Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

My tip is Lachlan Galvin to finish next season as one of our 1st team centres! I reckon Benji will start him as 5/8 in Flegg then progress him into Cup as a centre as a ‘transitionary’ position (much like a young Fittler). If Galvin can work hard in the gym in the off-season and show that his defence is up to it in NSW Cup, he could be a gun centre - strong ball runner, great pass/offload, can chase & take attacking bombs & is deceptively quick. No inside intel, just my own thoughts.
I concur
 
Can't help feeling some are going to be proved poor judges by Stefano in the coming years as he becomes elite.
Called into Origin as a 23 year-old.

Stefano is behind the best young props like Tino and Payne Haas, but not far off a guy like Flegler (who is playing in a superior forward pack). Spencer Leniu goes well but almost never is asked to start, so he's a totally different type of forward. Rueben Cotter isn't really a prop for mine; more like a second lock.

It also has to be considered that a significant number of the other top-level props are 1-2 (or more) contracts aged beyond Stefano, guys like JFH (27), Moses Leota (28), RCG (30), Junior Paulo (29), Saifiti twins (27), JWH (34), Joe Tapine (29), NAS (27), Josh Papalii (31), Welch (29). This means that when that older cohort starts to retire, I don't think there are so many top-level props in the 23-24 age bracket at the moment to replace them; looking a bit lean for middle-aged quality props.

Stefano doesn't have to be elite to be a very significant player for Tigers.
 
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Does anyone know much about Semisi Kioa in our cup squad. From memory he came up through the sharks system and he was highly regarded as one of the best juniors coming up if not their best prospect within the club throughout his HM and SG ball cup days, was destined for a bright future.

For anyone who watches the cup games often is he a chance at making a FG run? I saw the stat sheet for his last couple of games to end the season and it looks alright.
We signed him from the only team to finish below the magpies last year, and he wasn't even NSW Cup level. He's a Ron Massey kind of guy, slow, error prone, crap defence, just has absolutely nothing and blocked opportunities for the likes of Feledy.
 
He was on a development deal too with a guaranteed spot in the top 30 next year
We should never have guaranteed him an NRL spot. Most dev contracts shouldn't result in Nrl deals, players should need to earn that contract. Expert for the most elite juniors who you have to take that gamble on. He's a talented kid but still but a standout at NRL level.

Hell provide more value then Saukuru though
 
If we have kept Seyfarth over Blore then we have absolute rocks in our head. Blore has just started to get some gametime & has yet to have a full pre season - if he has a pre season & continues his significant injury free run he will only get better.
Why wouldn’t we keep both of them ?
This is our biggest problem, we seem to develop young players by playing them regularly in NRL before they are ready to excel at that level, then once they are ready to excel at that level we let them go.
Both Blore and Seyfarth have done their apprenticeship with us and now ready for the best years of their rugby league career.
It would be nice for us to reap the rewards for a change.
 
Called into Origin as a 23 year-old.

Stefano is behind the best young props like Tino and Payne Haas, but not far off a guy like Flegler (who is playing in a superior forward pack). Spencer Leniu goes well but almost never is asked to start, so he's a totally different type of forward. Rueben Cotter isn't really a prop for mine; more like a second lock.

It also has to be considered that a significant number of the other top-level props are 1-2 (or more) contracts aged beyond Stefano, guys like JFH (27), Moses Leota (28), RCG (30), Junior Paulo (29), Saifiti twins (27), JWH (34), Joe Tapine (29), NAS (27), Josh Papalii (31), Welch (29). This means that when that older cohort starts to retire, I don't think there are so many top-level props in the 23-24 age bracket at the moment to replace them; looking a bit lean for middle-aged quality props.

Stefano doesn't have to be elite to be a very significant player for Tigers.
I don’t understand some of our fan’s criticism of Stef.
I do agree that we ideally would like him getting deeper and charging onto the ball at high speed more often, but he’s only 23 which is still very young for a quality NRL prop and players of his physical stature do not grow on trees.
He’s a vital part of our team and our rebuild, we desperately need to keep him long term.
 
Why wouldn’t we keep both of them ?
This is our biggest problem, we seem to develop young players by playing them regularly in NRL before they are ready to excel at that level, then once they are ready to excel at that level we let them go.
Both Blore and Seyfarth have done their apprenticeship with us and now ready for the best years of their rugby league career.
It would be nice for us to reap the rewards for a change.

there are too many young players in the squad of 30… the backs needs to be upgraded but there are few spaces …

So what seems to be happening is that when we are looking to free up roster spots, our competitors wants players that are ready to play now … not 18 year olds that might play in 2-3 years time..

it’s Peak Wests Tigers … always thinking about 2-3 years down the track and not about the next game
 
PLus look at why they are leaving.

Cameron Ciraldo wants to train the squad hard. Maybe a fraction too hard, yet this is exactly what we need.
Hard training and high work ethic.
Pick any of these bulldogs rejects we will get lower trainers and people who disagree with a new coach.

exactly what Benji does not need.
I don’t agree with this . You can flog guys all day , and just alienate them , yell at them etc . Or you can train hard together foster a team culture and buy in .
As well as a rookie coach , I’d say so assertion of dominance going on there as well!
Not saying you’re not right , you might be , but yeah I wouldn’t be chucking blankets over everyone .
But you’re right , if we do sign them , we would have to make sure we did our due diligence , because you could be 💯 right .
 
there are too many young players in the squad of 30… the backs needs to be upgraded but there are few spaces …

So what seems to be happening is that when we are looking to free up roster spots, our competitors wants players that are ready to play now … not 18 year olds that might play in 2-3 years time..

it’s Peak Wests Tigers … always thinking about 2-3 years down the track and not about the next game
No doubt we have too many young players potentially taking up top 30 spots that are not yet ready to excel at NRL level, but if it means holding on to the ones that will highly likely become home grown stars within 2-3 years than so be it, we will just have to keep battling through tough times and wait.
I’m more concerned about players such as Bateman contracted until the end of 2026 when he already looks spent now, same with Nofoaluma contracted until the end of 2025.
Whose fault are these ridiculous contracts for ageing battle scarred players ?
I believe it’s our previous coaches, Maguire for Nofoaluma’s contract and Sheens for Bateman’s contract.
Nothing Benji and the current regime can do about it other than to work with it the best they can and hopefully offload them early if possible.
 
No doubt we have too many young players potentially taking up top 30 spots that are not yet ready to excel at NRL level, but if it means holding on to the ones that will highly likely become home grown stars within 2-3 years than so be it, we will just have to keep battling through tough times and wait.
I’m more concerned about players such as Bateman contracted until the end of 2026 when he already looks spent now, same with Nofoaluma contracted until the end of 2025.
Whose fault are these ridiculous contracts for ageing battle scarred players ?
I believe it’s our previous coaches, Maguire for Nofoaluma’s contract and Sheens for Bateman’s contract.
Nothing Benji and the current regime can do about it other than to work with it the best they can and hopefully offload them early if possible.

all I know is that they can’t field that same outside backline next season and and expect better results … they have to upgrade the centres and wings … if they can do that moving on dud players then great… but do what they have to do upgrade because If they trot them all out again next season then they have just bought themselves another spoon ..

at least give themselves a change to win 8-9 games and get off the bottom
 

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