Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[balmain boy]

Andrew Voss just made the point that any player who was considering signing with us will probably look elsewhere due to the upheaval and instability. There's just too much uncertainty for any manger to point his players our way.
It's hard to argue he's wrong.
I feel sorry for Benji. The events of yesterday probably mean the squad he has now is the squad he'll have to make work.
I like having Shane Richardson running the show, but it's at the expense of the '24 and 25 seasons.

I think it's quite the opposite actually. Our board and CEO were well known basketcases, everyone knew it, yet we continued to plod along with them.
No we've shown accountability, strength and determination to clean things up and putting in place strong leaders in the meantime is a sign that we're moving forwards as a club, and any fears that players may have had about our management should be subdued now.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Me too, i heard his comments however given we have replaced the Paddle Pop Lion with one the best NRL sports administrators in history it can only be a good thing

I’d love to know who’s responsible for bringing him in. Clearly could see ice to eskimos.

 

[hugh1954]

Might just work weekends at Bunnings you reckon?

Barbership apprentice availability at the COE

 

[rugbygoated]

You obviously don’t rate luai. He’s worth a mil easy in this halves market and the new salary cap. I’m sick of waiting for a work in progress.

This is the silly logic on this thread. Blind faith in talented young players over a proven half with heaps of achievements. How many times has a talented next big thing been average come first grade compared to how people rate them? Suaalii a great example given his past year. Penrith lost Isaiya Katoa and people thought it was a massive mistake but look how he played for Dolphins this year. Below average. We are not Penrith. We aren't going to magically have a great juniors base where players in lower grades transition with ease. Penrith dominate in all grades. If people think we don't need a marquee going forward, that's on them. We can accept mediocrity after hitting rock bottom or we can aim higher. How many marquee players have we missed out on? The one time we have a decent chance of landing one and we're putting blind faith in youngsters to drag us out of a back-to-back wooden spoon mess

 

[rugbygoated]

Great let's just keep losing

It seems we have become so accustomed to losing that people have forgotten what it takes to win...

 

[rugbygoated]

It’s not about rating him or not , I just don’t get the whole investing in Fainu Hyperbole last season , for a distinct right turn to luai . … not to mention Sullivan as well , and obviously. Galvin .

There's three of them. That means that with 2 halves in a team, one of them would miss out anyway. There is no guarantee that all 3 will turn out good. You think starting with 2 young halves at a club which has struggled for a decade is the way to go? No one to guide them around? Fainu I think will most likely be a great player, but Galvin is very young currently (not ready for 2025 to be paired with another early 20s player), and Sullivan has been inconsistent and injured so far in his NRL career. There's nothing wrong with competition in halves

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

It’s unlikely Shane Richardson will approve 1 million dollar or higher offers for Luai or AFB based on his recent comments.
I agree with him, you need to plan and accommodate cap space long term, not just be short sighted thinking about the next season or two.

It’s ok we will pay Seyfarth $500k a year instead.

Like cmon signing Luai and AFB aren’t short term views. They are min 3-4yr term of which both will struggle to start for another year (so it’s a 4-5yr view).

Richo will be under significant pressure to have results change year 2-3 if he stays on long term which both players hands down are better than anyone we have in same positions.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

It’s unlikely Shane Richardson will approve 1 million dollar or higher offers for Luai or AFB based on his recent comments.
I agree with him, you need to plan and accommodate cap space long term, not just be short sighted thinking about the next season or two.

He was just on 9 and mentioned the WTs have no recent history of winning and we have to win games.

 

[rugbygoated]

It seems this thread has comprehensively lost their collective minds. Lee and Pascoe gone. Oh great! Now we don't need AFB and Luai. Reactionist behaviour like this won't bring success to the club

 

[Todd Packer]

It seems this thread has comprehensively lost their collective minds. Lee and Pascoe gone. Oh great! Now we don't need AFB and Luai. Reactionist behaviour like this won't bring success to the club

You're one of those people that support our football team and not the sport of rugby league politics that this forum is obsessed with.
Be off with you sir.

 

[Tom Shines]

It seems this thread has comprehensively lost their collective minds. Lee and Pascoe gone. Oh great! Now we don't need AFB and Luai. Reactionist behaviour like this won't bring success to the club

A couple of people having differing views in this thread .… who would have thought?

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

It seems this thread has comprehensively lost their collective minds. Lee and Pascoe gone. Oh great! Now we don't need AFB and Luai. Reactionist behaviour like this won't bring success to the club

Yeah it’s nuts. Also funny that people might actually think some won’t want success within the next 2-3yrs. If our junior pathways is as good as people have said money will be spent on marquee players 100%.

Richo had no issues spending big at the Sharks or Souths as well. He went hard for Marquee players.

 

[rugbygoated]

A couple of people having differing views in this thread .… who would have thought?

We're all chipping in to give our say on what's best for the club. Just observing a trend

 

[Todd Packer]

Thank all that's holy that Richo just indicated that he's very keen on Luai.
The way he spoke about him gives me hope that we're still a hope.

 

[Todd Packer]

I can't say I disagreed with anything Richo said.
A whole lot of common sense spoken and he whacked some journos.
It was fun.

 

[rugbygoated]

I can't say I disagreed with anything Richo said.
A whole lot of common sense spoken and he whacked some journos.
It was fun.

So far that interview was brilliant. I like the way he speaks and his vision. Yes he might seem a bit arrogant but there's a lot of successful people in the game who have that which gives fans confidence (Gus Gould, Wayne Bennett)

 

[Vicious]

It’s ok we will pay Seyfarth $500k a year instead.

Like cmon signing Luai and AFB aren’t short term views. They are min 3-4yr term of which both will struggle to start for another year (so it’s a 4-5yr view).

Richo will be under significant pressure to have results change year 2-3 if he stays on long term which both players hands down are better than anyone we have in same positions.

Richo has already explained it very clearly.
Top young talent will stick loyal if there is a clear pathway to playing NRL within 3 years, they will not be prepared to wait any longer.
Luai is a left sided halve, same as Latu Fainu and Lachlan Galvin.
Galvin can potentially play other positions, Fainu really only in the halves or as a 9 and we don’t appear to need him as a 9.
** Edit **
His interview this morning indicates we are still chasing Luai, so let’s see what happens.

 

[Needaname]

Interesting that Richardson has relationships with Benji and Robbie from when they went to Souths. Also Ricoh brought Wayne Bennett to South’s maybe he might bring him here as head of footy in 2025 too

Have been thinking similar

 

[Todd Packer]

Richi has already explained it very clearly.
Top young talent will stick loyal if there is a clear pathway to playing NRL within 3 years, they will not be prepared to wait any longer.
Luai is a left sided halve, same as Latu Fainu and Lachlan Galvin.
Galvin can potentially play other positions, Fainu really only in the halves or as a 9 and we don’t appear to need him as a 9.
If you listen to Richie soeak, it’s unlikely we will pursue Luai.

Ha ha that's funny.
You obviously didn't watch the press conference. He couldn't have been keener on us getting Luai.

 

[LUPO]

Andrew Voss just made the point that any player who was considering signing with us will probably look elsewhere due to the upheaval and instability. There's just too much uncertainty for any manger to point his players our way.
It's hard to argue he's wrong.
I feel sorry for Benji. The events of yesterday probably mean the squad he has now is the squad he'll have to make work.
I like having Shane Richardson running the show, but it's at the expense of the '24 and 25 seasons.

Cash for comment. Brydens sponsor that SEN program. They are not going to bag Lee and risk $$$$$. Surely as a player and manager you would feel you’re dealing with a professional CEO (Richardson) who’s been there and done that. Lee has been the laughing stock of the league for ages, and contrary to what Lee thinks he’s entitled too, no-one is bigger than the club. If he truly loves the club as he claims, he wouldn’t have put the daggers in the club this morning. New chapter, new beginnings. Go Wests Tigers