Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[weststigerman]

We need a professional hard nosed experienced centre
Gagai type

No one off contract at Gagai's level.

There are less exciting experienced centres though like Brad Parker.

I think Tupou has to move to the centres, so I'd be looking for an experienced winger that's not Nofa. Someone like Cotric or Reimis Smith would be good.

 

[Blocker1963]

Young gun playmaker Latu Fainu is off to the Wests Tigers and he finished up his time in the Manly system playing centre. The 18-year-old has played nine NSW Cup games this season and all have been in the halves, but moved to centre for the elimination final to make room for Cooper Johns and Schuster. Fainu finished with a linebreak, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts and 199 running metres. He struggled defensively though with nine tackles and six misses. I know he was playing out of position, Fulton said he is ready for 1st grade, 6 missed tackles, I dont think so.

 

[Tommy_the_Tiger]

Young gun playmaker Latu Fainu is off to the Wests Tigers and he finished up his time in the Manly system playing centre. The 18-year-old has played nine NSW Cup games this season and all have been in the halves, but moved to centre for the elimination final to make room for Cooper Johns and Schuster. Fainu finished with a linebreak, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts and 199 running metres. He struggled defensively though with nine tackles and six misses. I know he was playing out of position, Fulton said he is ready for 1st grade, 6 missed tackles, I dont think so.

Wouldn't judge a kids ability to play first grade based off how he defended out of position. Damien Cook game 2 SOO is a good example, centre can be a challenging spot to defend

 

[hank37w]

I just think we have to carry that contract on our books for another 2 years. He also makes our first grade team at this point and if he doesn't just play him reserves.

It's a really poor contact and I hope we learn from that one.

We as supporters have learned from it, as a matter of fact I would say 99% of us knew it was a bad deal right from the time it was announced in both length of contract and monetary value.

The big question is, has our interfering Chairman learned anything from it.

 

[weststigerman]

Young gun playmaker Latu Fainu is off to the Wests Tigers and he finished up his time in the Manly system playing centre. The 18-year-old has played nine NSW Cup games this season and all have been in the halves, but moved to centre for the elimination final to make room for Cooper Johns and Schuster. Fainu finished with a linebreak, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts and 199 running metres. He struggled defensively though with nine tackles and six misses. I know he was playing out of position, Fulton said he is ready for 1st grade, 6 missed tackles, I dont think so.

For context, Api missed 5 tackles when playing out of position at halfback. I hope he's ready for first grade.

I'm giving him a pass for missing a few tackles when playing centre for the first time in his career.

 

[The-moP]

Have I missed something ? Has he signed or is this all going off the DT article saying we are close?

Sorry if I missed it..

All talk or rumour at this stage ..

 

[jadtiger]

I just think we have to carry that contract on our books for another 2 years. He also makes our first grade team at this point and if he doesn't just play him reserves.

It's a really poor contact and I hope we learn from that one.

The blame lies with our chairman Lee and nobody else.The length of the contract was ridiculous

 

[Pineapple Juice]

I just think we have to carry that contract on our books for another 2 years. He also makes our first grade team at this point and if he doesn't just play him reserves.

It's a really poor contact and I hope we learn from that one.

💯
Whomever was responsible for that, if they are still at the club, should be taken out behind the back shed.
550k (rumoured) is ridiculous

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

Young gun playmaker Latu Fainu is off to the Wests Tigers and he finished up his time in the Manly system playing centre. The 18-year-old has played nine NSW Cup games this season and all have been in the halves, but moved to centre for the elimination final to make room for Cooper Johns and Schuster. Fainu finished with a linebreak, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts and 199 running metres. He struggled defensively though with nine tackles and six misses. I know he was playing out of position, Fulton said he is ready for 1st grade, 6 missed tackles, I dont think so.

Be interesting if he played outside of Schuster.

1 game out of position playing probably the hardest defensive position on the field where they are often isolated all the time wouldn’t be focusing on that too much.

For a player who got bumped into center for the last game of the year - he could’ve taken the easy route instead he had a dig. To make 199 running meters is massive. Would take that from our wingers let alone centers. Shows hunger and work ethic.

 

[Lestronge]

Be interesting if he played outside of Schuster.

1 game out of position playing probably the hardest defensive position on the field where they are often isolated all the time wouldn’t be focusing on that too much.

For a player who got bumped into center for the last game of the year - he could’ve taken the easy route instead he had a dig. To make 199 running meters is massive. Would take that from our wingers let alone centers. Shows hunger and work ethic.

I think this is true . Ice missed 10 tackles on Friday , and how many of them were diving efforts to cover for beaten men on his outside .
It’s not a missed tackle if you don’t lay a hand on them .

 

[Pineapple Juice]

Ice is trash, welcome to leave. Swap him with haumole

 

[KingRobbie]

Be interesting if he played outside of Schuster.

1 game out of position playing probably the hardest defensive position on the field where they are often isolated all the time wouldn’t be focusing on that too much.

For a player who got bumped into center for the last game of the year - he could’ve taken the easy route instead he had a dig. To make 199 running meters is massive. Would take that from our wingers let alone centers. Shows hunger and work ethic.

He was playing outside of Schuster.

NSWRL TV Highlights | NSW Cup Elimination Final - Raiders v Sea Eagles

Catch up on all the action from the Canberra Raiders v Blacktown Workers in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Elimination Final.

www.nswrl.com.au

He's the #7 in these highlights^, playing left centre.

Samuela is the #11, playing left second row.

 

[bptiger 0]

Does anyone else think we have to many middle’s compared to edge forwards.
Middle
Utoikamanu
Klemmer
Pole
Blore
Twal
Seyfarth

Edge
Papali’i - wanted to be a middle forward at Parramatta and imo his game suits a middle better.
Bateman (doesn’t fit today’s style of an edge forward.)
Hopefully Our young recruit from Manly can be a modern day edge forward.

Middle’s playing edge this year at times:
Pole
Pole
Blore
Twal
Seyfarth
Didn’t help them or the team.

Carrying Bateman for 3 more years is a concern I understand why they brought him to the club (attitude/culture) but I don’t think his on field performances make him a certain starter each week.

Like everyone else I would like us to find 2 centres for next year as well as 2 Edge forwards before next year kicks off.

Releasing contracted players on our books is needed otherwise we will be playing players out of position again next year.

I disagree about Bateman , if the rest other than api but in the effort he puts in we would have won more games , people bag him because he didn’t make breaks but how could u do that with the shit 1/2s we had

 

[426Tlgerland]

Kelly Barnes awards night tonight
time to say good by to a few
API to take out main award
Api to take out players player
Bulla for Rookie

 

[balmain boy]

Young gun playmaker Latu Fainu is off to the Wests Tigers and he finished up his time in the Manly system playing centre. The 18-year-old has played nine NSW Cup games this season and all have been in the halves, but moved to centre for the elimination final to make room for Cooper Johns and Schuster. Fainu finished with a linebreak, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts and 199 running metres. He struggled defensively though with nine tackles and six misses. I know he was playing out of position, Fulton said he is ready for 1st grade, 6 missed tackles, I dont think so.

You'd have to be an absolute muppet to question a player's ability when thrown into a completely new position before kickoff. Zero combinations with his team mates, never played the position in his life, up against big and fast Canberra outside backs.
If anything for Latu to be one of Manly's strongest outside backs in his first time playing there in his life is an astounding effort!

 

[Bones]

Young gun playmaker Latu Fainu is off to the Wests Tigers and he finished up his time in the Manly system playing centre. The 18-year-old has played nine NSW Cup games this season and all have been in the halves, but moved to centre for the elimination final to make room for Cooper Johns and Schuster. Fainu finished with a linebreak, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts and 199 running metres. He struggled defensively though with nine tackles and six misses. I know he was playing out of position, Fulton said he is ready for 1st grade, 6 missed tackles, I dont think so.

6 missed tackles a week would put him up there with our best defenders.

 

[gregjm87]

Young gun playmaker Latu Fainu is off to the Wests Tigers and he finished up his time in the Manly system playing centre. The 18-year-old has played nine NSW Cup games this season and all have been in the halves, but moved to centre for the elimination final to make room for Cooper Johns and Schuster. Fainu finished with a linebreak, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts and 199 running metres. He struggled defensively though with nine tackles and six misses. I know he was playing out of position, Fulton said he is ready for 1st grade, 6 missed tackles, I dont think so.

Didn't watch the game but can't assess defence purely on stats line. Not all missed tackles are created equal. A missed tackle where you stop the opponent but drop off before others finish him, or rush up to turn a player back inside or shooting out looking to stop progress against a bunched attack knowing there is more than enough defensive pressure behind to cover you are All acceptable but recorded as a miss.

 

[Kelce68]

Just thinking, what do you reckon if we recruit 2 new solid experienced centres and move T'oa to the wing?

He's good under the high ball, a powerful runner, good fend & fast.

A 3/4 line of T'oa, Gagai, Tass, Tupou would give us a much better look especially in defence.

To'a is not good under the high ball. That was one of the reasons he was moved from wing in the first place.

 

[diedpretty]

He was playing outside of Schuster.

NSWRL TV Highlights | NSW Cup Elimination Final - Raiders v Sea Eagles

Catch up on all the action from the Canberra Raiders v Blacktown Workers in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Elimination Final.

www.nswrl.com.au

He's the #7 in these highlights^, playing left centre.

Samuela is the #11, playing left second row.

Not a lot of highlights of either Fainu - Latu looked quick, Samuela looked ordinary in defence. The 2 who stood out for Blacktown were Weekes and Schuster. Schuster could be anything if he knuckled down.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

It will be interesting who Sticky selects for Canberra to replace Kris on the wing. Will it be Schiller or Savage? Whoever misses out may want to look elsewhere for a better chance at NRL in '24!