Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[balmain boy]

Might find player to do same job for far less outlay. Every Newcastle forward showed same or better effort than Steph but none of them get anywhere near the money Steph gets.

Actually the saifiti brothers both get more, and frizzel on about the same. So um yeah...

 

[tigermate]

We suck lol

If flanno coached our team we’d have as many wins as the drags

I think it’s the coach

I don’t think any other team would take benji and farah as coaches… like zero

 

[balmain boy]

I agree with your post apart from where you called him an athlete.

Our three fastest players are Bula Staines and Naden. Naden is also got the size and strength to be a threat. He's just got $#?! For brains

 

[BAGNF05]

Our three fastest players are Bula Staines and Naden. Naden is also got the size and strength to be a threat. He's just got $#?! For brains

Speed and strength = athlete
Coke and running into touch = Naden

 

[balmain boy]

Bit harsh.

No. Just honest. We have the worst backline, keeping any of the losers in our outside backs other then Olam is suicide.
I think Staines, Naden and Toa could all get a run in the UK though, they're all young enough, and at a lower price could do well there.
Hopefully getting on the phones to try help them earn a decent payday and prolong their careers. Can't see any of them getting a gig at any NRL clubs

 

[The Chad]

The club won't go out & sign a massive amount of new players because they want to ensure there is a path for the juniors coming through.

Miller, Fa'agutu, Lualili'i x 2, Makasini, Mason, Latu Fainu, Sukkar- these guys, while not 'ready', are not going to have new players put in front of them now, only to hold back their path.

So it's a balance of depth, expectation & immediate results that would be incredibly difficult to manage at this stage.

Luai & Turuva at the probable expense of Sezar & someone like Alaimalo.

A decision on if Doueihi is part of the squad. While he has MANY detractors on here, at worst he offers a 1st grade level outside back option. At best- he's a starting player & solid improvement on Naden etc.

A fringe reserve forward or two could be removed to bring in some rotational depth from outside. I don't think it's starting quality forwards required. But players that offer something different to Twal & Seyfarth. Thomas Mikaele for mine, is a good, cheap option to fill that kind of role.

I don't know where too many more additional signings fit, without holding back guys the club expects to be a part of the playing group soon.

When the club has DEPTH of the likes of Faataape, Naden, Staines, Seyfarth, Twal, Mikaele instead of these guys being part of the starting squad- then we are in position to start taking advantage of our junior development.

 

[mikey]

The club won't go out & sign a massive amount of new players because they want to ensure there is a path for the juniors coming through.

Miller, Fa'agutu, Lualili'i x 2, Makasini, Mason, Latu Fainu, Sukkar- these guys, while not 'ready', are not going to have new players put in front of them now, only to hold back their path.

So it's a balance of depth, expectation & immediate results that would be incredibly difficult to manage at this stage.

Luai & Turuva at the probable expense of Sezar & someone like Alaimalo.

A decision on if Doueihi is part of the squad. While he has MANY detractors on here, at worst he offers a 1st grade level outside back option. At best- he's a starting player & solid improvement on Naden etc.

A fringe reserve forward or two could be removed to bring in some rotational depth from outside. I don't think it's starting quality forwards required. But players that offer something different to Twal & Seyfarth. Thomas Mikaele for mine, is a good, cheap option to fill that kind of role.

I don't know where too many more additional signings fit, without holding back guys the club expects to be a part of the playing group soon.

When the club has DEPTH of the likes of Faataape, Naden, Staines, Seyfarth, Twal, Mikaele instead of these guys being part of the starting squad- then we are in position to start taking advantage of our junior development.

That's the strategy but it's like banking on Phar Lap's colt bring like Phar Lap. We're relying on potentiaI, not actual ability.
I'd prefer we recruit to get to the point where 1st grade is strong while developing juniors; and like Penrith we are discarding the chaff to places like us.

 

[Tom Shines]

The club won't go out & sign a massive amount of new players because they want to ensure there is a path for the juniors coming through.

Miller, Fa'agutu, Lualili'i x 2, Makasini, Mason, Latu Fainu, Sukkar- these guys, while not 'ready', are not going to have new players put in front of them now, only to hold back their path.


A decision on if Doueihi is part of the squad. While he has MANY detractors on here, at worst he offers a 1st grade level outside back option. At best- he's a starting player & solid improvement on Naden etc.

A fringe reserve forward or two could be removed to bring in some rotational depth from outside. I don't think it's starting quality forwards required. But players that offer something different to Twal & Seyfarth. Thomas Mikaele for mine, is a good, cheap option to fill that kind of role.

I don't know where too many more additional signings fit, without holding back guys the club expects to be a part of the playing group soon.
to start taking advantage of our junior development.

Douehi is NOT an outside back … you are also contradicting your argument.. won’t he “hold back the “development” of these young guys .., why is it ok for him to do it ::: but not a better player?

 

[Hbom]

Agree on Naden. Bit harsh on Staines. Toa - played 40 mins of football this year, deserves a look under benji and co.

 

[Tom Shines]

That's the strategy but it's like banking on Phar Lap's colt bring like Phar Lap. We're relying on potentiaI, not actual ability.
I'd prefer we recruit to get to the point where 1st grade is strong while developing juniors; and like Penrith we are discarding the chaff to places like us.

potential just means you haven’t actually done anything yet

 

[Demps]

Douehi is NOT an outside back … you are also contradicting your argument.. won’t he “hold back the “development” of these young guys .., why is it ok for him to do it ::: but not a better player?

AD is now viewed exclusively as an outside back, by the club.

A good return will likely see an extension.

 

[Tom Shines]

AD is now viewed exclusively as an outside back, by the club.

A good return will likely see an extension.

That’s a big if … he won’t have played for like over a year when he comes back …

 

[Demps]

That’s a big if … he won’t have played for like over a year when he comes back …

It isn't like boxing, with "ring rust"

He's been doing it his whole life.
Team sport.
He knows the whack...

Starford played half a game in cup and was straight into first grade.

AD is coming back, up to him how strong he comes back though. He could really stand up in an area where we're lacking.

 

[Tom Shines]

It isn't like boxing, with "ring rust"

He's been doing it his whole life.
Team sport.
He knows the whack...

Starford played half a game in cup and was straight into first grade.

AD is coming back, up to him how strong he comes back though. He could really stand up in an area where we're lacking.

I don’t agree when it comes to long term leg injuries …ACL’s and Achillies

 

[Nonotmeagain]

Even in Cleary’s absence he hasn’t been the main playmaker although he probably was in last nights game I didn’t watch the second half. I know he was the 7 in lower grades so I’m hoping he plays like that when he’s here for us. I think he can do it but not gonna judge until he arrives.

That's no problem WT's can make any player a lower grade just give us a season!

 

[hank37w]

How was he a good recruit? He got punted from Penrith for Ill discipline after getting on the coke gf week then did nothing at the dogs. Why did we think we can change people? That was the old regime anyway and I have faith it’s changing.

Yeah I was critical of him at the time for the Grand Final/Coke episode and he was not performing at the Dogs at the time and it should be added that not all that many were around the time of Trent Barrett "looking a bit tired."

It was publicised at the time that we got him early to mid season for a bargain basement figure with the Dogs paying a fair chunk of freight to move him on.

At the time I thought that no doubt we were probably nearing the mid season point where we had to finalise our numbers for the top 30 to be compliant and as we didn't look like we were going to get some superstar to get to the 30 then why not a bargain basement signing.

Also at the time it was also made known that Brent Naden and Daine Laurie were really good mates and I thought there was the possibility that the two of them at the same club may lift them and bring about some sort of a positive change in their general attitude and performance.

I thought it was a pretty good deal at the time with probably more positives than negatives around it.

I believe we originally signed him from the Dogs for the remainder of 2022 and for the 2023 season, around 18months, not too bad if the Dogs were in fact paying a fair chunk of his contract for that period.

Where it all turned to crap was when only about 3 months later we extended his contract until the end of 2025, which I thought was a totally unjustified knee jerk reaction after playing only a handful of games and scoring 3 or 4 tries for us we thought he had turned full circle and was going to be a superstar with all all the other teams in the NRL set to swoop on November 1.

As usual it turned out to be the wrong move, after a reasonably good finish to the 2022 season he has failed to play regular first grade through a number of injuries and suspensions and when he has been on the field, poor discipline and brain snaps have let both himself and the team down more often than not.

As I said, a good recruit on the initial contract when he came over from Canterbury, a bad signing on the contract we gave him only 3 months later.

 

[hank37w]

Sure he was cheap, that’s for a reason. You get what you pay for - well we certainly have…

He was a terrible recruit. He showed zero nrl level form for 2yrs+ before joining. We were desperate & we acted like it. Then we renewed him for 3yrs without him showing anything and injured.

At the dogs they couldn’t get rid of him fast enough as he kept dropping the ball and missing tackles. It was the quickest release ever. He only joined us because we were the only club he would be guaranteed to play nrl with (those were his words as well).

I have already made a reply to @BAGNF05 who was similarly critical of my comments as follows:

Yeah I was critical of him at the time for the Grand Final/Coke episode and he was not performing at the Dogs at the time and it should be added that not all that many were around the time of Trent Barrett "looking a bit tired."

It was publicised at the time that we got him early to mid season for a bargain basement figure with the Dogs paying a fair chunk of freight to move him on.

At the time I thought that no doubt we were probably nearing the mid season point where we had to finalise our numbers for the top 30 to be compliant and as we didn't look like we were going to get some superstar to get to the 30 then why not a bargain basement signing.

Also at the time it was also made known that Brent Naden and Daine Laurie were really good mates and I thought there was the possibility that the two of them at the same club may lift them and bring about some sort of a positive change in their general attitude and performance.

I thought it was a pretty good deal at the time with probably more positives than negatives around it.

I believe we originally signed him from the Dogs for the remainder of 2022 and for the 2023 season, around 18months, not too bad if the Dogs were in fact paying a fair chunk of his contract for that period.

Where it all turned to crap was when only about 3 months later we extended his contract until the end of 2025, which I thought was a totally unjustified knee jerk reaction after playing only a handful of games and scoring 3 or 4 tries for us we thought he had turned full circle and was going to be a superstar with all all the other teams in the NRL set to swoop on November 1.

As usual it turned out to be the wrong move, after a reasonably good finish to the 2022 season he has failed to play regular first grade through a number of injuries and suspensions and when he has been on the field, poor discipline and brain snaps have let both himself and the team down more often than not.

As I said, a good recruit on the initial contract when he came over from Canterbury, a bad signing on the contract we gave him only 3 months later.

 

[Nonotmeagain]

Richo has come out and stated that our recruiting for 25 is complete I'm hoping he's woken up this morning and rethinking that, a few players need to be told to look around, I wouldn't be resigning Stefano, with fanua Blake Shire bound, I'd be looking there to see who has to stand aside, same at the chooks, there's talk about pressure on Angus Crighton with fafita coming, but as they do they'll manage to fit him under there expansive cap, with vilandys blessing of course, Xavier willison was impressive Friday night, I'd be asking him if he'd be interested in a starting spot with us, but firstly, Naden, Seyfarth, stains klemmer and Bateman need to be sold off

You can't sell contracts in the NRL.

 

[Vicious]

Naden has plenty of natural talent, but it seems when he loses confidence such as missing an easy one on one tackle, dropping the ball or running over the sideline, it snowballs and just goes from bad to worse.
At his age and experience it’s unlikely he can overcome this problem.
I’m tipping Benji will give him a chance to redeem himself this weekend, you would have to think if we see another disaster of a game such as last weekend, we would have to come to the conclusion that it’s not going to benefit us moving forward.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

The club won't go out & sign a massive amount of new players because they want to ensure there is a path for the juniors coming through.

Miller, Fa'agutu, Lualili'i x 2, Makasini, Mason, Latu Fainu, Sukkar- these guys, while not 'ready', are not going to have new players put in front of them now, only to hold back their path.

So it's a balance of depth, expectation & immediate results that would be incredibly difficult to manage at this stage.

Luai & Turuva at the probable expense of Sezar & someone like Alaimalo.

A decision on if Doueihi is part of the squad. While he has MANY detractors on here, at worst he offers a 1st grade level outside back option. At best- he's a starting player & solid improvement on Naden etc.

A fringe reserve forward or two could be removed to bring in some rotational depth from outside. I don't think it's starting quality forwards required. But players that offer something different to Twal & Seyfarth. Thomas Mikaele for mine, is a good, cheap option to fill that kind of role.

I don't know where too many more additional signings fit, without holding back guys the club expects to be a part of the playing group soon.

When the club has DEPTH of the likes of Faataape, Naden, Staines, Seyfarth, Twal, Mikaele instead of these guys being part of the starting squad- then we are in position to start taking advantage of our junior development.

I think you're on the money @The Chad about not recruiting from outside which blocks pathways.

I think Benji is giving as much opportunity as he can to our current contracted players so players feel they have his trust & faith.

In the back of his head, I reckon he wants to see Twal & Seyfarth own their positions as well as T'oa & Naden. If more of the same continues, I could see one of each duo moved on. Someone like a Royce Hunt would then be a good option as an experienced impact middle off the bench and someone who could mentor Jordan Miller.