Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[weststigers]

Vicious your pissing into the wind they think Luai is the second coming even though Penrith dont care if he goes.

What’s your idea? Wait for juniors for the next 3-5 years?

Then piss and moan on here how we keep losing while we wait for our “second coming” juniors? Do you think our juniors will stick around while we keep coming last?

 

[crazycat]

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

My stance (not theirs).

We shouldn't go on a halves Spending Spree and then when choosing between:
A gun 5/8
A gun Forward
A Former Gun Center who may have lost form.

Sign the 5/8.

Yes Luai is talent, he could add a stack to the team and combine with Api. Yes halves are in short supply.

Flip it we really needed a halfback who can control our side. 5/8 isn't halfback and Fainu/Sullivan all seem more 5/8 then Halfback.

You hire AFB and suddenly our pack goes from Good to Dominant, You hire our 4th 5/8 and maybe our halves 'gel' or maybe not. Our backline weaknesses and struggles in our forward pack are still present.

Luai, a good player but not exactly what we need.

 

[Vicious]

I’m still confused. Forgive me.

What is it you think we should have done around Luai?

Sign him, but not pay him as much?

No, have the same stance as 15 of the other NRL clubs and only be willing to pay him his true worth which is 800k.
Not pay big overs just for the sake of recruiting somebody with a high profile.

 

[weststigers]

No, have the same stance as 15 of the other NRL clubs and only be willing to pay him his true worth which is 800k.
Not pay big overs just for the sake of recruiting somebody with a high profile.

Ok, so in that scenario, he would have stayed at Penrith or signed with the dogs.

What would you have done then?

 

[crazycat]

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.

I think that's the wrong way to look at it.

Hire Top shelf talent and get it. Particularly GUN players.

Cameron Munster is a 1.2 million player. With his injuries and Origin time maybe he doesn't quite do 1.2m worth of value. That said Cam is a total upgrade on every player we have.

We can do the whole "moneyball" thing and we should with some players. Others like say Payne Haas, break the bank open. Why? because getting them in the squad makes the difference.

 

[weststigers]

My stance (not theirs).

We shouldn't go on a halves Spending Spree and then when choosing between:
A gun 5/8
A gun Forward
A Former Gun Center who may have lost form.

Sign the 5/8.

Yes Luai is talent, he could add a stack to the team and combine with Api. Yes halves are in short supply.

Flip it we really needed a halfback who can control our side. 5/8 isn't halfback and Fainu/Sullivan all seem more 5/8 then Halfback.

You hire AFB and suddenly our pack goes from Good to Dominant, You hire our 4th 5/8 and maybe our halves 'gel' or maybe not. Our backline weaknesses and struggles in our forward pack are still present.

Luai, a good player but not exactly what we need.

So you’d pay a million for a front rower, but not a world class half?

 

[Telltails]

Don't all the most successful teams have to manage their cap around more than one elite player as well as identifying and retaining juniors that they want to keep?
If we are to ever move forward as a club not only do we have to attract and retain rep players but also transition our juniors who want to play with them.

 

[Tiger Stripes]

No, have the same stance as 15 of the other NRL clubs and only be willing to pay him his true worth which is 800k.
Not pay big overs just for the sake of recruiting somebody with a high profile.

Penrith were going to pay him $850,000...........remember?

 

[ancient_magpie]

What’s your idea? Wait for juniors for the next 3-5 years?

Then piss and moan on here how we keep losing while we wait for our “second coming” juniors? Do you think our juniors will stick around while we keep coming last?

Why bother signing galvin fainu sezer and bud then sign luai as well. By 25 sullivan will be ready for 7 and the others for 6

 

[Oldman]

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

That’s not “the reality “ , they are highly rated but unproven teenagers and every club has them ..none of them would be a walk up start at any other club and if Benji can build some success through a team culture at this club then the youngsters will realise they will have to fight to win their position at a successful club that can play Finals football.. if any of them are thinking they are certain starters in 24 then they all have another thing coming

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

We need to end up with Luai in 25,
Next year we have
1. Sezer
an experienced half who hasn’t played NRL for 4 years
2. Sullivan
a half that couldn’t get a run in a pretty ordinary Dragons team
3. Fainu
a young rookie who Manly didn’t try to hard to keep.
4. Adam.D
Please not again
5. Galvin
Everybody Hoping 🤞

Next year should decide who partners Luai in 2025.

 

[phil1986]

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.

Mate, apologies if that’s the way it has came across. I’m don’t and never want to add to the negativity in here. It’s draining to log in when it’s like that.

TBC, I don’t work on rumors. And I don’t want anyone to turn this into a telegraph rumor mill.

I will either give info, when received (from good sources), but outside of that. It’s opinion.

But I don’t work on worst or best case scenarios on whispers. Finally, we are really in the conversation for a quality half, player and winner. Regardless of how it works out. If we don’t try, how are we better in any way?

 

[weststigers]

Mate, apologies if that’s the way it came across. I’m don’t and never want to add to the negativity in here.

TBC, I don’t work on rumors. And I don’t want anyone to turn this into a telegraph rumor mill.

Mate, apologies if that’s the way it has came across. I’m don’t and never want to add to the negativity in here. It’s draining to log in when it’s like that.

TBC, I don’t work on rumors. And I don’t want anyone to turn this into a telegraph rumor mill.

I will either give info, when received (from good sources), but outside of that. It’s opinion.

haha relax my man. I was just poking fun. All good on my end.

 

[phil1986]

haha relax my man. I was just poking fun. All good on my end.

Good man.

Roped me in 😂

 

[Tiger-ferret]

No, have the same stance as 15 of the other NRL clubs and only be willing to pay him his true worth which is 800k.
Not pay big overs just for the sake of recruiting somebody with a high profile.

It’s not that simple. you’re insinuating the tigers as the only “silly” club willing to pay the reported 1.2 mil. Many other sides already have their marquee halves so they aren’t in the race. Most clubs don’t have the cap because they’ve spent $$ on other players.

You’re entitled to your opinion. I’d love to sign luai for 800! But that’s way unders in the current halves market for a 3x consecutive GF winning half.

 

[weststigers]

Why bother signing galvin fainu sezer and bud then sign luai as well. By 25 sullivan will be ready for 7 and the others for 6

because Galvin and Fainu are 18 years old mate. They are not going to play NRL with virtually no experience against men.

Sullivan will partner Sezer this coming season. But Sezer only has a one year deal, so not sure why you included him. Luai simply replaces Sezer as the experienced half in the team. You can’t throw 2 rookie kids in there and expect results.

 

[Telltails]

What is the average age of the halves in the top 8 teams atm? There is plenty of time for our young players to develop into FGers instead of ruining them before their time.

 

[LeichhardtTiger]

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

So Paps went to Storm to be their 4th choice FB? Yep, that makes sense. It helped that Billy, Drinkwater and Hughes all had injuries. Yes, he is a gooden, but c'mon he might also be a smilin' assassin with that luck!

 

[rugbygoated]

Api signed till end of 2026. The biggest loser out of everyone will be Simpkin.

Which I don't have an issue with. He is talented but I haven't been that impressed with him so far

 

[bigsiro]

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.

Yes, paying over market value is exactly what the worst team in NRL need to do to sign quality players. Having said that, in today’s market, paying a world class half that much makes absolute sense to me anyway.
Remember, the halves market is very slim and Luai represents the best out there.
Vicious, every signing is going to be a punt. There’s no way around that.
But this risk is very worth it and the 1.2 is certainly not highway robbery, considering the above and Luai’s pedigree. Baulking at the price is being small minded IMO, and the same thinking that has kept us in the doldrums.
Hopefully our cap is managed well and we can still sign more talent while blooding more youth.

 

[patwalker]

People seem to be forgetting that there are a few more planned rises in the salary cap. $1.2M seems a lot right now but in 5 years time I feel that may be a bargain for a top tier half!