Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Oldman]

The difference I see this year is the youth policy they are pushing,
Galvin
S.Fainu
Matamua
Pole
Bula
All playing NRL and learning which is only going to help us over the next couple of years
Everyone knows how different the NRL is to reserve grade let alone Jersey Flegg so I don’t get comments like they should go back and learn their trade in these teams.
IMO
They are exceeding expectations at this point for their age remembering they are playing in the wooden spooners team not sitting pretty in a top 4 side.

 

[balmain boy]

Who do you think we can even sign for this year no one is available

You've really never seen midseason transfers before? Or do you live under a rock
Also players not getting a look in at other clubs, especially those off contract, will push for a move to us even if only for 6 months, if they get a realistic chance for first grade to push their claims for next season

 

[BAGNF05]

The difference I see this year is the youth policy they are pushing,
Galvin
S.Fainu
Matamua
Pole
Bula
All playing NRL and learning which is only going to help us over the next couple of years
Everyone knows how different the NRL is to reserve grade let alone Jersey Flegg so I don’t get comments like they should go back and learn their trade in these teams.
IMO
They are exceeding expectations at this point for their age remembering they are playing in the wooden spooners team not sitting pretty in a top 4 side.

Four of those guys are consistently our better players too, there’s definitely reason for hope.

 

[Needaname]

Benji giving the kids a crack is all well and good but we loose shit loads more games than we win , yep bring in the kids but you can’t win games consistently with fringe first grade players , we have to many

That’s exactly why he is bringing them in. You don’t keep 20 kids on a first grade roster. You pick the best 5 or so and look to the next group to come through behind them.
I’d be surprised if everyone does not get a look in.
Expecting another couple of debuts before the season ends.

 

[The Chad]

I know you have all laughed at the Hetherington/Horsburgh suggestions.

A pack of Hetherington, Horsburgh, Seyfarth, Klemmer & Bateman sounds like a potential disaster.

But consider one thing- how often do we see the Tigers out muscled, bullied, beaten up & on the back foot?

What do JWH, Collins & Radley do?

You can have all the skill players you like, but if you don't own the middle, you get beaten. Those 5 guys named lack a certain amount of skill. But they won't step down from a challenge either. I'm betting nobody uses the words 'weak', 'soft' or 'pillow' in relation to them.

Blocker often talks about how teams didn't want to play the Knights in their early years because you KNEW you were coming home wearing bruises. We are bringing a squad of kids through. They will be fast tracked through the grades. Learning behind a veteran pack that dishes out pain as a staple....you laugh, but I think it sets your culture.

Maybe you don't take all of them. But if we lose Utoikamanu & replace him with Hetherington or Horsburgh, the middle becomes a hazard for the opposition.

 

[liltiger]

One the pitch together once, in the bin or on suspension together the rest of the time...

They'd be suspended after the first round but whoever we played in round 1 would never be the same.

 

[liltiger]

Dogs warn they're keen to sign even MORE players | Wide World of Sports

It's starting to look like the Dogs have got themselves a Sombrero as well.

Uncle Laundy

 

[liltiger]

I know you have all laughed at the Hetherington/Horsburgh suggestions.

A pack of Hetherington, Horsburgh, Seyfarth, Klemmer & Bateman sounds like a potential disaster.

But consider one thing- how often do we see the Tigers out muscled, bullied, beaten up & on the back foot?

What do JWH, Collins & Radley do?

You can have all the skill players you like, but if you don't own the middle, you get beaten. Those 5 guys named lack a certain amount of skill. But they won't step down from a challenge either. I'm betting nobody uses the words 'weak', 'soft' or 'pillow' in relation to them.

Blocker often talks about how teams didn't want to play the Knights in their early years because you KNEW you were coming home wearing bruises. We are bringing a squad of kids through. They will be fast tracked through the grades. Learning behind a veteran pack that dishes out pain as a staple....you laugh, but I think it sets your culture.

Maybe you don't take all of them. But if we lose Utoikamanu & replace him with Hetherington or Horsburgh, the middle becomes a hazard for the opposition.

This. Gus said Hetherington is an anomaly. He said he is one of the most gifted forwards he has ever seen. Reckons he's a great athlete could be the best forward in the game only problem is he's a nut. Maybe if we just give him some valium before running out, but we need someone with his agro and mongrel. Whether him or someone else it would be awesome to finally have a real enforcer. Who was the last enforcer we had in our pack that made an opponent think twice.

 

[weststigerman]

This. Gus said Hetherington is an anomaly. He said he is one of the most gifted forwards he has ever seen. Reckons he's a great athlete could be the best forward in the game only problem is he's a nut. Maybe if we just give him some valium before running out, but we need someone with his agro and mongrel. Whether him or someone else it would be awesome to finally have a real enforcer. Who was the last enforcer we had in our pack that made an opponent think twice.

No. He’s basically the forward version of Naden. He will never learn.

 

[king_sirro]

Want to ask you a question you know alot more about rugby league then me

In your opinion how much is Stef worth and will he be a big loss?

Thanks for the compliment, many on here would certainly disagree haha.

Your question is a really hard one to answer. One week I think he is a big loss, the next I think he isn't worth it.

You look at what he did against Canberra and the Titans and its hard to find a forward who an do that. I don't expect him to be that dominant every week, but for 900k I expect his lesser games to be of more value. Even with a lack of possession, he should always crack 100m in a game, but he doesn't always do that.

I guess he is worth what more then one club is willing to pay, so that looks like 850-950k.

If I'm in charge of the cap, I'm working really hard to not pay that for an inconsistent forward. I would be looking to get 2 of the following players instead
NAS
Safiti
Williams
Willison
Maybe Hunt although I'm not totally sold on him.

 

[king_sirro]

This. Gus said Hetherington is an anomaly. He said he is one of the most gifted forwards he has ever seen. Reckons he's a great athlete could be the best forward in the game only problem is he's a nut. Maybe if we just give him some valium before running out, but we need someone with his agro and mongrel. Whether him or someone else it would be awesome to finally have a real enforcer. Who was the last enforcer we had in our pack that made an opponent think twice.

I think he is considered the fastest forward in the game over 20 metres. Unbelievable for someone his size. Looks like he could make an incredible edge backrower with his size, power and speed. However he just can't put it together. He has been tried on an edge and his swinging arms in one on one situations were a problem, so he was moved back the the middle to simplify his game, but that hasn't really done much. He has barely held his spot in the 17 in every club he has been at. Its so hard for me to get my head around.

 

[Tucker]

I think he is considered the fastest forward in the game over 20 metres. Unbelievable for someone his size. Looks like he could make an incredible edge backrower with his size, power and speed. However he just can't put it together. He has been tried on an edge and his swinging arms in one on one situations were a problem, so he was moved back the the middle to simplify his game, but that hasn't really done much. He has barely held his spot in the 17 in every club he has been at. Its so hard for me to get my head around.

The problem with guys who have built their game on aggression is if you temper it too much they fade away.
If his talent is worth it, you have to factor in he’ll be missing some weeks…just as Roosters still do with their hard men.

 

[Telltails]

Hetherington seems to be one of those when triggered all rules go out the window. The fact with all the talent he can't seem to maintain a place in FG in any of the clubs he has been at - when not suspended - and all have been happy to let him go, its a hard no from me for a club that many feel is already targeted by the referees.

 

[Nonotmeagain]

I see the Roosters granted another exception to bring in that Union guy after the Olympics.

He'll just be another serviceable winger in the NRL - it was only through the lack of real competition he rose above Super Rugby standard.

 

[bptiger 0]

We did get Luai over the line on his watch, and that was with competition for his signature. We got Teruva without it being in the press and under the noses of otrher interested clubs. He got Galvin back on the straight and narrow when everyone else was agitating. And under the old regime we would have locked Stef away for $1.1M per year on a 6 year contract because of the fallout in the media if he left. Richo is holding his nerve on this one. He doesn't want to pay overs for a front rower, and particularly one who goes missing any time he is up against an alpha pack of forwards. He has gone on the record as saying he won't pay $1M for a front rower.

Maybe stepho goes missing against the bigger packs because he has no one to help him , we lack size in our pack . Just thinking that’s in his head ?

 

[liltiger]

No. He’s basically the forward version of Naden. He will never learn.

Probarbly right. Just love the fact he's a nutter

 

[weststigers]

With Doueihi playing reasonably well in attack, it probably pushes Turuva to a wing for the time being. Not a bad thing because we are short there.

VERY SHORT

He's just on 6 foot. Not the tallest, but not the shortest either. Penrith seem to be doing alright with To'o and Turuva.

If you push Turuva to the centres next year, Doueihi has no place in the starting team. Perhaps Doueihi plays 14 in that scenario which would be handy, but you run without a backup hooker. I think Heath Mason becomes the 14 in time and Da Silva takes over from Api. The problem then is you need to find 2 wingers and there just aren't 2 wingers available right now to accommodate this.

As always, players are released in the off season, so that may change.

 

[Nonotmeagain]

Why would we not be trying to get Blaize Talagi ?
Have watched him play 5/8,centre,wing & fullback this year excelling in all positions and he is coming off contract.
Seriously meets all the requirements we are looking for in our backline.

A tired Bradford Best outpaced him twice in the last 10 minutes last week to score tries from his errors. Don't think his pace is elite and seemed flustered in the decision making when the game was on the line.

 

[magpies forever]

If Tumeth and Matamua are paid out and let go that is a couple more highly prized juniors who haven’t kicked on. Is that a failure in identification or development, or both?

To me, Tumeth was never going to make it. He was a small framed back rower at a time when back rowers were getting bigger and more dynamic. I’d put that down to a failure of identification.

Matamua on the other hand was a highly prized young player who hasn’t kicked on. Development? Maybe it’s the player. I still think he has some potential as he’s only 20 I think and has transitioned from five eighth to lock. But so far I’d have to put this down to a development failure.

If they are released, I suppose we have to put these two down on the list of other highly touted juniors who never did anything at our club (Groat, Cini, Talau, Madden, etc). I worry the Kit and Luke will be added to this list soon. They are both too small for their respective positions in the modern game.

Agree, there has been a persistent misidentification of players to retain / extend as well as all too panicky lets offer them a top 30 spot to keep them. I also think that for years we have for some reason gone against the general type of player for specific roles eg small, not overly fast backline players for wing and centre, wrong body types for backrow, etc. We have finally got it right in the halves after a wasted decade but a so far behind in the backs now and falling behind in the forwards now. We always seem to be a work in progress.

 

[batboy]

Agree, there has been a persistent misidentification of players to retain / extend as well as all too panicky lets offer them a top 30 spot to keep them. I also think that for years we have for some reason gone against the general type of player for specific roles eg small, not overly fast backline players for wing and centre, wrong body types for backrow, etc. We have finally got it right in the halves after a wasted decade but a so far behind in the backs now and falling behind in the forwards now. We always seem to be a work in progress.

How the likes of Tumeth was offered a development contract over the likes of Ngutlik (Example only)
has me beat!!
I've not seen anything from Tumeth (At any level) that screams NRL to me, The amount of our development players that finish up and go back to Shield or RM Cup (At best) is frightening....