Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
- Start date
I LOLed
So it appears we need to offload a handful of 2024 top 30 contracted players before we are in a position to recruit.
It should be easy enough to find a new home for Keparoa. He’s a big body who is mobile, but has not shown he’s willing to play with enough commitment or energy to remain with us moving forward.
We currently have 4 hookers in our top 30 for 2024. It appears Simpkin is one main one who wants out. Rua hasn’t shown much in NSW Cup so it wouldn’t be a bad thing if he departed as well.
It’s reported we are trying to offload Nofa. It’s mixed emotions as he has been a great player for us, but I think we do need to try and offload him for the team balance if nothing else. He is not tall enough, fast enough of big enough for a modern day winger, we need someone who is exceptionally fast on one wing.
Naden must also be borderline. He has the height size and speed to be a very good outside back when he plays with the right commitment and energy, problem is he very rarely gives 💯.
Tristan Reilly is the other contentious one. Do we give him a chance to show if he’s potentially an NRL player for the rest of this season, otherwise we might as well let him go.
It should be easy enough to find a new home for Keparoa. He’s a big body who is mobile, but has not shown he’s willing to play with enough commitment or energy to remain with us moving forward.
We currently have 4 hookers in our top 30 for 2024. It appears Simpkin is one main one who wants out. Rua hasn’t shown much in NSW Cup so it wouldn’t be a bad thing if he departed as well.
It’s reported we are trying to offload Nofa. It’s mixed emotions as he has been a great player for us, but I think we do need to try and offload him for the team balance if nothing else. He is not tall enough, fast enough of big enough for a modern day winger, we need someone who is exceptionally fast on one wing.
Naden must also be borderline. He has the height size and speed to be a very good outside back when he plays with the right commitment and energy, problem is he very rarely gives 💯.
Tristan Reilly is the other contentious one. Do we give him a chance to show if he’s potentially an NRL player for the rest of this season, otherwise we might as well let him go.
Miller may even be a good centre has great feet and speed to burn he would be worth a try
Lachie Miller was leading the entire NRL for most tackle breaks before being sent back to NSW Cup when when the Knights worked out Ponga is not a 5/8.
Aside from his great tackle breaking ability and exceptional speed, he also has a very good passing game and has plenty of line break assists and try assists to his credit.
I keep asking this same question, but does Bula have the passing game required to be an elite NRL fullback ? No doubt he is a very good athlete who has the right commitment, willingness, aerobic capacity and defensive mindset, but I’m yet to see he has the ability to chime into the backline at full speed, then catch & pass to create tries etc like most other NRL fullbacks regularly do.
No doubt Bula will be a great NRL player for many years to come and Wests Tigers need him in our side as a priority, but I think we would find he would be playing a different position, centre or wing at most if not all other NRL clubs.
If we moved him to the centres, a player such as Lachie Miller would be a very valuable fullback for us.
mikey
Well-known member
Don't fix what ain't broken. Too Sheenius for mine. 🙂
Miller might be OK but would like to know why he has been dropped to reggies at the Gummies.
The only reason he was dropped was to accommodate Ponga when they worked out he was no good at 5/8.
He was stuck behind another exceptionally good fullback in Will Kennedy at the Sharks also.
As good as Bula is, he is not getting in front of Ponga or Kennedy as a fullback either.
Tucker
Well-known member
Careful, I suggested this a month ago and received a pretty heated response. I agree with what you have said.
I think Bula could be a rep level centre …many think centres don’t matter though. Imagine him running riot closer in whilst a fast ball player is operating out the back…that makes us stronger.
💯
He would also be a very good aerial threat for attacking cross field kicks as a centre.
A better idea would be signing a specialist centre and leaving Bula a young star in the making at fullback and not moving him for a reserve grader who’s a project NRL player at best.
426Tlgerland
Well-known member
Miller at Fullback and Bulla at Centre would be very good and worth a crack , if it didn’t work you mostly likely just swap them around , he would be a good pick up along with Sullivan
426Tlgerland
Well-known member
Reilly should be given 4 weeks straight in nrl to show his potential , should be done now
How are you convinced he’s a long term fullback when he does not have any playmaking skills or any idea how to create overlaps like the elite NRL fullbacks do ?
I am aware he’s young and apparently very coachable, so could very well develop these skills given time, but we are running last two years straight, we have the worst attack in the NRL we don’t have time to wait, we need players who fit the description of the position they are playing now.
As Tucker stated Bula could become a rep centre/winger very fast, he’s nowhere near a rep standard fullback just yet.
As for Miller, he’s no project player, I repeat he was leading the entire NRL for tackle busts before Ponga took his spot. He has the necessary playmaking and passing game to regularly create tries and try scoring opportunities and it’s clear we struggle in this area.
weststigerman
Well-known member
Agree. Not sure he’s got it, but there is no use playing Talau there.
Miller got dropped at Fullback for some terrible performances. Pongha going back to fullback was be cause he was best man for the job as much as Lachie Miller wasn't. No way would I be agitating for this when we have unearthed one of the best young talents that is on everyones radar.
From memory, Tedesco had limited playmaking skills when he started. Even now, he isn't an 'elite' playmaker at the back. His game has always been based on running and support play.
Tigers_Wests
Well-known member
Was this in the article too?
All depends really. In reality there is no difference between coming second and coming last. The Dragons aren’t going to be coming first in the remaining years of Hunts contract. Second to that, Hunt basically caries the Dragons. Sure he is probably the ideal senior player for mentor a group of young halves but I’m not sure Dragons have much in the cupboard besides Sullivan and they want to flick him out. I guess it depends if Flanno wants to distribute his cap money elsewhere and strengthen other areas; I’d say if he can get someone who can equally mentor / get a team round the park, he’ll let hunt go.
