Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

king_sirro said:
We need to get TDS, Bula, Galvin, Kit Laulilii and Large all in a room together. Sit them down and convince them that they are the future spine of the club that can turn us around long term if they stick together at the Tigers.

We can't lose those 4.
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We need to do a Penrith really.

They brought in Wallace and Soward who were both unwanted by their clubs but had experience.

We should be focusing on low cost half options with experience and then building the backs and forwards with the extra cap space while we develop our kids.

Personally not a fan of Fainu as he will be 2-3 years away from a consistent first grader. If we believe we have the future spine in the pathways let's commit to them, not sign another rookie half when we really need experienced 2-3 year stop gaps.
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
I just hope they haven't pigeonholed Galvin as a backrower because his height. He has great football instincts and I would like to see him given every chance to succeed in his natural position being both a ball player & runner able to roam.
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nothing will change too much in terms of his skillset if he moves to the back row. he'll still be able to kick and pass, but will also be able to play as a decoy up on the ad line or hit holes at pace. his most underrated attribute is his attacking kick chase, he is like Nanai in that regard. always in the frame.

in a team coached by Tim Sheens and Benji Marshall, they will play to his strengths. yes it may park him on an edge, but could you imagine a left edge in a few years of Large, Galvin, Makasini and Tupou with Bula sweeping around the back? that's enough to make me salivate.
 
coivtny said:
I'm not looking for words of comfort from forum members but I can't recall being at a lower ebb in terms of how I feel about this football club. I've followed Wests and Wests Tigers since 1960 and have seen plenty of lows and the odd high. I recall feeling quite low just prior to the merger but getting a boost from the thought of two old clubs with great histories and similar cultures coming together to form a new club that would take the best from both clubs. The truth is WT are nothing like either the old Balmain or Wests.
Fast forward to 2023 and things have never been worse. We are headed towards the second successive spoon. We find it very difficult to sign quality players. Our administration and leadership is woeful and appears to be locked in place. Our ownership seems totally disinterested in bringing about the type of change we need to get us out of this rut.
The only plus is we have a few juniors coming through who show huge potential. But I've seen two things happen to quality juniors over the years - either they don't go on with it, which happens quite a lot, or they get poached by the bigger and stronger clubs, which we have seen happen to us so many times.
We need change and we need it now.
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Coivtny you have 100% described my feelings also. I cannot see a future. I cannot see a way out. As you said, top level management are locked in it seems. Next year will be a repeat of this year.
 
Canberratiger said:
What year/s do you reckon we will see them coming through to first grade?
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hard to say but the club has obviously indicated that once they believe they are ready that they'll throw them in there. here's my thoughts.

Galvin we need to be patient with. yes he is immensely talented but he hasn't even played Jersey Flegg yet. a preseason with first grade will put him on the path but he needs the Leilua diet in order to bulk up, even if he plays at 6. it's likely he gets a debut next year but I think consistent first grade is a while away, especially if he is immediately transitioned into being a backrower. that said, as we've seen with Tallyn, stranger things have happened.

Kit Laulili'i is already monstering Flegg and is someone I could see debuting late 2023, along with Chris Fa'agutu. Unlike Matamua, the toughness and physicality is already there for Kit and he is a very competent ballplayer. very much a watch this space, but don't be surprised if he graduates to Cup in the next month with first grade coming afterwards. there is absolutely a spot for him to come in and make the 13 his own given Matamua's issues and the fact that it has been a revolving door for us all year.

Conti's future I'm not certain of. I only hear a few things out of the Wests side of things, whereas Balmain I have no connections. as a result I'm unsure if he's doing a preseason next year with first grade, whereas I know Heath Mason is. he is brilliantly talented but he is also tiny. if I was a betting man I'd say likely Origin period 2025 debut with regular first grade to come in the years that follow, but that depends on his physical progression.

Onitoni is likened to Suaali'i and it's easy to see the comparisons. that doesn't mean that he will be ready the moment he turns 18 though. I don't think its beyond him, but our expectations need to be tempered. he and his brother have been anointed by the club, but that doesn't mean they'll deliver a premiership when they're still in their teens. late 2025/early 2026.
 
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Honkylips said:
Coivtny you have 100% described my feelings also. I cannot see a future. I cannot see a way out. As you said, top level management are locked in it seems. Next year will be a repeat of this year.
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Agree with you both.

We've locked ourselves in with Sheens and Benji too. We back out on that, that'll be six out of seven coaches that will have been either sacked before their tenure finished or walked out. Potter was the only one who saw his contract out and he lost out to player power. We'll never attract a decent coach again.
 
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liltiger said:
This boggles my mind, if I was wealthy and the Tigers never hit me up for a sponsorship I still wouldn't do bugger all for any of the other teams. How could I call myself a Wests Tigers supporter yet pump massive resources into other teams. Like Lee, he is our chair and major sponsor, but also is a minor sponsor for other clubs aswell. All that cash should be left with us not helping other teams.
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Lee is not just relying on ambulances from Leichhardt he want to chase them from other suburbs as well.
 
liltiger said:
This boggles my mind, if I was wealthy and the Tigers never hit me up for a sponsorship I still wouldn't do bugger all for any of the other teams. How could I call myself a Wests Tigers supporter yet pump massive resources into other teams. Like Lee, he is our chair and major sponsor, but also is a minor sponsor for other clubs aswell. All that cash should be left with us not helping other teams.
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Totally agree. I guess some just want the notoriety of being involved in the game. Sold his soul IMO
 
jrtiger said:
hard to say but the club has obviously indicated that once they believe they are ready that they'll throw them in there. here's my thoughts.

Galvin we need to be patient with. yes he is immensely talented but he hasn't even played Jersey Flegg yet. a preseason with first grade will put him on the path but he needs the Leilua diet in order to bulk up, even if he plays at 6. it's likely he gets a debut next year but I think consistent first grade is a while, especially if he is immediately transitioned into being a backrower. that said, as we've seen with Tallyn, stranger things have happened.

Kit Laulili'i is already monstering Flegg and is someone I could see debuting late 2023, along with Chris Fa'agutu. Unlike Matamua, the toughness and physicality is already there for Kit and he is a very competent ballplayer. very much a watch this space, but don't be surprised if he graduates to Cup in the next month with first grade coming afterwards. there is absolutely a spot for him to come in and make the 13 his own given Matamua's issues and the fact that it has been a revolving door for us all year.

Conti's future I'm not certain of. I only hear a few things out of the Wests side of things, whereas Balmain I have no connections. as a result I'm unsure if he's doing a preseason next year with first grade, whereas I know Heath Mason is. he is brilliantly talented but he is also tiny. if I was a betting man I'd say likely Origin period 2025 debut with regular first grade to come in the years that follow, but that depends on his physical progression.

Onitoni is likened to Suaali'i and it's easy to see the comparisons. that doesn't mean that he will be ready the moment he turns 18 though. I don't think its beyond him, but our expectations need to be tempered. he and his brother have been anointed by the club, but that doesn't mean they'll deliver a premiership when they're still in their teens. late 2025/early 2026.
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Kit has to debut this year IMO. Definitely our long term 13
 
BAGNF05 said:
Experts like Andrew Johns, Cronk and the like are all scratching their heads. It’s a deep hole. Hopefully enough for the management of the club to finally face up to reality.
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They may be greats in the game but those guys aren't experts. Yes they were part of success - Cronk two successful clubs - but no offence they wouldn't know how to run a club.
One thing I will say about Johns though is he should be able to recognise that lack of infrastructure (poor management) can contribute/influence strategy and performance or functionality.
Not saying that's our issue btw but what happened to the Knights.
They got three wooden spoons due to their poor ownership model.

Otherwise couldn't agree more, the club needs to act.
 
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Lauren said:
They may be greats in the game but those guys aren't experts. Yes they were part of success - Cronk two successful clubs - but no offence they wouldn't know how to run a club.
One thing I will say about Johns though is he should be able to recognise that lack of infrastructure (poor management) can contribute/influence strategy and performance or functionality.
The Knights got three wooden spoons due to their poor ownership model.

Otherwise couldn't agree more, the club needs to act.
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Agree. I wouldn't listen to either of them, particularly Johns.
 
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