THE NRL has refused to register the contract of Newcastle recruit Russell Packer in the wake of a late-night incident that led to the prop facing assault charges.
The 24-year-old former Warriors forward was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and failure to leave a licensed premises last week over an alleged incident in Sydney's Martin Place.
Packer was granted conditional bail and will appear in court on January 6.
Meanwhile Barba and Dugan are playing with no issues
Probably should have just glassed his missus or said his flatmate did it
Im kind of hoping we don't get Cam Smith. Sure, I'd happily take him but McCullough is good enough and I really want DCE. We only need a match winning halfback.
Yeah exactly. Plus it's the position we lack the most. Ah well. Brisbane's seen this a few times anyway and each time the Storm person/player has backed out at the last second.
I think Smith would be a great pickup for what he offers after his career. But I think DCE would be a bigger gain for most clubs. Penrith with him would be premiership contenders, while Smith wouldn't boost us that much IMO.
Roosters - RTS / Maloney / DCE / Friend
Souths - Inglis / Reynolds / DCE / Luke
Sharks - Gordon / Carney / DCE / Morris or Gordon / Carney / Robson / Smith... only team where both would offer a similar increase IMO
Bulldogs - Inu, Hoffman or Morris / Reynolds / DCE / Ennis
Knights - Boyd / Mullen / Roberts / Smith
Cowboys - Coote / Thurston / Lui / Smith
Titans - Gordon / Sezer / Kelly / Smith
Panthers - K. Naiqama / Soward / DCE / Segeyaro
Warriors - Locke / Tomkins / Johnson / Smith
Broncos - Barba / Milford / DCE / McCullough
Raiders - Robinson / Campese / McCrone / Smith
Dragons - Dugan / Widdop / DCE / Rein
Tigers - Tedesco / Brooks / DCE / Farah
Eels - Hoppa / Hayne / Sandow / Smith
I think DCE just edges out SMith to be a bigger improvement at most clubs, based on replacing their weakest spine position with one of them. That single change to every spine also turns them all into top 8 teams IMO, and quiet a few of them as a premiership contender. Signing either one of those guys would be pretty epic for any club. Broncos would definitely be better off with DCE, he has 10+ years left in his career and is arguably already the best halfback in the competition.
Also might have gotten a few spines wrong with players having potentially moved clubs, or keeping the wrong half to partner DCE. Like the Tigers, not sure if Brooks would get the nod over Blake Austin. Not that it matters, whoever partners DCE will be far more dangerous with him.