Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tom Shines]

Will be great signing if he passes his medical because he was hampered by a few injuries last year. He missed the PNG tests at the end of the season due to a knee injury, hopefully not chronic!

Also exciting for Jimmy Ngutlik too. Could really help him progress as a winger with a PNG brother supporting him.

We know from history that the Tigers have the strictest Medical protocols when it comes to checking out new recruits for chronic injuries…

 

[426Tlgerland]

I was told about 1-2 months ago that he’d be shocked if Olam wasn’t in the team come Round 1 even when reports suggested the deal had fallen through. So I expect it to be done relatively soon.

He comes from a great system, grand final experience and brings a lot of aggression/strength both from the attacking and defensive end. Good signing. Not many good outside backs on the market right now too.

Benji is continuing to cook…..

Benji will not risk signing any player injured or not who he wants , if Olam arrives you can bet we have checked everything and he is good to go , he also has just done part of the storm pre season unless he is injured so , if he arrives I feel he is good to go and adds a player to where we need one badly , we have improved our half’s so now a good centre helps , I’m predicting a top 8 wests tigers team in 2024 , just got that feeling the other players in our team will all be going you ripped a solid centre , etc. , Klemmer , Appi , Papai , Steph , Pole , Bulla would have all watched after leading us up the field for it to all go to crap once we got to the opposition danger zone , Sezer alone would have made a difference to our attack last year then throw in Bud we look pretty tidy , plus we do have those young guns sweating on a go in the top grade as well

 

[Tiger-ferret]

So 30 year olds bounce back quicker from Injury then 23 year olds ?

lets call Olam for what it is … a massive dice roll for three years because the current Center options at the club are pretty meh..

I like those odds…

 

[Roar_Power]

He is now 30 …At that age most players get worse as they get older … so come his last year when they are paying full freight … they will be hoping he bucks the trend ,,

Has the potential to be another Nofo if he falls off a cliff in 2024 … playing out 2 years in NSW Cup for big money

You are correct - this could happen. Our backline is the worst in the comp by miles. We need change now. I am hoping he comes good and keen to give him the benefit of the doubt. Storm subsidising the deal brings some relief. I will back Benji and Richo on this one.

 

[Roar_Power]

You could go with either Api or Aidan. Aidan has kicked more goals though, so Bud will be a backup

Api - 86%
Sezer - 82%
Bud - 75%

Could add Lobb to this. Sounds like he is doing all the right things to get an NRL call up.

 

[jrtiger]

Im not so sure that the Storm being so desperate to move him on could be a good sign..

They certainly know him a lot better than Benji and the Tigers …

it’s cap related.

Melbourne have been able to extract value out of Reimis Smith and Marion Seve at considerably less than Olam. it makes no sense to keep a bloke on that deal when you have two players performing at a consistent first grade level.

they’ve obviously chipped in a bit to get him over here and we get him closer to market value. a win for both clubs. obviously losing Blore does hurt but he was buckleys of starting in the backrow with Bateman and Papali’i here.

 

[jrtiger]

I think Richo is great but given we walked away from negotiations and only came back once Tupou was leaving suggests we came back rather than Richo getting Melbourne to chip more in.

I see that side for sure. there definitely would’ve been a little more give on our side but Richo wouldn’t have copped what Melbourne was trying to get us to pay.

 

[AdelaideTiger]

Don't mind that at all. I read earlier on reddit
from a storm fan that having Trent Loeiro
inside him hampered him, add to that he
was coming off an injury and couldn't get
the wheels turning. With a 200k subsidy
this is a great signing. Also, he'll be playing
outside Papali'i who's a great defender.
I like the look of it, Blore is a good kid,
good player but hes been injured for
most of his tenure. We got Samuela Fainu,
a more than capable addition to the squad

It's a fair point, not sure that I've seen a player seem more out of their depth at the Storm then Trent Loiero, Paplii is a massive step up.
This signing also ensures that Tupou plays the on the wing for most of the year, which is where he is needed most

 

[Tom Shines]

You are correct - this could happen. Our backline is the worst in the comp by miles. We need change now. I am hoping he comes good and keen to give him the benefit of the doubt. Storm subsidising the deal brings some relief. I will back Benji and Richo on this one.

I couldnt agree more on the outside backs … they are the worst in the competition by some margin currently …but change for change sake may not be the answer ..

Im hating the three year commitment here .. but of course I’ll hope for the best ,,,

 

[Tom Shines]

it’s cap related.

Melbourne have been able to extract value out of Reimis Smith and Marion Seve at considerably less than Olam. it makes no sense to keep a bloke on that deal when you have two players performing at a consistent first grade level.

they’ve obviously chipped in a bit to get him over here and we get him closer to market value. a win for both clubs. obviously losing Blore does hurt but he was buckleys of starting in the backrow with Bateman and Papali’i here.

It’s a gamble still… the Tigers will still be paying plenty regardless of the Storm chipping in $200k a year …

In 12 months time ..we could be looking at another Nofo with a NSW Cup level player getting paid big money with 2 years to run…. You can’t honestly say that is not a possibility given the drop off in his form in 2023:

 

[jadtiger]

Carayannis reporting his going to the Tigers
this morning in a swap with Blore. Said
pending medical check (done this week)

I like your news far more than Jedi's as i believe Olam would be good for our backline even if he is below what he used to be

 

[pawsandclaws1]

On Olam, PNG nationals are incredibly tough and resilient. I knew a local who had walked the Kokoda track over 100 times each time carrying a heavy load. PNG women carry huge baskets around their heads filled with coconuts and bananas. They don't raise a sweat in high temp/humidity even on the more exhausting stretches of the track (and there are many). Olam if I recall is from the Highlands and will give it his best and bring with him that hard edge in the backline we have lacked. We all saw his impact inside of Nofoaluma.

 

[Kelce68]

it’s cap related.

Melbourne have been able to extract value out of Reimis Smith and Marion Seve at considerably less than Olam. it makes no sense to keep a bloke on that deal when you have two players performing at a consistent first grade level.

they’ve obviously chipped in a bit to get him over here and we get him closer to market value. a win for both clubs. obviously losing Blore does hurt but he was buckleys of starting in the backrow with Bateman and Papali’i here.

They also need to find space for Meaney once Paps is back, likely centre I'd say.

As you said, he's surplus to requirements given the healthy contract.

 

[Tito Santana]

Olam for CFB (Chicken Legs Blore) is a great trade.

A genuine first grader in a position we need to fill in versus a potential first grader and it seems we have back rowers sufficient.

I’m not sold on Blore. He’s like Eric Cantona. I remember him for fly kicking a guy in the crowd - spectacular action! Blore made a solid tackle on Brown - since then, nada.

 

[Kelce68]

It's a fair point, not sure that I've seen a player seem more out of their depth at the Storm then Trent Loiero, Paplii is a massive step up.
This signing also ensures that Tupou plays the on the wing for most of the year, which is where he is needed most

They love him.

.... still trying to work out why.

 

[Le Tiger]

Think Olam will only end up being here for 2 out of the 3 years. So a subsidised first 2 years could work well.

Rumour is PNG team to be announced this year for 2026 entry. Olam would be a lock to be signed as an inaugural player and I'm sure we'll be happy to release him for 2026 with 1 year left on the contract.

 

[Lestronge]

What’s our edge backrow depth look like . Ice , Bateman , AJ , Tumeth ? , who else am I missing , outside of converted middle types like Faagatu and Lualiii. Even Seyfarth at a stretch .

 

[rugbygoated]

A lot of people hesitant on Olam but he provides a good experienced head who has won a grand final and has a point to prove. If he doesn't work out, he will be good depth at least. If he can get his defence sorted out and cut errors out, he will be worth it 100%. 2023 was his first bad year in a long time. 2022 he was centre of the year. We shouldn't expect signings to change the team drastically, it is up to the culture and general playing group to change as one, not wait for a leader to do all the work then follow

 

[vlad]

Olam for CFB (Chicken Legs Blore) is a great trade.

A genuine first grader in a position we need to fill in versus a potential first grader and it seems we have back rowers sufficient.

I’m not sold on Blore. He’s like Eric Cantona. I remember him for fly kicking a guy in the crowd - spectacular action! Blore made a solid tackle on Brown - since then, nada.

Really poor analogy

Cantona won 4 EPL titles out of the 5 seasons he was at ManU.

Before he joined them they hadn’t won it in 24 seasons .

The fly kick came at the end of the 5 seasons .

Blore isn’t in the same universe .

 

[rugbygoated]

looks like Richo has managed to do what Pascoe could not and gotten Melbourne to pay considerable freight for Olam.

given our clear lack of quality and experience in the centres, this is a good signing for 2024. the next two years are the concern though, no question. time will tell!

Richo is the best signing the club has made in its history