Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[TopTiger]

Confirmed where?

Daily Telegraph states that he is poised to sign:

Former Queensland State of Origin forward Joe Ofahengaue is poised to sign a three-year contract to join Parramatta immediately, ending his career at the Wests Tigers.

The Wests Tigers 2022 Player of The Year has agreed in principle to join the Eels after being shopped by the Tigers to rival clubs over the past month.

Ofahengaue is expected to formally sign his new contract with the Eels on Thursday.

It’s likely that the hard-running middle-forward has played his last game for the Tigers and will be withdrawn from their NRL line-up to face Cowboys on Saturday night.

The 161-game player was selected on the Tigers bench for the clash with North Queensland.

The Eels believe the 27-year-old - who has played three Origins for the Maroons and six Tests for Tonga - will add starch and potency to their front-row rotation of Regan Campbell-Gillard and Junior Paulo.

Parramatta recently secured former Eel Andrew Davey in a mid-season switch from Canterbury to aid their edge forward stocks.

The North Queensland Cowboys had also expressed an interest in Ofahengaue, who has endured a disjointed start to the NRL season.

He was dumped to reserve grade after the Tigers’ round 3 loss to Canterbury, but has reclaimed his spot in recent weeks, where he has played off the bench.

Ofahengaue is averaging less than 40 minutes in his third season with the Tigers, having spent the previous six years with the Brisbane Broncos.

The Tigers, meanwhile, are planning to blow the New Zealand Warriors out of the water by offering halfback Shaun Johnson a two-year to join the club from 2024.

The Eels’ forward stocks have taken a hit this season with Campbell-Gillard (groin) and edge back-rower Shaun Lane (hamstring) sidelined with injury.

 

[earl]

Interesting the way Parra have handled recruitment the last few years. They've now basically swapped Papalii for Joe O. Joe O is a solid player but that is terrible roster management, given how integral Papalii was to them and how much quality he has.

Big stuff up for them. They could have kept IP on the same money they are probably paying Joe O. We are though down a quality player.

 

[tigger19]

Problem is if klem or Stef go down then someone like Ofahengaue and his experience is really needed, I really hope they have a plan in place and someone decent coming to take his spot

 

[hammertime]

Maybe the reason why James is on the extended bench

 

[DJG]

Denting.

James who? Aitasi?

You can actually use Dint and Dent

And yeah, Aitasi.

 

[thegbone]

Not trying to be rude but the people screaming for James, have you watched him in any games apart from the raiders trial? The guy has heaps of flaws, I don’t believe he’s anywhere near first grade.

 

[Rusty]

Problem is if klem or Stef go down then someone like Ofahengaue and his experience is really needed, I really hope they have a plan in place and someone decent coming to take his spot

Hass... LOL

 

[jadtiger]

If we are letting Joffa leave for nothing (which it looks like)it is just another sign that Sheens is the worst person to be in charge of our club.Obviously 2 wins from 10 games with a reasonable squad is not enough to show he has completely lost his marbles

 

[Fingers83]

If he has signed with the Eels, they'll be able to afford him this year as we already paid half his salary.

Would be happy if Eels paid full freight for the reaming years, but if we're paying for him to play somewhere else is a failure of a club.

Not too big of a loss for me, hardly dints the line anymore.

Looking forward to James dinting the line.

There would be no way that we're paying any freight on his contract.

 

[Todd Packer]

Not trying to be rude but the people screaming for James, have you watched him in any games apart from the raiders trial? The guy has heaps of flaws, I don’t believe he’s anywhere near first grade.

A very lazy player.

 

[Todd Packer]

It's also reported that we've been shopping Joffa to other clubs for weeks, so that's why there's no swap deal involved, we just need to clear a roster space.
It's a good move. Joffa is impotent on the field.

 

[The Fresh Oil]

Huh, heaps of cash and no players or wins.

Let’s very experienced player go for (seemingly) free up cash??

I wonder if Wests are going for the richest club to get back to back spoons award.

 

[boonboon]

I'd say Pole will move into the prop rotation to give us more ball playing at lock from Matamua or Bateman

 

[jadtiger]

Huh, heaps of cash and no players or wins.

Let’s very experienced player go for (seemingly) free up cash??

I wonder if Wests are going for the richest club to get back to back spoons award.

Probably

 

[Scare]

Michael caryanis and DT confirmed it at 8am, Joffa goooone

Tigers just posted him in the gym an hour ago? What’s going on thought it was an immediate release

 

[Todd Packer]

In the end we are overloaded with forwards and need a quality half or centre and Joffa on 600k a year is clearly the best option to move on.
It's a very good move.

 

[thegbone]

A very lazy player.

Poor hands, bad defender. Yep makes some good runs, might be ok for a 15 min run off the bench but I’d still be worried.

He had a good 10-15 mins cameo at the 60th min mark in a trial we were well up against nsw cup standard opposition and people are still frothing on it.

 

[Todd Packer]

Poor hands, bad defender. Yep makes some good runs, might be ok for a 15 min run off the bench but I’d still be worried.

He had a good 10-15 mins cameo at the 60th min mark in a trial we were well up against nsw cup standard opposition and people are still frothing on it.

Exactly. He's a Facebook fans' player. He makes one or two big runs a game then watches blokes run past him to score tries.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Joffa released, will be Scott Fulton's first big move!

 

[Wiz]

If it’s true what we are paying Joffa, $450k this year and $600k for each of the next two years, the club would likely be thinking they can get better value for that money by putting it towards another player/players. Let’s be honest. He’s played low minutes this year and been workmanlike in his performances. You can find those guys for between minimum wage and $250k.