Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

WesternSuburbsBoy said:
Our backline still needs upgrading... I don't think one good game changes things. I remember people at the start of the year were saying we shouldn't of signed Luai just because Sezer had a good start.
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I was one of the few screaming at us for signing Sezer, he turned out better then expected.
A poorer Halfback rather then a good 5/8 trying to play halfback and failing

Our backline has just let us down game after game. Very few are bankable backs. Olam seems to be the only one who can actually bring some fear into the opposition. I love him for it but wish he could bring that every game.

The trick is "upgrading" Bennett said "you can loose any player, as long as you are improving".... We need a backline that won't concede soft tries and can cross when the opportunities come. Sezer, Api are giving them opportunities and the guys just ain't taking them.

Really worried about our front row. We have had the best forward pack for the last 5-6 years and were getting Spoons. Would hate to see Luai come here and us just get smashed up front like 2022/2021.
 
Kaito said:
Exclusive news from 'sports confidential' hehe.
I think club knows who's hot & who's not. Some of
our top 30 signings (and incentives) have been
preposterous under the old regime. Everyone you
mentioned is the new crop coming up. They all played
together, we might lose a few but keep the core
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We should be moving heaven & earth to keep Onitoni Large, Heanasi Mskasini, Christian Taupau-Moors and Phoenix Godinet.
Behind the older Lachie Galvin, Talyn Da Silva and Heath Mason, these are the diamonds in our haystack.
 
The Chad said:
The club won't be signing players to block their progress though. These guys are the future of the club- it might be too early, but they'll be given the opportunity to succeed or fail.
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Well if that’s there charter, we will lose stepho , Galvin and many other kids , because u cannot keep kids from wanting to win and if u don’t have seasoned 1st graders to show them the way , it will never work. I would rather keep 1-2 kids than try to keep 5-6 kids
 
Mccarry said:
Context: Robbie Farah is a club legend. He was a warrior for us and I miss having him in our team.

However. Robbie is not so much of a people person. That doesn’t make him a bad person. It does create an obvious talent gap for an aspiring coach.

I would prefer it stay out of specifics and I am sure plenty of others on here would have heard the examples.
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Was it two years ago while kimmorley was here he nearly got into a bust up with David Furner while he was our defensive coach.
 
The Chad said:
Keeping Naden isn't an issue. If he is your 3rd/4th centre option- he's a great player to have around. But that makes To'a expendable (and easier to move on probably). Or you keep To'a, and shift Naden. Or you keep both if you can afford them.

Doueihi's return means we don't need to buy a centre. Lualili'i & Staines along with Faatappe & Makasini mean we probably don't need to get yet another winger. It also kind of makes Lobb & Alaimalo expendable.

In the end- I'd say 2 of these guys need to be shifted. Lobb looks likely to be one IMO. Alaimalo is likely. If they can shift To'a or Naden, it gives Feledy another shot at sticking around.
Vicious said:
He’s a head shorter than Staines, not confident under the high ball and about 30m slower over 100 metres.
Sure he runs the ball hard, but being small and slow is not a good combination for an outside back.
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Everyone talks how fast Staines is?
Well I don't recall him running more than 15m with the ball in 2 seasons. And after 2 seasons not getting the ball he needs to extract the digit and go get it! Gets smashed getting out of our 20m.
Another WT myth IMO. He needs to be replaced. Even Faataage made better metres and drew 3 defenders with quick PTB'S.
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The Chad said:
Maybe not. But then Seyfarth plays there. Or Sukkar. Or Lualili'i. Or Fa'agutu. Or even Sione Fainu.

To put all our better forwards on the field might take some juggling. Or even to think outside the box & use players a little differently.
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Fair points, mate. I have similar thoughts regarding the potential logjam in the halves.
 
KCTiger2 said:
Luke had a great debut and didn’t get targeted like he probably should have

But to say that he is a good 2-3 years away from being on the same level as Staines is crazy
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Don't you mean 2-3 Foot away?
You're right - He got lucky in a game we were largely dominant....

I'd be shocked if he makes any sort of career on the Wing.
 
Vicious said:
he will not get convicted.
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You can’t say that he won’t get convicted when the process is still ongoing, no one will know whether he will be found guilty or not guilty until his case is heard sometime next year. Did you also say outright when his brother got stood down by the NRL for his sex tapes he was filming without their consent he would be found not guilty? Guess what? He was found guilty and was extremely lucky he wasn’t sentenced to prison. Also don’t forget Taylan was arrested and found guilty for assault on a man after Penrith won the comp back in 2021. He was lucky not to have a conviction recorded, but now with the charges of him assaulting his partner being looked at, there’s every chance he could be found guilty given he can’t seem to stay out of trouble with the law and has a knack for violence. Again I’m not saying he’s guilty or not guilty the court process will eventually decide that, but you can’t say outright he won’t be convicted as he’s been in trouble before.
 
bptiger 0 said:
Well if that’s there charter, we will lose stepho , Galvin and many other kids , because u cannot keep kids from wanting to win and if u don’t have seasoned 1st graders to show them the way , it will never work. I would rather keep 1-2 kids than try to keep 5-6 kids
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To a degree- yes. The Tigers WILL lose players.

Same way Penrith lose players. For every Galvin, there is a Sullivan or Latu Fainu looking for his opportunity. We will either move one on to acommodate, or lose the guy next in line to a better opportunity.

There will always be a need for some experienced players.

We have them, Utoikamanu regardless.

This is why Klemmer, Twal, Luai, Olam, Bateman, Doueihi etc hold a lot of value.

When thinking about Utoikamanu & his value- if he WASN'T there but say, Twal was- how much do you lose compared to gain? Obviously Stef is a more damaging runner, one out. But I'd argue Twal is a better defender. If the Utoikamanu money then gets spread between Galvin, Sam Fainu, da Silva etc in extending & securing them longer term...Makasini...is Twal that significant a downgrade?

I would like Utoikamanu to stay. BUT. If he leaves, it's a matter of making it count. We have a decent front row rotation without him. Does Royce Hunt on $500-600k improve that rotation? I'd rather extend 2-3 of these juniors we are banking on & keep the core of the future together longer.
 
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BlackWhiteGold said:
The Chad said:
In the forwards, with Papali'i moving on- there's still not a lot of room to move.

Tumeth looks likely to go. Utoikamanu obviously is a chance & Bateman gets mentioned quite a lot as well.

But with Twal, Klemmer, Pole, Sione Fainu, Sam Fainu, Seyfarth, Koroisau, Da Silva, Miller, Lualili'i, Fa'agutu, Matamua & Sukkar already on the books- again, there's not a whole lot of room for new faces.

I'd imagine Reuben Potter will be kept, and should be.

Before we all claim that the club has to sign this guy or that- let's say we lose Bateman & Utoikamanu.

That gives us, in theory:

13. Matamua
12. Pole
11. Sam Fainu
10. Twal
9. Koroisau
8. Klemmer

14. Sione Fainu
15. Seyfarth
16. Da Silva
17. Kit Lualili'i

This doesn't account for the development of Fa'agutu, Miller, Sukkar & leaves Porter out of the squad. Then you have Broederlow & Johannssen coming throughalong with Tofaeono.

I doubt the club is willing to give up on ANY of these younger guys coming through just yet.

I don't think the club needs to bash down the door for a Utoikamanu replacement. A physical speciman like Peter Hola (Raiders) or a workhorse that can be replaced in time easily (Liam Martin) is probably enough.
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Our conundrum atm is we currently have 30 players under ‘possible’ contracts for next season. Possible includes Stef & the options that Sezer & Tumeth have in their contracts.

So until we offload/release players or advise options are not being taken up, we cannot recruit any more players from externally or promote like Makasini to top 30.

What we can officially do is sign Makasini to a Dev deal for ‘25 with top
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Thought Fa’agutu has been released
 
Olam is replaced by Heamasi Makasini in 2026 maybe at the end of 25 if Olam makes it that far?!? First we need to resign him as well as Large. These guys need to know their path in the future team. If they keep earning it.
It is very important to keep these two as our priority. For Large I am offering him a centre pathway then taking over from Luai when his contract finishes. Remember Large will be like 21ish when Luai is close to retirement.
But they need to be Shen the clear pathway, no guarantees, but it’s there for them!
 
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