Kelma Tuilagi Signs With Manly

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Tiger_Bond said:

Rivals poach another Tiger cub​

Fatima Kdouh
Enjoy it while it lasts, Wests Tigers fans.
The clock has started ticking on the most promising backrow prospects seen at Concord in recent times.

Boom forward Kelma Tuilagi will join North Queensland bound Leilua Leilua in departing the club at the end of the season.

The 23-year old, who beat Luke Garner to a starting edge spot, has agreed to join rivals Manly on a long-term deal. Tuilagi opted to take the security of a three-year contract with the Sea Eagles over the two years offered by the Tigers.

“Madge [Michael Maguire] fought to bring me here from Melbourne. I had tears in my eyes telling him,” Tuilagi told The Daily Telegraph.

“We came back from the Christmas break but Madge had Covid, so I had to wait another week before telling him in person.
The Wests Tigers had already lost Luciano Leilua (left) to the Cowboys and have now lost Kelma Tuilagi (right) to Manly. Picture: NCA NewsWire.

The Wests Tigers had already lost Luciano Leilua (left) to the Cowboys and have now lost Kelma Tuilagi (right) to Manly. Picture: NCA NewsWire.
“Holding it in was so hard. I didn’t want to do it on the phone. I wanted to tell him face-to-face because he was confident I would stay.”

It’s not the first time Tuilagi has slipped through a club’s fingers.

Stuck down the pecking order behind the likes Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi and Dale Finucane at the Storm, Melbourne let Tuilagi walk away at the end of season 2020.

The Storm could rue the decision to let the rising forward leave with lock Finucane no longer at the club and second rowers Kaufusi and Bromwich switching to the Redcliffe Dolphins in 2023.

“I started playing league when I was 15 in New Zealand. Melbourne came over and picked me up, I played some edge, some middle back then,” Tuilagi said.

“I was grateful I started off with the Storm because they are a pretty good team.

“But coming to the Tigers was the start of me.

“I had been down in Melbourne quite a bit … but the Tigers gave me the opportunity to play NRL.”

While Tuilagi opted for security, Leilua was searching for a sea change when deciding to sign a three-year deal with the Cowboys.

“It was time to get out of Sydney for me,” Leilua said.

“Madge was the main reason I wanted to stay, because he built me up to what I am today. Everything I have done in footy is because of Madge. He’s turned me into the 80 minute player that I am.”

Tuilagi and Leilua looked very good together for the Tigers in Round One, but the combination won’t be together after 2022. Picture: NCA Newswire.

Tuilagi and Leilua looked very good together for the Tigers in Round One, but the combination won’t be together after 2022. Picture: NCA Newswire.
Impressive in the trials series, Leilua has carried that form into the start of the season on the right edge.

It’s been a similar story on the left side for Tuilagi.

After five games off the bench last season, Tuilagi has claimed a starting spot and is primed for a breakout season.

Tuilagi’s physicality is already causing problems for opposition defences with his line-bending runs and offloading ability.

“He’s a man of few words, he can be funny when you get to know him … he’s impressed me with just how physical he is … we don‘t really see it at training. He is the nice guy,” Leilua said.

“And then on the field, he’s putting on shots, he’s got line speed. He’s menacing.”

But Tuilagi is more reluctant than Leilua to take on the tag as the club’s newest ‘bash brothers’.

“I’ll leave the bashing to Luce. I’m a lover, I’m not a basher,” Tuilagi laughed.

“Everyone looks at me and sees someone who doesn’t say much, whether it’s on the field or off the field … on the field, I’m a quiet and shy dude.

“I keep telling myself I don’t need to say anything, just let your actions talk.

“From how I play, people think I’m aggressive but deep down. I’m not.”

The dynamic duo have pledged to do everything they can to help return the Tigers to the finals for first time since 2011 before departing the club.

“Everyone says it … but I desperately want to make the finals,” Leilua said.

“I want to have a good time here. When you’re having a good time you’re winning games. I want to win games.

“We’re also from the same village in Samoa, Fatausi. That would make the finals even more special,” Leilua said.

While the Tigers lose Leilua and Tuilagi, the club has signed Parramatta backrower Isaiah Papali’i from season 2023.
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TieDye said:
Aren’t we looking at the other bloke??? (From NQL)
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It was said a couple days ago, maybe yesterday that Nanai is weighing up an offer from us. Probably unlikely we get him, but I wouldn’t have thought we could pull off a signing like IPap, so who knows.
 
You gain some, you lose some. Recently, we've had a few bitter exits, nice to see that both wanted to stay and have positive things to say about the club. Too many have bad mouthed while leaving.

Hope they put in their all in 2022.
 
it's disappointing losing these two but hopefully, we get to see them pump out a fantastic year for us. what I'm not disappointed in is the fact that we didn't pay overs for these guys like come on 500k for kelma is crazy (keep in mind they signed him last year after 5 games off the bench), and promising him an edge spot is even dumber, Schuster, bully, Lawton, olakau'atu where does he fit in? manly starting to piss me off stealing our forwards like when are they going to learn it doesn't even work out for them, idiots!!

​

 
I think our back row options are still pretty decent next year with Papali'i, Blore and Garner, but have seen some good signs out of Kelma. It's a real shame to see him go. Wish him well at Manly.
 
tigerap said:
We will regret letting this guy go….all over an extra year..
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Will this be another example of "keep the ones that no-one wants" and make plausible excuse like "he is too expensive" for those we need?
The following is a list of players that fall into both groups
e.g. Lovett, Groth, Nofoaluma, Tamou, Raynolds, Mbye, Papenhoyzen, Tedesco, Taupau, Garner, Fifita, JAC, Koroibete ...
 
Jimmy said:
it's disappointing losing these two but hopefully, we get to see them pump out a fantastic year for us. what I'm not disappointed in is the fact that we didn't pay overs for these guys like come on 500k for kelma is crazy (keep in mind they signed him last year after 5 games off the bench), and promising him an edge spot is even dumber, Schuster, bully, Lawton, olakau'atu where does he fit in? manly starting to piss me off stealing our forwards like when are they going to learn it doesn't even work out for them, idiots!!

​

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Hey just wondering where you saw that he’s been signed for 500k a year?
 
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