Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[liltiger]

Point is...they are part of a team and doing their job...and they're part of a team that has won a game or two or more!

Also we all need to remember they never played behind a pack like we have now that's not getting dominated every week. They would have done heaps better behind the pack we have now, any half would. Except the one we have.

 

[tony soprano]

He has mongrel in him aswell. Total competitor, I reckon Sheens would be on the phone already, if Gutho wants to stay fullback I reckon there will be a few clubs knocking. If we did land him imagine how good the rivalry would be in poaching the Slimeys captain

Doubt they let him go

 

[Tiger-ferret]

Hastings is a good halfback. He'll never be elite, but he controls the game well, strong leader on the field (questions about him off the field), good kicking game and rarely takes the wrong option in attack. Despite how slow he is, his running game isn't terrible either and he's a passable ball-player. Again, he's not Cleary or Nicho Hynes, but he could well be the 8th or so best halfback in the league which is perfectly fine.

So not even in considering the fact Hastings is miles ahead of Brooks as a footballer, keeping someone like that is integral for developing a winning culture at the club. We don't have to go from spooners to premiers in one year. That isn't going to happen obviously. But hey, maybe with Hastings with come 10th ... maybe we come 7th. Ok we don't win a premiership with him, but we at least show the club is heading in the right direction. Which means:

- When a promising youngster comes through our ranks, they think they have a chance to play finals and rep footy by staying with us instead of going to the Roosters/Storm.
- A player who's stuck behind a rep level player at another club will sign with us thinking they can take the next step and star in a team with finals aspiration.
- Players who are on the team will fight harder knowing there's a goal in mind to win a comp, rather than just going through the motions.
- We won't have to pay overs for rep quality players because they won't fear leaving their current club and losing their origin spot because the club team they're in sucks.

Unless there were really significant off the field issues with Hastings that basically made his position untenable (apart from Sheens being a prick and forcing him into the 13), it was a completely moronic move with no logic. It's set our rebuild back further because no one in the league will take our team with Brooks at 7 seriously and now we're in a position where the only halfback option we've got for next year is George Williams who's going to be able to bend us over backwards in negotiations knowing this. Complete bottle job from our club.

Sums up my thoughts. Although Sheens thought processes regarding Hastings is speculation from the outside looking in.

I would have kept both brooks and Hastings and let their form play out. Although we probably couldn’t justify Hastings pay packet that was offered by Newcastle.

 

[liltiger]

Sums up my thoughts. Although Sheens thought processes regarding Hastings is speculation from the outside looking in.

I would have kept both brooks and Hastings and let their form play out. Although we probably couldn’t justify Hastings pay packet that was offered by Newcastle.

I tend to believe the speculation it was always about accommodating Bateman.
The question I ask myself is if it's true, who would I prefer.
I prefer Bateman. I like Hastings, he's all heart, but we need that hard headed mongrel in our pack that we havent had in so long.

 

[king_sirro]

If the Tigers were prepared to offer Moses $1.4 over five years, they should offer the same deal to Nicho Hynes….IMO, Hynes is just as good if not better than Moses…this offer is $2.6m more than the sharks offer…

If Nicho backs up last season, and going off last night he will, then it isn't even close, he is clearly better then Moses. With another big season he will genuinely be challenging Cleary as umber 1 half

 

[hank37w]

I mentioned to a few parra mates about their junior halfback Ethan Sanders now they have long term contracts with brown and moses, they don't rate Sanders, he's crap ???

Even if he was great he would turn to crap after coming here, we see it all the time.

 

[balmain boy]

Also we all need to remember they never played behind a pack like we have now that's not getting dominated every week. They would have done heaps better behind the pack we have now, any half would. Except the one we have.

our pack didn't get dominated every week. That is a falacy by the pro-brooks brigade. They sometimes got blown apart yes, but for half the games they matched their opposition.

People make it out like we never even reached our opposition 30m area, we did, and our backs and halves could never deliver.

 

[jirskyr]

No, that's wrong, this isn't the 90s. the game has moved on, the present is telling us this.

Which props in the game are considered the best in their position, and how old are they? How many 30 year old props are labelled elite, and not at the backend of their careers

Ah whilst I agree with you that props are maturing earlier than they used to, there are lots of props near 30 who are still elite-level. In fact many of the top forwards in the game 2023 are well past 25.

For example by post contact metres 2023, the Top 10 forwards, in order, are:
Hass (23 years old), Junior Paulo (29), RCG (29), Tapine (28), Flegler (23), Saifiti (26), Tino (23), Taumololo (29), Corey Jenson (29), Tom Burgess (30). That's an average age of 27.

The top 10 forwards for total metres gained is almost exactly the same list, but Bryce Cartwright (28) and Patrick Carrigan (25) are included.

I think it's more an argument that props can definitely peak early (better training, early talent ID, sports science etc.), and the second component is whether or not they can maintain that peak.

Specific to Stefano, he's a few years behind this cohort, and also he has the issue of matches played, which I think is overlooked - sometimes it's total experience rather than age that helps a forward most. That's Tim Sheens' old measure that he doesn't think you are an established FGer until you've played at least 50 matches (Stefano has played 37).

Even Payne Hass, who is only 1 year older than Stefano, has played 85 club games, not to mention his rep career.

 

[The Fresh Oil]

I just rewatched the Melbourne game this morning.

One thing that really stood out to me, is that you can almost hear pain in the commentators and panels voices when they talk about Luke Brooks.

Why would you do that?

 

[Tiger-ferret]

our pack didn't get dominated every week. That is a falacy by the pro-brooks brigade. They sometimes got blown apart yes, but for half the games they matched their opposition.

People make it out like we never even reached our opposition 30m area, we did, and our backs and halves could never deliver.

I agree that prev packs could match the opposition. But they seemed to be only do it for 50-60 minutes (occasionally they didn’t show up at all).

This year they seem to be going with the opposition with less effort ( if that makes sense) For me it’s easier to watch the forwards this year.

 

[hsvjones]

Been told this morning that part of Moses' requests from the Eels was that they do there best to replace Gutho at 1.

Find that very hard to believe when they are mates and play golf together most weeks.

 

[hank37w]

Eels may be on the phone to RTS Right now While our 3 dopes are sitting around saying you call him, no you call him ,,naa you call him

 

[ChilledChaos]

Offer Nicho Hynes 1.5mil for 5 years! Put on an absolute masterclass at halfback last night. Just an out and out footballer! Arguably the greatest ambassador for our game outside of footy and a Top 5 NRL player on field! Covers both Fullback and Halfback positions just as well, two positions we seriously lack! That flexibility is worth 1 mil alone.

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

Point is...they are part of a team and doing their job...and they're part of a team that has won a game or two or more!

I fully agree, they also have coaches coaching them to their ability & strengths.

I just find it interesting when people quote players would do this and that from another team but my observations atm are our coaching is more of the issue than the players.

Note - not saying at all AD & Brooks aren’t an issue but they have regressed to another level this year which implies coaching is the biggest issue atm.

 

[bptiger 0]

For god sake get over Hastings , it was he who wanted to go once the knights offered him more money and more years , if he had wanted to stay all he had to do was play lock for a couple of weeks and he would have been back as 1/2 back , get the facts right before going off the deep end people

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

It will just end with us chasing another big fish and missing out. But, I don't know what the solution is, and it feels like the leaders of the team don't either.

Eventually one will sign though.
We have a good forward pack now which is a big tick and a top notch hooker. We will get someone in the next 2yrs on big coin, I’m confident on it.

 

[LUPO]

Sanders is not the answer fo our 2023-2024 seasons. But a player a year or two older might do the trick.

We don't need an experienced halfback (would be great but there are barely a dozen in the nrl right now). A youngster full of skills and the confidence to have a crack is much better than two losers who are incapable of even getting the basics right.

Maybe an enquiry to Ben Hunt if he’s willing to jump ship…not at all happy with Dragons management. Would offer the Moses money to him

 

[jmello]

Offer Nicho Hynes 1.5mil for 5 years! Put on an absolute masterclass at halfback last night. Just an out and out footballer! Arguably the greatest ambassador for our game outside of footy and a Top 5 NRL player on field! Covers both Fullback and Halfback positions just as well, two positions we seriously lack! That flexibility is worth 1 mil alone.

100% - Nicho should be paid more than Mitchell Moses .. we can at least make it happen, or force the Sharks to pay him his market value.

 

[Halbrowne61]

He’s a cat 🐈‍⬛

The statue James Tamou rubbed off on him

Don’t think he’s a cat but he’s playing soft at present. Should be coming off the back fence and bending some opposition bodies. Like I keep saying I think he must have outside issues. Those island boys wear their heart on their sleeve !!

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

Would you guys just leave Pascoe alone with these trivial little emails, the bloke has his hands full. Hats dont sell themselves you know.