Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

This was from Club website a month ago:

Galvin (five-eighth/back row) and Laulilii (fullback/winger) have been locked into long-term deals which will see them transition into Wests Tigers NRL program, while the club is also in discussions with Mason about his future.
By many reports, the club really hope Galvin fills out and becomes that backrower. Regardless of if he is a long term 6 or 11/12, I don't feel he will be ready for NRL in 2024 anyway (despite the Top 30 contract). That is a sign of good will that we see something in the kid.

Mason's versatility in the spine is great for him moving forward. Don't see him wanting out at this point over us signing a few halves. Hopefully we sorted the deal with him and it appears he may be seen as a 1 (as seen in Ball and Flegg this year) over the next couple of years.

If both players work hard, they will have a good chance to earn their spot in our 17 over time. They clearly have the talent.

Likely Buzz trying to turn our 3 positive signings into negatives

OR

A player manager piping up because we signed players from other management stables and he wants to make a splash and be seen as relevant within the club.
 
Cap & Roster management with a dash of player manager/recruitment officer shenannigans.

You're talking about the same club that signed him to the biggest junior deal ever.

Manly's financials are a mess. Fainu was on too much for their cap balance, plus they (the brothers) were making noise about getting a release (re-Tartak to Fulton).

On a lesser scale, to use as an example, given our roster spots are nearly full- I have no doubt the Tigers want to keep Seyfarth. But, given how the roster is built, given how many spots are left etc...it looks unlikely at this point.

I think the Fainu's moving on is more to do with a quickly dismissed report about their unhappiness with the club's support of their troubled brother.
Fainu was on a deal much smaller than Suli signed with us. Less than 250k this year....
If he achieved certain targets he had large bonuses in his contract which food have made it bigger. As it was he signed a 4 year deal under a million bucks. Still significant, and back ended but but bigger than others like Suli, Howarth
 
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By many reports, the club really hope Galvin fills out and becomes that backrower. Regardless of if he is a long term 6 or 11/12, I don't feel he will be ready for NRL in 2024 anyway (despite the Top 30 contract). That is a sign of good will that we see something in the kid.

Mason's versatility in the spine is great for him moving forward. Don't see him wanting out at this point over us signing a few halves. Hopefully we sorted the deal with him and it appears he may be seen as a 1 (as seen in Ball and Flegg this year) over the next couple of years.

If both players work hard, they will have a good chance to earn their spot in our 17 over time. They clearly have the talent.

Likely Buzz trying to turn our 3 positive signings into negatives

OR

A player manager piping up because we signed players from other management stables and he wants to make a splash and be seen as relevant within the club.
This better not be Isaac Moses (Galvin’s manager) agitating to try to get Galvin to Manly. Warren McDonnell could be part of it too.

Moses’ arch enemy Tartak manages Fainu & Sullivan.
 
Looks like Galvin or Mason want out.
Don't see it..Galvin is a skinny high school kid, who's already on a NRL contract next season apparently. He won't Play NRL next year but we value him that highly that we've given him that contract anyways. By the time he's ready there's a chance neither Sezer or Sullivan are here. Even then if they are and it gives him time to learn and develop without being thrown into the deep end that's a win for him, or he may even play centre and eventually second row. The club loves him and he'll get his opportunities.
There's more value to him in the 30 than Reilly
 
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Kit is the one, but too young to expect him to do it. He may play some NRL next year, but probably is 5 years away from being an 80 minute dominant lock. He needs to share the role with someone like Seyfarth IMO. Seyfarth is the ready made player who can do it, but for some reason we don't give him a chance at the role. I'd like to see next year

8. Stef
9. Api
10. Pole
11. Twal( experiment with this now)
12. Papalii
13. Seyfarth

14. Bateman
15. Blore
16. Klemmer
17. Rotation of youngsters TDS, Kit, Matamua and Faagatu
Twal on an edge, it’s not April 1, he was no good at 13, let alone on an edge
 
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I’d say it’s Mason given he’s unsigned and we signed other halves so old Buzz has put 2 and 2 together and made a story out of it.

By many reports, the club really hope Galvin fills out and becomes that backrower. Regardless of if he is a long term 6 or 11/12, I don't feel he will be ready for NRL in 2024 anyway (despite the Top 30 contract). That is a sign of good will that we see something in the kid.

Mason's versatility in the spine is great for him moving forward. Don't see him wanting out at this point over us signing a few halves. Hopefully we sorted the deal with him and it appears he may be seen as a 1 (as seen in Ball and Flegg this year) over the next couple of years.

If both players work hard, they will have a good chance to earn their spot in our 17 over time. They clearly have the talent.

Likely Buzz trying to turn our 3 positive signings into negatives

OR

A player manager piping up because we signed players from other management stables and he wants to make a splash and be seen as relevant within the club.
The whole thing is stupid. Sezer is here for one year. Sullivan is hardly a franchise superstar. If these guys are any good they won’t have too much trouble kicking the door down. Out of all of them I’d be most comfortable losing Mason. He’s talented sure but Galvin, Fainu and Conti are better talents IMO.
 
I'll probably get laughed at, but for a short term option at #13, given our soon-to-be reliance on young halves, Drew Hutchison from the Roosters fills about 25 positions. He's a ball player, could take some of the heat off Julius & Pharell next year as Bula & Sullivan/Fainu learn how to dominate.

He's very much like Auberson used to be- slot him in & he does a job.
 
I'll probably get laughed at, but for a short term option at #13, given our soon-to-be reliance on young halves, Drew Hutchison from the Roosters fills about 25 positions. He's a ball player, could take some of the heat off Julius & Pharell next year as Bula & Sullivan/Fainu learn how to dominate.

He's very much like Auberson used to be- slot him in & he does a job.
WTF??? Julius and Pharell??

Drew Hutschisson is NOTHING like Mitch Aubusson!

I would not change our pack - they are not losing us games!

Stop fanboying Tedesco and that crappy Roosters team Choad!
 
Someone mentioned our forwards being a problem. To a slight degree, it's true. We lack balance.

Klemmer & Twal are basically clones.
Utoikamanu is similar
Bateman isn't exactly explosive- but that COULD be due to the support cast.
Papali'i is probably in the same boat as Bateman.
Pole is probably the 'explosive' runner, along with Blore.
Seyfarth is a bit of a ball player, a bit of a workhorse.

We have kind of doubled-up on the rolls they play.

Sam Fainu offers a longer, more dynamic look on the edges. Matamua is supposed to be the ball player. Fa'agutu & Laualili'i are hard running types (from what I've seen).

Getting the balance right is the trick. It mostly comes down to what happens at #13 & the bench.
Twal is almost a luxury. Pole & Blore offer more impact off the bench. But Twal offers more continuity of what Klemmer/Stef offer.
Seyfarth isn't QUITE the ball player or workhorse. He's an almost. Same with Aitasi James, almost good enough to demand a spot.

If Matamua could demand a spot at #13, we probably are more balanced right away. None of our forwards offer versatility to cover #9 if Api goes down, so we have to carry an additional dummy half. So our bench is 3 rotational forwards.
 
Nofoaluma has never had scintillating pace. He is similar to Cotric who by chance is struggling. I am confident that you give Nofoaluma the ball near an opponents' goal line and he will score. His strength, step and pinball style has created so many tries.

Our try against the Raiders was scored because we have balance on our wings - Nofoaluma the strong stepping right winger whereas Staines is the speedster left winger. If you look at the Panthers, Brian To'o is not a speedster but relies on his size and strength.
Wait a sec. Nofo has been in the top 5 fastest players only a few years ago. JAC pips him and hey JAC is damn fast. Now Nofo has slown down, which is a little sad.

Otherwise yes, Nofo can cross the line. You describe it well with Good step.
 
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