Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

We've had young superstar players since forever and in that, We've let them control the way we played and the culture of the club...
We're still working our way out of that legacy.
Just think it's more sustainable long term.
I totally agree with this sort of club philosophy.
I have thought about this after the two nailbiting wins .
Recent history has shown that we were driven by individuals and now we are starting to get a club first mentality.
It's a team that is a long way off from being successful yet we are showing signs of a better culture. [Culture is wanting success for the club, your mates and the fans]
IMO we have a poor roster talent wise but we are starting to get players wanting success.
Our general in Hastings has put the club first in everything he's done.
He's talked his team up including Madge. He paid for his own airfare just to be with his team whilst suspended.
He was clearly stung today but bravely soldiered on.
You have to remember he has only played a few games since arriving here.
Big JT is trying his heart out to give the club consistency in hit ups and tackling and he was hurt today as well but kept putting his hand up.
Liddle has had injuries but is trying. All our fwds are are improving but have lapses in concentration.
Brooks D against big forwards is good so he's not hiding.
A young To'a comes to the club and has played wing, centre and fullback and still shows attacking skills whilst under the pump.
He's not a marquee player but has shown some quality traits.
It's easy to blame players like Kepaoa which I did earlier but I have to remember it was his first game back from injury too.
In most games our completion rate has been first class which takes effort and concentration.
We have two upgrades coming next year and already they are being lauded as saviours, instead they should be coming to a team that demands effort and loyalty.
I know a lot of you will disagree with that because you'll make a judgement based on our results thus far.
Effort and execution must get better and hopefully towards the back end of this year we will see less changes and disruptions that will facilitate this.
Changes made in culture if done gradually is hard to pickup on, but if you did a time jump of a year then you would notice it.

Injuries are crippling us and has hampered our cohesion and progress.
This has made us look like we are not trying but that's not the case.
The new players have had mixed bags but once again it's mainly due to disruptions and playing out of positions.
I'm still confident in the rebuild.
I think behind the scenes WT are frantically looking for the right players to fill the void.
I believe the next signings will be the most important in the clubs history because if we we stuff it up with over priced pensioners then we won't succeed. No more Packer type signings.
If we do manage to get 2-3 quality footballers then add AD, Stef, Laurie and a fitter KM things will be better for sure.

Hopefully we will start to get some depth which is paramount.
If you go by our predictions in the off season most of us said no more thrashings and more effort...apart from one dismal failure I think we are having a dig.
Today we looked lost in attack because of the reasons I've mentioned.
Culture and Roster, those two words should be talked about as we move forward.
 
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I totally agree with club first mentally.
I have thought about this too after two nailbiting wins .
Recent history has shown that we were driven by individuals and now we are starting to get a club first mentality.
It's a team that is a long way off from being successful yet we are showing signs of a better culture. [Culture is wanting success for the club, your mates and the fans]
IMO we have a poor roster talent wise but we are starting to get players wanting success.
Our general in Hastings has put the club first in everything he's done.
He's talked his team up including Madge. He paid for his own airfare just to be with his team whilst suspended.
He was clearly stung today but bravely soldiered on.
You have to remember he has only played a few games since arriving here.
Big JT is trying his heart out to give the club consistency in hit ups and tackling and he was hurt today as well but kept putting his hand up.
Liddle has had injuries but is trying. All our fwds are are improving but have lapses in concentration.
Brooks D against big forwards is good so he's not hiding.
A young To'a comes to the club and has played wing, centre and fullback and still shows attacking skills whilst under the pump.
He's not a marquee player but has shown some quality traits.
It's easy to blame players like Kepaoa which I did earlier but I have to remember it was his first game back from injury too.
In most games our completion rate has been first class which takes effort and concentration.
We have two upgrades coming next year and already they are being lauded as saviours, instead they should be coming to a team that demands effort and loyalty.
I know a lot of you will disagree with that because you'll make a judgement based on our results thus far.
Effort and execution must get better and hopefully towards the back end of this year we will see less changes and disruptions that will facilitate this.
Changes made in culture if done gradually is hard to pickup on, but if you did a time jump of a year then you would notice it.

Injuries are crippling us and has hampered our cohesion and progress.
This has made us look like we are not trying but that's not the case.
The new players have had mixed bags but once again it's mainly due to disruptions and playing out of positions.
I'm still confident in the rebuild.
I think behind the scenes WT are frantically looking for the right players to fill the void.
I believe the next signings will be the most important in the clubs history because if we we stuff it up with over priced pensioners then we won't succeed. No more Packer type signings.
If we do manage to get 2-3 quality footballers then add AD, Stef, Laurie and a fitter KM things will be better for sure.

Hopefully we will start to get some depth which is paramount.
If you go by our predictions in the off season most of us said no more thrashings and more effort...apart from one dismal failure I think we are having a dig.
Today we looked lost in attack because of the reasons I've mentioned.
Culture and Roster, those two words should be talked about as we move forward.

Well said
 
Canberra roster clean out expected after 2022 season: Canberra raiders "insiders" have said no matter where the team places this year, There will be a major clean out of the organisation this is coming off the 21-20 loss to the Warriors Saturday. Ceo Don Furner didn't hold back when asked about the loss stating "the players should be embarrassed with their performance" and defended under pressure coach Ricky Stuart stating " Ricky isn't out there throwing stupid passes"
 
I totally agree with this sort of club philosophy.
I have thought about this after the two nailbiting wins .
Recent history has shown that we were driven by individuals and now we are starting to get a club first mentality.
It's a team that is a long way off from being successful yet we are showing signs of a better culture. [Culture is wanting success for the club, your mates and the fans]
IMO we have a poor roster talent wise but we are starting to get players wanting success.
Our general in Hastings has put the club first in everything he's done.
He's talked his team up including Madge. He paid for his own airfare just to be with his team whilst suspended.
He was clearly stung today but bravely soldiered on.
You have to remember he has only played a few games since arriving here.
Big JT is trying his heart out to give the club consistency in hit ups and tackling and he was hurt today as well but kept putting his hand up.
Liddle has had injuries but is trying. All our fwds are are improving but have lapses in concentration.
Brooks D against big forwards is good so he's not hiding.
A young To'a comes to the club and has played wing, centre and fullback and still shows attacking skills whilst under the pump.
He's not a marquee player but has shown some quality traits.
It's easy to blame players like Kepaoa which I did earlier but I have to remember it was his first game back from injury too.
In most games our completion rate has been first class which takes effort and concentration.
We have two upgrades coming next year and already they are being lauded as saviours, instead they should be coming to a team that demands effort and loyalty.
I know a lot of you will disagree with that because you'll make a judgement based on our results thus far.
Effort and execution must get better and hopefully towards the back end of this year we will see less changes and disruptions that will facilitate this.
Changes made in culture if done gradually is hard to pickup on, but if you did a time jump of a year then you would notice it.

Injuries are crippling us and has hampered our cohesion and progress.
This has made us look like we are not trying but that's not the case.
The new players have had mixed bags but once again it's mainly due to disruptions and playing out of positions.
I'm still confident in the rebuild.
I think behind the scenes WT are frantically looking for the right players to fill the void.
I believe the next signings will be the most important in the clubs history because if we we stuff it up with over priced pensioners then we won't succeed. No more Packer type signings.
If we do manage to get 2-3 quality footballers then add AD, Stef, Laurie and a fitter KM things will be better for sure.

Hopefully we will start to get some depth which is paramount.
If you go by our predictions in the off season most of us said no more thrashings and more effort...apart from one dismal failure I think we are having a dig.
Today we looked lost in attack because of the reasons I've mentioned.
Culture and Roster, those two words should be talked about as we move forward.
Very well said.
Why were playing more for club now, I don't know. I did like how Nathan Cayless, on coming here was talking up the Wests Tigers and being a Westie in General. As a Club we have a huge identity and I found it hilarious that Smith on going to the flight deck of easts talks up their culture. We have two strong fighting clubs and clearly last year Culture did not come into it and this year people are fighting for the club.

^this is a good sign.

>> No more Packer type signings.
If we do manage to get 2-3 quality footballers then add AD, Stef, Laurie and a fitter KM things will be better for sure.

I think Packer as a forward was a bigger follower then we thought. What went wrong was Packer being on a long term contract while loosing the heart for the game. The Mata+Packer idea was a good one, his stats at St George were great. He comes here and flounders because we looked to him to provide leadership while he was getting good leadership at St George.

Meaning we had a real leadership vacancy after Woods left, opposed to the leadership vacancy when Woods was Captain!

>>Hopefully we will start to get some depth which is paramount.
Everyone shouts on about Depth. We have had it for a few seasons and not broken the 9.
I like the way Manly do things, hire players who are way above the average but don't spend on Depth. If Dylan Walker or Tommy Turbo get injured, next year. If they remain injury free, Finals.

We have hired Fringe graders in the past and we get that "depth". We don't get a good starting 17. I would rather us be a lot more selective and hire players that have impact. Lets hire people that would be picked in any 17, We have new hires in 21+ positions and that shows we suck at hiring.
 
We need to throw serious money at two quality centres a position that has been an issue for such a long time. Toa and AJ might come good but put two quality centres in yesterdays' team and result would have been different. Garner and Gildart are not NRL quality centres.

I would also look at Drinkwater at full back. He has creativity we need.
 
We need to throw serious money at two quality centres a position that has been an issue for such a long time. Toa and AJ might come good but put two quality centres in yesterdays' team and result would have been different. Garner and Gildart are not NRL quality centres.

I would also look at Drinkwater at full back. He has creativity we need.
Sure does.
 
The problem is not knowing what we need it's finding the players that fit the role and the fact that other clubs are also in need of the same players.
 
Aitken as a centre not a second rower- remembering he was a state of origin player-
gotta be disappointed with jet jackson - he must have been really crook not to have played yesterday
 
Euan Atkin is only 26 years old played 143 NRL games and scored 49 tries. Plays Centre and Second Row and unsigned for 2023 as he got an early release from Warriors.

Better option than Gildart and we need his experience and try scoring ability.

Happy to sign him at right price. Atkin one Centre and Toa the other one.

Not many quality centres around. Now need a Second Rower and Prop.
 
I think we need backs more than forwards. Although we do need both. I think Blore and Papali'i are a solid second row pairing if they stay fit.

We've got passengers in terms of outside backs in our squad like Gildart, Tupou, Kei, Roberts (he can't stay on the field). To'a is okay at covering for Laurie, but leaves a massive hole in our centre and wing. I was hopeful Kepaoa might have improved his hands but 3 errors yesterday tells me he hasn't.

Aitken would give us some cover there, but we need someone else. I'd love us to get Farnworth but that's unlikely. Need to target some up and coming Ball/Flegg outside backs. Feledy is a good get but he won't be ready for a couple of years.
 
Aitken is from Pambula on the Far South Coast and represented NSW Under Age as a lock forward. I think he may have played in the Junior Kangaroos as a centre with Hastings and a few other NRL players. As a second row forward who can fill in at centre, he would be a good buy at a reasonable price. Toa and Kepaoa imo are our future centre pairing.
 

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