Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[BlackWhiteGold]

I don't think it's a miracle we've won two games. there is genuine quality in our current 17, with a number of serviceable players in Sione and Latu, Naden, To'a, Matamua and Kepaoa. it falls off after that. a few injuries and we will definitely struggle, but at full strength and with our heads in the game we are a decent side.

I think it's a massive disservice to Luke Laulili'i that you haven't mentioned him above. he's been brilliant in Cup dealing with RMC-standard halves. Miller is a huge project but he is talented, no question. Feledy is an NRL-calibre attacking player and while his defence needs considerable work, he is definitely one to watch.

you're right in regards to HM but there's every chance someone jumps out of the ground and takes their opportunity. very much a wait and see type scenario.

Richo's right in the sense that we've got a decent squad, we just need to recruit some quality in the outside backs and bolster our depth in the forwards. that will mean we have to make a few tough calls on some youngsters, but it's really only 2-3 players needed for the top 17 with an additional few as depth options. we do that and I believe we will have the right mix of quality, depth, leadership and youthful exuberance.

With Feledy, he has has an uncanny knack of finding the try line, a combination of his strength, hole-running & ability to get a ball down too. However, I want to see his tackling technique improve and ability to tackle 1-on-1 front-on around the hips & chest. I haven't seen this in him yet. Too many arm grabs & pulling someone down from the side. If he could tackle like Latu Fainu, he will be something!!!

 

[Telltails]

I cannot believe many of our supporters still think it’s ok for an edge back rower to never ever make a line break, rarely if ever break a tackle or score a try, rarely if ever contribute to a line break or a try,
EVERY other NRL team has edge back rowers that do this regularly.
Last season everyone was blaming our halves, surely this season the excuses have run out,
Kepaoa for all his faults at least knows how to hit a hole, runs the ball with enough venom to break tackles and threaten to make line breaks.
If he doesn’t start and Papali’i to 13, then Benji is off his head.

I don't think anyone thinks that's ok. Same as when Luc L was playing 80 and was good with the ball but got gassed and caught out in D - use to get bagged on here consistently. Left on big dollars to play at the Cows for half the workload. The expectation placed on decent players to play 80 and be able to shine in all areas is unrealistic. Not sure how much longer Api can do it before he starts getting bagged. Good clubs strengthen their rosters around their good players and if we don't we will continue to be the transit lounge for other clubs to pick off our players who get sick of no reward for busting their a*#_*.

 

[Vicious]

Throw em in there too. I was just providing some more appropriate metrics than simply stature.

Though, as I indicated this was for a forward, I doubt try assists, tries, line break assists or line breaks are at the top of the priority list.

It is for the other 16 NRL clubs, why not us ?

 

[hammertime]

Something of interest from NRL

Wests Tigers have conceded only five second-half tries (ranked No.1 in the NRL).

Maybe we get benji to do his half time talk at the start?

 

[Vicious]

Maybe we get benji to do his half time talk at the start?

I like that 👍
And thank god we are number 1 in something.

 

[Kelce68]

It is for the other 16 NRL clubs, why not us ?

The other 16 clubs look for forwards who have high line break assists and try assists do they?

Righto.

 

[Vicious]

The other 16 clubs look for forwards who have high line break assists and try assists do they?

Righto.

We it magically happens regularly for them, so I assume so.
It is also fact we have by far the least attacking impact from our edge back row of any team in the NRL.
It is also fact that boring predictable attack only puts added pressure on the teams defence.

 

[balmain boy]

Im hearing what you're saying, and I don't disagree, but the examples you've used is more a sample of better players, rather than bigger players.

For example, I could say, would you rather Cam Murray at lock or big Matt Eisenhuth? Would you rather Reuben Cotter or Big Nelson at prop? And would you prefer Billy Slater or Big TrellMit at the back?

I like big and powerful too, but I prefer better to bigger.

Ultimately, as with anything, I think we need balance.

Agree, we certainly need balance. What i was saying was we had an entire age group where all of the players coming through were nuggets, there's not enough balance there.
I certainly don't want size for the sake of size, a team of Chris Pattersons and Steve Trindalls will get us nowhere in the modern game. But for players like Kit and Faagutu they have their work cut out to have perfect tackling technique every single time they're tacking on a rival forward who's 15 cm and 15 kgs bigger than them. That's a lot of weight and power to try and eliminate, shut down the ball to stop offloads, put someone on their back etc. There's very few forwards under 180cm in the NRL, even not many backs.
Gallen wasn't huge, still a lot bigger than the two i just mentioned, but he had the mongrel to always get the job done.
Same with slow backs like Faatape and Feledy. If the Hammer, Alex Johnston or almost anyone makes a break they have no chance of catching them. If there's a kick near them it's very hard for them to contest, if they get isolated one on one they will concede almost every time. I rate Solomone Saukuru much higher than these two because he has more size, power and more pace than they do.

 

[weststigerman]

I cannot believe many of our supporters still think it’s ok for an edge back rower to never ever make a line break, rarely if ever break a tackle or score a try, rarely if ever contribute to a line break or a try,
EVERY other NRL team has edge back rowers that do this regularly.
Last season everyone was blaming our halves, surely this season the excuses have run out,
Kepaoa for all his faults at least knows how to hit a hole, runs the ball with enough venom to break tackles and threaten to make line breaks.
If he doesn’t start and Papali’i to 13, then Benji is off his head.

Papali'i made 13 line breaks the year before he joined us. Why is he hitting holes at Parra and not with us?

I have the same question for many of the players we've signed from other clubs.

 

[Kelce68]

We it magically happens regularly for them, so I assume so.
It’s fact we have by far the least attacking impact from our edge back row of any team in the NRL.

Does it?

Oh, we're on edge backrowers now? I'd mentioned forwards, which includes props, but no worries.

Got any data to back that up?

Seems as though you made an assumption about what we were talking about without reading the original post.

You also forgot that I said 'throw them (those things) in there too' in direct response to your original suggestion.

The list I made wasn't exhaustive or exclusive either, I merely mentioned other things more important than size.

Include whatever you want.

But maybe take some time to read the posts you're responding to a little more carefully before combatively arguing against a tangential point that wasnt being made.

 

[balmain boy]

Disagree we have the weakest squad in the comp....IMO Dragons, Titans and Dogs are weaker than ours

They all have more Origin players than we do. Dragons have comprehensively beaten us twice in the past few months. Both the Titans have bigger packs than us, and faster backs than us. Dogs are hot and cold like us, but have many more match winners than we do.

 

[GCfan]

Question for those on the know of lower grades, doesnMason have the skill set to transition into centre? if he’s the kid I remember he’s built like a brick outhouse, A bit like Timoko from Canberra. I understand hes a fullback so his path is probably blocked in that position.

 

[Vicious]

Papali'i made 13 line breaks the year before he joined us. Why is he hitting holes at Parra and not with us?

I have the same question for many of the players we've signed from other clubs.

I have no doubt Papali’i is trying and most of his charges are strong, despite not really looking like making a line break, hence the reason who I think he’s slowed down a little since his days at the Eels and no doubt he’s not getting the same service he was back then.
Whatever is causing the problem, we cannot and will not progress as a team until this massive issue of next to noncore is rectified.
Just lucky we signed Olam as he is the only one on either edge that offers any attacking impact and the only one that hits hard enough to worry the opposition and force turnovers.

 

[Vicious]

Question for those on the know of lower grades, doesnMason have the skill set to transition into centre? if he’s the kid I remember he’s built like a brick outhouse, A bit like Timoko from Canberra. I understand hes a fullback so his path is probably blocked in that position.

Not impossible, but the one weakness I have noticed is his front in defence, therefore not a great weakness to have when playing as a centre.
Andrew Johns has been saying the modern day centres have become battering rams that run hard lines and are physical in attack and defence, I think he’s on the money with these comments.

 

[weststigerman]

I have no doubt Papali’i is trying and most of his charges are strong, despite not really looking like making a line break, hence the reason who I think he’s slowed down a little since his days at the Eels and no doubt he’s not getting the same service he was back then.
Whatever is causing the problem, we cannot and will not progress as a team until this massive issue of next to noncore is rectified.
Just lucky we signed Olam as he is the only one on either edge that offers any attacking impact and the only one that hits hard enough to worry the opposition and force turnovers.

Yeah I agree it's a problem but I think we need to figure out why we can't get these guys in space. I don't think it's just down to players not being able to break the line. For example, our passing is so slow by the time Papali'i gets the ball he has defence allover him.

Similar story for our wingers, compare that with how Penrith get their wingers in space.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Honestly 300k would be a good price for him. You have someone who could be a 3rd forward/prop from the bench but cover some positions in the backs.


Ofcourse it won't happen and no we shouldn't sign him. His attitude is wrong for what we are buidling.
We need to remember and keep in mind that Benji is a Rookie coach. NO PROBLEM CHILDS! That includes Latrell Mitchell.

Nothing more than a speculative idea and apologies if others have posted this. What about a deal with Manly to take Schuster & give them Jayden Sullivan at the end of this season, both Mario Tartak clients. Both players on similar contract duration with the aim to come out with some spare change. Plan would be to develop him either as ball-playing middle or edge, whatever Benji feels would suit. Reuniting him with the Fainus & playing under Benji may just put the fun back in the game for him.

 

[TigerLove]

With Feledy, he has has an uncanny knack of finding the try line, a combination of his strength, hole-running & ability to get a ball down too. However, I want to see his tackling technique improve and ability to tackle 1-on-1 front-on around the hips & chest. I haven't seen this in him yet. Too many arm grabs & pulling someone down from the side. If he could tackle like Latu Fainu, he will be something!!!

Hopefully he is learning from the big "O" and can mimic his defence in time 🤞

 

[Odessa]

Nothing more than a speculative idea and apologies if others have posted this. What about a deal with Manly to take Schuster & give them Jayden Sullivan at the end of this season, both Mario Tartak clients. Both players on similar contract duration with the aim to come out with some spare change. Plan would be to develop him either as ball-playing middle or edge, whatever Benji feels would suit. Reuniting him with the Fainus & playing under Benji may just put the fun back in the game for him.

You don't think the dragons will be after him ?

 

[BirchgroveTigers]

I was there mate, the score flattered us and St George bar a few patches were nothing special. As supporters we are alway trying to find a positive in our defeats. Sunday they were absolutely terrible and were blessed we were not playing a gun side. I can see another massive score line being posted by one of the hot attacking sides in the coming weeks if last Sunday was a indication

I mostly agree with that, was just in regards to comments that Benji's reputation has suffered or that players wont sign with us because of that result. Regardless of this poor result, this year - so far! - has been an improvement on the field as well as peoples opinions towards the club. Fully expecting two steps forward, one step back. Just hoping we broadly stay on an upward trajectory.

 

[Vicious]

Yeah I agree it's a problem but I think we need to figure out why we can't get these guys in space. I don't think it's just down to players not being able to break the line. For example, our passing is so slow by the time Papali'i gets the ball he has defence allover him.

Similar story for our wingers, compare that with how Penrith get their wingers in space.

That is very true and probably the reason our attack has functioned better with Galvin in the team.