Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[balmain boy]

Still depends if he wants to stay. If I recall correctly it was said WT / Marshall said his role was in the middle, Storm / Blore say /want to continue as edge. Fundamental difference in wants there.

Actually Storm see him as a middle too..

 

[Vicious]

There are talented youngsters, then there's elite youngsters. I don't think you realise the Calibre of the juniors we currently have in Fainu, Galvin and Large. The only juniors we've had with similar stature are Benji, Robbie, Moses and Brooks, and even then Robbie was still a level below.

Those are the calibre of players you don't just let walk, you lock them up long term and give them the opportunity to become stars.

Exactly the point I’ve been trying to make Balmain Boy, I don’t think many of our supporters realise the extent of generational young talent we have on our hands. They will not be ready to win us a NRL GF in the next season or two, but they are players we cannot afford to lose long term.
Not forgetting we have already let an exceptional talent in Max Jorgensen slid through our hands. With Jorgensen, think Papenhausen, think better at the same age,

 

[diedpretty]

The story is that Ilias got injured and we deemed he wasn't worth rehabilitating. Poor from us in my opinion. Papenhuyzen a similar story - he was chronically injured, Melbourne came to him and told him how they would build him into a more durable athlete, and he was sold.

Thats only half the story on Paps - he was also behind Turdesco in the pecking order and Turdesco was stringing the club along in to believing he would resign. Paps got an offer from Melb and took it up and then Turdesco did the dirty and signed with the rorters

 

[weststigerman]

Let’s hope all four of Sullivan, Latu Fainu, Lachlan Galvin and Onitoni Large fulfill their potential while playing for Wests Tigers and stick with the cub long term.
Not sure how that happens if we sign Luai for 5 years from 2025 ?

I’ll play along.

Large is playing both Union and League at top level, everyone will want him. Just like Sualli. There is no reason why he couldn’t do exactly what Sualli did to Souths, then Roosters.

Galvin is a Moses client who we all know will be trying to get him to another club.

Sullivan has an injury plagued history and Fainu could be anything but unproven.

Theoretically, we could lose Galvin and Large before they’re 20 and we have an opportunity to sign one of the halves that helped win the last 3 premierships. You have to take the sure thing if it’s an option over potential.

 

[weststigers]

Of course spending 1.2 million per season on a player who I’m near certain will not live up to expectation will restrict our ability to pay top dollar for too many other players.
Like any business managing a salary cap has to involve a lot of forecasting for the next 2-4 years, not just be blindfolded about what is happening now.
Forecasting involves having a realistic expectation on what will potentially be the market value for any of our best young players we hope to keep long term.

So let's say one of these juniors turns into a superstar and demands 1.2 million a year. What is your plan?

 

[jirskyr]

I’ll play along.

Large is playing both Union and League at top level, everyone will want him. Just like Sualli. There is no reason why he couldn’t do exactly what Sualli did to Souths, then Roosters.

Galvin is a Moses client who we all know will be trying to get him to another club.

Sullivan has an injury plagued history and Fainu could be anything but unproven.

Theoretically, we could lose Galvin and Large before they’re 20 and we have an opportunity to sign one of the halves that helped win the last 3 premierships. You have to take the sure thing if it’s an option over potential.

Rugby just don't have the money or stability to keep doing Suaaliis on everyone. They didn't even go through with the Crichton deal and there are lots of serious commentators that the Suaalii buy was a mistake.

 

[Vicious]

So let's say one of these juniors turns into a superstar and demands 1.2 million a year. What is your plan?

The plan should be to make sure we have the salary cap space to keep them should that happen.

 

[weststigers]

I can simplify it, He’s worried signing a guy with three premiership rings, Origin and World Cup‘s on his resume will put us in danger of losing,,,,A 16 year old.

Surely we can have both

 

[weststigers]

The plan is make sure we have the salary cap space to keep them should that happen.

But another juniors path will be blocked...are you saying we should just make the cap space at the expense of the next junior?

 

[Vicious]

But another juniors path will be blocked...are you saying we should just make the cap space at the expense of the next junior?

No as Balmain Boy explained, generational talent doesn’t regularly fall in your lap.
We last had Tedesco, Moses and Brooks come though and stuffed that up, I don’t want to see it happen again.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Surely we can have both

Apparently not 🤔

 

[phil1986]

But another juniors path will be blocked...are you saying we should just make the cap space at the expense of the next junior?

You do realise the last 10 years + we have put faith in junior talent, has lead us here?

Dont get me wrong, there’s much more to the story.

But for a team that has come last for 2 years, when an origin and international half becomes available and we don’t try to obtain him….well. How does that work out, or look?

If we can buy a winner, that makes us better, are we doing alright?

 

[weststigers]

You do realise the last 10 years + we have put faith in junior talent, has lead us here?

Dont get me wrong, there’s much more to the story.

But for a team that has come last for 2 years, when an origin and international half becomes available and we don’t try to obtain him….well. How does that work out, or look?

If we can buy a winner, that makes us better, are we doing alright?

Mate, go back and read my post history in this thread with Vicious…I’m on your side.

Lesson in life. Do your research. Don’t go off half cocked before you have all the facts. This will set you up for life. You’re welcome.

 

[weststigers]

No as Balmain Boy explained, generational talent doesn’t regularly fall in your lap.
We last had Tedesco, Moses and Brooks come though and stuffed that up, I don’t want to see it happen again.

So your stance is we shouldn’t have signed Luai because Galvin, Fainu and Sullivan will be NRL ready by 2025?

 

[crazycat]

The story is that Ilias got injured and we deemed he wasn't worth rehabilitating. Poor from us in my opinion. Papenhuyzen a similar story - he was chronically injured, Melbourne came to him and told him how they would build him into a more durable athlete, and he was sold.

We don't do injury management very well at all.

That said, it would be very hard to pick. It's the tragedy of Rugby league. Those injured in the lower grades, don't even make first grade and they have a career ending injury and not much else. I recall a "Diamond?" playing for Manly who played on advice of the coach with a very injured ankle in reserves for a year... Yea guess what sport he will never be playing again (probably most of them).

All said we don't do injury management well. AD clearly was weak, Chris McQueen was signed with a broken Neck crying out loud.

It's amazing how other clubs seem to know the basics and we can't get this stuff right. But hey who needs a Tackling Coach?

 

[crazycat]

Reading the list of off contract halves for 2025 really nails home just how big of a signing Luai is. There's a a dearth of halves talent at the moment. Probably wouldn't of had another chance to sign a half of Luai's calibre for a long time.

Man.... Luai....

Seriously I wish we did this deal without the whole Sezer/Fainu/Sullivan signings.
Yes there is a derth of Halves talent. I don't know who is going to step up, but I suspect we are stuck with Sezer and will punt either Fainu or Sullivan soon.

It's also that test, the "hey would 2023 be very different if we had signed Mitchell Moses"? and if so HOW?

Parra kinda had a ceiling in 2023 of 10th. Luai ain't MM, heck the guy seems far more decent. Yet 2024, with much the same squad as 2023 + Luai... I would be really interested to see how we do.

 

[ancient_magpie]

No as Balmain Boy explained, generational talent doesn’t regularly fall in your lap.
We last had Tedesco, Moses and Brooks come though and stuffed that up, I don’t want to see it happen again.

 

[ancient_magpie]

No as Balmain Boy explained, generational talent doesn’t regularly fall in your lap.
We last had Tedesco, Moses and Brooks come though and stuffed that up, I don’t want to see it happen a

 

[Vicious]

So your stance is we shouldn’t have signed Luai because Galvin, Fainu and Sullivan will be NRL ready by 2025?

No.
I believe we are next to no chance of making the top 4 or wining a GF by spending 1.2 million per season on Luai as he’s not worth near that much and it will heavily restrict our ability to retain and recruit other quality players while paying him that much,
If he was willing to come across for 800k per season my stance would be much different.
We have agreed to pay him 1.2 million per season for the sake of recruiting a high profile player, not paying him on his true ability.

 

[weststigers]

Apparently not 🤔

Indeed