Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[vlad]

If Hunt is desperate for an immediate release it’s not to go the tigers or other team in the bottom half of the ladder

It’s probably to Penrith for the rest of this year then another club from 2024 onwards .

Same thing happened with TPJ last year

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

18yo Latu Fainu could be a game changer for us not just with his ability & sublime skills and relationship with our 18yos from rep teams (Da Silva, Galvin, Saukuru, Mason etc) but the hope he would give the fanbase.

He has been earmarked as the future at Manly so I'm not sure how we get him from them even with Fulton.

What does everyone think Manly would accept for him (and they will want to save some face with their fanbase)? Is Blore & Simpkin enough??

We can offer them Simpkin, Nofoaluma, Wakeman, Seyfarth

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

No problem with Papali’i. His stats have been good all season and he was undoubtedly our best player by a long margin on Saturday night.
All his ball carries are now starting to be with the same vigour as what they were while he was at the Eels.
Blore also showed glimpses of what he is capable of and I have never doubted his ability.
JB does well with his stats, but are his ball carries anywhere near as strong and does he threaten to break tackles or make line breaks anywhere near as often as the other two ?
If we are the complete team minus our halves which many seem to believe, why are we not winning more games ?
Yes sub standard halves make it difficult, that didn’t stop the Roosters or Eels from winning on the weekend as all their team mates lifted and ensured the win with their halves keeping it very simple and not having to do anything special.
There are plenty of problem areas in any team with only 3 wins by round 16, not just the halves.

I'm in the camp of having a backrow of IP & Frizell next season and I'm confident Bateman can work at Lock with Matamua his understudy coming through.

But what I'd love to see is Blore trained & prepared as a Prop next season. Sheens did mention it in the pre-season. He has exceptional defensive technique, leg drive, hit up speed and offloading ability. He could be the missing piece from our prop rotation.

 

[jrtiger]

But an elite halfback for 2-3 years would give our youngsters time to develop and not be rushed into first grade. It would most definitely be part of a plan.

it is the plan. look at our recent pursuits.

Moses 4 years
Williams 3 years
Pearce 2 years
Johnson 2 years

all failed ventures, but a very clear plan in place to fill the seat with an experienced half before Conti is ready. the issue is now that we have been forced to look at rookies. if I was a betting man, I reckon Brooks will come back with his tail between his legs and re-sign and we'll sign Luke Metcalf.

 

[Tiger Stripes]

Im 77 years old, dont think I can wait another 10 years for brooks to improve sufficiently to steer our team into a semi series,
Already waited 10.
I am an old Balmain Tiger boy. Only seen my team win in 1969 then as West Tigers in 2005.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ANOTHER BEFORE MY TIME RUNS OUT.

BUT CANNOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME SEE THAT HAPPENING WITH LUKE BROOKS STILL IN THE TEAM.
LOOK AT LETS SAY THE COWBOYS HALF TOM DEARDON, HE SCORES TRIES, HE BREAKS THE LINE AND HE KICKS GOALS, AND HE BACKS UP.

OFFER HIM SOME DECENT $$$$$.

HE DOES MORE IN ONE GAME THAN LUKE DOES IN 10 GAMES.

Same age as me, missed 1969 as backpacking OS and away 2005; but I agree Brooks does not have the natural ability or football IQ to learn how to create attacking opportunities? I was very impressed with Deardon the other night. Fast and always a threat.
Time is not on my side for another GF.
PS. The KOE side with Camroux @ 1/2 and Talau 5/8 was doomed for failure, but it turned into a huge failure!

 

[tigerap]

We should all write to the CEO and give him a "spray" for this seasons failure. We are destined for another spoon and no matter which way you look at it deservedly so, all due to poor decisions by the club which the CEO oversees.

For years us supporters have seen Brooks is NOT an organising half, he is a running 6. What was also obvious to us supporters is that Doueihi is NOT a half...when he was in the halves he stifled our attack with uncertainty on what to do - his best position is center or even lock, but he wants halves $$$...

Why on earth didn't they recruit a TRUE halfback in 2022 to partner Brooks in 2023 is beyond me. There were options in 2022 to recruit an organising half aside from Moses, but they just didn't do it and put all their eggs in the Moses basket (and failed). Wakeham was always just going to be NSW cup standard, yet here he is in the NRL side every week, its not his fault we are struggling in the halves.

Also, the CEO and club continue to make dumb decisions like letting players go mid season, to the detriment of the WT only to prop up other clubs..EVERY year we do this. Why oh why do we act as a feeder club to other NRL sides and get nothing but cap space in return, when what we actually need is players..

Lastly, why on earth does the club announce certain top 30 players are "free to leave" mid season?..This only serves to demotivate those players named and also send a message to the other players our season is over!. For Gods sake why not wait till the nearer the end the season to "let go" of these players.

APi, Ice, Klem, etc... will only be here for 2 more years max, so if we are going to be a force with them around we need to surround them with quality NRL standard 6 and 7 and centers.

This all falls on the lap of dumb decisions by Management/CEO and unless Lee and the Board acknowledge this we will never move up the ladder and be a "roosters type club".

So, as supporters, members, fans join me in writing to Pascoe and in a constructive manner let him know what you think of season 2023.

ceo@weststigers.com.au

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

I'm hoping that the coaching staff know this year is another transition year in the roster and the aim is to recruit experience & depth in the halves, physicality in the forwards and game IQ & heart in all.

These are the guys off-contract likely to depart:
Daine Laurie, Tommy Talau, Tuki Simpkins, Lomi Saukuru

Off contract with a possible minimum 1-year contract:
Brandon Wakeham, Alex Seyfarth

Off-contract & good chance being retained for 2+ years:
Charlie Staines, Luke Brooks

On-contract for 1 more season with value to other clubs:
Jake Simpkin, AJ Kepaoa, Shawn Blore

On-contract for 2 more seasons reportedly being shopped:
David Nofoaluma

My early opinion on who won't be in our top 30 next season:
1 Daine Laurie
2 Tommy Talau
3 Tuki Simpkins
4 Lomi Saukuru (I'd retain him on a NSW Cup contract due with his family involvement in club & possible late bloomer like Aitasi James)
5 Jake Simpkin (with his value, I think he'll be used in exchange for an on contract player we desire. Plus I think we'll upgrade Tallyn Da Silva to top 30, have Ngatakuira for one more season & possibly recruit a #14 utility - hooker/half)
6 AJ Kepaoa or Shawn Blore (with their value, likely used as an exchange. I'm hoping its Kepaoa as his body language & poor defensive reads are not what we need moving forward)
7 David Nofoaluma ( I do think his papers are stamped especially if Staines is retained)

So with 7 to go out, we know Josh Feledy & Brandon Mansfield are being upgraded from the Development squad and I'd be confident in Tallyn Da Silva coming straight into top 30. So that leaves 4 to come in.

1 Halfback
2 Utility - halves/hooker experienced
3 Middle Forward - impact, line speed, experience
4 Outside back - depth, speed

Though if we're talking with Frizell, it may mean another player's papers have been stamped (i.e. Seyfarth).

Thoughts?

So playing recruiter, these are potential targets for the positions I see we'll need to sure up:

Halves (with the theory that Brooks will resign):
Latu Fainu, Luke Metcalf, Lachlan Lam, Ronald Volkman, Daejarn Asi, Brayden Trindall, Dean Hawkins, Jayden Sullivan (if SGI retain Hunt), Chad Townsend, Lewis Dodd, Jonah Pezet, Jack Cogger

Utility:
Kaeo Weekes, Matt Frawley (don't shoot me, could be a handy #14 & NSW Cup depth player for a season), Connor Watson

Middle Forward:
Aitasi James, Kit Laulilii or Chris Faagutu (whoever impresses the most over the rest of this season)

Outside back:
Tolatau Koula (if we can manage a release for '24 from Manly), Jake Averillo, Mawene Hiroti (purely depth & experience), Kayal Iro (manager reportedly shopping him to SL, I reckon could be a gun centre in our system)

 

[Eternal Tiger]

I'm hoping that the coaching staff know this year is another transition year in the roster and the aim is to recruit experience & depth in the halves, physicality in the forwards and game IQ & heart in all.

These are the guys off-contract likely to depart:
Daine Laurie, Tommy Talau, Tuki Simpkins, Lomi Saukuru

Off contract with a possible minimum 1-year contract:
Brandon Wakeham, Alex Seyfarth

Off-contract & good chance being retained for 2+ years:
Charlie Staines, Luke Brooks

On-contract for 1 more season with value to other clubs:
Jake Simpkin, AJ Kepaoa, Shawn Blore

On-contract for 2 more seasons reportedly being shopped:
David Nofoaluma

My early opinion on who won't be in our top 30 next season:
1 Daine Laurie
2 Tommy Talau
3 Tuki Simpkins
4 Lomi Saukuru (I'd retain him on a NSW Cup contract due with his family involvement in club & possible late bloomer like Aitasi James)
5 Jake Simpkin (with his value, I think he'll be used in exchange for an on contract player we desire. Plus I think we'll upgrade Tallyn Da Silva to top 30, have Ngatakuira for one more season & possibly recruit a #14 utility - hooker/half)
6 AJ Kepaoa or Shawn Blore (with their value, likely used as an exchange. I'm hoping its Kepaoa as his body language & poor defensive reads are not what we need moving forward)
7 David Nofoaluma ( I do think his papers are stamped especially if Staines is retained)

So with 7 to go out, we know Josh Feledy & Brandon Mansfield are being upgraded from the Development squad and I'd be confident in Tallyn Da Silva coming straight into top 30. So that leaves 4 to come in.

1 Halfback
2 Utility - halves/hooker experienced
3 Middle Forward - impact, line speed, experience
4 Outside back - depth, speed

Though if we're talking with Frizell, it may mean another player's papers have been stamped (i.e. Seyfarth).

Thoughts?

"Transition Year" that's a term strictly used by Shit Clubs with no idea how to fix a mess that was created by themselves.
Other Clubs just recruit well and can turn things around in 1 season...not us.

 

[batboy]

Lastly, why on earth does the club announce certain top 30 players are "free to leave" mid season?..This only serves to demotivate those players named and also send a message to the other players our season is over!. For Gods sake why not wait till the nearer the end the season to "let go" of these players.

You'll have to point me to the clubs 'announcement' on players being free to leave....

We're not the only club that lets players out under Contract -
Lodge isn't at the Roosters next year,
Brown was allowed to leave Parra all last year before the Chooks taking his last year on for them...

Literally happens every other week at another club....

 

[twentyforty]

No problem with Papali’i. His stats have been good all season and he was undoubtedly our best player by a long margin on Saturday night.
All his ball carries are now starting to be with the same vigour as what they were while he was at the Eels.
Blore also showed glimpses of what he is capable of on Saturday night and I have never doubted his ability.
JB does well with his stats, but are his ball carries anywhere near as strong and does he threaten to break tackles or make line breaks anywhere near as often as the other two ?
He’s a tough nut and I was excited about him joining us based on his form when with the Raiders.
But was concerned with many reports saying his form when playing with Wigan was well below what he showed at the Raiders.
After 16 rounds, I don’t know how anyone can say his form is comparable to other NRL back rowers earning anywhere near what we are paying him, we are not getting value for money.
If we are the complete team minus our halves which many seem to believe, why are we not winning more games ?
Yes sub standard halves make it difficult, that didn’t stop the Roosters or Eels from winning on the weekend as all their team mates lifted and ensured the win with their halves keeping it very simple and not having to do anything special.
There are plenty of problem areas in any team with only 3 wins by round 16, not just the halves.

You’re right about Bateman, he’s not showing his value at $800k, but I’m willing to wait for him to have a good 20 games because he adds some aggression to our pack.
With the extra game time he’ll reduce his errors.

 

[bptiger 0]

Just read a article on joffa , he’s says he was pushed out and at no stage did he want to leave, so again I ask the question what the f**** is going on at the club , game against the storm showed that we lack that big body coming of the bench. I can see the club driving supporters away from the club if things don’t turn around sooner rather than latter

 

[Todd Packer]

If Hunt is desperate for an immediate release it’s not to go the tigers or other team in the bottom half of the ladder

It’s probably to Penrith for the rest of this year then another club from 2024 onwards .

Same thing happened with TPJ last year

Roosters have a halfback problem.
Roosters have no salary cap that applies to them.
Roosters get Hunt.

 

[sparci]

Just read a article on joffa , he’s says he was pushed out and at no stage did he want to leave, so again I ask the question what the f**** is going on at the club , game against the storm showed that we lack that big body coming of the bench. I can see the club driving supporters away from the club if things don’t turn around sooner rather than latter

We were going reasonably well then they decide to release Joffa, probably one of (if not) the biggest influences on team culture in this side. Stupid decision all round, there is no way on earth we are even close to being tight on the cap, he didn't need to be shed.

 

[Todd Packer]

Just read a article on joffa , he’s says he was pushed out and at no stage did he want to leave, so again I ask the question what the f**** is going on at the club , game against the storm showed that we lack that big body coming of the bench. I can see the club driving supporters away from the club if things don’t turn around sooner rather than latter

Average Joe Average offered bupkis off the bench.
How many times did I read on here that we lost momentum when Stef and Klemmer left the field.
Let me count.........5496 times.
Who came on when they went off? Average Joe came on with his powderpuff runs.
Even in the romp against the Cowboys Average Joe was the only forward to go under 100 metres.
Can we all just move on from that overpriced flop.

 

[Vicious]

You’re right about Bateman, he’s not showing his value at $800k, but I’m willing to wait for him to have a good 20 games because he adds some aggression to our pack.
With the extra game time he’ll reduce his errors.

We can only hope.

 

[coivtny]

We should all write to the CEO and give him a "spray" for this seasons failure. We are destined for another spoon and no matter which way you look at it deservedly so, all due to poor decisions by the club which the CEO oversees.

For years us supporters have seen Brooks is NOT an organising half, he is a running 6. What was also obvious to us supporters is that Doueihi is NOT a half...when he was in the halves he stifled our attack with uncertainty on what to do - his best position is center or even lock, but he wants halves $$$...

Why on earth didn't they recruit a TRUE halfback in 2022 to partner Brooks in 2023 is beyond me. There were options in 2022 to recruit an organising half aside from Moses, but they just didn't do it and put all their eggs in the Moses basket (and failed). Wakeham was always just going to be NSW cup standard, yet here he is in the NRL side every week, its not his fault we are struggling in the halves.

Also, the CEO and club continue to make dumb decisions like letting players go mid season, to the detriment of the WT only to prop up other clubs..EVERY year we do this. Why oh why do we act as a feeder club to other NRL sides and get nothing but cap space in return, when what we actually need is players..

Lastly, why on earth does the club announce certain top 30 players are "free to leave" mid season?..This only serves to demotivate those players named and also send a message to the other players our season is over!. For Gods sake why not wait till the nearer the end the season to "let go" of these players.

APi, Ice, Klem, etc... will only be here for 2 more years max, so if we are going to be a force with them around we need to surround them with quality NRL standard 6 and 7 and centers.

This all falls on the lap of dumb decisions by Management/CEO and unless Lee and the Board acknowledge this we will never move up the ladder and be a "roosters type club".

So, as supporters, members, fans join me in writing to Pascoe and in a constructive manner let him know what you think of season 2023.

ceo@weststigers.com.au

Good idea but I doubt he sees these emails. I occasionally emailed him in the last couple of years and would always get a response but not to the last few. Admittedly they weren't complimentary emails from me but they weren't insulting either. If he's got a good EA / PA, he'll never see the nasty ones.

 

[Eternal Tiger]

We were going reasonably well then they decide to release Joffa, probably one of (if not) the biggest influences on team culture in this side. Stupid decision all round, there is no way on earth we are even close to being tight on the cap, he didn't need to be shed.

Experts here were telling us we were saving Jofas money to make a splash in the player market, and that we had young middles to replace him....in reality, we have not signed anyone and his place was taken by Seyfarth. We are currently 17th and our last 2 performances have been inept.

 

[batboy]

Average Joe Average offered bupkis off the bench.
How many times did I read on here that we lost momentum when Stef and Klemmer left the field.
Let me count.........5496 times.
Who came on when they went off? Average Joe came on with his powderpuff runs.
Even in the romp against the Cowboys Average Joe was the only forward to go under 100 metres.
Can we all just move on from that overpriced flop.

Wasn't a flop, Was a solid worker - Did his job and that's about it.
And not often I'll follow you up on your take....
But you're not far from wrong.

You can have him in the 17, If you don't have a Twal - If you have a Twal...
Then he's excess.

 

[Telltails]

Average Joe Average offered bupkis off the bench.
How many times did I read on here that we lost momentum when Stef and Klemmer left the field.
Let me count.........5496 times.
Who came on when they went off? Average Joe came on with his powderpuff runs.
Even in the romp against the Cowboys Average Joe was the only forward to go under 100 metres.
Can we all just move on from that overpriced flop.

It's about the impact it has on the blokes that have been left behind. He goes to a club that is in a better position and is striking form. Just like LL did last year while the WTs doesn't replace him and we are getting smashed. How can you expect players to bust their arses for a club that moves on players and doesn't replace them while they sit back and see their mates who are moved on happy at clubs playing finals. Joe O is solid FG and was committed to the club some thing that this club clearly does not value and other clubs do.

 

[jadtiger]

Experts here were telling us we were saving Jofas money to make a splash in the player market, and that we had young middles to replace him....in reality, we have not signed anyone and his place was taken by Seyfarth. We are currently 17th and our last 2 performances have been inept.

You are far too kind when you say the performance were inept,i thought they were at least 2 levels below that