Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[pawsandclaws1]

100% agree to a point. Releasing players shouldn’t be regular unless we gain an advantage.

Joffa yes agree especially after we just resigned him and hands down was our best player last year whilst having no one inbound signed on.

Staines though joined for 1yr is out injured for a while if he signs with another club for next year whats the fuss in letting him go early. I don’t see much benefit in holding onto him for a handful of games if he gets back on the park from injury anyway this year.

I posted on the Bula thread that offloading players to retain the cream of our best - Bula, Tupou, Pole and Utoikamanu and head off the approaches certain to come from the stronger clubs is fine. I like Ofahengaue but Bateman did all of his work plus a whole lot more last night.

 

[tony soprano]

100% agree to a point. Releasing players shouldn’t be regular unless we gain an advantage.

Joffa yes agree especially after we just resigned him and hands down was our best player last year whilst having no one inbound signed on.

Staines though joined for 1yr is out injured for a while if he signs with another club for next year whats the fuss in letting him go early. I don’t see much benefit in holding onto him for a handful of games if he gets back on the park from injury anyway this year.

Agree, good teams don't do this as regularly as us.

 

[earl]

I like Ofahengaue but Bateman did all of his work plus a whole lot more last night.

I'm not sure Bateman can continue playing 80 minutes in the middle. It's a big ask.

 

[tigertragic]

Whilst ever ours leaders release players with absolutely no back up plan already in place we are stuffed

 

[Tom Shines]

I posted on the Bula thread that offloading players to retain the cream of our best - Bula, Tupou, Pole and Utoikamanu and head off the approaches certain to come from the stronger clubs is fine. I like Ofahengaue but Bateman did all of his work plus a whole lot more last night.

how are our halves looking for depth now?

do you think having Hastings still at the club would be handy?

there seems to be plenty of money available already to extend these guys..

I don’t see other teams releasing players mid term to extend their juniors right?

 

[Tom Shines]

Parra want Staines ? Oh ok anything else ?
Change our name to Repco the spare parts store !

We are their farm team

 

[Kaito]

I'm numb to us taking L's on & off the field. I
Just
watch games and comment out of habit almost.
I'm on auto pilot when it comes to this club smh

Please tell me was that a nightmare I had last night ?

 

[Telltails]

When we cast off players to other clubs who see value in them, that are ahead of us on the ladder and we get nothing back in return when we are sitting at the bottom of the table - how long do you expect players to bust the arses for the club? Losing Api could break them.
It didn't do us any favours last year and makes us no more desirable as a club this year.
Worst of all it makes a mockery of the fans that invest their hard earned in hope of a better year than the last.

 

[oldschooltiger]

I can see us wasting the forward pack we have by not sorting the halves out this year or next year.

 

[Don Kershane]

I find it disheartening that the Dolphins seem to trot out a competent team each week despite all their suspensions and injuries- competent being the key word.

 

[bptiger 0]

Parra want Staines ? Oh ok anything else ?
Change our name to Repco the spare parts store !

Just send them over our top 30 they may have missed someone

 

[bptiger 0]

I'm not sure Bateman can continue playing 80 minutes in the middle. It's a big ask.

I agree with u 100% , but what joffa gave us was another class player which we don’t have now

 

[Red88_Tiger]

Day after a loss and now I’m getting adds for palliative care

 

[weststigerman]

I'm not sure Bateman can continue playing 80 minutes in the middle. It's a big ask.

Bateman is too important on the edge. Blore is a good defender but our defence fell apart without Bateman there.

 

[gregjm87]

I posted on the Bula thread that offloading players to retain the cream of our best - Bula, Tupou, Pole and Utoikamanu and head off the approaches certain to come from the stronger clubs is fine. I like Ofahengaue but Bateman did all of his work plus a whole lot more last night.

I find it hard to believe that were struggling to meet the demands of those young players at this stage of their careers without the need to release Ofa.
Additionally, Bateman did not replicate Ofa's work last night. He may have in quantity but not in quality. His lack of size as middle defender will continue to work against him. He was a target all night for any big forward looking for a quick play the ball. His attacking game was blunted as a result of his workrate and being in the middle limits the opportunity to use his footwork coming back inside.
His ball playing in the middle could be an asset, but only in games where we are winning the physical battle.

 

[gregjm87]

I'll add, I don't know why no coaches have players alternate positions for different parts of the game anymore.

I wouldn't mind Bateman swapping between edge (always in defence) and middle at different stages in attack.

There was a time when such interchanging was common. As was young outside backs slotting into ball playing roles in attacking situations or hiding smaller halves on the wing in defence. Now it seems you are assigned your position and you adapt or you're gone.

 

[tony soprano]

Bateman is too important on the edge. Blore is a good defender but our defence fell apart without Bateman there.

Terrible terrible coaching, would love to know the main person pushing that idea.

 

[Tucker]

Terrible terrible coaching, would love to know the main person pushing that idea.

Gimme a B,
Gimme an E,
Gimme an N…..etc

 

[pawsandclaws1]

I find it hard to believe that were struggling to meet the demands of those young players at this stage of their careers without the need to release Ofa.
Additionally, Bateman did not replicate Ofa's work last night. He may have in quantity but not in quality. His lack of size as middle defender will continue to work against him. He was a target all night for any big forward looking for a quick play the ball. His attacking game was blunted as a result of his workrate and being in the middle limits the opportunity to use his footwork coming back inside.
His ball playing in the middle could be an asset, but only in games where we are winning the physical battle.

Didn't Ofahengaue want to take up an offer with the Eels? I have no issue with releasing him. I liked him but he wasn't in our top 17 at the time of departure. He would have been on a healthy contract as well which is another issue.

Cameron Murray and Victor Radley are 13s of more moderate proportions who compete, like Bateman. Sometimes we get caught up with size. Bateman did work hard last night, perhaps harder than he should have due to a couple of his team mates not performing. His mobility compared to a prop playing 13 eg Ofahengaue was noticeable.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

how are our halves looking for depth now?

do you think having Hastings still at the club would be handy?

there seems to be plenty of money available already to extend these guys..

I don’t see other teams releasing players mid term to extend their juniors right?

No I don't want Hastings. In fact, Hastings didn't want us as he wanted to take up the deal with the Knights.