Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[SwervinMervin]

What's their defense like?

Garrick is an experienced winger and I believe Manly may punt him... but not for small coin.

Anyone we hire in our back row needs to be a solid defender. We simply need to plug the gaps. When both wings leak then we cannot slide to defend.

You really think Manly would punt Garrick?? He would be one of the first picked every week in the first grade team at Manly. High quality NRL standard who can play fullback, wing, centre and kick goals. Not a hope in hell that Manly let him go.

 

[SwervinMervin]

I just mentioned the same . Surely Lee H can’t be that removed from not knowing the true situation.

Lee H should give himself a media ban. Every time he gives a comment it sounds like BS legal babble. No surprise, he is a lawyer after all, but it just sounds like BS in the context of running a footy club. Leave it for the courtroom and boardrooms. Leave the commentary to the coach, senior players and director of footy…oh wait…

 

[Tom Shines]

NRL 2023: Ryan Carr emerges as surprise target to help rebuild Benji Marshall’s Wests Tigers​

Wests Tigers are in the midst of revamping their coaching staff – and while John Morris is on their radar, another surprise option could be brought in to help Benji Marshall.

Michael Carayannis and David Riccio

August 20, 2023 - 12:00PM

Former Tigers player John Morris looms as the Tigers’ top target but they want to add more than just one person to their coaching set up.

That has left the club discussing the potential of making a play for Carr who has impressed since taking on the Dragons following Anthony Griffin’s sacking earlier this season.

Carr still has a year to left on his Dragons contract and was expected to be part of Shane Flanagan’s coaching staff at the club next year. However, Flanagan has brought in Dean Young to be his senior assistant.

Carr, who played lower grades at the Tigers, is close to Morris after assisting Morris when he was Cronulla’s under-20s coach.

just had a time slip … went back a month

 

[Telltails]

Cant fathom this one...
SportNRLNRL player movements
Tigers cult hero given permission to make immediate switch
Adam Pengilly
ByAdam Pengilly
September 14, 2023 — 5.40am
Save



Cult hero Alex Twal is the latest Tiger to be linked with an exit from the club after being given permission to speak to rivals about an immediate switch.

Twal, who produced one of the moments of the season when he scored his first NRL try after 116 games, is the Tigers’ longest-serving player outside winger David Nofoaluma after Luke Brooks’ exit, and still has a year to run on his contract.

But rival clubs have been alerted to the Lebanese international’s availability for next season despite being one of the most experienced players at the Tigers, who are desperately trying to assemble a squad under Benji Marshall capable of climbing the table.

According to a Tigers source not allowed to speak about the matter publicly, the club would have no issue if he stays put for 2024 but won’t stand in his way if he can secure a long-term deal at an NRL rival.

Several officials at rival clubs spoken to by this masthead have said they have been approached about Twal’s potential signing as the NRL’s silly season kicks into overdrive.

The 27-year-old has been a mainstay of the Tigers’ pack since his debut in 2017 and has developed a cult following, taking jibes about his inability to score an NRL try until this season in good humour.


He finally crossed the stripe in the Tigers’ loss to the Storm at Campbelltown in June, much to the amusement of his ecstatic teammates.

Twal’s uncertain contract status comes at a busy time for the Tigers, who have already extended the contract of captain Api Koroisau until the end of 2026 and tabled a multimillion-dollar offer to fullback Jahream Bula.


Bula, who won the club’s Kelly Barnes Medal as the player of the year despite not making his debut until round eight in his rookie NRL season, has been offered a bumper deal until the end of 2027. It would make him the club’s longest contracted player if he were to accept it.

Twal has developed a reputation as one of the NRL’s nice guys and has produced many tireless displays in the middle, and at one stage was averaging almost 60 minutes a game in 2020 and 2021.

However, with the emergence of Fonua Pole and Justin Matamua to complement front row starters David Klemmer and Stefano Utoikamanu, Twal will be given the opportunity to link with a rival looking for a dependable middle forward.

Marshall will take over as head coach at the Tigers after Tim Sheens’ exit and is already trying to put his stamp on a roster that will welcome halves Aidan Sezer, Jayden Sullivan and Latu Fainu next year. Fainu’s brother Samuela is the club’s other major recruit from the Sea Eagles for next season.

Brooks (Sea Eagles), Daine Laurie (Panthers) and Tommy Talau (Sea Eagles) will leave the club with Alex Seyfarth in talks with the Bulldogs.

Meanwhile, the Dragons have released prop Zane Musgrove from the final year of his contract as Shane Flanagan’s roster rebuild continues.

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

Curious to know why you think it’s a good chance for Tapine or Garrick considering that they both resigned last year until end of 2027 season. I think they should be looking at quality centres/wingers before a $1 mil prop anyways

We have a higher chance of getting Lomax (who we won’t get) than these 2.

 

[tigerbenji]

I cant believe we would release Twal, he is one player who puts in every week, madness if they do.

 

[bbobb]

I cant believe we would release Twal, he is one player who puts in every week, madness if they do.

Agreed but he will absolutely blossom under a system like the Storm.

 

[Kaito]

According to a Tigers source not allowed to speak about the matter publicly, the club would have no issue if he stays put for 2024 but won’t stand in his way if he can secure a long-term deal at an NRL rival

Yeah, dunno what to think about this. He's a
must keep. Give Nofoaluma permission to talk
with other clubs. Losing Twal is embarrassing

 

[Todd Packer]

In the late 80s, Magpies were wearing a white guernsey to help them cope with the heat. The team approached the club to change back to black, saying white made them feel "soft".

As a supporter when they wore the white jerseys I was always nervous. They never played well.
I watched Wests v Canterbury in 1980 this morning.
Rex Mossop put it to Roy Masters that the Magpies were in a slump because they'd lost 2 in a row. Roy agreed that it was a slump because one of the games was at Lidcombe.
I wish our group had that mentality now. Half of winning is getting them to think like winners.
Wests flogged the Bulldogs 29-9 at Belmore.

 

[426Tlgerland]

Don’t understand moving Twally on
Pole is a good,player but Matta please I still say this kid is overrated and no where near Twall level. , poor decision this one if true

 

[Roar_Power]

Geez I hope this mob has a (decent) plan for once.

 

[Tucker]

The emergence of Justin Matamua?
When did that happen?

 

[boonboon]

I think we should keep Twal but I wouldn't say he is a must keep. We have a large number of prop options Klemmer, Stef, Pole, Blore, Fainu x 2 with Faagatu and Miller coming through and you can always find another bench prop or 2. I like him but he isn't winning you a comp and following on from 2 wooden spoons you can't want to keep all the players who got them for you

 

[Goldust]

A team that can’t defend to save their lives.Hmmm maybe we should get rid of our best defender 🙃 He was great carting the ball up most of this season also.
He’s currently in his prime ,as was Joffa.
Baffling.

 

[Roar_Power]

The emergence of Justin Matamua?
When did that happen?

In 2024 apparently

 

[Red88_Tiger]

Twal with the ball in hand is absolutely useless. Opposition know he going to hold it.If he does pass it is telegraphed and slow.
I get a little of the defensive argument but he hits like a pillow.
That’s my opinion

 

[twentyforty]

Apologies if this has been posted.

Per The Sydney Morning Herald

NRL documentation: Last Right of Negotiation clause

Every player must provide his incumbent Club with a last right of negotiation for a 10-day period from the date of notice that the player has received an offer from a rival Club, and that offer has been submitted to the NRL, that he is prepared to accept. In order to give effect to this clause:

a) the player must provide notice to his incumbent Club that he has an offer that he will accept in 10 days' time (subject to negotiations with his incumbent Club);

b) the Club can then engage in contract negotiations with the player for a period of up to 10 days, or the Club may waive its rights in writing (at which point the player is free to sign with the rival Club);

c) the offer from the rival NRL Club must be an official offer and submitted to the NRL Salary Cap Auditor (the contents of which will remain confidential, but the NRL Salary Cap Auditor can provide verification to the incumbent Club that an official offer has been received). The offer must remain open for acceptance for a minimum of 14 days, and for at least 48 hours beyond the expiry of the 10-day negotiation period with the incumbent Club. There is no requirement for the player to disclose the terms of the offer to his incumbent Club;

d) at the expiry of the 10 days, the player may sign (or reject) the offer from the rival Club.

 

[Jolls]

even in the 80s players could tell that the jersey made them feel ‘themselves’.

Somehow at Wests we worry more about selling jersey sales than we do continuity.

Yet Ben Darwin’s (Professional Sports Analytics business) work on the data behind performance, has already made the case that on-field results suffer when you change things like jerseys

So perhaps it is time to change - our on field performance can't get worse; or can it?

 

[king_sirro]

Twal with the ball in hand is absolutely useless. Opposition know he going to hold it.If he does pass it is telegraphed and slow.
I get a little of the defensive argument but he hits like a pillow.
That’s my opinion

Personally I've never considered good leg speed, late footwork getting you in between defenders and landing on your front for a quick play the ball as useless, but that's just me.

 

[earl]

I cant believe we would release Twal, he is one player who puts in every week, madness if they do.

Pole will need to get paid. Kit L will be coming in. Blore is in the mix. Faagutu might come in as well.

I don't agree with letting Seyfarth go. Twal on top of that seems absolute stupidity to me.

The big issue is though Klemmer and Stef are on big dollars.