Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

tigermate said:
This club sucks.

Only our club could have been assured that luai was coming … and in that time AFB gets signed by the sharks, dearden extended by cowboys and tupou signed and announced by another club.

Jarome ain’t coming !!!
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I too wanted AFB badly.

Honestly add him to our pack, swap him out for ANYONE. We go from a good pack to a great pack. This suddenly means the job of our halves becomes a stack easier.

I was ropable at Shane R for spilling our plans like a Bimbo poker player too. Sure have good direction internally but keep people guessing externally.

I still would want AFB over Luai. Yet I start thinking about Luai, he is a bankable half. Someone who starts and someone who will perform. 5/8, Halfback, he will perform.

Our backs will make us suck. As someone rated, our spine, is a B/D (with or without Luai) and our forward pack is a C+. Our backs are near F.
 
DUCK said:
AJ & TOA are the Tigers centre pairing in 2024? If that is the best centres the club can put on the field then I pity the Tigers wingers in trying to get across the white line. It is hard to get excited about 2024.
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Why on earth haven't we locked up Olam yet?

AJ is clearly reserve grade, Toa is great but just barely first grade. Don't get me wrong I rate Toa, I cheer him, but he isn't at first grade level.

Benji, get the Olam deal done.
 
Halbrowne61 said:
Tell me they are not our gun centres, please D.
We’ve been down that road and they really didn’t show much at all( at least consistently).
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Ive said it a thousand times but il say it again. So sick of never having decent centres.

Not onky do our centres lack defensivily in a structure but also individually tackling. Attack isnt much better. This has been like this for years.

Get two decent centres.
 
DUCK said:
AJ & TOA are the Tigers centre pairing in 2024? If that is the best centres the club can put on the field then I pity the Tigers wingers in trying to get across the white line. It is hard to get excited about 2024.
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Can't believe they would be entertaining AJ in the centres next season - although it's pretty slim pickens for the outside backs.

I would prefer to see To'a and Tupou in the centres with Naden and Staines on the wings. They would represent some sort of attacking threat.
 
crazycat said:
My thoughts exactly. WHERE IS THE BACKLINE?

Our forward pack really should be closer to a B- or a solid B. 2023 sucked and we got a C level performance from them. Plus I recognise that they did not combine well. for all of Sheens' 200,000 passes, our forwards did not contribute to tries scored often. Still I think there is an awesome pack in there if they work on it.

We are likely to loose Nofo and Tupou if I read the media correctly.

That leaves Staines and Naden at the wing with AJ and Toa in the centers with next to no depth.

Wow we know how to bake half a cake.
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Some really scary thoughts AJ in the centers and can't exactly what Staines has done to prove he is a1st grade quality winger and Naden spends as much of the season off the off the field as on it due to suspension or injury . IMO Toa is potentially a classy center as I still remember the day he made Val Holmes look silly .Bula is a future Great but that's about it .
Here's an idea if Tupou still signed with us for 2024 then keep him and make him have a great last season ! Also if we have to pay Nofo 500k make him train hard .fix his attitude and get something back for our buck or is this a pipe dream
Its a shame to waste a really good pack
 
Tucker said:
Surely we should forget the name Jr Tupou when naming sides in 24?
He is a work in progress that we won’t receive dividends from.
It would be better to blood another prospect and find the next Bula in our ranks.
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Depends. He’s probably still the best option to try and win a couple of games with.
 
Tucker said:
Surely we should forget the name Jr Tupou when naming sides in 24?
He is a work in progress that we won’t receive dividends from.
It would be better to blood another prospect and find the next Bula in our ranks.
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Agreed. He has a high ceiling but is still learning the game. He can learn playing for the Magpies. Could eventually get a spot on the wing later in the season if/when he looks ready to make significant contributions.
 
Tucker said:
Surely we should forget the name Jr Tupou when naming sides in 24?
He is a work in progress that we won’t receive dividends from.
It would be better to blood another prospect and find the next Bula in our ranks.
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Spot on Tucker, if the kid wants to sign else where, good on him. We need to focus on ourselves and do what is in our interests. He should be left in reserve grade and not be helped in his development if he's leaving.
 
Tucker said:
Surely we should forget the name Jr Tupou when naming sides in 24?
He is a work in progress that we won’t receive dividends from.
It would be better to blood another prospect and find the next Bula in our ranks.
Click to expand...
I agree, but we will have no choice.

Our depth at wing is laughably stupid. I still think we should start Staines and Naden at wing. Let Tupou to either choose to play first grade or choose to languish in reserves.

Tupou's performance has made Nofo look good.

Back line:
Bula
Staines,
Toa
AJ
Naden

AJ and Naden are injury prone enough as it is. Feledy isn't really ready for first grade and neither was tristan Reilly (who has gone elsewhere). I do think we should hire closer to a good 17 then a lot of depth, but this is pretty close to the bone.

Congrats Tupou, you are now bench depth.
 
Tucker said:
Surely we should forget the name Jr Tupou when naming sides in 24?
He is a work in progress that we won’t receive dividends from.
It would be better to blood another prospect and find the next Bula in our ranks.
Click to expand...

We always do this. A player signs elsewhere and we want him gone asap while other clubs have no problem playing those players. I have been just as guilty as anyone with this and I think it's time we changed our tune, became more professional rather than emotional. If Tupou proves to be the best option we have in 24 then we play him. That being said, if Lobb or the Union guy are genuinely challenging him, then you give them the opportunity instead. However, as long as Tupou puts effort in, and is the best option, he plays.
 
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crazycat said:
I agree, but we will have no choice.

Our depth at wing is laughably stupid. I still think we should start Staines and Naden at wing. Let Tupou to either choose to play first grade or choose to languish in reserves.

Tupou's performance has made Nofo look good.

Back line:
Bula
Staines,
Toa
AJ
Naden

AJ and Naden are injury prone enough as it is. Feledy isn't really ready for first grade and neither was tristan Reilly (who has gone elsewhere). I do think we should hire closer to a good 17 then a lot of depth, but this is pretty close to the bone.

Congrats Tupou, you are now bench depth.
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Agreed. Let him rot.
 
Tucker said:
Surely we should forget the name Jr Tupou when naming sides in 24?
He is a work in progress that we won’t receive dividends from.
It would be better to blood another prospect and find the next Bula in our ranks.
Click to expand...
Who do you think that might be, as a matter of interest? Because I haven't seen or heard anything to suggest there is a good, first-grade ready centre floating around in the Tigers' junior system. Do you know different? Do you think Bula just appeared from nowhere, like one week Sheens said "I'm gonna pick this Bula kid, I don't know anything about him but let's roll the dice" and he turned out to be really good?
 
Tucker said:
Surely we should forget the name Jr Tupou when naming sides in 24?
He is a work in progress that we won’t receive dividends from.
It would be better to blood another prospect and find the next Bula in our ranks.
Click to expand...
Im with you Tucs. Its about time we start teach the dipsh#ts that it is an honour to play for the Tigers. He took all the development the Tigs offered & never paid back. I would have him clean the toilets after the KEO cup games next year. Teach him some skills he will need when the when he wont make the squad with the dolphins.
 
king_sirro said:
We always do this. A players signs elsewhere and we want him gone asap while other clubs have no problem playing those players. I have been just as guilty as anyone with this and I think it's time we changed our tune, became more professional rather than emotional. If Tupou proves to be the best option we have in 24 then we play him. That being said, if Lobb or the Union guy are genuinely challenging him, then you give them the opportunity instead. However, as long as Tupou puts effort in, and is the best option, he plays.
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Common sense. There’s no point spitting the dummy and saying stupid stuff like he’ll mow the lawn like some egotistical chairman. If he’s one of our top two wingers or centres then he should get picked. We’re light on for backs too?
 
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