If you have a look at the players currently off contract in 2024 and available to be signed as of November 1 there is not much that would appeal to us.
Two quality young halves in Dearden and Mam, they will be the Qld halves in a couple of years time. I can’t see either of them leaving Qld based clubs at any cost.
Luai who will be 29 by 2025, we would hope Fainu or Galvin are as good as him if not better by that stage.
Joey Manu would be a big fish to catch, but we appear to have already put our eggs in Bula’s basket as our long term fullback, no chance of getting a player like Manu unless he’s guaranteed the number 1 jersey.
Bradman Best is a standout as a centre. He would be a great signing if a miracle happened and he signed with us, I think you will find each of the 17 NRL clubs will be lining up for his signature, so would need to pay 1 million per season to be a chance of getting him ti Wests Tigers. As good as he is, I don’t think he’s worth that much.
Other than these players the only real big names in the forwards are Kalomatangi, Jai Arrow and Saifiti.
Arrow appears to be very arrogant and injury prone, not sure he has the personality we would want late in his career.
Both of the Saifiti brothers are far better than average, not sure they are worth splashing a lot of cash at.
Kalomatangi looks to be the one who really stands out as the type of player that would really be an asset to us moving fiorward.
I say cut Bateman loose ASAP even if we have to chip in half of his contract to allow us to have a serious crack at Kalomatangi.
Failing that Josh Curran could be the cheaper more gettable version.
This lack of quality available should really highlight the importance of keeping our own players who are highly likely to be in the top echelon in their positions by 2025.