Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[AmericanHistoryX]

Jake Clifford's time in the English Super League may be coming to an end, with two NRL deals reportedly on the table if the halfback wishes to make a homecoming.

The 25-year-old still has a year to run on his current deal with Hull FC at the end of the year, but has an NRL release clause in his contract. Hull is reportedly desperate to keep him.

Clifford originally joined Hull after a 2022 NRL season which started with plenty of promise at the Newcastle Knights, but ultimately fizzled out, with Clifford spending more time out of first grade during the second half of the season than in it. The same publication is reporting that Clifford's debut NRL club, the North Queensland Cowboys, have put an offer on the table for the Cairns-born halfback, while News Corp is reporting the Wests Tigers have also come to the party for Clifford. While Hull hasn't given up hope of retaining Clifford, it's believed he is favoured to return to the NRL, although the halfback will weigh up all options in the coming weeks. www.

 

[Fingers83]

My old man is a panthers fan.

He took me to watch the panthers play the magpies at Penrith, as my first live rugby league experience.

Panthers won 66-0, back in the late 80's. I felt so sorry for the Magpies I decided they needed some support, so I chose to support them. The innocence of a young child wanting to help a team who had struggled.

As we merged, I had no qualms and became a Wests Tigers supporter.

Let me tell you, I have made some terrible decisions in my life, but this is by far and away the biggest mistake I've ever made.

I love rugby league, but I hate this football club and the way they treat their fans.

 

[Tiga]

Lee is probably out somewhere in his Ferrari if it makes you feel any better. Keep the faith.

Definitely not enough faith for 20 more years if this shite...barely enough for another season

 

[Telltails]

Maybe we need to lose the Fainu brothers to get the action needed. We sign them then false hope begins again.
Hooper, Crawley will go to town on us and can't see Sheens and Benji risking their reputations on the back of a club that cant sign players.
These two need to be forced out sooner rather than later

 

[Tiger-ferret]

No surprise. Lee and Pascoe have publically belittled Sheens by blindsiding him after allowing him to believe that he was in control of football matters.
They ask him to take over the coaching role which he does reluctantly cause they can't attract anyone else. I know enough about Sheens to know the likelihood of him having a working relationship with the two dunderheads let alone Fulton, is severely compromised and also places Benji in an impossible position.
How these two heads are allowed to keep bluffing their way through with false promises while slowly but surely sucking any life out of the joint is mind boggling. And as for the board what a useless waste of space they are for taking no action on behalf of all of us who have very little power to do anything but are the constants that are impacted the most by their failure.

What I don’t get is the power that Lee seems to have? I could be wrong but my view is that the chair is to bring the board together and be a spokesperson at most. His personal opinions should carry no more weight over the next board member’s.

 

[Tiga]

I want to know what is the end game of the board, hagi & pascoe?
It just seems to me they are determined to destroy it...as slowly and painfully as inhumanly possible

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Lee is probably out somewhere in his Ferrari if it makes you feel any better. Keep the faith.

Even better, he was in his G-Wagon at Campbelltown a few weeks ago.

 

[Magpies1969]

I have been watching the great game since 1978 and I am starting to believe the Clowns in charge of the NRL want some of the Sydney based clubs to die, move to Perth or elsewhere or join together.

Surely the shit show that is the WT, Bulldogs and Dragons is not a great look for the game.
Really not enough genuine talent to go around.

I find I switch off games when the contest is over at half time. Thank you for cricket at the moment.

I don't think WT have recovered from the Woods, Moses and Teddy disaster from years ago and it is still impacting the club. Also the way Heighington, Marshall and Farah were treated also has an impact on player recruitment. I appreciate loyalty in the game is long gone on both sides and it is all about the money and instant success.

Like many on this Forum the answers to our prayers (whether it be Management, Coaches or Players) does not seem to be forthcoming. I believe success starts from the top so like to see a clean out of management.

If we don't land some big recruits soon more promising juniors will leave and back to back to back Wooden Spoons is a real possibility.

I am loyal to my Magpies and now WT but am finding hard each season to give a real crap about a real change ever happening. 2005 seems so long ago.

Sorry I will get off my soap box now.

 

[king_sirro]

We were clearly heading in the right direction then these two grubs hire an arrogant recruitment guy behind Sheens' and Benji-s back, then get right of the most popular player in the team. It completely derailed after that.

If I'm Sheens and Benji I'm walking and publicly stating that the club will never rise with Pascoe and Lee there. Throw all blame onto them publicly.

 

[BalmainJnr]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1677123790780928002

Mole says the Dolphins are firming as favourites.
"There are a few clubs interested and we are just weighing up what's best for the boys and their family," manager Mario Tartak told WWOS.

 

[The Chad]

I remember when the Tigers were considered a 'basket case' under the very loose rule of Lamb & Langmack. Players get in trouble, poor recruitment, signing other teams cast-off's.

We were a shambles.

Then we hired Sheens. Who systematically went through the squad, cutting, releasing etc. His plan was to promote from within.

It took 2 years to go from the shambles of Lamb to 2005. By then, the team was filled with our juniors, as well as some strategic signings from outside.

I'm pretty sure a bunch of Tigers fans were miserable back then too.

We have some very promising players in the club. Bula, Pole, Tupou & Utoikamanu are already starters. Da Silva & Matamua are on the cusp. Faagutu & Galvin not far away. Miller too. Feledy was in the extended squad.

There are a host coming trough behind them as well.

I'd love the team to add the Fainu's to fast track things. But if we miss out, we miss out. The success of this club will not be dependent on 1 or 2 signings from outside the squad. They will help. The progression of special talent from within will determine if we get out of this mess.

Only a few years ago, Penrith were bottom feeders. This system works.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1677123790780928002

Mole says the Dolphins are firming as favourites.
"There are a few clubs interested and we are just weighing up what's best for the boys and their family," manager Mario Tartak told WWOS.

I'm calling BS on this article. For one, how many times in the past have we be reported as favourites to land a deal for it not to happen. Secondly, Sheens is mates with The Mole (Tony Adams) so could have either told him the brothers are likely to go to the Dolphins or asked him to report it as that, so when we do sign them, it is a real win for the club!

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Hey mate

Don’t want to elaborate bc things are kept in confidence.

I know that probably doesn’t mean anything and you want more context but that’s all I want to say

Take it how you see fit

Let’s see how the next few days go

I assume we’ll know about the Fainus by Monday bc I know meetings are going on this weekend

If we don’t know by then maybe a good thing that we’re still in it but not confident

Again hope I’m wrong

Just wanted to give people a heads up so expectations are leveled a bit

Fingers crossed for the positive tho

Just don’t know how that can happen where things were at this week

I really don't know how we will not land the brothers. We have way more $$$ to offer than the Dolphins.

 

[tiger05premier]

I'm not worried. Lee said we are about to enter "an aggressive recruitment campaign" when has he ever got it wrong?

What he means by that is we will sign Sezer and Austin on a combined 6m a year deal and to accommodate that we will release our current forward pack and promote the reserve pack to keep the cap on order

 

[Tiga]

I remember when the Tigers were considered a 'basket case' under the very loose rule of Lamb & Langmack. Players get in trouble, poor recruitment, signing other teams cast-off's.

We were a shambles.

Then we hired Sheens. Who systematically went through the squad, cutting, releasing etc. His plan was to promote from within.

It took 2 years to go from the shambles of Lamb to 2005. By then, the team was filled with our juniors, as well as some strategic signings from outside.

I'm pretty sure a bunch of Tigers fans were miserable back then too.

We have some very promising players in the club. Bula, Pole, Tupou & Utoikamanu are already starters. Da Silva & Matamua are on the cusp. Faagutu & Galvin not far away. Miller too. Feledy was in the extended squad.

There are a host coming trough behind them as well.

I'd love the team to add the Fainu's to fast track things. But if we miss out, we miss out. The success of this club will not be dependent on 1 or 2 signings from outside the squad. They will help. The progression of special talent from within will determine if we get out of this mess.

Only a few years ago, Penrith were bottom feeders. This system works.

Tigers have had promising players coming through like Tedesco, Moses and Wood 7 we all know how that went

 

[tiger05premier]

It’s a rumors thread dude

Not a newspaper

I felt bad seeing everyone posting about getting all these signings

When I’ve heard different things

Nothings has been made official so who knows

Some people appreciate a heads up

Some people don’t

You’re not the sole discretion of what gets posted on here

If you don’t like it

Dismiss my opinions and thoughts

You can block users that give you shit

 

[hsvjones]

Dolphins have halves coming out of there pockets and we have none but a basket load of money.
I'm embarrassed to be a supporter at the moment 😕.
Losing Api and Brooks couldn't of course at a worse time for us as we need wins to look attractive but now it's just impossible to recruit.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

If we don't land the Fainus and I reckon we will, the journos need to do their job and ask all player managers why they don't advocate for their players to go to the Tigers.

There needs to be significant media & public pressure to say we need a new Chairman, new CEO and 1-2 new members of the board who command public respect. And if there is evidence showing they are the major part of the problem, at least the other Board members can act.

 

[Tiga]

Dolphins have halves coming out of there pockets and we have none but a basket load of money.
I'm embarrassed to be a supporter at the moment 😕.
Losing Api and Brooks couldn't of course at a worse time for us as we need wins to look attractive but now it's just impossible to recruit.

Maybe they can throw a couple our way? 😁

 

[jadtiger]

Dolphins have halves coming out of there pockets and we have none but a basket load of money.
I'm embarrassed to be a supporter at the moment 😕.
Losing Api and Brooks couldn't of course at a worse time for us as we need wins to look attractive but now it's just impossible to recruit.

I hate to tell you but when we had Api and Luke both playing we were not winning games then either.We are 3-13 now and about as attractive as a keg of beer at the South Pole to devout muslims