Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tim Sheens]

Geez WT must be going really bad when Hastings is again being suggested as a returning halves signing to lift our side.

 

[Needaname]

A little birdy told me that both Sam Stonestreet and Kade Dykes are getting frustrated at lack of NRL opportunities at the Sharks and would be open to a move for better NRL opportunities even though both are currently contracted until the end of the 2025 season.
Dykes has been injury prone which is not ideal, but it’s a well known fact he is one of the most talented emerging playing within the NRL system that is not currently playing regular NRL.
Equally at home at fullback, 5/8 or centre, a player with his talent would improve our attack immensely particularly if playing fullback.
Stonestreet is the prototype big, tall and fast winger who always competes hard for the high ball and regularly makes good post contact metres. He can also play centre and would be a great acquisition for a team like us.
Jeral Skelton and Grant Anderson are both off contract, they are both big, tall, fast powerful athletes who would help improve our depth and push hard for a regular NRL position.
Blake Wilson is another who is under contract with the Bulldogs, but has clearly shown he’s a more than capable NRL standard winger, very good under the high ball and a good finisher. He can’t get a look in at the Bulldogs NRL team when they are full strength, why wouldn’t he be looking elsewhere for a better opportunity?
Toby Sexton is a much more natural halfback than anyone we have, has a much better kicking game than anyone we have also. He’s off contract and I think he’d be well and truly open to a mid season switch frustrated at lack of NRL opportunities at the Bulldogs.
Matt Doorey and Billy Burns both good hole running edge back rowers that would add much needed depth and potentially become NRL regulars with us this season if they made a mid season switch.
Cooper Jenkins a big, tall and mobile prop currently dominating Qld Cuo and currently has a 2nd tier contract with the Dolphins. A definite NRL player of the future, he would definitely improve our depth and offer a prop with good leg speed and try scoring ability, something we don’t have.

Do you know what the common dominator is in each of the above?
They have spent more than a year in reserves honing their craft.
What’s to say our own aren’t on a similar wanted list after 18months of reserve grade.

 

[Needaname]

Geez WT must be going really bad when Hastings is again being suggested as a returning halves signing to lift our side.

Media or forum chatter?

 

[Needaname]

No point getting new players while we have the same attacking coach. Pretty sure Farah is our attacking coach this year and last year. Time to move on and bring someone with more experience in. Our attack is pedantic and uninventive.

No point getting new players while we have the same attacking coach. Pretty sure Farah is our attacking coach this year and last year. Time to move on and bring someone with more experience in. Our attack is pedantic and uninventive.

Was Marshall last year

 

[balmain boy]

Alaimalo is improving all of the time.
I watched his first few games in NSW Cup and he was scared to catch a high ball and could not make a tackle to save his life.
He is now attack every high ball with confidence, making try saving tackles and his hit ups out of our danger zone are strong.
Charlie has unfortunately missed one on one tackles that are leading to tries too often this season, but if he can somehow fix that he has generally been very safe under the high ball and is our only player aside from Olam who regularly hits top speed with his hit ups.
Surely nobody can be blaming our wingers for our recent losses, but we do need more tackle busting line breaking ability from at least one of our wingers.

To me Alaimalo looks kinda like Maumolo towards the end of his career. Big, good on the air but slow, little go forward as he's just tall and easily gets dominated. If he can't regularly be making 10m+ and breaking tackles then he's of limited value. He's improving for sure, but comparing him to our other backs is a very low bar. As a fill in for a year he's a gap filler but unless he can find some speed from somewhere, at 30 next season he's just not a project that will deliver us much value.
I'd take Stonestreet or Skelton over him in a heartbeat. And so should Benji

 

[liltiger]

Was Marshall last year

You could be right , Marshall might have been last years attacking coach, though imo I think Marshall was coaching while Sheens was there taking the hits in the media. That's just my conspiracy theory though I could very well be wrong.

 

[Snidest 0]

Didn’t play 7 for many games but sure.

knights is all I will say

Watch the games!

Hastings has been a liability for the Knights!

Not the reason they are winning!

 

[Snidest 0]

yep. the same ones that sent him back to reggies, before they lost, then brought him back, and then went on a winning streak without ponga. lol. the same ones currently in 8th.

Do you only have free to air TV and just rely on reading the results to assess players?

Hastings stifles the Knights attack - his kicking is substandard and he has a propensity to give away stupid penalties in every match!

They are winning despite him - NOT because of him!

 

[supercoach]

You could be right , Marshall might have been last years attacking coach, though imo I think Marshall was coaching while Sheens was there taking the hits in the media. That's just my conspiracy theory though I could very well be wrong.

I have no doubt you’re right. Sheens was just there to take the heat of Benji with the media and be a backstop

 

[weststigers]

Hardly ever, they pick him up and roll him on to his back so the next poor bugger gets smashed too.

For all of Bulas attributes, he doesn't seem to be able to play out the back like the top fullbacks.

Defensively, he's pretty amazing, but he does lack a little in attack.

After watching Turuva play fullback, I'd be tempted to give him a shot there and move Bula to wing or centre.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Geez WT must be going really bad when Hastings is again being suggested as a returning halves signing to lift our side.

I actually had some hope when we had Hastings. We played with at least a semblance of structure. He’s footy smart, could speak in full sentences and was passionate. At present our team is full of dumb dumbs and we continue to recruit poorly

 

[Kelce68]

Manly lose a few backs to injury and go out, sign Aaron Schoupp....

We never really try and address our issues.
Rolling out career failures like Naden and Kepoa every week is so painful.

I hope they're telling Naden he needs to find a new deal elsewhere.

The problem is that the squad is clogged.

So if we sign a Schoupp to fill a gap for a couple of years, we just prolong the logjam.

As much as we've cleared some deadwood, there are still a raft of Top 30 implications from the past management that will still be felt for 2/3 years. They only vacated 6 months ago and the damage they've done longer term to the squad will reverberate for a little while yet.

Whilst unloading poor contracts can be done, and I'm sure we'll move a few on like we have already, we''ll have to ride out a few more yet, Naden likely being a classic example.

Our biggest hurdle is Top 30 spots. I'm sure if we had plenty of space, particularly for upcoming years, we would see a lot more mid-tier signings. But given the fact we're all in on the 'development club' idea, many future prospects have a spot woven into their future deal, which is clearly a retention strategy; for better or worse.

In the interim, I think we can get more value out of train and trial contracts. If we can use those wisely, particularly post round 10 in each of the next couple of seasons, we can cover areas that we may be dubious in, without necessarily burning a roster spot. This can be difficult to pull off with the right player, but can be done. To me, Declan Casey is a perfect example. I think he should be getting a run in the centres this weekend and will do a serviceable job if chosen, I'm sure.

 

[WestsTigers4VR]

I think Bulas currently injured right now, that’s why his involvement isn’t very high right now. Almost every catch was simply passed to his outside man off the kick, clearly battling a niggle. He had a compression sleeve on his quad a few weeks ago I believe. So more likely he is simply injured right now. He had 27 runs last week which is pretty big drop off. Could be wrong though.

 

[Vicious]

I think Bulas currently injured right now, that’s why his involvement isn’t very high right now. Almost every catch was simply passed to his outside man off the kick, clearly battling a niggle. He had a compression sleeve on his quad a few weeks ago I believe. So more likely he is simply injured right now. He had 27 runs last week which is pretty big drop off. Could be wrong though.

If he is injured and doesn’t want to get involved, what is the point of him playing ?

 

[Demps]

The problem is that the squad is clogged.

So if we sign a Schoupp to fill a gap for a couple of years, we just prolong the logjam.

As much as we've cleared some deadwood, there are still a raft of Top 30 implications from the past management that will still be felt for 2/3 years. They only vacated 6 months ago and the damage they've done longer term to the squad will reverberate for a little while yet.

Whilst unloading poor contracts can be done, and I'm sure we'll move a few on like we have already, we''ll have to ride out a few more yet, Naden likely being a classic example.

Our biggest hurdle is Top 30 spots. I'm sure if we had plenty of space, particularly for upcoming years, we would see a lot more mid-tier signings. But given the fact we're all in on the 'development club' idea, many future prospects have a spot woven into their future deal, which is clearly a retention strategy; for better or worse.

In the interim, I think we can get more value out of train and trial contracts. If we can use those wisely, particularly post round 10 in each of the next couple of seasons, we can cover areas that we may be dubious in, without necessarily burning a roster spot. This can be difficult to pull off with the right player, but can be done. To me, Declan Casey is a perfect example. I think he should be getting a run in the centres this weekend and will do a serviceable job if chosen, I'm sure.

No doubt, we need to move on a few

Kepoa is hopefully done after this year.
I wouldn't be keeping Staford, Naden and possibly Staines either.

If we can get suitable players instead.

 

[Kelce68]

No doubt, we need to move on a few

Kepoa is hopefully done after this year.
I wouldn't be keeping Staford, Naden and possibly Staines either.

If we can get suitable players instead.

I think Starford can play a role in the squad if he can stay injury free, his versatility definitely helps, can play wing, centre, fb, even 5/8 (not brilliantly). Staines needs work, not the worst 3rd or 4th drop on a wing. Problem is that he's almost first winger picked atm. That's an indictment.

But yeh, there are several I could do without.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

The problem is that the squad is clogged.

So if we sign a Schoupp to fill a gap for a couple of years, we just prolong the logjam.

As much as we've cleared some deadwood, there are still a raft of Top 30 implications from the past management that will still be felt for 2/3 years. They only vacated 6 months ago and the damage they've done longer term to the squad will reverberate for a little while yet.

Whilst unloading poor contracts can be done, and I'm sure we'll move a few on like we have already, we''ll have to ride out a few more yet, Naden likely being a classic example.

Our biggest hurdle is Top 30 spots. I'm sure if we had plenty of space, particularly for upcoming years, we would see a lot more mid-tier signings. But given the fact we're all in on the 'development club' idea, many future prospects have a spot woven into their future deal, which is clearly a retention strategy; for better or worse.

In the interim, I think we can get more value out of train and trial contracts. If we can use those wisely, particularly post round 10 in each of the next couple of seasons, we can cover areas that we may be dubious in, without necessarily burning a roster spot. This can be difficult to pull off with the right player, but can be done. To me, Declan Casey is a perfect example. I think he should be getting a run in the centres this weekend and will do a serviceable job if chosen, I'm sure.

Good post @Kelce68

Yep some calls have to be made before the end of this season to clear out some list cloggers & players not providing the right attributes for us moving forward. It's a fine line that it's not too many so it disrupts players harmony in the squad.

The 3 players I would tap on the shoulder are Brent Naden, Bud Sullivan & Brandon Tumeth.

Then it's a big watch on what Stefano's plans are.

Going on needs right now for next season, I'd say Benji/Richo/Betsey are keeping a close eye on:

Experienced metre-eating winger
Experienced backrower utility
Experienced backup halfback (ideal profile to lead NSW Cup team & fill-in for Luai when required)
Experienced hooker utility (given Api & TDS only hookers in top 30 next season)

 

[HowDugWT]

To me Alaimalo looks kinda like Maumolo towards the end of his career. Big, good on the air but slow, little go forward as he's just tall and easily gets dominated. If he can't regularly be making 10m+ and breaking tackles then he's of limited value. He's improving for sure, but comparing him to our other backs is a very low bar. As a fill in for a year he's a gap filler but unless he can find some speed from somewhere, at 30 next season he's just not a project that will deliver us much value.
I'd take Stonestreet or Skelton over him in a heartbeat. And so should Benji

And his knee is cooked

 

[ancient_magpie]

Good post @Kelce68

Yep some calls have to be made before the end of this season to clear out some list cloggers & players not providing the right attributes for us moving forward. It's a fine line that it's not too many so it disrupts players harmony in the squad.

The 3 players I would tap on the shoulder are Brent Naden, Bud Sullivan & Brandon Tumeth.

Then it's a big watch on what Stefano's plans are.

Going on needs right now for next season, I'd say Benji/Richo/Betsey are keeping a close eye on:

Experienced metre-eating winger
Experienced backrower utility
Experienced backup halfback (ideal profile to lead NSW Cup team & fill-in for Luai when required)
Experienced hooker utility (given Api & TDS only hookers in top 30 next season)

What about Latu for the halfback spot

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

What about Latu for the halfback spot

From what I have seen of Latu, I don't think he has the game or voice yet to be a game-managing halfback. He is more of a highly-skilled ball-playing and running 5/8.