Workhorse Watch Season Preview Part 2: Players to avoid
The flip side of exciting players at new clubs are signings that are the equivalent of shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic.
I don’t care how glowing the press release from their new club is, avoid these players.
Tony Williams, Cronulla
Expect T-Rex to quickly gain a cult following when he runs out in season 2017… at Henson Park. Williams will no doubt get some time playing for the Sharks but he’s not worth your attention as a NRLCEO. Williams has scored two workhorse tries in four years, and I’m pretty sure they were during games when his team was down to no one on the interchange bench.
Daniel Mortimer, Cronulla
If a coach says his new recruit will “add depth to our ranks”, run the other way. That’s a red herring for NRLCEOs. It’s code for “non-starter”. Mortimer is a talented player and has workhorse chops but he’s a back up half that can play a bit of hooker. Some reports say he’s been signed to replace Michael Ennis but with Manaia Cherrington and Holden Cup Player of the Year Jayden Brailey at the club, the only NRL action he’s likely to see is coming off the bench.
Dave Taylor, Canberra
Taylor has earnt a contract at the Raiders but doing so will only accentuate his greatest weakness – complacency. For Taylor just making the squad will be a win. Once he makes the team, there is nothing to say that he’ll be any different than before. He’s capable of so much on the football field but only rises to the occasion sporadically. Two workhorse tries a year? No thanks!
Mitch Rein, Penrith
Such is the fickle nature of fantasy football, Mitch reigns as the number one hooker for workhorse tries last season and yet finds himself on the avoid list. I wouldn’t say avoid him entirely but don’t draft him too early as reports say he’ll play back up to Peter Wallace. That will put a huge dent in his workhorse output and could result in the biggest season to season drop off ever!
Curtis Sironen, Manly
2016 started so well for Sironen after scoring a try and a workhorse try in the opening game of the season. From then on it was extremely lackluster – one more workhorse try his only contribution for the rest of the year. He might get a start at the Sea Eagles, but there is so many new faces there this season, who knows what line up Trent Barrett will settle on.
Josh Starling, Newcastle
Starling will be billed as a key signing for the Knights but the Novacastrians will be keen to promote any change in personnel as a step in the right direction following last year’s horror season. Starling had a stat per minute score of 0.72 last year and at that rate would need to see 56 minutes a game to be a workhorse regular. I can’t see that happening.
Jeremy Latimore, Cronulla
After scoring 11 workhorse tries in 2015, last year was a major letdown with the Port Macquarie junior averaging just 28 minutes per game, down from 45 minutes a game the previous year. The question is, how does a player who has bounced around 4 different clubs in 8 years cement a place in the forward pack of the reigning premiers? Especially one that contains Paul Gallen and Andrew Fifita.
Paul Carter, Sydney Roosters
What are you prepared to do to win a NRLCEO crown? Will you take on whoever will help win you games or do you have a strict ‘No Dickhead Policy’? Carter scored eight workhorse tries in 12 games last season before having his contract torn up. He’s a risk because he is a serial offender having already been marched from the Titans. More importantly, even if he’s on his best behaviour, he’s competing for minutes alongside Cordner, Aubusson, Taukeiaho and Guerra.
Manaia Cherrington, Cronulla
Cherrington could well be the heir apparent to Michael Ennis but then again he was the understudy to Robbie Farah for two years and even during Farah’s feud with coach Jason Taylor, he couldn’t get a run. Taylor opted for utility Dene Halatau instead and in the meantime Cherrington was left coming off the bench, in reserve grade. Add to that he’s only on a one year deal at the Sharks plus the fact James Segeyaro is rumoured to be joining the club and the signs hardly scream ‘key acquisition’.
The Rest
There are a few other forwards who have changed clubs this season who barely warrant a mention let alone an entire paragraph. Dunamis Lui had little to no impact at the Dragons last year so there is no reason to think he will this year in a much stronger Raiders pack. Tim Browne and Lloyd Perrett have both left the kennel with Perrett moving to Manly and Browne heading west to the Panthers. Suaia Matagi joins the Eels and Matt McIllwrick has taken his reserve grade Hooker of the Year services to the Tigers. Between them they combined for a total of one workhorse try in 2016 – with Browne posting one in Round 12.
Geoff Adams
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