Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

BlackWhiteGold said:
Not as a top 13 starter but as a cheap experienced utility to cover centre & backrow.

Brings experience, generally good defence & reportedly very good work ethic. I liked his performances in the backrow at the Warriors in '22.

We have to manage the cap & experience in the squad and I reckon Aiken can provide value (more than AJ).
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Yeah hes not that bad
He cops Anasta style criticism for why I dunno
He wouldnt be my first choice but theres plenty worse
Hes inconsistent and has been throughout his carreer for whatever reason, but
Ive seen some really tough play from him at times
 
innsaneink said:
Yeah hes not that bad
He cops Anasta style criticism for why I dunno
He wouldnt be my first choice but theres plenty worse
Hes inconsistent and has been throughout his carreer for whatever reason, but
Ive seen some really tough play from him at times
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Good defender and often does a lot of tough carries but just offers no attacking threat at all. Not quick, not a power runner, can't step, can't pass.
I don't hate him as a depth signing but there would have to be better options.
 
watersider said:
I also like Blore and think he's a really good prop off the bench who can also play longer minutes. Disappointed we lost him but still think he's in our top 17 for next season and helps with the depth of our squad. Strange to me that we want seyfarth and have let blore go.
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Bcoz nobody wants Sayfart.
Bellend can see Blore has a higher ceiling if he can stay on the park and probably reckon his mob can do that better than ours, and he’s a hard worker and Bellend will love that
 
Since last season when we signed all those forwards and it was apparent our backs were crap, we have gone from Brooks, Doeuhi, Wakeham to Sezer, Sullivan, Fainu.
A million times better.

Then in the outside backs i know we don’t have any superstars (apart from Bula who is great) but at least we have options.
Bula
Naden
Nofa
Lobb
Toa
Staines

At the very least it will create competition
 
teddy23 said:
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…..
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As long as we dont pay overs for him....i'm okay with this
 
batboy said:
Anyone who says they’ve seen anything in Matamua to suggest he’s a starting NRL player (especially at Lock) is flat out
lying to themselves…
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IMO he’s shown in very very limited times that he has something! What that is … who knows . Maybe that’s the best we ever get . A guy who looks the part but just isn’t it … I hope not . I hope all the smart nrl people who said he was the next great lock , got it right … but youre right !! You really do have to squint , to have any chance of seeing it
 
Lots of discussion around depth in specific positions for 2024... realistically we have no depth in any position bar maybe Hooker and maybe fullback but even that is debatable. Some area worse than others imo - 2nd row and outside backs. There's a heavy reliance on young players for depth in the forwards and halves.
 
Melbourne's centres last year were terrible when Olam was out. When Olam came back, he was worse than what was being dished up.

His attack is limited and his trademark strong defence was abysmal last year.
 
Harvey said:
Melbourne's centres last year were terrible when Olam was out. When Olam came back, he was worse than what was being dished up.

His attack is limited and his trademark strong defence was abysmal last year.
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He had no off-season last yr. World Cup then groin injury then broken arm in 1st trial. Any player can have an injury riddled off-season and will have a poor year. He isn't someone like BJ or Naden with a history of attitude problems he is a professional who had a down year due to no pre-season. In the poor year he played 17 nrl games, averaged 126 meters and his missed tackle % at 79% was similar to all his other years and made 6 line breaks.
 
boonboon said:
He had no off-season last yr. World Cup then groin injury then broken arm in 1st trial. Any player can have an injury riddled off-season and will have a poor year. He isn't someone like BJ or Naden with a history of attitude problems he is a professional who had a down year due to no pre-season. In the poor year he played 17 nrl games, averaged 126 meters and his missed tackle % at 79% was similar to all his other years and made 6 line breaks.
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This was a pleasure to read. Olam has been a very good player for many years.
 
Lestronge said:
IMO he’s shown in very very limited times that he has something! What that is … who knows . Maybe that’s the best we ever get . A guy who looks the part but just isn’t it … I hope not . I hope all the smart nrl people who said he was the next great lock , got it right … but youre right !! You really do have to squint , to have any chance of seeing it
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Are those 'Smart People' The Wests Tigers people?
- Who've also signed the likes of Laulili'i and Fa'agutu (Both Locks) and Pole to surround Matamua since they've had him in the System?

Pole is miles ahead of him at 13, I saw more in one game from Kit than I've seen in Matamua.
I hope he explodes - But I just don't see it.

I feel the opinion of him here is inflated more often than not,
I also think the club having a better player in front of him and 2 of the best kids in the country right behind him all of a similar age is telling of the confidence they have in him moving forward...

Big year for him,
I see Sam, Kit and Chris rounding him up - And Fonua leaving him further behind...
 
tigerman 0 said:
Since last season when we signed all those forwards and it was apparent our backs were crap, we have gone from Brooks, Doeuhi, Wakeham to Sezer, Sullivan, Fainu.
A million times better.

Then in the outside backs i know we don’t have any superstars (apart from Bula who is great) but at least we have options.
Bula
Naden
Nofa
Lobb
Toa
Staines

At the very least it will create competition
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Add Ollam and pressure for positions is really good… underperformance should see Reggie’s. Naden really needs a big year to stay in NRL
 
boonboon said:
He had no off-season last yr. World Cup then groin injury then broken arm in 1st trial. Any player can have an injury riddled off-season and will have a poor year. He isn't someone like BJ or Naden with a history of attitude problems he is a professional who had a down year due to no pre-season. In the poor year he played 17 nrl games, averaged 126 meters and his missed tackle % at 79% was similar to all his other years and made 6 line breaks.
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I agree you couldnt fault his attitude but he has lost his heart when he got smashed by Olakau'atu. Link here
(number 5). He got smashed like never before. .Since that game Bellemy looking to bail him. Its not like Melbourne have superstar centres ahead of him, but Bellemy has put out the trash & we are picking it up. I could be wrong but Ive seen this before . I played with some hardheads that ran over everyone until had a good hit put on them. I saw the same look in Olams eyes.

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Champ1 said:
I agree you couldnt fault his attitude but he has lost his heart when he got smashed by Olakau'atu. Link here
(number 5). He got smashed like never before. .Since that game Bellemy looking to bail him. Its not like Melbourne have superstar centres ahead of him, but Bellemy has put out the trash & we are picking it up. I could be wrong but Ive seen this before . I played with some hardheads that ran over everyone until had a good hit put on them. I saw the same look in Olams eyes.

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That wasn’t that bad of a tackle. He’s soft as if that is what’s rattled his cage.
 
boonboon said:
He had no off-season last yr. World Cup then groin injury then broken arm in 1st trial. Any player can have an injury riddled off-season and will have a poor year. He isn't someone like BJ or Naden with a history of attitude problems he is a professional who had a down year due to no pre-season. In the poor year he played 17 nrl games, averaged 126 meters and his missed tackle % at 79% was similar to all his other years and made 6 line breaks.
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Starting to join the dots..quite a plausible explanation.
Storm got rolled upfront,and need Blore much more than an
Olam
WE wld like too see the potential of Blore ,but hes invested his career elsewhere,so why bother
 
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