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Author Topic: Chopping block  (Read 3234 times)

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West Stand Quin

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Chopping block
« on: Sunday 04-Nov-2018, 20:13* »
I’m not aware of contract situation of these players but I feel these are the ones who PG will be looking to release to freshen up the squad come the summer:

Visser - shadow of his former self and misses lots of tackles which Gustard must hate.

Luamanu - nowhere near the team

Dave Lewis - Saunders now I’m ahead of him as 3rd choice

McNulty & Swainston let big Josh step up into back up tighthead role

Ward - had a good game today but lineout weakness is costing games

Ross Chisholm - been at the club a long time but I don’t see the player he was before the knee injuries. Considering his pace doesn’t seem a threat.

Catrakilis - must be in first choice money and he’s not even the second best (subjective view) 10 at the club.

Alofa- useful utility but nowhere near first choice at ever centre or wing. Never really seems to be a major threat to the opposition

Players who need to step up are Wallace (when did he last have an outstanding game) & I wonder if Charlie Walker has now been overtaken by the guys coming out of the academy.

Trying to take sentiment out of it.

T-Bone

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 04-Nov-2018, 21:34* »
Chisholm playing very well this season, but probably behind Morris as back up 15.

Visser has another year I think. He'll come good.

Others I'd agree with.

I think Merrick and Wallace need to move on too

quintastic.

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 04-Nov-2018, 21:48* »
Chisholm plays well in the a league and this new LV cup replacement. Kind of shows his level really

InsertQuinsPunHere

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 04-Nov-2018, 22:52* »
Didn't Alofa Alofa start on the bench against Sarries, only to come on very early on and perform quite well?
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raedarius

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #4 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 08:14* »
Alofa earns his pay.  Good bench option who does the job when called upon.

Gone

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #5 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 08:28* »
Assume Lambert will retire, Luamanu must be out the door, Lewis has been abysmal so can't see a reason to keep him, Ward's best is behind him. Visser has struggled to get in the side last season and this - he wasn't good on Sunday, I wouldn't give him long personally.

Alofa is a decent player, as others have said. Depends on who Gustard wants to sign but unless squad balance means there's no need - I'd keep him. Ross Chis was good yesterday, again I'd only let him go if we were overburdened with replacements.

Walker - well if we ditch Visser then we still need him, he brings a different game, but he hasn't performed this season....jury's out for me.

Wallace - feels like a player who never lived up to early promise, he's been less effective each season for past three years...shame really. If we have some genuine back row prospects then he could be in trouble.


Robbo83

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #6 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 12:01* »
Hasn't Wallace been injured most of this season? Bit harsh to judge the guy who's hardly been playing in the last two seasons. Don't disagree with the rest though, esp the Cat who I don't think will threaten any premiership defence with his attack.

Quinston Churchill

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #7 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 13:20* »
I’d keep Merrick and Ross Chisholm. Both are fine as squad players.

I can understand why Wallace might be under threat but I can’t imagine he’s on particularly good money and he’s much better than Archie White who always looks slow, underpowered and under-skilled.

Dombrandt should be making Luamanu redundant. He covers the same positions and has the potential to be a lot better.

Similarly, Alofa is likely to be under pressure from guys like Murley (who looked very good yesterday) and Barlow stepping up from the academy.

Ward has been a good servant but his best days are gone and we need to re-invest in a hooker who can be a clear first choice.

Happy to let Swainston and Lewis go. Neither add anything younger, cheaper players with greater potential can. Also happy to lose Visser for the same reasons others have already stated.

Catrakilis just isn’t very good. If we have the opportunity to do so, we should our losses and get a 10 to compete with Smith.

We really need to keep Boyce and Ibitoye if possible. Both have been linked with moves away and would be big losses IMO.

A222Quin

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #8 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 13:35* »
If I remember rightly Visser signed a 2 yr extension last season so I'd imagine he's contracted until next year. It's a shame he's off form as he was very potent in his first couple of seasons with us. Ibitoye will get opportunities soon enough - indeed PG said as much just before he got injured.

Lewis will go, he just hasn't looked up to it, a very odd signing in the first place. Luamanu hasn't really made much of an impact. I like Dave Ward a huge amount but you feel his best days are probably behind him. I have no problem with Swainston as 3rd choice TH unless he's holding back a young gun. Would suggest he wasn't as when he and Boycey went off the scrum went backwards after being solid and on top when they were both on.

LH is a tough position though. Marler's international retirement essentially means Boyce gets less game time and Auterac even less still. I'd love to keep Boyce as he has serious potential but I could understand if he did go in search of a first team slot.

I like Alofa and Chisholm, I think they both contribute something but wouldn't be surprised if one or both were moved on.

The Absolute Quintet

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #9 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 14:57* »
Merrick was terrible yesterday, a new low of many lows. First on the block for me. Priority must be to spend money on a new class lock.
Lewis, just not good enough even as squad cover. Why did we end up with Exe's cast-off third choice scrum half? Not JKs finest selection.
Wallace, not physical enough for the Prem and now doesn't work hard enough to make up for it. Not only has he not moved on, he's gone back.
Luamanu, not fit enough, never has been. Overtaken by other signings. Time's up. 
Auterac, rubbish yesterday, but have we seen enough? As said though does have more than a whiff of PDJ about it.
Visser, massively out of form and just nothing like as good as he thinks he is. Despite being dropped from 1st XV just can't seem to make the effort to get back. His skill set seems limited to intercepts. Worrying as he appears to get another season regardless.
Walker, shadow of last season, defensively exposed. If his contract is up at the end of the season then he'll probably go of his own accord given the competition. He'd make hay in the championship. 
Ward, nooooooo, I want him to stay. Good throws yesterday 7/7, which was unusual I accept, and he offers more around the pitch than any of the other 2s. It's a difficult one. Crumpton looks promising, yes, but EE has faded after a good start and we just don't know how Rob B will do on his return.   
Alofa and Chisholm, both stay. Neither top rank but can do a job if needed even at Prem level. 

Gone

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #10 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 15:04* »
Merrick was terrible yesterday, a new low of many lows. First on the block for me. Priority must be to spend money on a new class lock.
Lewis, just not good enough even as squad cover. Why did we end up with Exe's cast-off third choice scrum half? Not JKs finest selection.
Wallace, not physical enough for the Prem and now doesn't work hard enough to make up for it. Not only has he not moved on, he's gone back.
Luamanu, not fit enough, never has been. Overtaken by other signings. Time's up. 
Auterac, rubbish yesterday, but have we seen enough? As said though does have more than a whiff of PDJ about it.
Visser, massively out of form and just nothing like as good as he thinks he is. Despite being dropped from 1st XV just can't seem to make the effort to get back. His skill set seems limited to intercepts. Worrying as he appears to get another season regardless.
Walker, shadow of last season, defensively exposed. If his contract is up at the end of the season then he'll probably go of his own accord given the competition. He'd make hay in the championship. 
Ward, nooooooo, I want him to stay. Good throws yesterday 7/7, which was unusual I accept, and he offers more around the pitch than any of the other 2s. It's a difficult one. Crumpton looks promising, yes, but EE has faded after a good start and we just don't know how Rob B will do on his return.   
Alofa and Chisholm, both stay. Neither top rank but can do a job if needed even at Prem level.

Bit harsh on Auterac, yesterday was his second appearance and he was only on the pitch for 20 mins. I've got no idea what he's like yet.

Quinky

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #11 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 15:12* »
I'd keep Merrick and Chis. Alofa is a very good player and we'd me wrong to let him go. Walker needs to up his game but offers plenty. Luamanu is an interesting one... I wonder if PG is making him get much fitter before playing him, much as Sarries did with JJ. Big Mat can really be a positive, but needs to be quicker and have more stamina. I'd like to see him stay as I think PG can get more out of him than we've seen in a while.

honkytonk

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #12 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 15:44* »
The Cat has been disappointing but, I think he is still not over his injury.  Physically he may be fine but he looks "wary" whenever he gets the ball, like he has one eye on where the next hit is coming from.  Its like he is distracted and its affecting his game.  He does not look like the payer  saw playing for Montpellier. 
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never sleep

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #13 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 16:40* »
The Cat has been disappointing but, I think he is still not over his injury.  Physically he may be fine but he looks "wary" whenever he gets the ball, like he has one eye on where the next hit is coming from.  Its like he is distracted and its affecting his game.  He does not look like the payer  saw playing for Montpellier. 
I would agree with this view.  I noticed that yesterday, he was too quick to pass the ball instead of drawing a defender.  My interpretation of this is that he was avoiding taking the hit.
The cure to this is that he needs more game time.  I think that this year could be a good year for us as we have the Challenge cup to use as a stepping stone for bringing players such as him back to 100% fitness.
However, I would say though that he would be extremely disappointed in himself for missing the last kick yesterday.  By his previous standards and statistics, this was a bread and butter kick for him.  At a guess, 40 yards out and in front of the sticks. Good visibility, dry, firm surface, no wind.

Quinston Churchill

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Re: Chopping block
« Reply #14 on: Monday 05-Nov-2018, 19:43* »
I think we’re all broadly in agreement and there’s a few players that none of us would be massively sad to see leave.

Gustard will surely want to put his stamp on the squad and he’ll need to free up space in the cap to do so.

I’m also half expecting Buchanan to announce his retirement. There’s been no word on his injury for a long time and I fear the worst for him. It’s a shame as he, Crumpton and Elia is a fairly good group of hookers.

If I were Gustard, I’d be looking for a first choice hooker, a top class lock and a fly half good enough to compete with Smith. Then it’s more of a case of replacing the squad players that end up leaving with players who are hopefully better.

 

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