Rebels want Slater- $1 millon a year

[Epi]

A league superstar will put bums on seats down here. I'd be targeting Cronk too but Slater is probably the biggest star of all.

I'm not sure (I don't know league very well). Amongst my generalist sports fan friends Inglis seems to be the most well known one. He also seems to have youth on his side.

If I were putting a team together I'd definitely take Inglis over Slater. I just think that Slater has a slightly higher profile in Melbourne (face of the Storm - winning Australia's best athlete etc.)

I also remember Inglis being quite categorical in saying he'd never play rugby.. not that that means anything but you'd like to think that who ever you recruit actually wants to be there.

 

[Scarfman]

Folau is superclean too, they tell me. Second only to Hazem El Masri. Didn't Slater get into one situation?

 

[cyclopath]

Well, they're all really talented I will admit, but it strikes me that any of these guys coming over would just be to put some money back in their accounts that they may be sacrificing (if the current reports are to be believed) to "help" the Storm out a bit.
We do not want mungos coming to Rugby just to pad out their bank balance.
$1 million a year can be far better spent getting back some Australian rugby talent from OS, or keeping some we have here already onshore. These guys would take it for a couple of years then fuck off back to league in a heartbeat.
That said, Folau looks very dangerous close to the line, Slater far from the line.

 

[RugbyFuture]

he'll break, he's got the same frame as rogers, meaning he's too brittle to actually play rugby and has no experience, why bother if hes gonna be treated like crap, and hated by the rugby community.

 

[cyclopath]

he'll break, he's got the same frame as rogers, meaning he's too brittle to actually play rugby and has no experience, why bother if hes gonna be treated like crap, and hated by the rugby community.

I wouldn't hate him. I would be pissed off at the bean counters who think it's a good way to spend money.

 

[RugbyFuture]

well as long as its on third party agreements and not the actual contract im fine, although what the team members would think, who have been loyal ruggers their whole life is another matter.

 

[Epi]

What do you mean he'll break? Rugby is not more physically demanding than league and the fact that the 'size of his frame' is the same as Rogers doesn't mean he's 'brittle'. How many rugby players are running around with the same sized frame and they're not 'breaking'. Do you see some of the hits they try and put on him? No arms either...

I personally think there are better options but if it is designed as a crowd puller they could do worse.

 

[en_force_er]

Inglis:
Extremely good league player.
Has been involved in many scandals.
No union background.
Is 23 years old.
Prominent in the media.
Will cost a whole heap of dollars.

Folau:
Extremely good league player.
No scandals.
No union background.
Is 21 years old.
Prominent in the media.
Will cost a lots of money.

Slater:
Extremely good at league.
Some scandals... I think?
No union background.
Is 26 years old.
Prominent in the media.
Will cost a heap of money:

Cronk:
Pretty good league player, fringe international.
No scandals.
Terrific union background.
Is 26 years old.
Somewhat prominent in the media.
Will cost nowhere near as much money.

All 4 of these players are well known to any leaguie and most general sports fans, particularly a Melbourne based one. They would generate publicity.

Not counting 2011 (too soon), you'd probably only get 1 WC out of Slater and Cronk and could potentially get 2 out of Folau and Inglis. Obviously this is presuming they will become good enough.

Cost wise Inglis, Folau and Slater would dwarfs Cronk. Yet Cronk would guarantee good results far quicker that the other 3.

However Inglis, Folau and Slater would have a much higher potential to be amazing compared to Cronk.

Weigh it up as you see fit.

 

[DPK]

Cronk is also a good leader- I've heard that he should be captain but Smith is captain because he has higher honours. Cronk could become a valuable part of the Rebels, making up part of a leadership group that Macqueen would install.

 

[RugbyFuture]

What do you mean he'll break? Rugby is not more physically demanding than league and the fact that the 'size of his frame' is the same as Rogers doesn't mean he's 'brittle'. How many rugby players are running around with the same sized frame and they're not 'breaking'. Do you see some of the hits they try and put on him? No arms either...

I personally think there are better options but if it is designed as a crowd puller they could do worse.

Players are put in more situations where they can be injured though, and matt rogers is the most apparent example of this, so to use him as a control is the most viable to judge the future performance of a player with similar background and skills set, although i think slater is a better person than rogers ever came across as being, this also means that some might be more loyal to league than those previous converts too.

 

[DPK]

What do you mean he'll break? Rugby is not more physically demanding than league and the fact that the 'size of his frame' is the same as Rogers doesn't mean he's 'brittle'. How many rugby players are running around with the same sized frame and they're not 'breaking'. Do you see some of the hits they try and put on him? No arms either...

I personally think there are better options but if it is designed as a crowd puller they could do worse.

Players are put in more situations where they can be injured though, and matt rogers is the most apparent example of this, so to use him as a control is the most viable to judge the future performance of a player with similar background and skills set, although i think slater is a better person than rogers ever came across as being, this also means that some might be more loyal to league than those previous converts too.

No no no. Every player is different, just because they're similar sizes doesn't make them the same body type. Rogers may have got injured easily but that has no effect on Slaters chances.

 

[RugbyFuture]

I'm still a sceptic, cronk would be a better buy with his background, and the melbourne public wouldn't know how to differentiate the two codes on sucha converging path (either back together or further apart)

 

[en_force_er]

I'm still a sceptic, cronk would be a better buy with his background, and the melbourne public wouldn't know how to differentiate the two codes on sucha converging path (either back together or further apart)

The Melbourne public and the Melbourne Rugby public as different things.

More and more people in the general public understand the differences between the codes. Whilst the Rugby public, which most of the Reb's fans will come from, fully understand.

League V Union doesn't exist in the same way in Vic as it does it NSW/QLD many people will happily follow both.

 

[chief]

Folau played Union for Marsden College.

 

[Groucho]

What do you mean he'll break? Rugby is not more physically demanding than league and the fact that the 'size of his frame' is the same as Rogers doesn't mean he's 'brittle'. How many rugby players are running around with the same sized frame and they're not 'breaking'. Do you see some of the hits they try and put on him? No arms either...

I personally think there are better options but if it is designed as a crowd puller they could do worse.

Players are put in more situations where they can be injured though, and matt rogers is the most apparent example of this, so to use him as a control is the most viable to judge the future performance of a player with similar background and skills set, although i think slater is a better person than rogers ever came across as being, this also means that some might be more loyal to league than those previous converts too.

Very impressive piece of bullshitting there, RugbyFuture!

 

[Reddy!]

The fact is, signing somebody like Slater would be HUGE for the Melbourne Rebels, their profile would be boosted 300% (exaggeration) due to the Melbourne Storm scandals. What is also very important for the Rebels is to be competitive and win. So far they haven't made many signings, and those that they have signed aren't leaving me licking my lips, and quite frankly I can't see where the big names are going to come from. Slater is up there as one of the best footballers in Australia in any code, he is a great athlete and ultra competitive.

Ditto Folau, he is a freak. Wouldn't surprise me if the AFL snap him up first. This kid would be a dream recruit because there is almost 100% chance there will be no scandals surrounding his name. He doesn't drink, ever, he is religious, goes to church etc, good role model, happy personality, and his footballing skills speak for themself.

 

[en_force_er]

Folau played Union for Marsden College.

Really? How much of it?

Well I'm sold. Sign the boy up ASAP.

 

[naza]

Geez, you don't get much for your money these days.

Slater is an epic choker in big games. His defence is wafer thin, he's hopeless under the high ball, can't kick and is smaller than most S14 halfbacks. His biggest asset - his speed and elusive running - will diminish rapidly now he's approaching his thirties.

I don't buy the arguement that claims he'd be a great draw.

 

[RugbyReg]

fuck a crowd puller. Sign Brad Pitt or George Clooney if we want that.

Or get the crusty demons to perform on the sidelines.

If we want a Storm player than Cronk or Falou (ex I know).

In saying that, I reckon Smith would be a very decent 12, although probably not half a million dollars good.

 

[RugbyFuture]

What do you mean he'll break? Rugby is not more physically demanding than league and the fact that the 'size of his frame' is the same as Rogers doesn't mean he's 'brittle'. How many rugby players are running around with the same sized frame and they're not 'breaking'. Do you see some of the hits they try and put on him? No arms either...

I personally think there are better options but if it is designed as a crowd puller they could do worse.

Players are put in more situations where they can be injured though, and matt rogers is the most apparent example of this, so to use him as a control is the most viable to judge the future performance of a player with similar background and skills set, although i think slater is a better person than rogers ever came across as being, this also means that some might be more loyal to league than those previous converts too.

Very impressive piece of bullshitting there, RugbyFuture!

not bullshit, sceince