Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[BlackWhiteGold]

Definitely wouldn't swap Stefano Utoikamanu. He will be a future star by all accounts so far. Ice/Isaiah Papali'i I wouldn't be so heartbroken to see go for AFB. There was nothing this year that showed he was a huge help to the team. I didn't even really see glimpses of the so-called star we signed. I reckon he would probably be vying for a release if the potential player swap were to come to fruition anyway. It definitely seems as though Warriors want a swap rather than a club simply taking on his contract from what I'm hearing and seeing, but all we can do is wait.

The thing with Ice now is that his partner has moved to Sydney and has settled in. He may be reluctant to up and move & she has to find a new netball contract NZ after coming to Aust to be with him and find a pro netball team here.

 

[Robbie's Love Child]

I would trade Papali'i in a heartbeat for AFB. No brainer.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

I would trade Papali for AFB

 

[weststigers]

Paul Crawley reporting (so take that with a huge grain of Himalayan pink rock salt) that the warriors would want:

Ice OR Stef in a player swap for AFB.

I actually wouldn't give up either of those players for a prop on the wrong side of 30.

Others will have differing opinions I am sure, so I am keen to hear them.

AFB is 28 years old

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Fonua-Blake is a great player but how often has he completed a contract? Papali is one of ours and is a very good player. We need to add to our very good players not divest ourselves of the ones we have.

 

[weststigers]

I would trade Papali for AFB

For sure, then keep Blore

 

[Wearyfan22]

Fonua-Blake is a great player but how often has he completed a contract? Papali is one of ours and is a very good player. We need to add to our very good players not divest ourselves of the ones we have.

Agreed. I'm not ready to write Papalii off after one slightly underwhelming season is an extremely underwhelming side.

 

[weststigers]

Fonua-Blake is a great player but how often has he completed a contract? Papali is one of ours and is a very good player. We need to add to our very good players not divest ourselves of the ones we have.

It's true he's never really had his heart in it with us. He was average last year and let in plenty of tries with lazy defence around the ruck.

AFB would make a big difference to our team.

Ice is either cooked or he's not interested. Neither one of those helps us. Punt him!

 

[twentyforty]

Fonua-Blake is a great player but how often has he completed a contract? Papali is one of ours and is a very good player. We need to add to our very good players not divest ourselves of the ones we have.

If we sign him we just need to make sure his family doesnt move. 😁

 

[Tucker]

Definitely wouldn't swap Stefano Utoikamanu. He will be a future star by all accounts so far.

what accounts are you referring to?

 

[Glenji95]

It's true he's never really had his heart in it with us. He was average last year and let in plenty of tries with lazy defence around the ruck.

AFB would make a big difference to our team.

Ice is either cooked or he's not interested. Neither one of those helps us. Punt him!

I don’t think that was the case, he simply did not have help around him like he did at Parra with Moses and Brown. With better halves around him I think he’ll do much better. Even with Parra losing a lot of their talented players this year their squad was still better than ours.

 

[2041]

Yep looks like we are going to be used again.

Tell luai deal is off if we have not received his answer by this Friday.
$1.125 per year X 4YRS TOTAL 4.5ML.
If he knocks us back Benji will have time to look for alternatives.

And he will have money and time to use to get what
suits us.

OTHERWISE WE WILL BE STILL BE WAITING LIKE WE DID WITH MOSES,

The way to get marquee players to sign with you is definitely to have a massive tantrum because you can't get what you want RIGHT NOW WAAAAAH. Top negotiating strategy there.

 

[Glenji95]

For sure, then keep Blore

Even if we keep Blore he’s playing his best in the middle. That doesn’t help our backrow situation.

 

[WestsEffTheRest]

Papali'i was not average. He was just surrounded by dog shit halves who had no idea how to use him or feed him good ball. Can anyone tell he how many times he was put through a hole last season?

 

[Glenji95]

Papali'i was not average. He was just surrounded by dog shit halves who had no idea how to use him or feed him good ball. Can anyone tell he how many times he was put through a hole last season?

My guess is 0 but maybe it was once or twice at best. But I’m sticking with 0

 

[WestsEffTheRest]

My guess is 0 but maybe it was once or twice at best. But I’m sticking with 0

It was once from memory but it was Bula who fed him the ball & he would've scored if not for a dud call by the bunker (last game against Manly)

 

[Glenji95]

It was once from memory but it was Bula who fed him the ball & he would've scored if not for a dud call by the bunker (last game against Manly)

Oh yeah I remember that now. I think it was the only time as well.

 

[Tom Shines]

The media and the anonymous person are both speculating, that's the part you don't seem to get.

It's not the "best of two truths".

The part you dont get is that we dont know for sure that the media is speculating…unlike the anonymous person where this is clearly the case

Player agents and Clubs leak information around salaries to Juornos all the time …

If we find out for certain that he is on $550k …would you be that shocked ? i could name several worse contracts they have agreed…

 

[Glenji95]

While I understand people calling for Ipap for ABF we would be dumb to let him go of Stef as well. If we let Ipap go we’ve got no one to cover his spot and we’re just making our squad weaker. With Stefano we at least have some options but again not calling for him to go, but we can at least work something out. We would be dumb to let either go but if we let Ipap go we’re screwing ourselves.

 

[Tom Shines]

Aaaaand here we go.

We have been used again to inflate a marquee players contract elsewhere haha.

I have no doubt he will stay with Penrith

So what should we do…not bid on players that are on the market?

Most players tend to stay at their clubs ….