Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Todd Packer]

That is what you call making a statement immediately. Love his work. We have good props at the club now.

Considering he said he doesn't start until January 6 he must really have disagreed with that offer.

 

[rugbygoated]

I will say that what's different this time around about us chasing Luai is that if we don't end up getting him we have 3 long term halves signed (albeit unexperienced.) Last year we were heavily relying on Moses to come because they only half we had signed up for next season was Doueihi so it's not the end of the world if he doesn't end up coming.

This is what I'm trying to say. We should do everything we can (within good reason) to get him, but the backup plan is just fine

 

[BAGNF05]

That is what you call making a statement immediately. Love his work. We have good props at the club now.

Great player don’t get me wrong. But…So many parallels to the Russell Packer signing in my opinion and this club needs to learn from it’s mistakes.

 

[Odessa]

Interim CEO of the Wests Tigers, Shane Richardson has confirmed to SEN that his club are officially out of the Addin Fonua-Blake sweepstakes.

The wantaway New Zealand Warriors forward was expected to negotiate a deal with the Tigers for the 2025 season but has had those plans scrapped after the sweeping changes at board level.





Fonua-Blake now has had his options cut down to two viable clubs, the Dragons and Bulldogs, both of whom are expected to offer in excess of a million dollars per season for the imposing forward.



Despite Fonua-Blake’s undeniable talent, Richardson admitted the massive contract he is due would limit the club and the plan that he wants to put in place for the future.













0 of 1 minute, 28 seconds












x close


“I’ll give you an exclusive, we’ve actually withdrawn our offer for Addin Fonua-Blake,” Richardson said on SEN 1170 Sportsday.

“I think he’s a great player, he’s one of the top three front rowers in the game.


“Our forward pack is really strong, and we can add to that with our young players coming through.

“We need flexibility in our cap to be able to do things we need to do to make us stronger now.

“From that point of view, it’s my opinion and also Benji’s (Marshall) because I wouldn’t do it without Benji, it’s not anything to do with that it’s got everything to do with where we need to focus our attention on.”

Richardson also re-instated his desire for the club to land Jarome Luai in the coming weeks.

 

[innsaneink]

I liked that they had him standing in the shade and the journos in the sun.

He gave it a bit to one fella I recognised the voice but can't put a name to it.... Said something like "you can keep smiling" after he answered him
Loved it

 

[Odessa]

Shane Richardson on his immediate focus to help Benji Marshall: “Tighten up our recruitment, tighten up the way we do recruitment, tighten up leaks in the club and all the bullshit that goes with that, and just make things more like a real footy club”

 

[Todd Packer]

He gave it a bit to one fella I recognised the voice but can't put a name to it.... Said something like "you can keep smiling" faster he answered him
Loved it

Yeah, he whacked a few heads together when they came out with the usual smartarse comments.
Like I said before, it was fun to watch.

 

[Betterdays22]

I tend to agree with Richardson around breaking the bank for a prop. He is a great player but it's extremely risky to load up on a player like that.

 

[Groundup]

Shane Richardson on his immediate focus to help Benji Marshall: “Tighten up our recruitment, tighten up the way we do recruitment, tighten up leaks in the club and all the bullshit that goes with that, and just make things more like a real footy club”

This almost gives me a boner

 

[innsaneink]

That's OK.eta just focus all energy on Luia...

 

[Lukic]

I'll preface this by saying I'm really not a big fan of Luai at all as a player and think he's incredibly overrated (he's a good 5/8th, but hardly among the elites of the league), but if we were to offer him a deal and sign him, I'd much rather it be something like 3m over 2 years than 4.8m over 4.

When you're paying someone 1.2m a year, you'd need them to just about be the best player in the league for it to be really good value. You're breaking even if you're getting a guy who's a top 10-15 player. You're getting poor value if he's any worse than that. Being realistic, Luai is probably only worth $700-800k a year as Penrith are offering, but nature of the beast is we're a struggling club and halves get overpaid on the open market.
So to lower our risk, I'd propose paying him a greater amount in the shorter term. Take the view that no matter what, we're going to be overpaying but if he turns out a flop, at least we're only hurting ourselves for 2 years rather than 4. The absolute last thing we need is Brooks 2.0 where our cap is completely hamstrung for a guy who doesn't contribute to us winning.

 

[old_man_tiger]

Great call on AFB if the offer was too high. Apart from API, Prop is probably the only position where we are ok (although every position could be better except the starting 9 and Bula is worth persistence).

 

[Vicious]

I'll preface this by saying I'm really not a big fan of Luai at all as a player and think he's incredibly overrated (he's a good 5/8th, but hardly among the elites of the league), but if we were to offer him a deal and sign him, I'd much rather it be something like 3m over 2 years than 4.8m over 4.

When you're paying someone 1.2m a year, you'd need them to just about be the best player in the league for it to be really good value. You're breaking even if you're getting a guy who's a top 10-15 player. You're getting poor value if he's any worse than that. Being realistic, Luai is probably only worth $700-800k a year as Penrith are offering, but nature of the beast is we're a struggling club and halves get overpaid on the open market.
So to lower our risk, I'd propose paying him a greater amount in the shorter term. Take the view that no matter what, we're going to be overpaying but if he turns out a flop, at least we're only hurting ourselves for 2 years rather than 4. The absolute last thing we need is Brooks 2.0 where our cap is completely hamstrung for a guy who doesn't contribute to us winning.

Some very good points you raise.
What does Luai actually do better than Luke Brooks other than play in a champion team where he’s always had the luxury of taking a back seat and popping up when opportunity presents itself ?

 

[Telltails]

I must have missed something, what did the Bulldogs offer him? Sorry if it's been mentioned already

Don't think it is official but reportedly 5 year deal 1mill a season.

 

[ancient_magpie]

I'll preface this by saying I'm really not a big fan of Luai at all as a player and think he's incredibly overrated (he's a good 5/8th, but hardly among the elites of the league), but if we were to offer him a deal and sign him, I'd much rather it be something like 3m over 2 years than 4.8m over 4.

When you're paying someone 1.2m a year, you'd need them to just about be the best player in the league for it to be really good value. You're breaking even if you're getting a guy who's a top 10-15 player. You're getting poor value if he's any worse than that. Being realistic, Luai is probably only worth $700-800k a year as Penrith are offering, but nature of the beast is we're a struggling club and halves get overpaid on the open market.
So to lower our risk, I'd propose paying him a greater amount in the shorter term. Take the view that no matter what, we're going to be overpaying but if he turns out a flop, at least we're only hurting ourselves for 2 years rather than 4. The absolute last thing we need is Brooks 2.0 where our cap is completely hamstrung for a guy who doesn't contribute to us winning.

Lukic where have you been all my life.

 

[davey_farrell]

I tend to agree with Richardson around breaking the bank for a prop. He is a great player but it's extremely risky to load up on a player like that.

i could be wrong, AFB was being chased by Fulton and Benji was focusing on Luai, now with Richo at the helm and backing Benji maybe they have had a discussion that Benji gets the say on everyone not Fulton hence the decision not to go after AFB, just my thoughts

 

[gregjm87]

Deadset how do they keep buying top line players on OVERS..
Surely the NRL needs to look at this and the way they just offload players ever year.
Why would a player want to go there when every year they offload and buy new ones.

Of course they market the club as a development club and main focus on there juniors which is laughable considering all they do is buy external

I find the whining about the Bulldogs laughable. What top line players have they bought? Kikau last season and Crighton next. That's it. One might argue Burton and Mahoney but I'd say they are both a tier or 2 below and reportedly weren't recruited on 'overs'.
That's pretty much the equivalent of the Tigers. Koroisau and Papali'i considered top liners. Klemmer and Bateman a tier down.
We're tracking with a respectable forward pack but ordinary backline with some promising juniors. They are tracking with an ordinary pack and respectable backline with some promising juniors.
Their junior development is also tracking well with very good results in lower tiers the past season. Can't rightly expect them to develop many juniors into first graders inside 2 years of establishing their pathways.

 

[Vicious]

I find the whining about the Bulldogs laughable. What top line players have they bought? Kikau last season and Crighton next. That's it. One might argue Burton and Mahoney but I'd say they are both a tier or 2 below and reportedly weren't recruited on 'overs'.
That's pretty much the equivalent of the Tigers. Koroisau and Papali'i considered top liners. Klemmer and Bateman a tier down.
We're tracking with a respectable forward pack but ordinary backline with some promising juniors. They are tracking with an ordinary pack and respectable backline with some promising juniors.
Their junior development is also tracking well with very good results in lower tiers the past season. Can't rightly expect them to develop many juniors into first graders inside 2 years of establishing their pathways.

Burton a better player with more upside and more qualities in his game than Luai.

 

[Lestronge]

Burton a better player with more upside and more qualities in his game than Luai.

No way man ! He was worked out big time last year . Put pressure on his kicking game , and the rest of his game goes to pieces . The nrl has worked him out , he now needs to add to his game .

 

[gregjm87]

Burton a better player with more upside and more qualities in his game than Luai.

I'd have them as very different players of about even overall ability. Either way, I don't see the justification for constant complaining of the Dogs recruitment.