Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

bbobb said:
Just have this awful feeling that we will miss Luai, Olam will sign elsewhere and AFB will not be interested either.

Cue media fodder.
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I kinda guessed that Olam would be out of the picture once we resigned Staines.

We have:
Charlie Staines
Tupou
Nofa
Brent Naden (I expect him in first grade and thumping this year).
Starford Toa

A few others.

None of these players are at Olam's level. IMHO we needed a strong good, top back.

Ofcourse our halves, Sullivan, Fainu and Sezer are not at Luai's level.

Yet Benji picked all 3. Benji is now saying he would prefer Luai?

It's a total shemozzle.
 
Tigermars said:

NRL News: Tigers sideline Justin Olam talks, ARL considers State of Origin eligibility change​

The Wests Tigers’ pursuit of Jarome Luai has cost the club a backline recruit, while there’s a potential Origin eligibility shake-up on the cards – all in the SUNDAY SESH!
Brent Read and Michael Carayannis



Rugby League: The Penrith Panthers are pleased to confirm that the club will travel to England to contest the World Club Challenge against Super League Champions Wigan Warriors.


The Wests Tigers have sidelined talks with Melbourne Storm centre Justin Olam as they focus their energy – and money – on signing Penrith superstar Jarome Luai.
This masthead revealed last month that the Tigers had opened talks with Olam over a potential move to Concord, part of a plan that would have seen Tigers forward Shawn Blore make an early switch to the Storm.
However, it is understood that the Tigers opted to put talks with Olam on the back burner earlier this week while they prioritise their pursuit of Luai.
The Tigers have launched a big-money bid for the three-time premiership winning half, making an offer more than a week ago believed to be worth in excess of $4.5 million over four seasons.
The Wests Tigers have put talks with other players on hold, as they focus on landing Jarome Luai. Picture: Getty Images

The Wests Tigers have put talks with other players on hold, as they focus on landing Jarome Luai. Picture: Getty Images
Club powerbroker had another meeting with Luai this week aimed at convincing the Samoan pivot to commit to the cause.
The decision to end talks with Olam comes as the Bulldogs enter the race for Luai after head of football Phil Gould personally intervened to pitch the club to the Panthers playmaker.
Gould also retains an interest in Warriors captain Addin Fonua-Blake, who has been given permission to explore his options in Sydney with a view to moving back home in 12 months.
The Tigers are also interested in Fonua-Blake but they had earmarked Olam to strengthen a backline in dire need to experience and strike.
The Storm were happy for the Tigers to go after the Papua New Guinean international given he had struggled at times this season, having been dropped and then won his spot back for the finals.
The Tiger’s focus on Luai could cost them out of favour Storm centre Justin Olam. Picture: NRL Photos

The Tiger’s focus on Luai could cost them out of favour Storm centre Justin Olam. Picture: NRL Photos
However, Luai comes with a steep price tag and the Tigers need all the room they can create under the salary cap to accommodate his wage demands.
Olam is now expected to remain at the Storm, although he also has interest from Super League after Warrington coach Sam Burgess explored the options of signing the hard-hitting centre a few months ago.
Blore’s future is unclear given he is expected to leave the Tigers at the end of 2024 and the club could use his salary cap space to strengthen their bids for Luai and Fonua-Blake.
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So there were talks, but we want Storm to take up a large chunk of Olam's horrible contract. Rightfully so. Storm have thus far not obliged.
The only way we take Olam for anything close to his 600k price tag is if storm take Nof on his full contract too. Which they won't.
If storm aren't coming to negotiate then there's nothing to discuss for us. So sure, rather than sit around scratching ourselves we focus our energy elsewhere, on an origin and premiership winner. That sounds professional to me rather than waiting on a above average centre
 
tigermate said:
By the way -- what's the go with these ads on the forum?

Like, who actually clikcs on them? lol.

They are the most povo ads I have ever seen.

Are they just povo because we are Wests Tigers and WT is a povo club and google thinks that about us?

Or does google think us fans are povo?

Lol
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You've just outed yourself as povo. The ads are based on whatever you look at online or talk about in emails etc .
 
talking about povo

i just went and checked out the panthers forum to see what they were saying about luai

1. the forum design and layout is super slick

2. the forum posters were all really nice and wishing him the best

this place is like a bogan zoo compared to the panthers forum.

lol.
 
balmain boy said:
So there were talks, but we want Storm to take up a large chunk of Olam's horrible contract. Rightfully so. Storm have thus far not obliged.
The only way we take Olam for anything close to his 600k price tag is if storm take Nof on his full contract too. Which they won't.
If storm aren't coming to negotiate then there's nothing to discuss for us. So sure, rather than sit around scratching ourselves we focus our energy elsewhere, on an origin and premiership winner. That sounds professional to me rather than waiting on a above average centre
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100%. Whether it's Benji or Fulton, negotiating seems to be improving.
 
balmain boy said:
So there were talks, but we want Storm to take up a large chunk of Olam's horrible contract. Rightfully so. Storm have thus far not obliged.
The only way we take Olam for anything close to his 600k price tag is if storm take Nof on his full contract too. Which they won't.
If storm aren't coming to negotiate then there's nothing to discuss for us. So sure, rather than sit around scratching ourselves we focus our energy elsewhere, on an origin and premiership winner. That sounds professional to me rather than waiting on a above average centre
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I completely agree. I reckon they are showing Melbourne that we are happy to walk away from taking Olam unless they come back and agree to pay a decent percentage. They are the ones who want him gone.
 
tigermate said:
talking about povo

i just went and checked out the panthers forum to see what they were saying about luai

1. the forum design and layout is super slick

2. the forum posters were all really nice and wishing him the best

this place is like a bogan zoo compared to the panthers forum.

lol.
Click to expand...
head over there then sweetheart if you’re so enthralled by what’s going on out there.

this forum is run by a group of blokes that have loved this club since birth. how dare you come in and try to undermine the community we have. it’s clear you’ve been born with a silver spoon in your mouth. head over to the chookpen or the silvertails forum if you’re so fixated on format or web design.

black and white always in the fight, black and gold never fold.
 
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tigermate said:
By the way -- what's the go with these ads on the forum?

Like, who actually clikcs on them? lol.

They are the most povo ads I have ever seen.

Are they just povo because we are Wests Tigers and WT is a povo club and google thinks that about us?

Or does google think us fans are povo?

Lol
Click to expand...
I accidentally click on them all the time 😢
 
tigermate said:
talking about povo

i just went and checked out the panthers forum to see what they were saying about luai

1. the forum design and layout is super slick

2. the forum posters were all really nice and wishing him the best

this place is like a bogan zoo compared to the panthers forum.

lol.
Click to expand...
Eh a decade of missing the finals will do that to a place. Should have been here after 2005.
 
rugbygoated said:
Happy to get only Luai if not AFB or Olam. He's priority imo
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Honestly I see Luai creating problems for us.
Why:
Because it means we have 3 5/8 in Fainu (ok not ready), Sullivan and Luai.
Sezer, I view as a 5/8 may or may not be okay at being a depth half.

Sullivan and Fainu would be looking at us going "where do we play?". Rightly so, clubs punting people 2 years into a contract is bad. We will be looking to punt people we have signed mere months ago!

Not dissing Luai, he is a quality 5/8. I am dissing our panic buying of halves. Okay Newcastle was running with almost 6 halves (and we couldn't beg one over??), so maybe they do learn from each other... In short were full.

Same could be said for Olam, just not very many if any at all have shown to be keepers in our back line.

AFB would upgrade our forward pack which is already massive. Ok I know we will need to punt Klemmer/Paps/Bateman but imagine AFB combining with those guys or Stefano/etc?

AFB for me. Ofcourse I would prefer Payne Haas, but it's AFB is possible for us.
 
The Chad said:
There isn't actually any additional room for 'projects' to be reclaimed.

Naden, Tupou, Kepaoa, Nofa, To'a, Willett, Lobb, Casey..we have all the guys with promise we need.

Established starters are really the only additions to make at this point- the squad is already a development squad.

That's why Luai, AFB & Olam make sense- established players that step in.

I have a sneaky feeling the Fox might be on the radar as well. Could be an either/or thing depending on the Olam outcome. No inside info- just a hunch.
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I am thinking the same thing. Namely the "Fox" will be pushed out of Belmore as Phil Gould loves playing moneyball and squeezing players and the cap. I am kinda surprised people still want to work under him. That said I have worked with several strict bosses, I hated it, but others loved knowing where they stood.

your point is dead set right. We have too many projects and the "projects" can't learn how to play footy from other projects.
 
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