Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Tigers4ever said:
Would be great to get Luke Garner back!!
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No, it would be a tragedy.
He's not good enough. And we have very very few spots left in the cap. And need backs and halves. Garner would come at the cost of Blore, Seyfarth and at least one other forward.
We have Papa, Bateman, Fainu, Matamua, Blore, Webster Mansfield, Tumeth, Kepaoa if we can't get rid of him as well as top young locks like Laulilii and Faagatu. There's no room for Garner
 
kade7 said:
quick update
  • following players are free to leave, noffa, simpkin, kepoa, rua, no word on twal but i feel like he could also be a casualty, he has reached his ceiling
  • there is interest in bringing luke garner back to the club
  • bradman best will not be coming to the club, not a huge amount of interest from the club, manager trying to spike his price will resign with newcastle
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Any other names being thrown about regarding outside backs? Connor Tracey, Iro, Krystian Mapapalangi (Knights)
Best was never coming and agree this was all his manger to drive his price up.
Has Morgan Smithies (Wigan Backrower) been mentioned? Great player from a great club.
 
Looks like our best off season signings all happened before this season. With no improvement in our position signing anyone with an option is going to be near impossible unless they are offered ridiculous money.
 
I disagree about Garner being a bad addition. If anything, we lack those rangy, fast wide forwards. Papali'i will probably be fine in that role once we have halves to give him holes to hit. But the rest of our back row types are more just workers. Samuela Fainu fits this rangy forward role as well. It's a different body type. Not saying I'd invest heavily in Garner, but on a 2 year deal, he can play a role until Fainu, Tumeth & Mansfield move from 'talented' to 'demanding a place in the squad'.

Twal is interesting. Would be a sad day letting him walk. But he offers pretty much what Klemmer offers. I guess I'd probably lean on keeping him. Over James & Seyfarth? Maybe.

I'd like to keep both James & Seyfarth. My question is- do you keep them over Matamua? How far away is Fa'agutu from pressing for a role in the top squad. Guy looks just about ready as it is. Pole plays 13 effectively. Blore as well. I don't think the club is served well by having 6 guys pressing for 1 spot. Tough calls, but maybe Seyfarth & James are just at the club at the wrong time?

To counter my earlier concerns about outside back depth- are they immediately better players if Latu Fainu, Sullivan &/or Sezar start giving structure? Additionally, our best outside back might just be Doueihi. I would LIKE an explosive type winger or centre added. I think we lack that quality (outside of Topou). But there just might not be that much available. Reilly needs to either be given a shot or potentially sacrificed. Staines & Nofa could be our wingers going forward. IF Nofa is switched on, he's the best all around winger at the club. Kepaoa is our bigger body. I know he's unpopular here, but he runs hard which can get you those valuable metres on kick returns & early dummy half runs. Again, I'll bang the drum for 2 outside backs I think are worth considering- Alamoti due to his potential & Hymel Hunt because of his defensive abilities out wide. Hunt offers the ability to play both wing & centre as well. I'm ALMOST tempted to say I'd take Hunt over Alamoti, just because he offers something we don't have- improved defence on the edges.
 
The Chad said:
Looking at the roster breakdown (27/30 confirmed) the Tigers are really going to have to shift 2-3 players.

Charlie Staines, Sezar & Sullivan, if signed, fill the roster.

As far as I think, most of us, believe...we lack any impact in the centres if this fills out the roster.

What I see as the 'immediate' problem is that we have a bunch of youngsters that play backrow only, but are clearly not ready to play 1st grade, in Tumeth, Mansfield, Sione Fainu on the roster. That's 3 spots allocated for future options. Matamua can be added to that, but seems 'close' to at least being in the top 17.

Additionally, our centres are To'a, Tupou, Naden , Feledy & Reilly. It could be argued that there really isn't a #1 centre in that group. Yet, 5 spots allocated to it.

Wing- Nofa, Staines (if), Kepaoa gives us a very limited selection of wingers, with Tupou able to also play wing.

That is 8 spots allocated & really....2-3 guys are 'locked in'- Tupou, Staines & To'a (and only if Staines signs, of course). The others can all have arguments made for & against.

2-3 of our outside backs either need to become locked in starter types, or moved on. Otherwise we are too heavily invested in 'almost 1st graders'. Naden, Reilly, Kepaoa & Nofa are the obvious names. Feledy isn't going anywhere & could almost be in the conversation to be in the top 17 at some point next year.

One of the back row guys probably needs to make way for either Aitasi James or Seyfarth. Or Fa'agutu if they move him into the top 30 (I feel like he would contribute quickly if top 30).

If the club can't move on a large selection of players, we are likely looking at losing guys better than them simply through lack of roster spots.

The 2 back-up hookers have to be in consideration as well- Simpkin & Rua. Particularly if Connor Watson is actually being discussed. Da Silva is already the #2 hooker at the club.

There's not a lot of great available talent, but we still need to find spots on the roster & move some guys on in order to strengthen the overall roster.
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agree here.👊.
 
The Chad said:
I disagree about Garner being a bad addition. If anything, we lack those rangy, fast wide forwards. Papali'i will probably be fine in that role once we have halves to give him holes to hit. But the rest of our back row types are more just workers. Samuela Fainu fits this rangy forward role as well. It's a different body type. Not saying I'd invest heavily in Garner, but on a 2 year deal, he can play a role until Fainu, Tumeth & Mansfield move from 'talented' to 'demanding a place in the squad'.

Twal is interesting. Would be a sad day letting him walk. But he offers pretty much what Klemmer offers. I guess I'd probably lean on keeping him. Over James & Seyfarth? Maybe.

I'd like to keep both James & Seyfarth. My question is- do you keep them over Matamua? How far away is Fa'agutu from pressing for a role in the top squad. Guy looks just about ready as it is. Pole plays 13 effectively. Blore as well. I don't think the club is served well by having 6 guys pressing for 1 spot. Tough calls, but maybe Seyfarth & James are just at the club at the wrong time?

To counter my earlier concerns about outside back depth- are they immediately better players if Latu Fainu, Sullivan &/or Sezar start giving structure? Additionally, our best outside back might just be Doueihi. I would LIKE an explosive type winger or centre added. I think we lack that quality (outside of Topou). But there just might not be that much available. Reilly needs to either be given a shot or potentially sacrificed. Staines & Nofa could be our wingers going forward. IF Nofa is switched on, he's the best all around winger at the club. Kepaoa is our bigger body. I know he's unpopular here, but he runs hard which can get you those valuable metres on kick returns & early dummy half runs. Again, I'll bang the drum for 2 outside backs I think are worth considering- Alamoti due to his potential & Hymel Hunt because of his defensive abilities out wide. Hunt offers the ability to play both wing & centre as well. I'm ALMOST tempted to say I'd take Hunt over Alamoti, just because he offers something we don't have- improved defence on the edges.
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I genuinely think every team needs a no nonsense prop. Just a worker and stat man. Make meters, run decoys, make tackles, slows the ruck. (All the features that get no acknowledgment, but makes every play around them possible)

Klem does it, and when he’s off twal does or can.

There is room for both in the squad. The engine needs to keep moving forward. Even if the X factor prop doesn’t (stef, james etc).
 
kade7 said:
quick update
  • following players are free to leave, noffa, simpkin, kepoa, rua, no word on twal but i feel like he could also be a casualty, he has reached his ceiling
  • there is interest in bringing luke garner back to the club
  • bradman best will not be coming to the club, not a huge amount of interest from the club, manager trying to spike his price will resign with newcastle
Click to expand...

Any word about Sullivan?
 
I think maybe I overlook Brent Naden at times. If we go with pretty much what we have- Naden is probably the guy with the most ability to make a line break. I'd be interested to see Naden with Staines outside him. To'a with Tupou outside him. If that is what we have....so be it. It can be effective. Just a little bit of inconsistency in his game (Naden). But then, he could hold a spot until Feledy is ready to take it.
 
TurnStyle said:
Okay,

I think I am in full grumpy old man mode today, because I'm thinking "how many years have we been saying or hearing this?".

I may be in the minority, but I am however, pretty content with who they're letting go and who has been re-signed. I think the talent pool is shallower than I can remember right now, and hope they are able to produce a few gems from the young guys at the club.

As many have said and also experienced - it's not always simply the talented kids who make it. It's the ones who really want it and put the work in.

A lot of young guys' ambitions to play nrl wane, whilst others you wouldn't have necessarily picked maintain the passion and become good nrl players.

Hope we get a few of the latter!
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Im thinking 2024 is going to be not that much different than 2023.
Im getting the same as you.

Angry because every year seems to be same old story, next year will be better.
 
phil1986 said:
I genuinely think every team needs a no nonsense prop. Just a worker and stat man. Make meters, run decoys, make tackles, slows the ruck. (All the features that get no acknowledgment, but makes every play around them possible)

Klem does it, and when he’s off twal does or can.

There is room for both in the squad. The engine needs to keep moving forward. Even if the X factor prop doesn’t (stef, james etc).
Click to expand...
engine room needs a hit man also,soppy props wont bust a game open
 
heres the gossip,after its happened.a recruitment guy got moved on,it was in the papers, syphoning funds out of a club. the dj's n nrl have rumbled in the jungle,silence is welcomed,what changes the scene is,, a rogue snoop is on the scent.Question being , is the snoop after the cash , glory,willing 2b exaquated whilste blowing the lid on it,stay tuned.
 
My preference would be to keep Twal.

He’s done a hell of a job coming off the bench this season. I think his runs have been more impactful this year than ever before, and you can see he’s thinking about offloads and has even thrown some last minute passes this year.

Excellent bench player
 
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