Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tucker]

Being on top of the competition the Panthers Chairman and CEO never get criticised, therefore there is no need to hear from them.
Our Wests Tigers fans understandably frustrated with long term lack of success love to throw the toys out of the cot and blame anyone and everyone, therefore our Chairman and CEO are constantly on the back foot trying to respond to all the criticism that comes their way.
Of course they hold vitally important positions within the organisation and need to be held accountable for lack of on field success, but if you dig deeper into the real reasons behind the long term lack of success and use a bit of common sense, you will find they have been let down by most of the coaches and football club staff they have employed.
Should they have made better decisions in who they employed ?
Maybe so, but the majority of them seemed to be good choices at the time, but didn’t work out mainly due to terrible decision making with recruitment and retention.
So our Chairman and CEO sick of the poor results, sick of the criticism, make the decision to hire their own choice of recruitment manager and still get criticised for it.
Anyone in their position would have done the same thing, not saying it necessarily had to be Scott Fulton, but something had to change, they made the change and now the blood will be on their hands if it doesn’t work out.
Same with hiring Benji as the coach and surrounding him with a coaching staff who have Wests Tigers at heart. When all the other outsiders have not worked out and seemingly didn’t care about the club, it was well and truly time to get people involved who do genuinely care about the club.
Again this is the Chairman and CEO’s decision, so if it doesn’t work out and Wests Tigers do not become a force within 3 years, they will be gone, no if’s and buts about it.
Let’s see how the next 3 years pan out, I don’t believe we will improve in 2024, it will likely be a 3rd straight wooden spoon and all the doom and gloom from fans will just get louder, but anyone with common sense will realise to heavy investment in youth is not a realistic chance of paying dividends until 2025/2026.
It’s a simple case of short term pain for long term gain and with no proven superstar NRL players wanting to sign with the club, there is no other choice other than to develop from within.
After all it worked out ok back in 2005.

Lee, stay off the forum. You are not well liked around these parts.

 

[Tom Shines]

In his defence, there really hasn’t been anyone of scale on the market.

Look at dogs signings, yeah they keep signing players. But they will be 14-17 on any team.

Whilst depth is needed, let’s see what happens after November when a new range of quality players come on the market.

Realistically since the few dolphins signings it’s been slim pickings most of this year.

You gotta find guys that are NRL players that are stuck behind good players at other clubs … The Warriors found a few this year like that …

 

[KCtiger]

People need to realise how low the club is at his arrival.

Fainus don't come to a club like ours because they think we are a good club.

They obviously seen something in us to come here over phins, raiders and dogs when they all outbid us

 

[KCtiger]

Think the halves competition so far is

6. Fainu/Galvin
7. Sezer/Sullivan

Galvin is amazing but he has never played against men let him play some flegg and cup before chucking him in top grade

 

[WesternSuburbsBoy]

So our Chairman and CEO sick of the poor results, sick of the criticism, make the decision to hire their own choice of recruitment manager and still get criticised for it.
Anyone in their position would have done the same thing, not saying it necessarily had to be Scott Fulton, but something had to change, they made the change and now the blood will be on their hands if it doesn’t work out.

Which CEO or Chairman does this midway through a season & unsettles the coaching staff? Which CEO or Chairman undermines the Head Coach by telling him to bring in the people he wants only to let them go shortly after? Which other Chairman goes on SEN radio & says “Death, Taxes & Tim Sheens will be Head Coach in 2024” only for him not to be? Which CEO & Chairman hired Tim Sheens to be Head of Football only for him to sack the Head Coach then have himself appointed in that role 😂😂😂 Which CEO brings Salary Cap penalties upon their club because they can’t even do ambassador deals correctly? Or remember when our CEO backed Jason Taylor over the horrible treatment of Farah only to sack Taylor 2 games into the next season? Just amateur hour with these blokes… they’ve made us the joke of the competition & their ‘leadership’ has led us to back to back spoons

 

[the enforcer.]

Very disappointed in Tuki Simpkins the last couple of years i thought he really had some talent to be a consistent First Grader.

 

[Kelce68]

Maybe give him a season or two??

No way.

Far too long.

3/4 days to completely transform the club's roster top to bottom or else it's a failure.

FAILURE!

 

[supercoach]

The huge concern is that Fulton has been able to recruit no one but players from Manly and Super League.

Can’t recruit anyone when we have basically no roster spots. Till we move a few players there will be no one joining us plus most vacant spots are being saved for the elite pathway kids

 

[tony soprano]

They obviously seen something in us to come here over phins, raiders and dogs when they all outbid us

Yes, Fulton, they're are very loyal.

You are kidding yourself if you think it's the club.

 

[tony soprano]

Galvin is amazing but he has never played against men let him play some flegg and cup before chucking him in top grade

No other 6 in the roster I think.

 

[Dennisspicer1]

Exactly the bloke is a myth, best recruiter in the nrl my arse, hell even McDonald got 1 rigt

Can anyone name players Fulton has signed up for the club so far.
As I thought the brothers were almost signed before Fulton joined our club.
And I thought it was Benji who talked Cesar into coming, so who has Fulton obtained. ????
If I am wrong,
let me know.

Thank you.

 

[tony soprano]

Which CEO or Chairman does this midway through a season & unsettles the coaching staff? Which CEO or Chairman undermines the Head Coach by telling him to bring in the people he wants only to let them go shortly after? Which other Chairman goes on SEN radio & says “Death, Taxes & Tim Sheens will be Head Coach in 2024” only for him not to be? Which CEO & Chairman hired Tim Sheens to be Head of Football only for him to sack the Head Coach then have himself appointed in that role 😂😂😂 Which CEO brings Salary Cap penalties upon their club because they can’t even do ambassador deals correctly? Or remember when our CEO backed Jason Taylor over the horrible treatment of Farah only to sack Taylor 2 games into the next season? Just amateur hour with these blokes… they’ve made us the joke of the competition & their ‘leadership’ has led us to back to back spoons

A better option become available mid season what do you want them to knock the better option back??

 

[rihannafan1]

True but based on our past results it is not an easy job in recruiting proven NRL talent, most simply refuse to sign with a club who have been struggling as badly as us.
The only way forward is to ideally recruit a few hidden gems to go with our own pathways talent that we have heavily invested in.
2024 will be another write off, but we should see big improvement from 2025 onwards.
Not forgetting the young emerging talent 16-19 year olds know who the best emerging young talent is and know a lot of them have signed with Wests Tigers.
That means this age group see a big light at the end of the tunnel with a club such as Wests Tigers.

Good on you mate, keep the faith. He still hasn't recruited anyone outside of Manly.

 

[rihannafan1]

Can’t recruit anyone when we have basically no roster spots. Till we move a few players there will be no one joining us plus most vacant spots are being saved for the elite pathway kids

Can’t recruit anyone when we have basically no roster spots. Till we move a few players there will be no one joining us plus most vacant spots are being saved for the elite pathway

He has signed plenty of blokes from Manly, a bloke from Super League. Roster spots can be found if need be. If the spots are being saved for juniors and there are no other roster spots, then what exactly is his job?

 

[rihannafan1]

In his defence, there really hasn’t been anyone of scale on the market.

Look at dogs signings, yeah they keep signing players. But they will be 14-17 on any team.

Whilst depth is needed, let’s see what happens after November when a new range of quality players come on the market.

Realistically since the few dolphins signings it’s been slim pickings most of this year.

Alright I'll wait until November to see if he can sign anyone that isn't Super League or Manly based.

 

[rihannafan1]

😂, players were dying to come to the club before he arrived 😂

He hasn't exactly been able to change that though has he? I'll be dead wrong if Fainu turns out to be the prodigy Fulton says he is.

 

[rihannafan1]

Exactly the bloke is a myth, best recruiter in the nrl my arse, hell even McDonald got 1 rigt

I've now extended my judgement until November when more players will come on the market. If we sign another Tartak client or Manly player, the bloke is a myth to me.

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

The huge concern is that Fulton has been able to recruit no one but players from Manly and Super League.

I’m giving him to Jan-Feb to see what he can deliver for 25 onwards then will make a call.

Fainu boys & Sullivan should be good pickups for us and high prospect halves are a limited commodity resource which shouldn’t be sneezed at. Sezer on 1yr deal should be good business also again getting an experienced half for 1-2yr in our situation isn’t easy sell.

The kids shifting into the NRL squad appear to be the right ones also. Bula extended is also another good move.

Be interesting to see how he moves some deadwood and trade offs that happen after roster wise.

The biggest issue is our squad is now a true punt squad but that would be by design handed to Fulton to work with not him making decisions on.

 

[Fainu Brothers]

With the right halves clubs can turn around, perfect examples are the Bronx, their tram is stacked now. Wooden Spooners was it 2021, The Wahs were 2nd last 22 and Johnson playing behind a good pack has them in a prelim. Also the Cowboys in 2022 had a bad year the season before and lost to Parra in the prelim. Not saying it’s going to happen to us but there is always hope!!

 

[tony soprano]

He hasn't exactly been able to change that though has he? I'll be dead wrong if Fainu turns out to be the prodigy Fulton says he is.

Thinking he'll overhall the roster in half a season is just not reality