Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[The Chad]

Handy!!

Better hands than some!

 

[phil1986]

The other way to look at Olam is we have the opportunity to recruit one of the game's top 5 centres, all because he had an off year in '23 due to injury.

I recall him having a very good World Cup 12 months ago and then suffered a fractured forearm & groin injury in the pre-season. Both are hard to return to your best initially from especially groins which affect your power & lateral movement. He would have lost match conditioning too.

He missed the post-season internationals with a reported knee injury (no more detail) and who knows how long he has carried that.

If our medical team can ensure he overcomes all injuries & get a solid pre-season in, we could get an absolute steal!

I’m all for Olam.

But that’s like a Tele puff piece (not taking a crack). He has quality, and improves us.

He has been rocked since his hit, and been found out in many ways recently and we can’t discount that.

He needs a fresh start, and ticks a lot of boxes for us. It makes sense for all parties. Melb, needs to be extremely smart where they spend there cash after their spine chewed up the cap.

2,3,4,5 is where they will save it. Their forward depth, just couldn’t match it this year with the best.

 

[Demps]

1 Bula
2 Nofo
3 Olam
4 Toa
5 Tupou

Looks a lot better than;

1 Bula
2 Nofo
3 Riley, Naden, Feledy, Kepoa
4 Toa
5 Tupou

... if you disagree, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[Glenji95]

1 Bula
2 Nofo
3 Olam
4 Toa
5 Tupou

Looks a lot better than;

1 Bula
2 Nofo
3 Riley, Naden, Feledy, Kepoa
4 Toa
5 Tupou

... if you disagree, I don't know what to tell you.

While better it’s still average at best. Have to find a way to give Nofa the flick.

 

[Demps]

While better it’s still average at best. Have to find a way to give Nofa the flick.

Happily let go of Kepoa, Naden and Reiley too... if we could get better replacements.

 

[Buttface]

Happily let go of Kepoa, Naden and Reiley too... if we could get better replacements.

You can add Douy, Mansfield, tumeth, sayfarts, Nofa, and Simplekin to that list. Making a list of wooden spoon rejects is not the problem. It’s finding a sucker to take wooden spoon rejects, and the DragQueens have Flanno in charge now so they won’t be our Xmas suckers again this year.

 

[Glenji95]

Happily let go of Kepoa, Naden and Reiley too... if we could get better replacements.

Kepaoa yes I’d get rid of in a heartbeat. Reilly I actually would prefer to hold onto for now, he actually didn’t do too bad once he got into first grade. Not perfect but did hold his own and he wouldn’t be taking up too much space in the cap. Naden is a funny one, on his day he’s good, but is inconsistent. If we don’t end up with Olam (although my gut tells me we will) he’s in my Round 1 squad. He and To’a IMO are currently our best Centres that’s when you know the backline needs work.

 

[Demps]

You can add Douy, Mansfield, tumeth, sayfarts, Nofa, and Simplekin to that list. Making a list of wooden spoon rejects is not the problem. It’s finding a sucker to take wooden spoon rejects, and the DragQueens have Flanno in charge now so they won’t be our Xmas suckers again this year.

I think Mansfield has something to offer..


With the right development of course.
Looks like a potential beast.

 

[hank37w]

Parramatta are desperate to sign a quality outside back….. hello Noffa where are you… he’d be a great team mate of Matterson

We could replace Nofo with a cardboard cut out like we did with Matterson and still have the same output.

 

[hank37w]

You don't give up.

Didn't realize we were still in the Hunt.

 

[hank37w]

Mike Hunt?

Is he wanted on the phone.

 

[king_sirro]

Is he wanted on the phone.

How good was Porky's

 

[SeanT]

1 Bula
2 Nofo
3 Olam
4 Toa
5 Tupou

Looks a lot better than;

1 Bula
2 Nofo
3 Riley, Naden, Feledy, Kepoa
4 Toa
5 Tupou

... if you disagree, I don't know what to tell you.

Cant believe Nofo is still here. Not the qorst winger going but like Brooks i think he needs to go somewhere else. Cheaper,,better options out there.

 

[Tiger_Fanatic3]

Benji Marshall has ventured to Melbourne to finalise a player swap involving out of favour Storm centre Justin Olam and Tigers forward Shawn Blore.

The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio reported on SEN radio the swap deal is imminent with Marshall believing Olam is the missing piece for his 2024 backline.

“From a Wests Tigers point of view, I like this a lot,” Riccio said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“We all know the type of player Justin Olam. He’s all power and can be hugely damaging.

“He fell out of favour big time at the back end of last season for the Melbourne Storm.

“I don’t think Olam makes the (2024 Melbourne) team with the likes of Nick Meaney, Will Warbrick, Reimis Smith, Xavier Coates, Ryan Papenhuyzen now back into the fray and Grant Anderson who has shown plenty of promise.

“Olam is almost surplus to needs when you think about the depth of the outside backs at Melbourne.

“Blore is a talented player who plays in the forwards and has had some injury problems but has found his feet.

“That would be the appetite for the Storm because if there was one area where they were found wanting last year, it was their forward pack. Blore would fill that void.”

Olam, 29, has scored 46 tries in 14 NRL games for the Storm since his debut in 2018 winning a premiership in 2020 and has scored seven tries in 14 Tests for Papua New Guinea.

23-year-old Blore has scored one try in 33 games for the Tigers since his debut in 2020.

 

[coivtny]

How good was Porky's

Great movie. Porky’s Revenge, though, was awful

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Cant believe Nofo is still here. Not the qorst winger going but like Brooks i think he needs to go somewhere else. Cheaper,,better options out there.

Damn those things could called contracts

 

[gallagher]

Olam, 29, has scored 46 tries in 14 NRL games for the Storm since his debut in 2018

that's some strike rate 🤔

 

[Buttface]

I think Mansfield has something to offer..


With the right development of course.
Looks like a potential beast.

Right now we need spots for first grade nrl players, not potential in a couple of years, he shouldn’t be in the 30 yet.

 

[Demps]

Right now we need spots for first grade nrl players, not potential in a couple of years, he shouldn’t be in the 30 yet.

If we're not going to even use him... then yeah, he shouldn't be in the top 30.

If he's ready, healthy and we will give him a chance... he has something to offer.

He looks a very solid prospect.
Could be the perfect Blore replacement.

IF... they give him a proper crack.

 

[hammertime]

Olam would be a good get. I hope benji is ensuring that he prefaces any discussions that he'll expect medical retirement if his injuries get unsustainable.

Losing blore will be tough. But Melbourne would hardly take someone like the tumeth or Mansfield