Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tucker]

I feel the same.
With the season collapsing the club was searching for a feel good story to drive home their pathways position.
With Fonua Pole doing so well (though recruited outside of our system and a tad older) the club wanted to push the local junior narrative and I feel used Matuma as a bit of an incentive to our younger talented brigade.

100% and this is not just opinion, they outright said so on many occasions

Matamua’s star rises higher after being elevated to top 30 squad

Wests Tigers contract extension to 2025

southwestvoice.com.au

 

[GNR4LIFE]

100% and this is not just opinion, they outright said so on many occasions

Matamua’s star rises higher after being elevated to top 30 squad

Wests Tigers contract extension to 2025

southwestvoice.com.au

Another highly touted junior about to fall by the wayside. It’s why you cannot put any stock into what players do in the junior grades.

 

[Needaname]

100% and this is not just opinion, they outright said so on many occasions

Matamua’s star rises higher after being elevated to top 30 squad

Wests Tigers contract extension to 2025

southwestvoice.com.au

Small bug bear of mine; but when a timeframe is quoted to make a point, can’t the person do the research and say 1 or the other.
Not having a single response shows either a lack of interest about the topic or a lack of interest in their role.

 

[Needaname]

Another highly touted junior about to fall by the wayside. It’s why you cannot put any stock into what players do in the junior grades.

You’re missing the point.
And it seems with Marshall in charge he is already setting in place plans in motion to temper the expectation of development on our young talent with TDS back to SG ball this week.
Whilst it was exciting to see him get a chance last year. With Api extending to end of 26 there is no need to rush his development.
The one that does need absolute consideration is Simpkins. Off contract this year.
By seasons end.
Benji needs to either.
Resign Simpkin.
Recruit a back up hooker
Or Bring TDS up to speed where he can physically play the game.

 

[Red88_Tiger]

I think they got overexcited when setting up the pathways and blew their load too early.
They continue to do so with TDS and now Galvin.
Killing it in the juniors means squat when it come to professionals. Making Australian Schoolboys is a reward for the work done in the juniors. It has no bearing on being a pro.
The club proudly boasted that our pathways were working as Matamua went from Matts to first grade in 2 and a 1/2 years or so. He clearly wasnt ready despite what Sheens and Pascoe were saying publically.
He is contracted here till the end of 25 and we are already talking about moving him on?

I understand your point but don’t totally agree
Whenever a new coach takes over at any club there’s always a different view of players leading to many being moved on or jumping ship of their own accord
I dare say sheens may still be a fan

 

[Needaname]

I understand your point but don’t totally agree
Whenever a new coach takes over at any club there’s always a different view of players leading to many being moved on or jumping ship of their own accord
I dare say sheens may still be a fan

Ok.
He went from playing 5/8 in every one of his junior rep games to being ushered in as a lock / prop off the bench in NSW cup / NRL.
Didn’t need to debut that year, especially when he hadn’t spent any time transitioned as a forward.
Same with Katoga.
That backfired didn’t it; he pushed for a release to get more first grade game time but yet was happy to play the same position at the dogs.
In a way, displaying an over desire to debut kids before their time. Affects their mentality and physicality but all so their expectation of where they see themselves positioned in the game.

A round 1 trial is fair enough then back to the grades for you but pushing for a debut before their time is problematic.

My thoughts on Galvin. Depends how he trials this week but I’d say he isn’t being talked about at all if we didn’t have Doueihi out with a knee injury.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Looks like the Dragons have caved and given Luc 900k 😂

 

[426Tlgerland]

Looks like the Dragons have caved and given Luc 900k 😂

Wow I think that is paying overs , $ 750 max he ain’t that good

 

[Mistymuzzle]

Also wanted to ask if you have heard anything on Tumeth? Heard he was close to heading off to Newcastle a few weeks ago but not heard anything since then.

Tumeth is leaving the club

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Wow I think that is paying overs , $ 750 max he ain’t that good

Imagine how much Fifita will command now.

 

[Needaname]

Looks like the Dragons have caved and given Luc 900k 😂

Saw that, wonder who misses out? And whether that is added to their cap.

 

[Needaname]

Tumeth is leaving the club

Why do we even bother with Balmain as one of our local rep teams? Not one player has been retained with talent from that side recently.
had we kept locals Conti and Nasser maybe so but otherwise what is the point?

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Tumeth is leaving the club

When ... now or end of season?

 

[Vicious]

On the minimum wage I assume they are both earning and considering how light on we are for depth on the back row, I don’t know why we would not be giving both Matamua and Tumeth a chance to see how they progress in 2024.
Both are local juniors who played for a dominant NSW u/19’s team in 2022 so there is obviously talent within them. Also not forgetting it takes many young forwards in particular a couple of years playing senior rugby league to really toughen up, mature and become the best version of themselves.

 

[Todd Packer]

"The Herald reports the deal is worth an estimated $3.7 million across three seasons, putting him among the club's highest-paid players."

Is there another Luciano Leilua? It can't be the one that walked on us and underperformed at the Cowboys

 

[Betterdays22]

The Herald reports the deal is worth an estimated $3.7 million across three seasons, putting him among the club's highest-paid players.

Is there another Luciano Leilua? It can't be the one that walked on us and underperformed at the Cowboys

I've seen Foxsports quote 2.7 and 2.3 in the same article. As usual, taken with the tiniest grain of salt.

 

[Needaname]

The Herald reports the deal is worth an estimated $3.7 million across three seasons, putting him among the club's highest-paid players.

Is there another Luciano Leilua? It can't be the one that walked on us and underperformed at the Cowboys

Woooo. Fark me Luciano is going to be the highest paid player in the game on 1.233 mill a season.

 

[Needaname]

I've seen Foxsports quote 2.7 and 2.3 in the same article. As usual, taken with the tiniest grain of salt.

You want a laugh?

As you mentioned the same article quoted two different figures.

Only the update factored in that Leulia had already been paid this season part of his contract by the cowboys so the remainder for the dragons this year is $500’000.
Hence 2.3. Foxsports have obviously updated the article.
So Cows kick in nothing and have probably paid already about $300,000 to Luciano from November leaving the dragons with the rest of the contract for the year.

 

[Mistymuzzle]

When ... now or end of season?

Wont be here before end of season

 

[weststigers]

I think they got overexcited when setting up the pathways and blew their load too early.
They continue to do so with TDS and now Galvin.
Killing it in the juniors means squat when it come to professionals. Making Australian Schoolboys is a reward for the work done in the juniors. It has no bearing on being a pro.
The club proudly boasted that our pathways were working as Matamua went from Matts to first grade in 2 and a 1/2 years or so. He clearly wasnt ready despite what Sheens and Pascoe were saying publically.
He is contracted here till the end of 25 and we are already talking about moving him on?

It's a fair comment.

People need to remember, these kids are not training full time or at least haven't been training full time for very long and have not played against men.

Only very few can handle the physical jump.

For those of us that played, it's a little bit like when you first realised that your body can't do what your brain told it to do. The difference being the young kid can still grow physically and ease into it. Their strength against other kids their age that don't train full time doesn't translate to the men's game until they physically develop.

TDS especially needs a year or two. I think people forget he is still 18. He's done well so far, but you can see he struggles physically after sustained defence.

I love some comments on here about these young guys "packing on muscle" in a pre-season to be ready for NRL. If it only took 3 or 4 months to put on 10kg of pure muscle, we'd all be jacked. Plenty of gym rats on here can verify. It's not that easy.