Cronk Signs!!

[coupy73]

https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/ ... o_sto.html

Pleased about this but not super excited, Cronk is a legend of a player and would rather have him in out team then anywhere else, but I am cautious about what will happen when the 'big three' end it all.

I may upset a few here but I think that Billy should hang up the boots, that way the club can prepare for next season and have a huge chunk of the cap available. If Billy decided to play on and then only last a couple of games like this season, we are behind the 8 ball in terms of recruitment.

But hey, the club has the right people in the positions so i'll trust in them and leave this as my opinion.

[steaming stormer]

I think Billy is at best a 50/50 for next year. He won't know until preseason comes around and he sees how the shoulder is. That said, if he's fit, he is still our best fullback option and I'm sure it's all being considered

That being said, at the start of the year I thought the way Cronk was playing showed we didn't want to be putting everything into him... how wrong we were. He's been great since about round 5

[LESStar58]

Never in doubt.

[LESStar58]

https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/ ... o_sto.html

Pleased about this but not super excited, Cronk is a legend of a player and would rather have him in out team then anywhere else, but I am cautious about what will happen when the 'big three' end it all.

I may upset a few here but I think that Billy should hang up the boots, that way the club can prepare for next season and have a huge chunk of the cap available. If Billy decided to play on and then only last a couple of games like this season, we are behind the 8 ball in terms of recruitment.

But hey, the club has the right people in the positions so i'll trust in them and leave this as my opinion.

You're not alone here. Bill needs to give it away. He's got nothing else to prove.

[storm77]

I think Billy is at best a 50/50 for next year. He won't know until preseason comes around and he sees how the shoulder is. That said, if he's fit, he is still our best fullback option and I'm sure it's all being considered

That being said, at the start of the year I thought the way Cronk was playing showed we didn't want to be putting everything into him... how wrong we were. He's been great since about round 5

He isn't still our best FB option. He is a legend and all but we have moved on.

[Danger D]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: it would absolutely break my heart to know that Billy has played his last game in purple without us fans giving him the hero's farewell he's earned. There have been doubts on Billy before and he's proven them wrong and I'm really hoping he makes it onto the paddock for one last year in 2017 where he reminds all of us storm faithful of how lucky we've been to have the best fullback of the past decade in our lineup.
I totally understand some fans wanting him to give it away and it's mainly sentiment that makes me want to see him stay but gawd I'd love to see him tear up the paddock one last time!

[RobbieRoss]

Folks we do not have to agonise over this at the moment . Now we can dream....that Billy comes back at 100%, that he slots seamlessly into FB in top form, that Eddie Munster becomes the form Left Centre of the competition but also switching with Bill in attack just to terrorise helpless opposition, and that Bill bows out with a premiership in 2017.

May not happen, but it might !

When the last of the big 3 finish up at end of 2018, we will be much worse off as a team, but if we win 3 flags between now and then I reckon I can live with that ! Also, I perceive the Club is already building for that day, with impressive recruiting of young 1,6,7 and 9 prospects. Munster , Scott, Croft, Drinkwater etc etc.

[Bullucked]

Any thoughts that maybe Billy could do a Locky and go to 5/8?

[Ice]

If Bill's shoulder can hold up this time then i have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that he can get back to playing some great football and make our team better. That said, while i don't doubt his ability to come back form wise and what he can contribute to the team there has to be some doubt on his shoulder staying sound.

While i can totally understand those with the point of view they'd prefer him to hang them up, i still think it's worth one last chance and the upside can be great. We don't need to be worried about Munster moving on because he's going nowhere and if he had to move to centre for a season it would be far from the end of the world because with a fit Bill at FB and Munster at centre i still think we're a much better side than just having the one of them.

Anyway for those that know better than me, say Bill did his shoulder again in pre-season and pulled the pin would we still be liable to pay his salary under the cap? I'd imagine we would so if we're paying him then surely there's nothing to lose by giving it one last crack, at the very least i think he's more than deserved that IMO.

[RobbieRoss]

Ice - the Eels got under the cap this year primarily by Watmough retiring through injury. So I assume that if Billy had to pull the pin early he would forsake his income ( or a large slice thereof) and so would be excluded from the cap. That would presumably give us room to grab someone midseason - not ideal, but an option.

[blazza18]

Slater has played a total of two games in the last couple of years. Anyone pencilling him in for a starting spot 7 months before the next time he might play is foolish.

Good for Cooper for signing on for a couple more years. Hopefully he can go out on top!

[yourhero]

Ice - the Eels got under the cap this year primarily by Watmough retiring through injury. So I assume that if Billy had to pull the pin early he would forsake his income ( or a large slice thereof) and so would be excluded from the cap. That would presumably give us room to grab someone midseason - not ideal, but an option.

Not as simple as that unfortunately. Watmough managed to secure a career ending insurance payout - supposedly subject to some pretty stringest rules - which is why the Eels could remove that cost from their cap. Almost every other injury means that the club has to wear the players wage in their cap. We have no injury reserve list allowance, like some other sports.

[yourhero]

Finally saw the press conference this evening. Cronk was extraordinarily humble and honourable with his comments. He praised his teammates, coach and the club itself whilst claiming he is the luckiest guy in the world and playing down his own massive contribution to our success over the years.

All class!

[Ice]

Slater has played a total of two games in the last couple of years. Anyone pencilling him in for a starting spot 7 months before the next time he might play is foolish.

Good for Cooper for signing on for a couple more years. Hopefully he can go out on top!

I'm not penciling him in this far out because there's so much water to go under the bridge in regards to his recovery and anything can happen, he might come up and he might not. What i was saying is that if he comes back fit and firing and has a strong pre-season then he walks straight back into the side. That's not foolish it's just fact.

Anyways time to head off to AAMI. Lets hope the Raiders can keep it up and we have a good win as well.

[Kettles]

I'm liking what I'm seeing from the Raiders at the moment.