Kelma Tuilagi Signs With Manly

Read Shuster copped an injury and is in a mood boot... out for 6 weeks.
 
Easy come, easy go. Hope that Kelma can contribute for WT this season, particularly with Blore seemingly gone and wish him all the best.

Our club has just signed up a couple of local youngsters to the top squad from 2023 onwards based on an assumed ceiling higher than his and they must continue to aim for that level and especially so for it's juniors. Unless Tuilagi lifts his game exponentially during the year he will be no great loss, as players of his current ilk are readily available to plug holes.
 
He could probably get a start with literally any Q cup team.

As for first grade... maybe the titans.
Like too many of our players, if he can get motivated I think he's a quality player. The game against Souths last year where him and Latrell got into it a bit showed what he can do when he fires up. Actually had a decent game in defence and ran strong. I guess we will know soon if he actually wants to play NRL or not.
 
Tapau was paid a huge salary over many years which I’m glad we didn’t match. He struggled towards the end of the year and was talk Manly wanted him traded but his salary no one wanted to take onboard.

Aloiai got a great package over many years and was clear he wanted out on his terms like Matterson. He also didn’t have a great year last year & battles injuries more than most props.

Kelma we poached from the Storm, he is 23 end of Feb, so 24 next season starts. He is a nrl squad member currently not a starter. We have had very little involvement in his development. Again looks like Manly have paid more and over a longer period. As to his future and value who knows but he isn’t a kid anymore.

Sirro looked out of place with us

My biggest issue is the timing, atm for next year our backrow rotation is only Blore and maybe Papa if he doesn’t play prop. Garner & Lucy are gone and now our depth in Kelma is as well. We are at least an experienced backrower short and reserve/fill in NRL bencher short as well. Yes we have kids but they are years off.
Havn't analysed it.. just saw a pattern that I thought I'd point out.

We can say that they put extra $$ but at the end these guys will be playing semi finals and our blokes won't be.
 
Havn't analysed it.. just saw a pattern that I thought I'd point out.

We can say that they put extra $$ but at the end these guys will be playing semi finals and our blokes won't be.
Interesting that you are now showing above as having joined the forum on 1/1/1970. Wouldn't that be 20 years or more before you were born, let alone the internet.
 
Interesting that you are now showing above as having joined the forum on 1/1/1970. Wouldn't that be 20 years or more before you were born, let alone the internet.
Have no idea what's happening to my profile since the update. Plenty of back and forth between the mods and I. I joined in 2009 FWIW
 
Shows where are as a club that so many see this as a big blow.
It is a big blow, if you watched NSW Cup, he really stood out. He was one of the reasons why Wests were going so well. Got his chance for a few games in First grade and did not look out of place. He is only young is going to get bigger, though I guess you cannot keep them all.
 
Kelma could do a backflip like Teddy did, nothing has really been announced officially, there is a lot of time between now and the start of 2023.
Once it was said on the radio you'd think it have been a done deal and they would have followed up with an official announcement. If they haven't I'd be inclined to think something has stalled for them.

It'd be funny to see Zorba do a "Hagipantelis."
 
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It is a big blow, if you watched NSW Cup, he really stood out. He was one of the reasons why Wests were going so well. Got his chance for a few games in First grade and did not look out of place. He is only young is going to get bigger, though I guess you cannot keep them all.
A lot of players stand out in NSW cup. I’ll stand by my comment. Until he proves himself as a devastating first grader, he’s no big loss.
 
Kelma could do a backflip like Teddy did, nothing has really been announced officially, there is a lot of time between now and the start of 2023.
Do our club care enough to get him to do a backflip? Tedesco was a once in a generation type player who the club would go to those lengths to try and get to backflip. I doubt Tuilagi is that type of player. And the reality is for everyone mourning this loss, he could have been easily retained if the club/Sheens rated him that highly, but they obviously didn’t. He’s not irreplaceable.
 
Do our club care enough to get him to do a backflip? Tedesco was a once in a generation type player who the club would go to those lengths to try and get to backflip. I doubt Tuilagi is that type of player. And the reality is for everyone mourning this loss, he could have been easily retained if the club/Sheens rated him that highly, but they obviously didn’t. He’s not irreplaceable.
Many on this forum did not think much of Tedesco, they want to move him to centre, or even swap him for Moylan!?? So it is not a surprise that he looked elsewhere, the first time Farah saved us, but not the second time.
 
Do our club care enough to get him to do a backflip? Tedesco was a once in a generation type player who the club would go to those lengths to try and get to backflip. I doubt Tuilagi is that type of player. And the reality is for everyone mourning this loss, he could have been easily retained if the club/Sheens rated him that highly, but they obviously didn’t. He’s not irreplaceable.

Is he even gone?
 
Do our club care enough to get him to do a backflip? Tedesco was a once in a generation type player who the club would go to those lengths to try and get to backflip. I doubt Tuilagi is that type of player. And the reality is for everyone mourning this loss, he could have been easily retained if the club/Sheens rated him that highly, but they obviously didn’t. He’s not irreplaceable.
Well like I said a year is a long time, and Tuilagi will most probably get his chance in First grade with us, and if he proves you wrong, the club may feel his worth trying to keep.
 
Do our club care enough to get him to do a backflip? Tedesco was a once in a generation type player who the club would go to those lengths to try and get to backflip. I doubt Tuilagi is that type of player. And the reality is for everyone mourning this loss, he could have been easily retained if the club/Sheens rated him that highly, but they obviously didn’t. He’s not irreplaceable.
He missed a few easy tackles in his first grade games. I had high hopes for him but I remember thinking towards the end of last season he was a bit how ya goin in defence
 
He missed a few easy tackles in his first grade games. I had high hopes for him but I remember thinking towards the end of last season he was a bit how ya goin in defence
that Cronulla game our middle collapsed midway through the second half and he had plenty to do with that. Tuki was similar but he's nowhere near the finished product for mine. no doubt about Kelma's abilities in attack mind you.
 
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