Why does everybody apparently want to come here because of Macca? Anyway, looks like he has signed, i'll reserve judgement of him till I see him play. I think Macca may be planning to shift Halley to wing and use Sykes as stand-off, which would be extremely unfair on Halley imo.

If he ends up playing outside Millard I reckon he'll be dancing in the streets.

I wouldn't bee too disappointed with

Kearney
Sheriffe
Nero
Millard
Halley
Sykes
NEW 7

as our backline, Deacon really needs to hand his boots up before we all forget the good times he's given us.

Agreed

WHy does everyone seem happy with Sykes being our starting standoff, IMO its a bad step he has been woeful this year and although granted he performed slightly better in the middle of the park having him as anything more than a backup for other positions is a yet another step backwards

I'm not by any means happy with it, but if keeping Sykes there could mean we get a new quality 7 I could live with it. I agree though, Sykes should be a back-up player, but it's unlikely we'll get a new 3,6 & 7.

I think it's just about confirmed that we've got Kearney

please announce Millard soon though.

I can only agree. However it either appears that our exceptional recruitment policy over the past few years has left us with little other option or we have someone else lined up that we don't know about.

Here's hoping that Sykes is merely going to be back up stand off and will be under more pressure for his place in the centres. He's had a very poor season at centre but as you say he's been less exposed at stand off. However he's certainly not creative enough with ball in hand to be a regular No6.

From day 1 this season we've struggled for creativity. Playing Sykes as a playmaker won't address that problem. Having some better finishers like Millard and Kearney may help but we need our halfbacks and hooker to be more creative. We already have a halfback with fewer try assists than any other, having a makeshift stand off too fills me with despair.

Having Kearney, L'Estrange, Millard and a new 7 would add alot of Creativity imo.

is deacon leaving for sure?

Cas nailed on

No, I just meant if we got a new seven, I have no idea of the likelihood of it happening though.

Very slight, I suspect

Going into next season with Sykes at 6 and Deacon at 7 is just unthinkable.

I'd settle for Sykes at 6 with a new 7. But basically Deacon lost his claim to be first choice 7 months ago imo.

I hope you're right but of those which are playmakers?

L'Estrange maybe around the ruck area but what about 1st and 2nd receivers? Kearney may become a convereted stand off having played most of his rugby at fullback so he's not exactly proven. Millard is a centre and a runner. He may create something for himself but he's not going to be playmaker in the middle of the park.

You're presuming we're signing a new 7. I hope you're right because if we're not we'll be going into the season with even fewer halfbacks than last year when we had only 2.

If Deacon's going to be the one playmaker in the side with Kearney and Sykes sharing the stand off role then we'll struggle to break down defences again.

I'll support a new club if so.

I said ages ago on Substandard that Gibson would never make it at the top level & got a slating, surprise, surprise. I was right about Deacon, I am right about Gibson.

If that's the case we'll struggle full stop, what other SL team would seriously consider going in to a full season with the worst performing number 7 from the previous season and the possibility of two stand in No 6s, neither of whom are established in that role and one of whom has proven to be particularly injury prone.

We need to recruit either a quality 6 or 7 at the minimum. I could imagine Kearney at FB (we have cover in Platt) with Halley to the wing, but if Kearney's been recruited to play 6 with Sykes as cover then we'll end up in exactly the same mess as this season. These are pivotal roles where a close understanding between players is essential, we should be looking to build a long term combination with Deacon dropping to a support role, if we are indeed 'rebuilding', not using him as a lynchpin with rotating stand ins at 6.

2 Years ago is far more apt.

I seriously hope we are not signing gibson, especially if it is at the expense of millard. Gibson has failed to live up to the expectations. If he was signed as cover, and not taking up much of the cap then that would be ok, but at the expense of millard or a new half, please no!

I seriously hope we dont sign him, full stop, even as cheap cover, our own academy lads can provide cheaper cover that a Joe Average like Gibson.

There is no way he is any better than crookes, surely we are not in for him.

[urlhttp://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,25933280-14823,00.html[/url

You know, if after all this Sam does not end up at Manly I'll eat Bullseye's hat!

Sorry you've lost me here a little?