Joined: Mar 04 2002 Posts: 4462 Location: Dublin's fair city
Once were Loiners wrote:We have the chance to genuinely improve the squad this off-season. We're lacking real quality and it will take years to develop internally (also no guarantee we'll develop stars in key positions despite investing in youth). This feels more like a 1997 style opportunity to revamp the squad by bringing in some players who will lift standards. Just like 1997 it will take money - both salaries and potentially fees. If we go cheap and cheerful I really don't think it will help (that Newcastle forward Fitzgibbon that's been mentioned is an utterly average NRL forward who will be solid but not much more).
When the Golden Generation came through they were supported by real quality from outside the club. The current crop of kids need the same.
If I remember rightly the players we brough in in the late 90's included Fleary, Farrell, Hay, Sheridan, Powell. All brought in on the cheap and all dumped just as thegolden generation were emerging leaving us with little choice but to bring through our own youngsters
Hail Stewie Griffin wrote: All dumbies those Irish folk
finglas wrote:If I remember rightly the players we brough in in the late 90's included Fleary, Farrell, Hay, Sheridan, Powell. All brought in on the cheap and all dumped just as thegolden generation were emerging leaving us with little choice but to bring through our own youngsters
That list is odd. Powell was virtually retired when we signed him, and Farrell and Fleary weren't young either. Sheridan was a reasonably big signing at the time, and the list also ignores Harris, one of the biggest signings we've ever made. The squad was an utter mess when they took over, as we'd almost gone bankrupt, and GH also brought in a number of players who might not have been big signings but were desperately needed to boost the squad (including a bunch from Sheffield). I'm not sure what point they are trying to make?
Fact is when GH and Caddick took over in 1997 they started spending big, and also focused on junior development. At the same time. We continued to make big signings throughout most of the Golden Generation era, particularly from overseas.
Once were Loiners wrote:That list is odd. Powell was virtually retired when we signed him, and Farrell and Fleary weren't young either. Sheridan was a reasonably big signing at the time, and the list also ignores Harris, one of the biggest signings we've ever made. The squad was an utter mess when they took over, as we'd almost gone bankrupt, and GH also brought in a number of players who might not have been big signings but were desperately needed to boost the squad (including a bunch from Sheffield). I'm not sure what point they are trying to make?
Fact is when GH and Caddick took over in 1997 they started spending big, and also focused on junior development. At the same time. We continued to make big signings throughout most of the Golden Generation era, particularly from overseas.
All factually correct but alas the "Big name players" are unattainable with the disparity in salary cap what we all need to understand is that our sport in the northern hemisphere is a poor relation to the southern hemisphere and for the politics it will ever be so, we have to get real and accept it for what it is.
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