Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Bones]

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).

I was discussing this with a mate earlier in the week. You sign AFB on $1M+ and he is going to be turning 30 in 2025 when he starts the contract. Do you really want a 33/34 year old prop on that kind of money? You might get value in year 1 and 2 but 3 and 4 could be disastrous.

It took all of 24 hours for our new CEO to start making good decisions 👏

 

[Needaname]

Didn’t even see it - good to hear Richo admit that openly then.

Dogs coming in late for Luai would be a very Gus thing to do - I was told they were out and had full focus on AFB. Didn’t Ciraldo come out a couple of days ago and even state he wouldn’t take anyone from Penrith when asked about Luai.

Geez they play this recruitment game dirty - if they get there man though can you blame them?

He stated they will not go in for Luai unless he gives them an indication he wants to leave Penrith.
If anything this is a guarantee that Luai has one final shot for a Premiership repeat at Penrith before he moves on.

 

[Needaname]

I'm backing in the mail from @Mystery

But he hasn’t signed anything. If he will be at WT in 25 wouldn’t he have signed the contract?

 

[Vicious]

Burton is a great centre playing out of position.

Would be a better fullback where his exceptional speed and running game would not be limited to one side of the field.

 

[liltiger]

Personally think Richo will take a chunk of Afbs money and use it to top up Luai.

 

[You Know Who]

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 ?

Christ on a bike 🤦‍♂️

Thank goodness you’re not in charge of recruitment. And hopefully any other position that requires a modicum of intelligence.

 

[TigerNeddyK]

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

Yeah mate, Galvin is the same age as Fainu …

 

[gregjm87]

Last year and the year before more so than this year, the were signing guys playing very well. JAC, Mahoney, even guys like Ryan Sutton were very good buys and not on stupid money for how well they were going. But as soon as they played for the dogs they looked over priced. At one stage people were saying that Mahoney should be picked in front of Harry Grant for QLD, noting that Grant was quite young at the time, but still ridiculous in hindsight. Compare that to the guys you have listed with the exception of papalii and some would say Bateman (not me) our blokes have looked just as good if not better, despite the poor result.
I'm not really sure what I'm trying to say other than the Bulldogs seem be to be in just as big a funk as we are except they are still trending down to rock bottom, I think we'll fly past them on our way up

I dont think it even took hindsight for the Mahoney for Origin chat to be ridiculous. The high player turnover that HSVJones alluded to is a fair point, but as you say those signings that came in the past couple of years were not on stupid money, so no reasons for complaints about their recruitment.

I think i sort of see where you are coming from. It is probably more easily argued that some of their recruits are being overpaid compared to ours. But i think we have had, and still do have, more existing dud contracts than they have. So still about even in terms of overpaying in recent years.
I completely agree that they are in just as big a funk as we are and i think we will pass them this year. I don't however think we will "fly" past them. Both clubs are equally poised (perhaps poorly so) in terms of amount key positions needed to become competitive. It is just a matter of whomever can fix these shortcomings first.

 

[gregjm87]

Yeah mate, Galvin is the same age as Fainu …

Admittedly, ive seen very little of Galvin compared to quite a lot of Fainu but i think Galvin is a year or two behind Fainu in terms of both natural physical development and current career progression. Not putting any limitations on what either could become and not saying it definitely can not work out but i think it is fair to say Galvin is unlikely to be ready for halves role in 25, particularly if his paired with another inexperienced player.

 

[Camel2281]

Lee with the wack on Noffa on SEN this morning!

What was said

 

[a_dog]

Admittedly, ive seen very little of Galvin compared to quite a lot of Fainu but i think Galvin is a year or two behind Fainu in terms of both natural physical development and current career progression. Not putting any limitations on what either could become and not saying it definitely can not work out but i think it is fair to say Galvin is unlikely to be ready for halves role in 25, particularly if his paired with another inexperienced player.

Galvin is literally the best schoolboy in Australia. He ran rings around every 18 year old in the country en route to being the Australian schoolboys captain. He's a dead set freak.

 

[Camel2281]

For what it’s worth. My cousin spoke with Luai’s manager at Port Mac touch last week (they are mates). He said Luai hasn’t signed anything but ‘he will be at the tigers from 2025’. No idea how much or how long or anything else

Yeah his manager Wok is a Wallsend Wolves legend

 

[Lestronge]

Admittedly, ive seen very little of Galvin compared to quite a lot of Fainu but i think Galvin is a year or two behind Fainu in terms of both natural physical development and current career progression. Not putting any limitations on what either could become and not saying it definitely can not work out but i think it is fair to say Galvin is unlikely to be ready for halves role in 25, particularly if his paired with another inexperienced player.

He just broke the clubs aerobic record . The bronco test . And hes 6 foot 4 . I don’t know if that’s actually true …

 

[Camel2281]

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 ?

Pass, run, kick, communicate, tackle, lead and Win. Those are the things Luai does better than Brooks

 

[Vicious]

Galvin is literally the best schoolboy in Australia. He ran rings around every 18 year old in the country en route to being the Australian schoolboys captain. He's a dead set freak.

And by all reports ripping it up so far in pre season training, like only the good ones do.

 

[gregjm87]

Galvin is literally the best schoolboy in Australia. He ran rings around every 18 year old in the country en route to being the Australian schoolboys captain. He's a dead set freak.

i appreciate that and as i said i dont think there is any limit to what he can become. From a purely skillset perspective i think he could play NRL tomorrow. However he also currently looks to be far to slight to be effective at NRL level. I've no doubt he will fill out and be a weapon. I just dont think he has the physicality to hold his own defensively or break tackles in the NRL like he did against schoolboys.
It is also rare to see a half come into first grade as teen with all the nuance of halfback play developed. Often that is not an issue for a young half alongside an experienced partner. Typically it is an issue when both halves are inexperienced.
Also am happy to be proven wrong as ive seen one match (online not live) and some highlight reels of Galvin.

 

[Wiz]

Galvin is literally the best schoolboy in Australia. He ran rings around every 18 year old in the country en route to being the Australian schoolboys captain. He's a dead set freak.

I’m looking forward to seeing him develop at our club. I’m unsure if he’s physically ready for first grade in the next year or so. Tall and light players are at risk of being smashed in first grade, especially a young half digging into the line. We can start him in Flegg this year and see how he goes and promote him from there if appropriate. As the Flegg season ends well before reserve grade, he could have a full season of Flegg and get a taste of reserve grade against men at the back end of the season.

 

[Odessa]

Galvin is literally the best schoolboy in Australia. He ran rings around every 18 year old in the country en route to being the Australian schoolboys captain. He's a dead set freak.

A bit of Cherry Evans about him

 

[gregjm87]

He just broke the clubs aerobic record . The bronco test . And hes 6 foot 4 . I don’t know if that’s actually true …

I cant say it is certainly true. Just my opinion from the very little ive seen. Super fit but built like a bean pole compared to established first graders.
There was an article many years ago about Jake Arthur beating home NRL players in fitness tests when he was 13. Wouldnt back him to be able to tackle any of them.
He is undoubtedly tracking to become a superstar. But when i see him holding his own physically against men i will start taking notice of him as a consistent first grade option.

 

[Lestronge]

I cant say it is certainly true. Just my opinion from the very little ive seen. Super fit but built like a bean pole compared to established first graders.
There was an article many years ago about Jake Arthur beating home NRL players in fitness tests when he was 13. Wouldnt back him to be able to tackle any of them.
He is undoubtedly tracking to become a superstar. But when i see him holding his own physically against men i will start taking notice of him as a consistent first grade option.

Not on an aerobic test like that mate . There’s a reason the best 800m runners of all time are at least mid to late 20s . Or the same for your de France yellow jersey winners.
You’re aerobically at your peak in your mid to late 20s . An 18 year old coming out and doing that is pretty unheard of .