Player Blake Green

[1995Warriorsfan]

Finally Confirmed

[Signing] Green secured until 2020
Richard Becht

Tue 21st November, 09:13AM

Seasoned standoff Blake Green has been secured by the Vodafone Warriors on a three-year contract.

Signed until the end of the 2020 NRL season, the 31-year-old is moving to Auckland after helping the Manly Sea Eagles surge to sixth this season from 13th in 2016.

He’s the Vodafone Warriors’ eighth new signing after Tohu Harris (Melbourne), Leivaha Pulu (Gold Coast), Gerard Beale (Cronulla), Adam Blair (Brisbane), Peta Hiku (Warrington), Matiu Love-Henry (Brisbane) and Agnatius Paasi (Gold Coast).

“We’re delighted we’ve been able to sign a player of Blake’s calibre,” said Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George.

“He wasn’t off-contract but became available through circumstances. It couldn’t have worked out better for us. He’s a terrific player and his experience in winning titles and playing so much finals football will be of huge benefit to us.

“His presence will add both depth and intense competition among the halves, which is exactly what we’re after. On top of that his background at a number of clubs in the NRL and Super League makes him an ideal mentor for our young halves.”

The Vodafone Warriors will become Green’s sixth NRL club and his eighth in all counting Hull Kingston Rovers and Wigan.

He began his first-grade career with Parramatta in 2007 before establishing himself with Canterbury-Bankstown in 2010 following just 19 games in two seasons with Cronulla in 2008 and 2009; he had his first taste of finals football with the Sharks in 2008 and has now appeared in a total of eight NRL finals matches plus Super League play-offs and two Old Trafford grand finals as well as the Challenge Cup final at Wembley.

His one-season stint with the Sea Eagles in 2017 followed two with Melbourne when he played in the 2016 grand final and was in the Storm side stopped one win short of the decider in 2015 by eventual premier North Queensland.

Green spent four seasons in the English Super League with Hull Kingston Rovers and the Wigan Warriors from 2011-2014, savouring the Challenge Cup-Super League grand final double with Wigan in 2013. He won the Harry Sutherland Trophy as man of the match in the Super League decider at Old Trafford while he was in the grand final again in 2014 when Wigan lost to St Helens.

Green has played a combined total of more than 200 top-grade games in the NRL and the Super League.

BLAKE GREEN

Date of Birth: September 19, 1986

Birthplace: Fairfield, NSW, Australia

Junior Club: Cabramatta

Position: Standoff

Height: 1.79m

Weight: 97kg

Rep Honours: Australian Schoolboys

Previous Clubs: Parramatta (2007), Cronulla (2008-2009), Canterbury-Bankstown (2010), Hull Kingston Rovers (2011-2012), Wigan (2013-2014), Melbourne (2015-2016), Manly (2017)

NRL Debut: Parramatta v Canberra, Parramatta Stadium, April 7, 2007 (Round 4)

NRL Career: 117 appearances (2007-2010 & 2015-2017):

Parramatta: 6 appearances (2007)

Cronulla: 19 appearances (2008-2009)

Canterbury-Bankstown: 18 appearances (2010)

Melbourne: 50 appearances (2015-2016)

Manly: 24 appearances (2017)

NRL Points: 64 (16 tries):

Parramatta: 0

Cronulla: 4 (1 try)

Canterbury-Bankstown: 8 (2 tries)

Melbourne: 40 (10 tries)

Manly: 12 (3 tries)

Super League Career: 89 appearances (2011-2014):

Hull Kingston Rovers: 40 appearances (2011-2012)

Wigan Warriors: 49 appearances (2013-2014)

Super League Points: 144 (36 tries):

Hull Kingston Rovers: 72 (18 tries)

Wigan: 72 (18 tries)

 

[Defence]

This is what he brings

 

[razzrillinger]

I think Blake Green has the potential to be a really good fit with Shaun Johnson and Tohu Harris on the field.

He seems to fly under the radar in the NRL and has a very relaxed demeanor. Which is a positive for the Warriors as another headline/personality player isn't want they need.

If he can play successfully alongside DCE and Dylan Walker then he can probably fit in anywhere.

BUT...I have my doubts at the same time...

3 years is a risky/lengthy proposition for somebody of his age.
It's hard to gauge what a fair price is with all the salary cap movement, let's hope we didn't sell the farm.
How will he go behind this unproven prop rotation?
Will Ata Hingano do what his manager has said and seek a release?

 

[fizurg]

I didn’t realise he was that big of a guy.

 

[Swanny]

I didn’t realise he was that big of a guy.

Yeah is 97kg right?

Who will play right side and who will play left side because I would imagine that Green's greatest strength would be his kicking game which would normally see him parked out on the right. But could Shaun Johnson handle not being the dominant kicking half?

 

[Danpatmac]

does anybody think this signing makes us worse?

no?

so i don't see any problem.

we ain't getting anyone better.

 

[razzrillinger]

Yeah is 97kg right?

Who will play right side and who will play left side because I would imagine that Green's greatest strength would be his kicking game which would normally see him parked out on the right. But could Shaun Johnson handle not being the dominant kicking half?

Green will be on the left
Shaun Johnson will be on the right

 

[OMG]

does anybody think this signing makes us worse?

no?

so i don't see any problem.

we ain't getting anyone better.

Can you guarantee that? he has had far better players around him than he will at the Warriors.


Problem is, on current form we may lose someone better because of it.

 

[Danpatmac]

Can you guarantee that? he has had far better players around him than he will at the Warriors.


Problem is, on current form we may lose someone better because of it.

Can anybody guarantee anything?

Would Hingano or Lino start at Manly?
or the Storm?

Safe to say no.

Who is the better person we may lose? ... I haven't seen them

 

[flying coconut]

Can anybody guarantee anything?

Would Hingano or Lino start at Manly?
or the Storm?

Safe to say no.

Who is the better person we may lose? ... I haven't seen them

I called this months ago. Glad to see it has finally happened. As I've said Hingano isn't even near being an average player. This is a signing we needed to make. If Hingano leaves so be it. He wont be starting at any other club in the NRL.

 

[Dunedin warrior]

Can anybody guarantee anything?

Would Hingano or Lino start at Manly?
or the Storm?

Safe to say no.

Who is the better person we may lose? ... I haven't seen them

Maybe no one for 2018, although I would expect Hingano to leave. The issue is the players we will not be able to get for 2019 and 2020 that we could have got for the money we've spent on Green.

There is a good chance we will flop next year and Kearney will be fired, that being the case I don't imagine Green and Blairs long term contracts will excite Hasler, Maguire or any other coach on the market. It will restrict any incoming coaches flexibility in their roster in terms of players they can bring in.

It is a typical Warriors short term focus which is going to set us back even further in the long term.

 

[snake77]

This is what he brings

Hopefully more the Manly side of things and not the Storm role. He may have to do both here, can our guys remember to count numbers?
Interesting viewing, especially how simple his role was at the Storm and how much the "big 3" do.

Great that this signing is confirmed instead of all of the speculation. I have to laugh at the quote in the announcement about competition for spots. The jury is still out on the coaching staff doing that.

 

[razzrillinger]

Hopefully more the Manly side of things and not the Storm role. He may have to do both here, can our guys remember to count numbers?
Interesting viewing, especially how simple his role was at the Storm and how much the "big 3" do.

Great that this signing is confirmed instead of all of the speculation. I have to laugh at the quote in the announcement about competition for spots. The jury is still out on the coaching staff doing that.

That video really highlighted how important the relationship between dummy half and the two halves is.

The dummy half really has to have their ears on and send the ball to the correct side in these critical attacking points of the field.

 

[Generally Little]

Any new signing is a glimmer of hope that we will see different results to the last season. 2017 we only signed a broken Foran. And we continued to suck in the same fashion as each year prior. 2018 we have many new faces so the results must be different.

We went into 2017 knowing that the team would still suck balls and be boring to watch. The good thing about 2018 is that we have no idea if we will be good or bad.

 

[Mr Brownstone]

Not a single fan should be celebrating the signing of a 31 year old journeyman for 3 years on $650k. It does nothing more than confirm how dire things now are for the club.

 

[dean]

I hope Blake Green doesn't age too quickly. It's a bit like cougars, they look ok the first season but can age quickly and need to moved on.

 

[WarriorBall]

Maybe no one for 2018, although I would expect Hingano to leave. The issue is the players we will not be able to get for 2019 and 2020 that we could have got for the money we've spent on Green.

There is a good chance we will flop next year and Kearney will be fired, that being the case I don't imagine Green and Blairs long term contracts will excite Hasler, Maguire or any other coach on the market. It will restrict any incoming coaches flexibility in their roster in terms of players they can bring in.

It is a typical Warriors short term focus which is going to set us back even further in the long term.

I can see it from your perspective but it’s a catch 22 scenario where if you don’t take opportunities to strengthen your roster to improve your standing within the competition your not going to attract the sort of players your holding out for.

 

[Dunedin warrior]

I can see it from your perspective but it’s a catch 22 scenario where if you don’t take opportunities to strengthen your roster to improve your standing within the competition your not going to attract the sort of players your holding out for.

I agree, but it's a risk reward scenario for veterans. Price and Wiki for example paid off well although both faded badly in their final season. Blair has potential to fall in that category.

All three are rep players and leaders with mana and been in teams who had won premierships. Blake Green has none of those things.

 

[eudebrito]

Where is Ata Hingano going to play if he leaves?

Won't be starting for an NRL team, he'll be in that fa'amanu brown, pita godinet, isaac john purgatory all non-australian halves face, where you get to be a reserve grade fixture and fill in if someone gets injured. Te Maire Martin will back to that role next year, but at least he gets to play during origin.

I would like to see him go to super league actually, that would be a good learning experience, do a Leuluai.

 

[WarriorBall]

I agree, but it's a risk reward scenario for veterans. Price and Wiki for example paid off well although both faded badly in their final season. Blair has potential to fall in that category.

All three are rep players and leaders with mana and been in teams who had won premierships. Blake Green has none of those things.

I think given our current standing in the NRL we’re not in a position to be able to sign a Premiership winning representative halfback out of Australia.

If I’m reading into the situation the play for Green is to steady the ship with the erratic Shaun Johnson and mentor the young halves especially Hingano who if he has any sense would look to stick around mature, develop his game and then take up Greens place in year 3 and his money the following season when his contract is renewed, he’ll still only be 23 years of age.