Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[jrtiger]

Seyfarth is the victim of poor squad management and what happens when you have development contracts with top 30 clauses and promise uncapped youngsters spots to keep them happy. unfortunately that's the nature of the game and other players will become victims to it in the coming years when the junior talent continues to push thru.

in a very inexperienced squad he would've been good to have around but he's not a major loss in terms of what he brings physically. best of luck to him for his future endeavours.

 

[Todd Packer]

10% of the top 30 are Fainu's. We better get some value out of those guys....

They're the modern multicultural world's Mortimer brothers.

 

[Magpie_Magic]

I know we can't keep them all but shame about Seyfarth who was certainly showing an ability to learn and improve.........like Joffa a good clubman also.

 

[weststigerman]

We keep locking ourselves into development contracts where players end up taking a spot in the top 30, but aren't good enough to be considered for first grade

Yep, almost none of our "development" contract players have become regular first graders.

We've previously given them out to any young player. Giving them to the likes of Laulilli, Miller, Galvin would be better choices. Instead we've got Galvin in our top 30 and I have no idea what contract Miller is on.

 

[426Tlgerland]

I think Kit L looks like a first grader who we will get value for in first grade next year and he will be on a development contract.

I'm really not confident in letting go of Seyfarth though.

If he goes we'll have the following guys backing up our top 17:- Matamua, Mansfield, Tumeth, Sione Fainu & Asu Kepaoa. Kit L should slot in but that is a bare cupboard for middle forwards in the NRL. They'll have to get some train and trial players a go or something.

I am pretty sure we currently have 2 spots available. One has to go to a winger who I think will be expected to play first grade. Ideally we'd get Staines but I can see why the club would let him go. It's just a value for money issue.

I think if we don't sign Seyfarth we will need to sign another forward.

I suppose we have to wait and see what happens though because the club might work out some way to release more players. I still don't know who we'd sign though. It's not like there are a tonne of quality options out there.

I think Kit will make first grade next year , give him all off-season with the main team harden him up and use him off the bench , Seyfarth replacement

 

[jrtiger]

Euan Aitken is a player I'd be looking into. with Averillo and Farnworth coming next year he'll be locked out of the centre position, and Kaufusi, Bromwich, Lemuelu and Kerr take up the back row spots you'd think. experienced, proven centre who played a couple of years with Marshall at the Dragons and should be attainable.

 

[teddy23]

Euan Aitken is a player I'd be looking into. with Averillo and Farnworth coming next year you'd think he'll be locked out of the centre position, and Kaufusi, Bromwich, Lemuelu and Kerr take up the back row spots you'd think. experienced, proven centre who played a couple of years with Marshall at the Dragons and should be attainable.

Probably next to Waqa Blake as the worst defensive centre in the competition.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Id probably rather keep Seyfarth over Tumeth or Mansfield but they have contracts while Seyfarth does not.

We have too many forwards and his spot should go to a winger like Staines.

I think we need to give both Tumeth & Mansfield next season the opportunity to progress into potential 1st team backrowers given they have contracts and are young on-the-up.

Tumeth needs a big off-season & pre-season in the gym to help him take the next step. He is certainly professional in his approach, runs hard & can hit a hole, has good tackling technique, is an emerging leader and has good family support.

He just needs to obviously work on his size & strength, and a few efficiencies in his game like faster play-the-balls & commanding the ball more in attack.

He could be a Nat Butcher/Hudson Young or could be Brendan Santi/Kyle Lovett! This pre-season is HUGE for his future with us!

 

[gregjm87]

I think we need to give both Tumeth & Mansfield next season the opportunity to progress into potential 1st team backrowers given they have contracts and are young on-the-up.

Tumeth needs a big off-season & pre-season in the gym to help him take the next step. He is certainly professional in his approach, runs hard & can hit a hole, has good tackling technique, is an emerging leader and has good family support.

He just needs to obviously work on his size & strength, and a few efficiencies in his game like faster play-the-balls & commanding the ball more in attack.

He could be a Nat Butcher/Hudson Young or could be Brendan Santi/Kyle Lovett! This pre-season is HUGE for his future with us!

i still think Tumeth could be a very good defensive centre. He is not big butmore than big enough to do the job in the centres. Has the hole running of a centre just lacks a little agility and skill to be a real attacking threat.

 

[851]

Probably next to Waqa Blake as the worst defensive centre in the competition.

Our very own AJ says hi

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

We have 28 spots filled for next year and all our forward spots are filled unless we get rid of someone. So to keep either Seyfarth or James you would need to get rid of a current forward and in both cases probably a current prop. The only middles in the rotation you could conisder getting rid of would be Blore or Sione Fainu. Neither are better then Blore and for obvious reasons we would not be getting rid of Sione Fainu. We also have Kit, Faagatu and Miller coming through

I have a theory that Chris Faagutu will be top 30 next season. Here is my reasoning ...

- Played U19 SOO this year along with Feledy and Latu & Samuela Fainu who jump to top 30.
- One year older than Kit Laulilii who will be on a development contract.
- Is managed by Isaac Moses. We've recruited a bunch of Mario Tartak clients into top 30 contracts, Fainu brothers, Feledy, Sullivan. I would say Moses is using this as leverage.
- Another Moses client in Lachlan Galvin is reportedly top 30.

We may be going heavy with 19-21yos in the top 30 but I think we'll counter this with an experienced outside back like Gagai, Olam or Reimis Smith as well as experienced forward depth on T&T and NSW Cup contracts.

 

[KH1988]

Wish our centres defence was as terrible as Euan Aitken

 

[earl]

I think Kit will make first grade next year , give him all off-season with the main team harden him up and use him off the bench , Seyfarth replacement

I suppose my point is we need Kit and Seyfarth. Seyfarth to me is a depth player but you always get injuries to your middle forwards and he'll get plenty of game time.

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

These two players are exactly what we need but interestingly we are strong in the positions where you'd recruit these guys. Koula would have to be at fullback.

I am pretty sure Koula has signed a long term contract.

It is nice to have a competition for every position, especially if it comes "organically, from within the squad".
I would not change Bula as we could end up with none, as with Tedesco - Papenhousen scenario, we ended with none.

 

[earl]

It is nice to have a competition for every position, especially if it comes "organically, from within the squad".
I would not change Bula as we could end up with none, as with Tedesco - Papenhousen scenario, we ended with none.

I think we have to back Bula as well. I think the threat to him coming through will be Luke L who I think has a contract for 25. Hopefully they both kick on and we can fit them both in.

 

[gregjm87]

I have a theory that Chris Faagutu will be top 30 next season. Here is my reasoning ...

- Played U19 SOO this year along with Feledy and Latu & Samuela Fainu who jump to top 30.
- One year older than Kit Laulilii who will be on a development contract.
- Is managed by Isaac Moses. We've recruited a bunch of Mario Tartak clients into top 30 contracts, Fainu brothers, Feledy, Sullivan. I would say Moses is using this as leverage.
- Another Moses client in Lachlan Galvin is reportedly top 30.

We may be going heavy with 19-21yos in the top 30 but I think we'll counter this with an experienced outside back like Gagai, Olam or Reimis Smith as well as experienced forward depth on T&T and NSW Cup contracts.

Could you give some examples of players that would fit this description because I dont believe they exist. IMO there would be very few NRL experienced forwards who would not be finding a contract in someone's top 30. Then of the few who are unable to, how many would be of a decent enough quality to realistically be used as depth or be the right personality that they can actually help pass on knowledge to the younger players? We then need to somehow convince these blokes to not only take an offer from our club over others but an offer that would probably be less than what they can earn with a job outside of rugby league.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Could you give some examples of players that would fit this description because I dont believe they exist. IMO there would be very few NRL experienced forwards who would not be finding a contract in someone's top 30. Then of the few who are unable to, how many would be of a decent enough quality to realistically be used as depth or be the right personality that they can actually help pass on knowledge to the younger players? We then need to somehow convince these blokes to not only take an offer from our club over others but an offer that would probably be less than what they can earn with a job outside of rugby league.

Morgan Boyle (Manly) not being offered a contract there. Kane Evans (returned from Super League). Both only good enough for NSW Cup contracts now. Tepai Moreoa (Storm) may be another not offered an NRL contract. There will be others with deeper research.

 

[jrtiger]

I have a theory that Chris Faagutu will be top 30 next season. Here is my reasoning ...

- Played U19 SOO this year along with Feledy and Latu & Samuela Fainu who jump to top 30.
- One year older than Kit Laulilii who will be on a development contract.
- Is managed by Isaac Moses. We've recruited a bunch of Mario Tartak clients into top 30 contracts, Fainu brothers, Feledy, Sullivan. I would say Moses is using this as leverage.
- Another Moses client in Lachlan Galvin is reportedly top 30.

We may be going heavy with 19-21yos in the top 30 but I think we'll counter this with an experienced outside back like Gagai, Olam or Reimis Smith as well as experienced forward depth on T&T and NSW Cup contracts.

you're onto something about one of the young forwards being promoted to the top 30, but I believe it's Jordan Miller who's got a top squad contract for next year. that's what we did to keep him away from Bennett and Redcliffe.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

you're onto something about one of the young forwards being promoted to the top 30, but I believe it's Jordan Miller who's got a top squad contract for next year. that's what we did to keep him away from Bennett and Redcliffe.

Very strange that no one has seen nor heard about him since he made his JF debut.

I hope he's not top 30 yet (as Faagutu much more developed physically & has played against men), maybe 2 year dev deal with upgrade to top 30 after that would be more sensible.

 

[Dennisspicer1]

You wouldn't be referencing Brooks again would you Spicer?
- You need some more material man

Hey.
not game enough to mention that name anymore.
to many fans of his ready to pounce on me for even mentioning his name.

Sure you know what I Mean.