Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[ovoevo]

Yea but that is boxing. Violent sport and you get smashed to a pulp, you don't come back as easily.
League is a little similar, players who suffer ACL's don't come back as fast. Yet comebacks do happen, Kieran Foran an example.

I'm talking more about players who leave a club - either for a rival, or another code - and return seasons later. I really am struggling to think of many who came back better (unless they were very, very young when they left). And I can think of even less who returned from Union anywhere close to the same level. Professional sport is so tough these days. You have to be all-in all the time to reach the very top and stay there. Going to union where you have to learn new skills and unlearn old ones - it just messes with the mind and the body. IMO, RTS was on the downslope when he left league. He picked up a lot of injuries which required many surgeries. Ask any surgeon who is being honest - human beings just aren't as good at fixing joints as mother nature is at creating them. Every surgery robs a player of some percentage of his physical capabilities. If you are lucky and you're in the hands of a competent surgeon (there are plenty of hacks out there) - maybe you only lose 2-5% of the joint's former flexibility, integrity etc. If you aint - like Sammy Burgess, you end up with an infection which eats away at a third of the tissue before it's picked up and .... sayonara career. RTS was a physical freak. At his peak he was playing right on the edge of his physical capabilities. Then came the injuries and you began to see him transitioning into less of a fast-twitch, athletic freak of a player and more of a cerebral one. It's not that he couldn't perform amazing feats. He just couldn't do it as often as before. I wouldn't spend big on the guy. It would be too risky.

 

[hank37w]

I’ve been told Benji is running the show like a head coach already.

Sheens is only there to take the focus off him and not have to do the media / defend himself if it starts going pear shaped and act like a mentor.

Sheens is pretty much doing his head of football job + media.

You could be right.

Just have to keep an eye out on Tuesdays when the teams are announced to see if there are any howlers which should confirm who is actually the real Head Coach.

 

[2041]

In general play, sure, but Laurie let's the ball hit the turf way too often.

Whilst I didn't see that part of the match, reading about it in the live thread was very disappointing. It's okay to drop the occasional one, but not to watch them bounce and Daine has poor form in this important area of fullback play.

You know "Laurie is probably not the Tigers' long term answer at fullback" and "Charlie Staines isn't a fullback's arsehole" can both be true, right?

 

[the_third]

Both when on their game are direct runners as well, they do straighten into the line and it will create issues if our forwards dominate. They play opposite sides & can compliment each other nicely.

Brooks side is lined with Papa as a hole runner (expect Brooks to go to the line with short pass at line to Papa), mixed with Naden outside of Papa who has some pace and is looking primed with Laurie out the back.

We know AD will run also, just hope Laurie hovers on his inside hip. AD is right handed and when he takes the line on often has the arm free looking inside whilst drawing the inside defender. Then because of his running strength it will allow the outside backrower & centre to benefit if aggressive on the line runs which we saw his options in trial.

I’m nervous but excited to see both have the ability to play attacking footy, they will make mistakes but if they are allowed to play have no doubts they will put on a show.

Brooks needs to dig into the defensive line and not slide across it. he makes plays so far from the defenders at times it becomes very very easy to defend.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

George Williams is only 28. He certainly isn't past his best. If anything I'd say he's getting better. His form has been a bit up and down since he returned to Warrington. But that's more because he had arguably the worst pack in the competition and a coach who went scorched earth after taking over leading almost to open revolt. The moment Williams was taken out of the lunatic asylum and into the hands of his old coach, Shaun Wane, he was among the top players in the World Cup. The guy has one of the best short kicking games I've seen. Not afraid to attack the line. Good support player. Extremely solid defender. If we didn't have Dodd, Lomax & Welsby as our spine I'd have no problems with George. Top player. Whether he wants to go back to the NRL after Sticky outrageously blackened his name to anyone who would listen .... I'm not so sure.

I liked George Williams at the Raiders and it was pretty poor how it ended for him. I'm sure the challenge of the NRL would bring the best out in him. More depth in a position we are short in must be a good thing for WTs. We will need to see what steps the club takes now.

 

[Nonotmeagain]

Time to move on. Most of us agree that he probably was never going to come and that Moses and his manager were playing the Tigers in order to jack up his salary at the Eels. Let's close the book and hope that the Tigers team collectively smash him when the two teams next meet!

Now, next topic, are we a realistic chance of securing Wellsby because, as I suggested way back, he is all class and is (to use an MLB term) a multi-tool player!

No

 

[tony soprano]

No

Never

 

[tigermate]

A big call - please be right Joey.

What did he say? I don’t use tiktok

 

[2041]

What did he say? I don’t use tiktok

The Tigers players are enjoying playing for Benji and the team can make finals. There wasn't anything else.

 

[Eca]

What did he say? I don’t use tiktok

We likely make top 8

 

[851]

Just me but wasn’t overly impressed with his confidence under the high ball (Laurie).

It was diabolical, you can't go in to round 1 with a fullback who just watches the high kicks and hopes to get a bounce

 

[851]

Both when on their game are direct runners as well, they do straighten into the line and it will create issues if our forwards dominate. They play opposite sides & can compliment each other nicely.

Brooks side is lined with Papa as a hole runner (expect Brooks to go to the line with short pass at line to Papa), mixed with Naden outside of Papa who has some pace and is looking primed with Laurie out the back.

We know AD will run also, just hope Laurie hovers on his inside hip. AD is right handed and when he takes the line on often has the arm free looking inside whilst drawing the inside defender. Then because of his running strength it will allow the outside backrower & centre to benefit if aggressive on the line runs which we saw his options in trial.

I’m nervous but excited to see both have the ability to play attacking footy, they will make mistakes but if they are allowed to play have no doubts they will put on a show.

Brooks will need to have improved his short ball, he throws a stack of rocket hospital passes to his backrower, and Ice ain't gonna like those, ask Rowdy how good they are

 

[851]

I'm talking more about players who leave a club - either for a rival, or another code - and return seasons later. I really am struggling to think of many who came back better (unless they were very, very young when they left). And I can think of even less who returned from Union anywhere close to the same level. Professional sport is so tough these days. You have to be all-in all the time to reach the very top and stay there. Going to union where you have to learn new skills and unlearn old ones - it just messes with the mind and the body. IMO, RTS was on the downslope when he left league. He picked up a lot of injuries which required many surgeries. Ask any surgeon who is being honest - human beings just aren't as good at fixing joints as mother nature is at creating them. Every surgery robs a player of some percentage of his physical capabilities. If you are lucky and you're in the hands of a competent surgeon (there are plenty of hacks out there) - maybe you only lose 2-5% of the joint's former flexibility, integrity etc. If you aint - like Sammy Burgess, you end up with an infection which eats away at a third of the tissue before it's picked up and .... sayonara career. RTS was a physical freak. At his peak he was playing right on the edge of his physical capabilities. Then came the injuries and you began to see him transitioning into less of a fast-twitch, athletic freak of a player and more of a cerebral one. It's not that he couldn't perform amazing feats. He just couldn't do it as often as before. I wouldn't spend big on the guy. It would be too risky.

Matt Rogers, Lote Tuquiri, Will Chambers, Brad Thorn there are more if you look

 

[Jux]

Benji

 

[AdelaideTiger]

Have Parra already extended Penisi? Would love to have him at the Tigers.

 

[Glenji95]

Have Parra already extended Penisi? Would love to have him at the Tigers.

Yeah they have think it was about 3 weeks ago maybe 4.

 

[ovoevo]

Matt Rogers, Lote Tuquiri, Will Chambers, Brad Thorn there are more if you look

Matt Rogers was nothing like the player who left. He was a smarter player. But the freakish athleticism wasn't there. Don't think Tuquiri was better or as good. Can't offer an opinion on Chambers. Brad Thorn - wasn't he over thirty when he came back? If so - no way. Just look a Sammy Burgess (who was still a decent age) - nothing like the player who left. I could name a dozen others.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

I think that's what we'll see.

Both their strengths is their running game.
Our attack should be red hot this year.

if we get the forwards laying that platform AD and Brooks should get plenty of room
our centres are not great but a guy like naden should get plenty of ball
Had a sneaky $5 on AD to be top point scorer this year

 

[Kaito]

It was diabolical, you can't go in to round 1 with a fullback who just watches the high kicks and hopes to get a bounce

To be fair, the sun was in their eyes,
it peaked on the northern end above
the train line during the hottest part
of the day. Wasn't too long ago folks
were actually praising Laurie for
being safe & courageous under
the high ball. Think he'll be fine bro

 

[Don Kershane]

I liked George Williams at the Raiders and it was pretty poor how it ended for him. I'm sure the challenge of the NRL would bring the best out in him. More depth in a position we are short in must be a good thing for WTs. We will need to see what steps the club takes now.

Didn't he leave because he was disappointed he didn't get a real Aussie experience, beaches etc.? He was seen with his boogie board under his arm on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin looking forlornly at the horizon for weeks on end.