Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[tigerbenji]

People say get rid Stains who still has 2yrs left on his contract, Bateman still has 2yrs left after this year & Naden has another 2yrs after this year & Doueihi has this year. I think it would cost us a packet to get rid of theses players.

 

[Vicious]

People say get rid Stains who still has 2yrs left on his contract, Bateman still has 2yrs left after this year & Naden has another 2yrs after this year & Doueihi has this year. I think it would cost us a packet to get rid of theses players.

Why would it cost anything, we paid out Nofoaluma without any consequences to our Salary Cap?
If you have a chance to sign players such as David Fifita, Zac Lomax and the emerging James Schiller and Trey Mooney, you move heaven & earth to fit them in.

 

[The-moP]

We'd be nuts if we dont have a crack at Fifita we need some good back rowers by next season. I've heard we will lose a 2nd rower or two by the end of the season .. (Blore's gone .. another 1 to go maybe .. ;-)) It's tipped he'll end up at Canberra as they have offered he and his sister good contracts for next season. Yes sister plays in the NRLW comp for the Titans.

 

[JB9918]

Bud seems to be the odd man out... 4 years @ $500K... I think for a half someone will pick that up. Titans, Dogs, Dragons plus others.

Sezer is a hard one. If Bud goes I'd keep him for depth for sure. Steer & grow our younger blokes in NSW Cup in 2025.

Toa, Naden or Staines one could go.

I do like the above who said Fifita, Lomax, Schiller & Mooney.

2025

1. Bula
2. Schiller
3. Faataape/Lomax
4. Olam
5. Staines/Naden/Toa
6. Galvin
7. Luai
8. Utoiukamanu
9. Korosaui
10. Klemmer
11. Fifita
12. Bateman
13. Papali'i
14. L Fainu
15. Mooney
16. S Fainu
17. Pole
18. Twal/Seyfarth
19. Da Silva
20. Sezer

Plus a heap of promising juniors!

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

We'd be nuts if we dont have a crack at Fifita we need some good back rowers by next season. I've heard we will lose a 2nd rower or two by the end of the season .. (Blore's gone .. another 1 to go maybe .. ;-)) It's tipped he'll end up at Canberra as they have offered he and his sister good contracts for next season. Yes sister plays in the NRLW comp for the Titans.

Hopefully the 2nd backrower to go is Kepaoa who is off contract anyway.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

The 26 signed for '25 doesn't include Tumeth or Stefano.

Roster Breakdown: 2024-2029

ROSTER BREAKDOWN First post in thread is updated when new signings, contract extensions, or releases are made. 2024 - 29/30 1. Jahream Bula 2. Charlie Staines 3. Starford To’a 4. Justin Olam 5. Junior Tupou 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Aidan Sezer 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Apisai Koroisau (c) 10. David...

weststigersforum.com

I know some have mentioned over the past couple of months that Tumeth & Matamua might be being looked at to be moved on.

I just hope this isn't the case. They are both 21 and were elevated to top 30 maybe prematurely but during a regime a bit sensitive to losing any more local juniors.

I think both still have a lot of development in them but importantly have loads of ability for their age.

It might be the same conversation for Jordan Miller in 12 months time but forwards do take longer to develop especially physically. Miller reminds me of a young Sam Kasiano in body shape.

 

[Vicious]

Bud seems to be the odd man out... 4 years @ $500K... I think for a half someone will pick that up. Titans, Dogs, Dragons plus others.

Sezer is a hard one. If Bud goes I'd keep him for depth for sure. Steer & grow our younger blokes in NSW Cup in 2025.

Toa, Naden or Staines one could go.

I do like the above who said Fifita, Lomax, Schiller & Mooney.

2025

1. Bula
2. Schiller
3. Faataape/Lomax
4. Olam
5. Staines/Naden/Toa
6. Galvin
7. Luai
8. Utoiukamanu
9. Korosaui
10. Klemmer
11. Fifita
12. Bateman
13. Papali'i
14. L Fainu
15. Mooney
16. S Fainu
17. Pole
18. Twal/Seyfarth
19. Da Silva
20. Sezer

Plus a heap of promising juniors!

That looks like a dangerous team.

 

[Vicious]

I know some have mentioned over the past couple of months that Tumeth & Matamua might be being looked at to be moved on.

I just hope this isn't the case. They are both 21 and were elevated to top 30 maybe prematurely but during a regime a bit sensitive to losing any more local juniors.

I think both still have a lot of development in them but importantly have loads of ability for their age.

It might be the same conversation for Jordan Miller in 12 months time but forwards do take longer to develop especially physically. Miller reminds me of a young Sam Kasiano in body shape.

I agree with Matamua and Tumeth, both are still very young for forwards, both I assume would be on a minimum wage which allows us the spend more on other top 30 squad members and both have showed signs of improvement so far this season.
I’m very worried Miller won’t live up to his reputation as his lateral movement is very poor which makes him a liability when defending.

 

[bptiger 0]

He's being Groomed to be the Long Term Fullback at Parra with Gutho to go to Centre...

Fullback at a club like Parra
Centre at the Tigers...

- I'll let you set your own odds....

I was not impressed watching him last week , he looks very small

 

[batboy]

I was not impressed watching him last week , he looks very small

Didn't stop him from Running over the top of Turbo....
Who's a gargantuan, Strong as heck and Defensively very sound!!

 

[weststigerman]

When including Staines keep in mind you need at least one winger who’s in the higher echelon in regards to speed. If he goes where are you finding someone else better who is just as quick ?

Do you really need that? So far, I haven't seen Staines' speed serve any purpose at WT.

I've seen both Tupou and Bula chase down players from breaks but not Staines yet.

IMO we need to find a way to use his speed, if we can't do that we're better off with a metre eater winger.

 

[Demps]

Hearing Olam speak on Mansours podcast, mentioning his connection with Fox, a couple of times....

Maybe worth a shout...
Where there's smoke, there is fire.
Don't think Dogs would stand in his way.

1 Bula
2 Staines or new signing
3 Faatape or new signing
4 Olam
5 Fox

 

[weststigerman]

Curious where the Schiller hype is coming from? I admit I haven't seen much of him. Looking at his stats he's 23 this year and has only played 10 NRL games and looks to be stuck behind some fairly average NRL wingers.

Has he had a heap of injuries or something else happen?

 

[AdelaideTiger]

Curious where the Schiller hype is coming from? I admit I haven't seen much of him. Looking at his stats he's 23 this year and has only played 10 NRL games and looks to be stuck behind some fairly average NRL wingers.

Has he had a heap of injuries or something else happen?

22yo, rangy with a bit of pace, and from the limited amount I have seen of him he just looks up for it. Looked good in the trials and scored a hattrick against the Magpies in KOE.
Could just be good against average opposition, but he is also stuck behind some very good centres at Canberra. He's worth a try, seems too good for reserve grade.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

I was not impressed watching him last week , he looks very small

Tulagi - 188cm

James Tedesco - 184cm
Reece Walsh - 177cm
Dylan Edwards - 177cm
Papenhuzen - 181cm
Charnze - 182cm
Ponga - 184cm
Jayden Campbell - 183cm
Drinkwater - 181cm
Kennedy - 183cm

He is taller than majority of players in that position and is only 19, plenty of time to bulk up. As someone else said he ran directly over Turbo to score, you don't do that if you're small

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

Hearing Olam speak on Mansours podcast, mentioning his connection with Fox, a couple of times....

Maybe worth a shout...
Where there's smoke, there is fire.
Don't think Dogs would stand in his way.

1 Bula
2 Staines or new signing
3 Faatape or new signing
4 Olam
5 Fox

If we somehow start 2025 with the following backline then I think we will be in for a fun year:

1 Bula
2 Staines
3 Lomax
4 Olam
5 Fox

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

Do you really need that? So far, I haven't seen Staines' speed serve any purpose at WT.

I've seen both Tupou and Bula chase down players from breaks but not Staines yet.

IMO we need to find a way to use his speed, if we can't do that we're better off with a metre eater winger.

I said many times in the off season that I think we need to pair Charlie with Olam. It is fine having his pace but if we can't get him using it than what is the point.

Edit: This is also why I think Lomax would be a good signing. If Benji is solid with Charlie being on the right than Lomax also has the ability to unlock his speed. He has put Ravalawa in space countless times over the last couple seasons because he is constantly drawing the opposition winger in, something Starford just doesn't do.

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

I watched Cotric closely last weekend, he has lost it no longer a genuine NRL player.

Hasn’t been for a while very glad we didn’t get him.

 

[The-moP]

Hasn’t been for a while very glad we didn’t get him.

Cotric bog average .. he was good for 1 or 2 years early in his career with Canberra .. at school he was a big as he is today for a winger .. and was called Roids Cotric in the school comps .. he was bigger than most forwards in the 16, 17, 18 year old comps. Would stay right away from him, not for us.

 

[davey_farrell]

I see that Paul Kent must really must hate the TIGERS, first saying that Leichhardt Oval should be scrapped and no money given to an upgrade, how mush he doesn't like Leichhardt and if the NRL did buy it and upgrade, it would not be fair on other Teams. Then goes on how API should have been suspended for 6 weeks for a hip drop, he continually rubbishes our club, docen't say much about the Roosters or Bulldogs, I wonder why.

he said the other night he has a tigers membershi this year, is always at tigers games at Leichardt but yes he does give it to us whenever the occassion arises