Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Didn't he sign with Manly on a train and trial contract, and that is very low money
Yea, that would be Manly management.

Have Wayne Bennett as an assistant coach, under Anthony Siebold !?!?
"yea ah Wayne, we just need to employ someone to work with Ze-Bold The Awesome! Look Anthony is the best coach in Rugby League, we just need someone to tell him what to do, that's all."..... Manly make our board look good.
 
I know it won't happen but Taumalolo as lock is the missing piece to our forward pack. I trust that our juniors coming through are going to be great for us but still feel we are one or two signings from being truly competitive. Hope this year dispels me of that.
He’s not even anything close to that at the team he’s at (full of rep players) where his won the dally m.
you think he’s ’the missing piece’ at a club he’s never played at or likely to play at?
5 years ago he may have been handy….
Now, he’s just a label attached to what he was years ago and his pay packet.
 
I cannot understand why we never realise what areas need strengthening and sign players from other clubs early in the season to help strengthen us.
In the case of Daniel Suluka-Fifita, it seems the Bulldogs have identified "bad rugby league players" as an area of weakness. Which is odd as I think they already have plenty of those.
 
Ivan was out the moment he had the meeting to go back to Penrith, even if he stayed as coach in 2019 he wouldn’t have cared how the team performed. He wouldn’t have cared if we won or lost the game, he may act like he did but we all knew his heart wasn’t gonna be in it. No point keeping someone that didn’t want to be there. Therefore signing Bennett for 2020 wouldn’t have helped as we would’ve had to deal with 2019 first. While Madge didn’t work out, if we didn’t have him as coach that year that probably would’ve been our first wooden spoon. Still think getting Bennett under the old admin wouldn’t have worked anyway.
2019,2020,2021 and 2022 were failures under Madge. One poor Season, if Ivan stayed for 2019 and we have Bennett 2020. It was a missed opportunity
 
I seem to be one of the few who like how the Bulldogs have recruited to get their team off the bottom. One outstanding player and then a whole lot of players who were blocked at good clubs from being regular first graders but have demonstrated that they are more than capable to do the job. They now have options and depth which is often the undoing of lower teams when injuries challenge teams during the season.
 
Riccho was there when Bennett joined. Whether he played a part of getting him there I don’t know.
The story is, he almost had to amputate his foot because he had an injury and instead of it being looked at jumped straight on a plane to England to pitch South Sydney to Wayne Bennett.
Had a huge bearing in getting him there over us..
 
These signings that clubs are making , the dogs one , brown to the eagles , we could have done with them and I doubt they would have cost a lot , our club just seems to sit back while others blunder
The top 30 roster was full at the time.
 
I know. Must be too much common sense for previous coaching regimes & recruitment bosses.

Well let's have a crack ourselves!

Disclaimer being that I think the club will see what players can ultimately be developed from within to fill these necessities.

#1 WING: Big body, tall, reasonably fast, good in the air, get us on the front foot early in sets, a finishing threat by hand or foot.

- Lobb, Alaimalo, Willett are our hopes from within.

#2 LOCK: Strong defensively, very good line speed in defence, strong ball carrier, ability to pass as a link man.

- Seyfarth, Matamua, Faagutu, Laulilii are our internal hopes.

#3 PROP: Powerful runner, good leg speed & drive, impact, aggression, solid defensively.

- Tofaeono could develop, not sure of others

#4 BACK ROW DEPTH: Very good edge defence, solid ball runner, ability to play centre if used as a utility.

- Tumeth, Sukkar, Vaihu (I've written off Kepaoa sorry)

Anything else?
Yes, our issues lie with our previous management giving nrl contracts to players too soon, as the only way they had to entice them to stay. Ideally Miller, Feledy and Kit would be on no more than development contracts this season, if they were then we might have been able to sign proven first graders in the top 30. An extra Brown etc.

That back row depth chart is very scary, and not much coming through the grades, though i look forward to watching out flegg boys on saturday.
 
Yes, our issues lie with our previous management giving nrl contracts to players too soon, as the only way they had to entice them to stay. Ideally Miller, Feledy and Kit would be on no more than development contracts this season, if they were then we might have been able to sign proven first graders in the top 30. An extra Brown etc.

That back row depth chart is very scary, and not much coming through the grades, though i look forward to watching out flegg boys on saturday.

Having Nathan Brown in the Squad would be superior than both Matamua, Tumeth even Seyfarth maybe...
 
I seem to be one of the few who like how the Bulldogs have recruited to get their team off the bottom. One outstanding player and then a whole lot of players who were blocked at good clubs from being regular first graders but have demonstrated that they are more than capable to do the job. They now have options and depth which is often the undoing of lower teams when injuries challenge teams during the season.
Gus the Willy old player recruiter.
Makes public comments like we’ve recruited with purpose.
Not worried about our front row, we’ll have a hard working pack.
Follows that up with we have some exceptional young front rowers. Lock ‘em down ‘Sam Hughes’.
Following that recruits;
Zane Tetevano
Daniel Suluka Fifita
whilst keeping Poasa Faumasili on a Supplementary contract whom I have no doubt will feature in their round 1 team list.
 
Gus the Willy old player recruiter.
Makes public comments like we’ve recruited with purpose.
Not worried about our front row, we’ll have a hard working pack.
Follows that up with we have some exceptional young front rowers. Lock ‘em down ‘Sam Hughes’.
Following that recruits;
Zane Tetevano
Daniel Suluka Fifita
whilst keeping Poasa Faumasili on a Supplementary contract whom I have no doubt will feature in their round 1 team list.
Yeah they will still struggle up front, none of those guys fill you with confidence, bar maybe Hughes, but he'll need time to improve.
Also I think Gus is a willy sometimes too, but I think you mean he's being wily?
 
I know. Must be too much common sense for previous coaching regimes & recruitment bosses.

Well let's have a crack ourselves!

Disclaimer being that I think the club will see what players can ultimately be developed from within to fill these necessities.

#1 WING: Big body, tall, reasonably fast, good in the air, get us on the front foot early in sets, a finishing threat by hand or foot.

- Lobb, Alaimalo, Willett are our hopes from within.

#2 LOCK: Strong defensively, very good line speed in defence, strong ball carrier, ability to pass as a link man.

- Seyfarth, Matamua, Faagutu, Laulilii are our internal hopes.

#3 PROP: Powerful runner, good leg speed & drive, impact, aggression, solid defensively.

- Tofaeono could develop, not sure of others

#4 BACK ROW DEPTH: Very good edge defence, solid ball runner, ability to play centre if used as a utility.

- Tumeth, Sukkar, Vaihu (I've written off Kepaoa sorry)

Anything else?
Just having a look at who is off contract or potentially available in these positions of need that would be worth the club keeping an eye on:

WING: Izaak Thompson, Nick Cotric, Corey Oates. (Cotric & Thompson have the versatility to play centre, Oates previously hasn't wanted to leave Qld)

LOCK: Jack Williams, John Asiata (UK), Jazz Tevaga (Williams versatility in backrow, while Asiata/Tevaga can be lock/hooker utilities if Jake Simpkin moves on).

PROP: Oregon Kaufusi, Patrick Mago (UK).

BACK ROW DEPTH: Luke Garner, Michael Chee Kam, Euan Aitken, Jack Williams.

Any others to add to the watch list?
 
Gus the Willy old player recruiter.
Makes public comments like we’ve recruited with purpose.
Not worried about our front row, we’ll have a hard working pack.
Follows that up with we have some exceptional young front rowers. Lock ‘em down ‘Sam Hughes’.
Following that recruits;
Zane Tetevano
Daniel Suluka Fifita
whilst keeping Poasa Faumasili on a Supplementary contract whom I have no doubt will feature in their round 1 team list.
Poasa was named in the round 1 team
 
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