Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[BlackWhiteGold]

Fulton reports to Benji in the current setup, why would a junior Benji wants to keep not be offered a contract extension?

We have very few talented outside backs coming through the juniors. Makasini the standout, then the likes of Luke L, Craig, and probably Large too. If Nassar didn't want to stay because he didn't see a pathway because of Bula that's one thing, but if we didn't want him to stay then that's just neglectful. I see him being an excellent winger in the nrl in a few years time. In the meantime we lack pace in every single one of our teams. We must be the only club that doesn't prioritise pace in outside backs.

We lack pace in outside backs, we lack impact in the forwards, we lack footy IQ in most positions, we lack aerialists in the outside backs, we lack skillful ballplayers ...

 

[ancient_magpie]

You can't keep all of them though. I don't know the exact stats, but I am sure less than 1 in 20 promising juniors makes it to NRL level. At some point you just run out of room and opportunities for them all. Is he that much better a prospect than other 16-19 year old we have on our books?

Conti is managed by that scumbag Anasta who hates us

 

[DUCK]

keeping Blore is step one and the most crucial step. providing we do that then we can either offer someone else up to Melbourne or take Olam off their hands. knowing Melbourne they'll be pushing for a swap, and while Nofoaluma would be everyone's preference to leave, I reckon they'd take a good look at Kepaoa.

Sorry I don't get the fascination supporters have with Blore?

 

[DUCK]

Go to Emergency and get yourself checked out

And while he is at it "Go directly to Jail" and do not pass GO and you are not entitled to your $200.

 

[Tito Santana]

He does run the 100m in under 10.8 secs my son used to go to school with him. And the kid has one of the biggest boots in footy had 10 fropout restarts from his kickoffs and in a video on facebook kicked a drop out nearly 60m on the fly. Very bad recruitment at the Tigers. I am try to get the video.

Kid would have been on the news at that speed.

#fakenews

 

[Tito Santana]

Sorry I don't get the fascination supporters have with Blore?

Yep - he’s an imposter

 

[426Tlgerland]

If we could move on Kepaoa instead that would be great, but seems unlikely.

On the other hand props currently ahead of Blore include

Klem
Stef
Pole
Twal

Then there's the likes of versatile forwards like Papalii, Seyfarth, Matamua, Fainu x 2 and even youngsters like Kit, Faagutu and Miller that he's ultimately competing against. That makes him somewhat expendable.

I wouldn't mind keeping Blore, but ideally i'd say go out there and rip in over the next 6-7 months and we'll see how you're going come round 10 and make a call on your contract future no later than then. He's got to prove that his body can hold up in NRL, and that he has the agility in defence not to miss too many tackles, and if he has any ability to break the line. He apparently wants to stay so might agree to something like this to prove himself and repay us.

I would keep Blore and remove Matta and Tumeth

 

[ROZELLE.O.G]

Kid would have been on the news at that speed.

#fakenews

Here is the kid mate. The kid has scored 11 tries in 12 games in Harold Matts in two seasons. Reach out to Bronson Harrison who is the new pathways boss at Tigers, he is shattered the kid is leaving, he has said he is one of the best kids to come through the Balmain system in the last several years.

Mikey Nasser scoring for Hills Sports in schoolboys comp.

 

[Juice]

Mestrov saying Haumole singing is imminent

Where did you see this mate? I haven’t seen anything

 

[ROZELLE.O.G]

I know it's disappointing to lose particularly Nasser & Conti but we don't know what sort of commitment they wanted to stay with us.

Maybe the club decided to prioritise a few other 15 - 17yos in the backs - Onitoni & Ashton Large, Luke Laulilii, Heamasi Makasini, Alex Isdale, Ali Karnib, Riley Oitmann, Thomas Goodfield.

You could be right mate. Theres more depth in the Wests teams 100%. Just a shame when in a weaker team kids like Conti and Nasser stand out aren't retained. Here is a link of him scoring for Hills in the schoolboys comp.

 

[ROZELLE.O.G]

Fulton reports to Benji in the current setup, why would a junior Benji wants to keep not be offered a contract extension?

We have very few talented outside backs coming through the juniors. Makasini the standout, then the likes of Luke L, Craig, and probably Large too.

If Nassar didn't want to stay because he didn't see a pathway because of Bula that's one thing, or if he got offered big money we decided not to match then that's fair enough too, but if we didn't want him to stay then that's just neglectful. I see him being an excellent winger in the nrl in a few years time. In the meantime we lack pace in every single one of our teams. We must be the only club that doesn't prioritise pace in outside backs.

I agree with you. What I have been told they overlooked the Balmain kids that's why they both left. Here is a video of the kid Nasser.

 

[851]

Sullivan to 14 in 2025 perhaps
2025
7. Luai
6. Fainu

I am not totally against signing Luai, Penriths record with Luai and no Cleary is better than Cleary and no Luai, my biggest concern is we have both Fainu and Sullivan on 4 year contracts, and thats not even factoring in Galvin. Would this be bad for team moral, I don't know, but we can't afford to have a mutiny and cop more bad press

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Mestrov saying Haumole singing is imminent

Didn’t he just re-sign with Manly?

 

[ROZELLE.O.G]

You can't keep all of them though. I don't know the exact stats, but I am sure less than 1 in 20 promising juniors makes it to NRL level. At some point you just run out of room and opportunities for them all. Is he that much better a prospect than other 16-19 year old we have on our books?

I was told he is one of the best players in the entire age Harold Matts comp.

Penrith, Roosters, Storm, Parra, Dogs, Sharks, Warriors were all after the kid and I know first hand he wanted to stay at the Tigers, I am pretty sure his dad is on the Balmain JRL board and has been for a long while. I have put in a call trying to get his highlights video. Its mind blowing he wasnt even a priority to be kept in the system. The only reason why we havent heard of him in the media his father makes sure his son isnt named in any articles. Money isnt the issue in this case, his dad owns Pain Away its a Tigers family.

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

I am not totally against signing Luai, Penriths record with Luai and no Cleary is better than Cleary and no Luai, my biggest concern is we have both Fainu and Sullivan on 4 year contracts, and thats not even factoring in Galvin. Would this be bad for team moral, I don't know, but we can't afford to have a mutiny and cop more bad press

Im a bit the same as you im not against signing luai there are potential pit falls in it though, being the 3 halves we have waiting in the wings 4 if you include young Large. Most likely why Conti is leaving, the big caveat with all those young guys is they are no guarantee to make it. Similarly theres a caveat with Luai will he grab games by the scruff of the neck outside a panthers system.
Its a big risk at the money being thrown around but a risk we might have to take, could be our Asatasi moment even though i thought Api was it already.

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

I was told he is one of the best players in the entire age Harold Matts comp.

Penrith, Roosters, Storm, Parra, Dogs, Sharks, Warriors were all after the kid and I know first hand he wanted to stay at the Tigers, I am pretty sure his dad is on the Balmain JRL board and has been for a long while. I have put in a call trying to get his highlights video. Its mind blowing he wasnt even a priority to be kept in the system. The only reason why we havent heard of him in the media his father makes sure his son isnt named in any articles. Money isnt the issue in this case, his dad owns Pain Away its a Tigers family.

Your obviously very passionate about the kid, but if he's gone already sharing around his highlights video and telling people to talk to Benji and Bronson Harrison isnt going to change anything.
Knowing us he'll probably become a gun and we will get hammered in the media for letting him go, he could also turn out to be another Doueihi.

 

[Flippedy]

Im a bit the same as you im not against signing luai there are potential pit falls in it though, being the 3 halves we have waiting in the wings 4 if you include young Large. Most likely why Conti is leaving, the big caveat with all those young guys is they are no guarantee to make it. Similarly theres a caveat with Luai will he grab games by the scruff of the neck outside a panthers system.
Its a big risk at the money being thrown around but a risk we might have to take, could be our Asatasi moment even though i thought Api was it already.

Luai playing alongside Api again would be a nice reunion, an Asatasi moment even?

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

Luai playing alongside Api again would be a nice reunion, an Asatasi moment even?

Maybe Api still is the Asatasi moment thats why Luai could be coming over 🤣

 

[ROZELLE.O.G]

Your obviously very passionate about the kid, but if he's gone already sharing around his highlights video and telling people to talk to Benji and Bronson Harrison isnt going to change anything.
Knowing us he'll probably become a gun and we will get hammered in the media for letting him go, he could also turn out to be another Doueihi.

Just a bit passionate because my son is great friends with them and we all live in the inner west. We were actually looking forward to seeing these kids contribute to our clubs turnaround. The highlights video was put together by his mates, recruiters know what these kids are capable of already they dont need to see only their strengths like a lot of parents would push.

 

[SwervinMervin]

You say that like the salary cap doesn't exist. Put it this way: if we signed Luai but were paying him, say, $6m a year I'm sure we'd all agree that would be a terrible idea - it would mean every single other player on the roster would have to be on minimum salary. If we signed Luai for $250,000 a year, by contrast, I'm sure even the biggest doubters would say that was a cracking bit of business.

Agreed? So by definition you also agree that there's some point in the middle of those two numbers where opinions will reasonably be divided. Personally I'd love the Tigers to sign Luai, but I'm very hesitant about the idea of doing so for $1.4m a year.

Here's an example of why: the Broncos signed Adam Reynolds for $800,000 a year. Is Luai $600,000 "better" than Adam Reynolds? I guess you could argue it. But I bet the Broncos were glad they had a bit of wiggle room when Reece Walsh became available a year later...

It ultimately comes down to basic economics. Luai is arguably the best NRL player available in the current 1st November cycle. I know some don't like him, but is there someone else you would propose? His winning record is elite (with and without Cleary) and he has 3 premiership rings to show for it. Ironically many of the things that people dislike about him are the things they would love about him if he was playing at their club. But I digress. The best available player is being courted by the worst avaialble club. If the first part of that statement regarding Luai is subjective, then surely the second is not. Two wooden spoons in a row pretty much closes the case on that one. So if he was to consider the Tiges, it would only be for an eye watering sum of money and probably locked in for 5 years. Why else would he go there? Sure, other things might sway his thinking - which team has most upside potential, does he like the coach, does he have old teammates he can hang with - but for him to leave the best club to head to the worst will only happen if Wests Tigers offer him a massive earn.
I don't know what the right amount is, but if they were prepared to go to $1.3-1.4M for Mitchell Moses, who has never won a premiership, then you have to assume they would go to that for Luai.
It will be an interesting one. Panthers have said they can't go beyond $800K, so even if they are bluffing it might be $900K for say 4 years, $3.6M. Compare that to the $1.2-1.4M that he might get open market, $4.8M-$5.6M for 4 years, that's a lot to turn your back on. If he does stay at Penrith for that much less, good on him. And for those that say it makes a mockery of the salary cap, I would say to them it simply highllights the importance of culture, connection and strong governance at a club. The dividend you get from that is talent at a lower price.