had such conversation with you before) - have always been of opinion Gidleys best postion in the NRL is at Fullback which is why I'll be intruiged to see what happens with Boyd. Didn't realise it was that about Henry, knew he was a Dragon but that's about it. If Bennett's cut him once because he doesn't like/rate him I guess he's on a bit of shaky ground.

 

[Ausage]

I don't see Boyd going to the Knights. Not matter what happens you'll be paying big money to a guy who will likely have to transition into a new position. IMO it's the wrong move to put him at center. I'm a believer of having your outside backs being on less money than your spine.

No matter how much Bennett rates him spending a large portion of the cap on someone who will need time to adapt to a new position is a huge risk, even for Bennett and especially a position as important as 5/8. It came off for Boyd with the Wing-Fullback transition, but Boyd will be on significantly more money now, so the risk will be greater. If he goes it will be to replace Gidley as Fullback with Gidley moving to 5/8 and considering how highly Bennett rates Gidley I'd say he'd give him first choice at his position.

IMO the Knights would be better off saving that money and making a play at a tried and true number 6 or 7 as Mullen can play either. Maloney is off contract this year with Foran and Walsh coming off contract next year IIRC. They'd come cheaper than Boyd which would give the Knights more money to strengthen their front row where they're pretty weak.

 

[Burgey]

Eels are specials tonight. Get on.

 

[ripper868]

Eels are specials tonight. Get on.

Hate to say it but i got on the dogs at 1.65

 

[Burgey]

Yes, Hayne horribly out of form...

Dogs the most over rated side in the comp, no matter the result tonight. They're nowhere near Melbourne or Saints. A walking myth in football shorts. How I despise them.

 

[Burgey]

Well this game has everything. And now we know Hayne and Hindmarsh are worth 14 points in seven minutes to us.

 

[Ausage]

Haynes incident was princess ****. He was looking to milk it on the ground but instead decided to get up and headbutt the bloke. Dire. Hindys incident was just weird. Ennis is a prize **** but I don't see why be got sent to the bin.

Great game though at halftime.

 

[Mister Wright]

Given the results thus far and the Broncos awesome 2nd half defense, I hope the Roosters go to a 14-0 nil lead against the Broncos early tonight.

 

[Craig]

I wouldn't pick Hayne for Origin TBH, but with Stewart and Dugan always injured, who else is there that is good enough. I just think Hayne is playing like **** ATM, and his brain explosion cost his team the game on Friday.

 

[Ausage]

I wouldn't pick Hayne for Origin TBH, but with Stewart and Dugan always injured, who else is there that is good enough. I just think Hayne is playing like **** ATM, and his brain explosion cost his team the game on Friday.

The ***y man in my avatar. Seriously he's a freak.

 

[Ausage]

Also our Pommie league fans will be happy to hear young Widdop seems to be coming along nicely. Had a very good game today. Got MoM for ABC in a team with Smith, Cronk and Slater in it.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Also our Pommie league fans will be happy to hear young Widdop seems to be coming along nicely. Had a very good game today. Got MoM for ABC in a team with Smith, Cronk and Slater in it.

Just need another five or six decent backs and we're good then.

Most galling thing is the defections to union. Ashton carved the 6 Nations defences apart and Eastmond, who is a proper talent, is moving to Bath at the end of the season. Our league stocks just don't have the depth to compensate.

Have a decent pack tho, in all fairness.

 

[Ausage]

Just need another five or six decent backs and we're good then.

Most galling thing is the defections to union. Ashton carved the 6 Nations defences apart and Eastmond, who is a proper talent, is moving to Bath at the end of the season. Our league stocks just don't have the depth to compensate.

Have a decent pack tho, in all fairness.

Yeah got alot of time for Ellis and Burgess in particular. Both guns.

Just on the defections, IMO we'll be seeing more English players over here in the next couple of years. The NRL is tipped to get a fair bit more money in the next tv deal, and there could well be new teams in need of players. Super League will take a dip in quality, but talented English league players will have another option if they're doing it for money. We're already seeing a bit of it (the Dogs going after Graham) with the relaxing of the salary cap.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah got alot of time for Ellis and Burgess in particular. Both guns.

Just on the defections, IMO we'll be seeing more English players over here in the next couple of years. The NRL is tipped to get a fair bit more money in the next tv deal, and there could well be new teams in need of players. Super League will take a dip in quality, but talented English league players will have another option if they're doing it for money. We're already seeing a bit of it (the Dogs going after Graham) with the relaxing of the salary cap.

Will be good for them if they do make the move. When Fielden was leaving the Bulls he must've been pretty close to being the best prop in the world and there was talk about him heading to the NRL to test himself. Instead he took the extra wedge on offer from Wigan and his game regressed markedly for two or three years.

Can see a few moving for the lifestyle too; if the money's comparable could see Sydney looking a lot more attractive than Salford.

 

[Ausage]

Rl.com had a pretty good writeup on Widdop's performance. First story comes recommended as well

Monday Morning Halfback: Round 6 NRL Review - rleague.com

 

[Craig]

Anthony Watts, WAC, I mean who bashes their (now) ex-girlfriend? I hope he, along with Todd Carney have their contracts ripped up and are de-registered for a long time.