Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

The leadership at the club this year has been appalling. What ever struggles we have had on the field have been largely elevated by the decisions made by those in charge. They have not only crushed the morale around the club but have made it more difficult to attract any one to the club and retain any that are half decent.
 

NRL 2022: On-loan Storm star David Nofoaluma breaks finals drought, reveals playing future​

David Nofoaluma has opened up about his long-term future at the Storm, while revealing Tigers teammate Luke Brooks is ‘filthy’ about the winger’s finals appearance, which sat at 180 games.

Fatima KdouhFatima Kdouh
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2 min read
September 4, 2022 - 4:00PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

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On-loan Melbourne winger David Nofoaluma is about to break a 180-game finals drought and his Wests Tigers teammate Luke Brooks is ‘filthy’.
After an 11-year finals blackout for the Tigers, neither Nofoaluma or Brooks have ever lined up in a playoff game.
It took a loan deal with competition heavyweights the Storm for Nofoaluma to change that fate.

But playmaker Brooks is destined to build on his 189 games without a finals appearance - which is the most in the NRL.
“I had a laugh with Brooksy, he was filthy … I said ‘what’s wrong’. He said to me ‘you get to play finals and we are going to be watching’,” Nofoaluma revealed.
“I said ‘that’s all right, I’ll be playing for you boys’.
“I’m sure they are going to be watching even though the season is going to be done after this week. It’s funny me saying that, that’s usually me saying that to others.”
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Luke Brooks has the longest finals drought of any player in the NRL. Picture: NRL Photos
Luke Brooks has the longest finals drought of any player in the NRL. Picture: NRL Photos
With the winger languishing in reserve grade at the Tigers, and with no plans to use him in the NRL side for the rest of the season, the Tigers approved Nofoaluma’s loan to Melbourne in late July.
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It’s believed Tigers officials agreed the veteran finisher could benefit from being in the Melbourne system under disciplinarian coach Craig Bellamy.
Nofoaluma is contracted at Concord until the end of 2025 and is adamant he will be back in Tigers colours next season to help the likes of Brooks, who’s future at the club is uncertain, end his undesirable finals record.
“It’s a personal thing for myself. I came down to Melbourne to gain some leadership and see some of the leaders here, how they are … it starts with the leaders,” Nofoaluma said.
“That was my focus in coming to Melbourne, not just to be a better player but to get an understanding on how to be the best for your teammates.”
Since making his debut in 2013, September was nothing more than a sore point for Nofoaluma.
David Nofoaluma will break his 180-game finals drought. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty

David Nofoaluma will break his 180-game finals drought. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty
But after 10 failed seasons at Tigers, the 28-year-old is preparing to play the biggest game of his career when Melbourne take on Canberra in a week one elimination showdown.
“I try not to watch it … I watched for the first few years but just seeing the players receive their rings and holding the premiership trophy, it hurt a bit,” Nofoaluma said.
“It’s a credit to those players and those teams that have done it in the past.
“For me now, it’s just about working hard and doing what is best for the team and getting the premiership.
“I would have loved it to be at the Tigers but it hasn’t seemed to have worked out for the club over the last 10 years.”

LONGEST FINALS DROUGHTS IN NRL​

PlayerLast finalGames
Luke BrooksNever played189
David NofoalumaNever played180
Ava SeumanufagaiNever played141
Euan Aitken2015, Finals Week 1133
Josh Jackson2016, Finals Week 1130
Adam ElliottNever played124
Moses Mbye2016, Finals Week 1122
Aiden Tolman2016, Finals Week 1121
Paul Vaughan2016, Preliminary Final120
Kevin Naiqama2013, Preliminary Final104
Coen Hess2017, Grand Final103
 
carltonleach said:
Is Nanai really unsigned beyond next year ? I read that he isn’t but unsure if it’s an updated list or still hasn’t been updated
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Todd Payten made comments about players staying at the club (presumably for less) rather than taking up more lucrative contract offers elsewhere. This is the second time he has made interesting comments so NQ must be feeling the heat in terms of the salary cap.
 
GarryOwen said:
The point is that he (and To'a etc) are no better than depth quality. We need to acquire or develop players better than them so that they are relegated to roles commensurate with their abilities, rather than playing FG every week.
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I think our problem is our top tier players are average. Brooks, Doueihi and Laurie are meant to be our gun players but they'd struggle making a lot of top teams.

We need to actually develop or recruit top tier players.

Small improvements are fine so long as we don't stuff our cap longer term because the only way I can see us improving is via developing some quality players via our juniors.
 
pawsandclaws1 said:
Watching Doueihi yesterday, the centre and winger hardly ever see the ball as he nearly always runs himself.
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He is a massive ball hog.
Very good ball runner, get him in a 1-1 and most times he will break the tackle but that's it.
He has a great bomb but it has to be a planned play with no pressure on him
No point getting a strike centre on the right if AD plays.
 
weststigerman said:
I get that, but those players don’t want to come here. So you either massively overpay them like Cleary did or you sign these types of players or you can sign no one like we have in the last 6 months.

It’s easy to say “let’s sign Munster and Tedesco” but it’s nothing more than a fantasy.
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I agree with the last line, but to be fair we have (somehow) managed to sign two of the best in their respective positions for next year.
But it's also why I said "acquire or develop" - with focus on the latter, especially given we are now supposedly a development club. Even if it takes acquiring an 18 year old and developing him further.
So signing these guys as place-holders for the short term is fine, but we have a full backline signed up until 24/25, and none of them* are top 8 quality. What was the rush in extending To'a/Kepaoa/Naden? What was the market for these guys?

Canberra were in a similar position to us 5-10 years ago - unable to recruit and just basically going through the motions in the bottom half year after year. Cronulla and Parramatta have been through similar periods at the bottom. They've all worked their way out of the cellar, but it's taken years and lots of hard work and smart decisions made at the top.
We've gone for quick fix after quick fix and gotten absolutely nowhere as a result.

* Nofo is potentially a top half winger if his head is straight, but who knows whether that will happen or whether he'll be back anyway.
 
Our season starts now. It is called the recruitment stakes.

It will require amazing negotiation to offload Peachey, Musgrove, Liddle, Tuki Simpkins & Gildart. I think Jake Simpkin wwould be snapped up.

And then bringing the right type of players to help change the culture of the club and with the right playing characteristics (strong, fast, powerful, skillful).

Sheens has apparently been in long discussions with Gus and now he needs to see what is possible out of Newcastle, Manly and the Dragons (the teams with discontent in the ranks) and also Penrith (salary cap squeeze).
 
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