Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Mighty_Tiger said:
It all depends on what actually happens next roster wise & how we perform on the ladder.

If Hastings was to leave and we grabbed Klemmer, Bateman and Moses then the experts will say we have improved on paper & no doubts so will our results.

I'm not buying the swap talk though, we don't have to release anyone next year we have plenty of cash and roster spots to fill. Sheens is old school and will only do things for the roster that benefit us not another club. He wants to change the DNA and put attack at the front foot.

Sheens has never said he doesn't want Hastings here, Sheens has said multiple times he is looking forward to having Hastings, Brooks and AD running out together. It spreads the field and sets us up really well attacking structure wise. The width of the park use is huge potential wise.

I think the reality is Hastings wants to play halfback as such he will look at that option 1st over staying here as a lock. Most pundits including Andrew Johns actually think Brooks is a NRL level pivot player. Heck Johns has been after Brooks for 12mths and is now moving onto his 2nd option Hastings based on "reports".

We assume the club doesn't want Hastings atm but I don't buy it. I think Sheens/Benji are doing the right thing and wanting to get these key players into pre-season to see how they respond to the formations/coaching structures they will implement & then look to extend those in the new year that respond favourably.
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As hard as I try not reacting to rumours at this time of year is challenging.
 
I was resigned to the fact that Hastings was likely to leave in 2024, but showing him the door for next year may prove disastrous. we have no genuine 13's on our roster besides Jacko. if you leave Brooks and Doueihi to organise then strap yourselves in for another year of failure. if he was to leave in '24 then it gives us a year to develop one of Matamua, Laulili'i and Fa'agutu. we can't go into 2023 without a specialist 13.
 
jrtiger said:
I was resigned to the fact that Hastings was likely to leave in 2024, but showing him the door for next year may prove disastrous. we have no genuine 13's on our roster besides Jacko. if you leave Brooks and Doueihi to organise then strap yourselves in for another year of failure. if he was to leave in '24 then it gives us a year to develop one of Matamua, Laulili'i and Fa'agutu. we can't go into 2023 without a specialist 13.
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I might be jumping the gun, but if Matamua, Laulili'i and Fa'aguta all turn out to quality 13's we will lose 2 of them.
 
Depend who we can get in the halves. Till we produce or buy a good 6 or 7 , we will have to make
do with what we have. Sheens is aware that our whole spine was below par this year, as were our forwards .Api , Paps, Stains and some promising young locks coming through, gives us some hope. The signing of smith was smart, either as a backup for Api, or the 6 and 7. I do not see the current halves being signed beyond 2023 and Sheens is not that silly to state this. We will be cashed up for 2024 and i am confident we will purchase some decent halves and other top class players.
Its's a waiting game.
 
Balmainian said:
Every club has been active.
Dragons have signed a few, roosters and Parra have been busy.

I’d say the win loss ratio is a touch different between the two.
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Not to mention the forward pack that the very fit and conditioned Pearce formed part of.

That said, I cannot imagine him being any more than run of the mill squad player in the modern game.
 
oldschooltiger said:
I might be jumping the gun, but if Matamua, Laulili'i and Fa'aguta all turn out to quality 13's we will lose 2 of them.
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Laulili'i is the one I reckon will end up the 13. signed a long-term deal recently and was the captain of the undefeated HM side. I'd say Matamua will become the utility bench forward long term, can cover prop, lock, back row and even 5/8 if he had to. Fa'agutu might prove the odd one out. not doubting his ability but the fact he isn't training with first grade at the moment while Laulili'i is makes me think he's not on the radar of Sheens and Marshall.

regardless though, it's nice to have options.
 
tonza said:
Hastings got our players running on the ball with passion, for a change. He was like a traffic cop and seemed to have all the time under the sun to do it. I would be very sorry to see him go early as we are yet to see all that he has to offer, due to his injury. We definitely played much better when he was in the side.
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Yeah i agree i assume most of us have watched him play live, and if you've followed him closely he doesnt shut up. Constantly telling players where to go and where to be on the next play. Something that Brooks doesnt have in his locker, what Hastings lacks in speed he makes up for in smarts. But that's not to say other better teams havent worked out how to nullify him.
The 2 or 3 games i saw him play lock i think we looked much better because we had threat on either side of the field plus through the middle with Hastings still calling the shots.
I can see why Sheens would like to play that 3 pronged style going forward, but if Hastings is unwilling to play there or pushing back on it, your whole game plan needs rejigging again.
Brooks could be that running 5/8 that is at threat at times but he's not going to take a game by the scruff of the neck, nor is Doueihi he's probably the most deluded of the 3 thinking he's worth up to $900 k.
I would keep Hastings if we could but i would keep him at lock thats just my personal opinion, he's also the best HB we have at the club but as i said yesterday thats a low bar, which is why we need to think outside the square.
 
Earl said:
I think Hastings is possibly our best player. Maybe a better way to phrase it is that I think he has the most influence on the team performing well. I think AD is potentially our best player.

The problem is the money these guys are after. Are these guys in the top halves in the comp ? To me they are nowhere near it. Are these guys going to give us or any team 3 good seasons if you sign them for that long ?

The problem is atm they appear to want top dollar contracts without proving they are worth that money.

Our spine is a mess and these guys playing the game for every additional cent they can get doesn't help.
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we have to start with the foundation -> forwards, and than we can hope we attract a better backs, as no one wants to play behind Twal, Seyfarth, and perhaps Woods.
So get at least one star prop and 2nd raw to start
e.g.
props: Haas/Saifiti/J W-H and Klemmer
2d raw: Yeo/N Brown/A Murray

only than we can think of Pongia, Moses, Munster, etc
 
sleeve said:
Depend who we can get in the halves. Till we produce or buy a good 6 or 7 , we will have to make
do with what we have. Sheens is aware that our whole spine was below par this year, as were our forwards .Api , Paps, Stains and some promising young locks coming through, gives us some hope. The signing of smith was smart, either as a backup for Api, or the 6 and 7. I do not see the current halves being signed beyond 2023 and Sheens is not that silly to state this. We will be cashed up for 2024 and i am confident we will purchase some decent halves and other top class players.
Its's a waiting game.
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I reckon if Sheens and co hold the line and keep Jacko,Luke and Adam for season 23,it could work well for us getting off the bottom of the ladder...
Laurie at 1
Brooks at 6
Hastings at 7
Api at 9
And put Joffa at 13..he did ok for us there...
Douhie at centre with Naden...

WE use who we have got and gives Sheens the time to find quality replacements going into 24...
Just my thoughts because we really need stability this year with hopefully no injuries to our key players...lets face it last year was all about shuffling positions and playing mainly ressie fill ins...
If Sheens is as good as they say he will tell them all they play where he puts them or move on...
That was aimed at AD,JH.Brooks....and I know Sheens wants Brooks in the 7 and therein could lie the problem....
 
Mighty_Tiger said:
It all depends on what actually happens next roster wise & how we perform on the ladder.

If Hastings was to leave and we grabbed Klemmer, Bateman and Moses then the experts will say we have improved on paper & no doubts so will our results.

I'm not buying the swap talk though, we don't have to release anyone next year we have plenty of cash and roster spots to fill. Sheens is old school and will only do things for the roster that benefit us not another club. He wants to change the DNA and put attack at the front foot.

Sheens has never said he doesn't want Hastings here, Sheens has said multiple times he is looking forward to having Hastings, Brooks and AD running out together. It spreads the field and sets us up really well attacking structure wise. The width of the park use is huge potential wise.

I think the reality is Hastings wants to play halfback as such he will look at that option 1st over staying here as a lock. Most pundits including Andrew Johns actually think Brooks is a NRL level pivot player. Heck Johns has been after Brooks for 12mths and is now moving onto his 2nd option Hastings based on "reports".

We assume the club doesn't want Hastings atm but I don't buy it. I think Sheens/Benji are doing the right thing and wanting to get these key players into pre-season to see how they respond to the formations/coaching structures they will implement & then look to extend those in the new year that respond favourably.
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If the club plays its cards right all 3 will play 2023 with the Tigers….but we don’t get Klemperer till 2024
 
Glenji95 said:
Try not playing any finals footy. If you looked up failure in the NRL, his picture would be the first one to come up. Pearce actually played finals and represented Australia and NSW in Origin. Brooks has been nothing but a failure.
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I searched 'nrl failures' and the first image that came up was of Matt Dufty.
 
Just my opinion:

If it was another season under Madge, I’d be pushing for Brooks to go too Newcastle and getting it done ASAP - swap or not

However, it’s obvious Sheens/Benji have extreme faith in Brooks and I’d trust both their opinions especially knowing they’ve seen him day in and day out at training etc and know what his capable of over any of us quite frankly - Cleary turned Brooks into arguably the best halfback in the game with a poor forward line, I have faith that Sheens and Benji may allow Brooks to go back to that especially with the pack we’re potentially gonna have along with Api (which is MASSIVE for Brooks) giving him the space which he thrives off

I believe Sheens and Benji deserve there chance with Brooks and do think it might be a match made in heaven, worst case he doesn't perform and he's off contact and we go into the market for a new one - Moses, George Willams or a new name that pops up..... I’m not Brooks’s biggest fan however I don’t think there’s a halfback in the comp that takes our team the last 5-6 years in the top 8

Best case: Brooks performs great and we shake the competition up next year with good performances and Moses gets a call to return to his boyhood club alongside his best mate on good $ and they take us into the promise land under there idol Benji - like him or not but Moses is a top 3 half in the comp and would improve us dramatically

I do like Jacko I do, however the reason I think we all love him is cause we haven’t seen a halfback with that level of leadership/organisation in a long time - however he does struggle to take on the line and break tackles where that’s Brooks’s strength and with the style of play we’re expected to play it suits Brooks more than Hastings it’s as simple as that
 
Ideal & realistic pack for 2023;

8 Klemmer
9 Api
10 Twal
11 Bateman
12 Papali'i
13 Hastings

14 Offa
15 Blore
16 Utoikamanu
17 Pole

Offa offers some creativity, can play prop, lock and backrow when needed. Good defender.

Blore - can play backrow and prop, was talks of him playing a front row role for us sometime ago which makes sense because he doesn't offer a lot in attack but is an outstanding defender.

Utoikamanu - had a quiet year and a lot are expecting a break out year for him in 2023. Most likely to bend the line and is a physical weapon who can mix it with the best.

Pole - as @batboy said, Offers some different body shapes out there to defend against. High energy wrecking ball and one of my personal stand outs among an incredibly average 2022. Keep the opposition guessing. Good footwork and can more than hold his own.
 
Blocker1963 said:
Watching the WC, thought Bateman was ordinary, yet Whitehead was very good, I dont see Bateman being worth the money being talked about. Would be very disappointing to see Hastings go if the rumours are true, would have been a good move for Brooks, new start to his career.
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Disagree... thought Bateman had his best game of the tournament. Is he worth the amount that is being discussed.... that is debatable....what is not in question is that is that he is another Gareth Ellis.....Bateman is a different type of player....my fear is that he is another Adam Blair looking for a pay cheque. If we got a hungry Morgan Knowles then that is a different story for a fraction of the price.
 
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