Matt Duffie stays put to rebuild Storm...YEEEEH !

[bula]

I think Duffie could be a handy centre. We have a good history of big tall centres.
I think Slater is capable of playing five eight too.

[JF_Storm_Swans]

Obviously a young man of the highest integrity.  Proud to see him wear the Storm jersey. Let's hope he has some impact on Justin O'Neill's short term career decision.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/matt- ... 5882000490

Must say it increasingly looks like the older crew of Lima, Quinny, Finchy, MacDougall, and to a lesser extent Whitey and Hoffy are going to be the ones who face the acid test in coming months. Also if Adam Blair wants to jump ship but that means we retain Sika Manu....it will be very tough...but possibly for the best.

If Storm are serious about their LONG term future as a power house club...IMHO they will need to made a tough decision on players in the 27 yo + category who are being squeezed by the younger guys (obviously not Cam or Bill who are 27).

Guys like him Widdop & O'Neill on the other wing are the future of this club. It is important we keep them and sign them up NOW before they start blitzing it & asking for a bigger slice of the pie.

JF

I'm sure we would if we were allowed to sign anyone  It needs to be sorted out so we can move on

Absolutely. We need to know which of Inglis Slater Cronk or Smith we are going to lose now so we can plan for future years.

I definitely agree on playing Widdop now too. But does that mean we just disregard Dane Nielson in the centres when he has done little wrong for us so far.

JF

[JAMIE]

As much as I'd like Finch to stay on, I don't think he will. I think he'll go and play football in England or France. In saying that, next year I'd be inclined to play Garreth Widdop at five-eighth.

[Cowbell-Mark]

As much as I'd like Finch to stay on, I don't think he will. I think he'll go and play football in England or France. In saying that, next year I'd be inclined to play Garreth Widdop at five-eighth.

Lol, Finch is long gone, even before the Salary cap saga

[The Eagle]

As much as I'd like Finch to stay on, I don't think he will. I think he'll go and play football in England or France. In saying that, next year I'd be inclined to play Garreth Widdop at five-eighth.

Finch has been gone since before 09 finished,he only resigned to....win a premiership to tell his grandchildren about.....poor bastard

Slightly irrelevent but from left field,When hearing of Jnr Hoppa i thought Brett Stewart would look in a #6
Aging fullback turns five eighth.....where did i hear that before? Oh perhaps Lockyer? Young one at FB
aged fullback at 6,Slater could be the solution to that pesky 6 issue youve been looking for for
longer than i can remember,that kid with the chip kick (winger) looked like a champ when he took
Gallant dead,perhaps his a fullback option?

[Play the ball]

If we had both Slater and Widdop next year ,

I would experiment and interchange them both through the one and 6 positions and see how it unfolds,

And then it might get to a point where you play one of them there permenently , depending how they go,  or it may even be a success rotating them.

[bula]

I'm not that confident Slater could defend at 6 all that well. Then again, Lockyer gets away with it.

Again, I think Kelly should be our 6. He's ready for first grade. With Nielsen leaving maybe Widdop can play centre and Stanley on the wing.
Something like this,

1. Slater
2. Stanley
3. Inglis
4. Widdop
5. Duffie
6. Kelly
7. Cronk

But then that leaves O'Neil out. We're spoilt for choices here, someones gonna have to make way.
The only player of the big 4 who doesn't have an obvious replacement is Smith.
Ide hate to be in Bellamys shoes.

[Michael :P]

A few observations

- Billy doesnt have the passing game to play 6 and I wouldnt want him up defending in the front-line anyway

- Gareth has the passing game but Im not sold on his peripheral vision

- Duffie could play center, and was doing so very well in NSW Cup, but needs a few years of bulking up first and I think his skill-set is much better suited to wing. Justin O'Neill is the one Id be grooming for a center spot.