bathursttiger1
Well-known member
Matt Utai in the second row Fifita in the grandstands, A Tim special.
Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
- Start date
bathursttiger1
Well-known member
Jacob Liddle is the latest Wests Tigers player whose future is clouded after the club allowed him to explore his options beyond this season.
Liddle is contracted to the Tigers until the end of 2023, but the arrival of Blues and Panthers star Apisai Koroisau from next season will further limit his opportunities. Several clubs looking to bolster their dummy-half depth are monitoring the situation closely.
St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin has met with Liddle about the prospect of joining the Red V. The Dragons have Andrew McCullough on the books until the end of next year, who only recently celebrated his 300th NRL appearance. The joint-venture has used Jayden Sullivan at dummy half at times but is yet to settle on its preferred back-up option.
Parramatta - who are farewelling Reed Mahoney and welcoming Josh Hodgson at the end of the current campaign - are monitoring the situation, as are the Gold Coast Titans.
The development comes just weeks after Luciano Leilua was granted an early release to join the Cowboys.
Liddle has been in and out of the Tigers side this year and has been overlooked for Sunday's clash with Penrith. Fa'amanu Brown will wear the No.9 jersey as part of a team shake up that includes moving Jackson Hastings to lock, with Adam Doueihi moving into the halves alongside Luke Brooks for the first time this year.
There has been ongoing speculation about the futures of several current and prospective Tigers players as the club prepares to name its coach for next year. Tim Sheens is poised to take up the role a decade after being sacked by the club, potentially with Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall as part of his brains trust.
The Tigers had hoped to lure Cameron Ciraldo to Concord, but Sheens is now the firm favourite for the role after the Panthers assistant knocked a long and lucrative offer.
Isaiah Papali'i is signed to join Koroisau as a marquee recruit for next year, but the club had to allay concerns the Parramatta backrower had about the move. Papali'i committed to the Tigers while Michael Maguire was coach, but his sacking raised questions about the direction of the club.
Those concerns have largely been allayed after a recent meeting between the parties and the former Warrior is now expected to go ahead with the transfer.
"He's assured us since that everything is fine, Sheens told the Herald on Tuesday. "I'm comfortable that there is no problem at all. He's looking forward to training with us when he joins us after the World Cup."
The future of Brooks, who will be paid a seven-figure sum next season, continues to be a point of conjecture, while Hastings is said to be unsettled after being switched from his preferred halves position. Hastings, contracted until the end of next year, has been one of the Tigers' best in their campaign to date.
Liddle is contracted to the Tigers until the end of 2023, but the arrival of Blues and Panthers star Apisai Koroisau from next season will further limit his opportunities. Several clubs looking to bolster their dummy-half depth are monitoring the situation closely.
St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin has met with Liddle about the prospect of joining the Red V. The Dragons have Andrew McCullough on the books until the end of next year, who only recently celebrated his 300th NRL appearance. The joint-venture has used Jayden Sullivan at dummy half at times but is yet to settle on its preferred back-up option.
Parramatta - who are farewelling Reed Mahoney and welcoming Josh Hodgson at the end of the current campaign - are monitoring the situation, as are the Gold Coast Titans.
The development comes just weeks after Luciano Leilua was granted an early release to join the Cowboys.
Liddle has been in and out of the Tigers side this year and has been overlooked for Sunday's clash with Penrith. Fa'amanu Brown will wear the No.9 jersey as part of a team shake up that includes moving Jackson Hastings to lock, with Adam Doueihi moving into the halves alongside Luke Brooks for the first time this year.
There has been ongoing speculation about the futures of several current and prospective Tigers players as the club prepares to name its coach for next year. Tim Sheens is poised to take up the role a decade after being sacked by the club, potentially with Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall as part of his brains trust.
The Tigers had hoped to lure Cameron Ciraldo to Concord, but Sheens is now the firm favourite for the role after the Panthers assistant knocked a long and lucrative offer.
Isaiah Papali'i is signed to join Koroisau as a marquee recruit for next year, but the club had to allay concerns the Parramatta backrower had about the move. Papali'i committed to the Tigers while Michael Maguire was coach, but his sacking raised questions about the direction of the club.
Those concerns have largely been allayed after a recent meeting between the parties and the former Warrior is now expected to go ahead with the transfer.
"He's assured us since that everything is fine, Sheens told the Herald on Tuesday. "I'm comfortable that there is no problem at all. He's looking forward to training with us when he joins us after the World Cup."
The future of Brooks, who will be paid a seven-figure sum next season, continues to be a point of conjecture, while Hastings is said to be unsettled after being switched from his preferred halves position. Hastings, contracted until the end of next year, has been one of the Tigers' best in their campaign to date.
tony soprano
Well-known member
He's fifth tackle pass to the decoy forward on the fifth will do him no favours.
Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan
Well-known member
Liddle is last in the pecking order. Brown has jumped him.
Although we can't sign Brown to an NRL contract unless we get someone to take Liddle off our hands. Could be a sticky situation.
Although we can't sign Brown to an NRL contract unless we get someone to take Liddle off our hands. Could be a sticky situation.
jirskyr
Well-known member
If Ciraldo goes to Bulldogs, then we know the "not a good fit" feedback in the media about Ciraldo was complete BS, because the Bulldogs are no further along in their rebuild strategy than Tigers.
Like always it probably just comes down to money and who you know. Phil Gould has a lot of sway in the NRL across many clubs.
diedpretty
Well-known member
We will be passing parra on the way up next year as they slide back to where they belong. On the bottom.
diedpretty
Well-known member
A lot of hazing going on at that club.
Context?
Cool name huh...
I can hear Barbara Streisand warbling "Memories" in the background and i have a terrible premonition it will be getting re-released next year
weststigerman
Well-known member
Few rumours on twitter suggesting he’s headed there but Gus is trying to keep it quiet.
I have read countless posts from you suggesting that the Bulldogs are a basketcase and in no better position than us. Without getting into an argument I disagree. My reasoning, the bulldgos have started their rebuild already have debuted talented juniors over the past 2 years, have a head of football, qualified for that role, in that exact role, have a pathways plan in place with 2 feeder clubs providing to the first grade squad and have a roster full of talented, quick, strong, skillful players.
If I was to compare them to a club previously in a similar position to them but albeit not as dour I would say they are about 1 year behind where the sharks were when they sacked Morris and appointed Fitzgibbon
In a far better position to take on a Ciraldo to inject new life into the roster.
Where as we are currently the 2015 Knights getting set for a hat trick of wooden spoons.
Shouldn't say it but I hope he goes there and fails like Barrett.
I would not like Gus watching over me everyday like a hawk.
IMO No way we are in for hat trick of spoons.
We just lack 3-5 solid first graders to help steer the ship along and develop the young one we have. Look at how many injuries we have had this year and the poor squad we have and we have improved our defence this year to the last few. If we had a few more talented players to this team this year we win another 3-5 games.
Papa and Api are going to do wonders next year for us.. We just need to make sure we extend Hastings and AD as halves are a massive key to success and Yes I left Brooks off as he needs to go for both parties.
Simpkin won't go. He's only 20 and missed 2 years of development due to Covid. He's going to get a really good apprenticeship with Api K coming for 2 years. At the end of Apis contract Simpkin will be 23. The same age Harry Grant was when he came to us and started playing NRL
851
Well-known member
Gus said Cameron Ciraldo is not ready to coach the Tigers or Bulldogs, but Gus lies a whole heap
ancient_magpie
Well-known member
Go away Mr negative
I’d love to share your optimism.
However the quote just 3-5 quality players from being competitive has been rolled out the past 10 years.
Your banking on the slowest halves pairing with the worst ability to place kick and your trumpeting it as a potential success.
I’ll bet now that the O’Sullivan / Nikorima pairing will run laps around those two.
2 players in their prime. If they come. Regardless though with Joffa, that’s 3 experienced and talented players in a sea of talented youngsters, aging retirees and inconsistent squadies.
This is the team that ran out round 18 for the knights 2015
This is the team they ran out round 1 2016.
Noteworthy points, Matiua boys join Sione in first grade and Safiti brothers debut. Gagai, Uate, Mullen, Hodkinson, Snowden all had played a game of origin. Smith and Sims international players.
