Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
- Start date
WestsTigers4VR
Well-known member
I know we’re talking about trying to get experience in our side and all but if we are being honest it’s a lot of our older and experienced players letting us down.
It’s all the younger players putting in effort and trying their guts out, to great effect or not they are showing more fight and more willingness to chase the game than others and it’s quite embarrassing.
There is talk about younger players not having those “scars of losing” so in their mind everything is possible and it’s clear when we are on the front foot how much is played of the young blokes.
Outside looking in I’d say Stef needs to drop to the bench. Klemmer can stay cause regardless of what people expect or want of him he is not that type of player that AFB, Stef and Haas are. He does his job and he does it well: Make his tackles, take his hit ups and throw the occasional offload. He is consistent in that.
I know a few people on here don’t really like Bloke in Bar or Kemp's takes but I think he’s pretty spot on in the fact that Stef and Klem are way to big of a front row pairing to start the game off. Alex Twal is very agile for a forward and extremely strong defensively so we can sure up the middle and not have soft breaks like against the sharks.
It’s all the younger players putting in effort and trying their guts out, to great effect or not they are showing more fight and more willingness to chase the game than others and it’s quite embarrassing.
There is talk about younger players not having those “scars of losing” so in their mind everything is possible and it’s clear when we are on the front foot how much is played of the young blokes.
Outside looking in I’d say Stef needs to drop to the bench. Klemmer can stay cause regardless of what people expect or want of him he is not that type of player that AFB, Stef and Haas are. He does his job and he does it well: Make his tackles, take his hit ups and throw the occasional offload. He is consistent in that.
I know a few people on here don’t really like Bloke in Bar or Kemp's takes but I think he’s pretty spot on in the fact that Stef and Klem are way to big of a front row pairing to start the game off. Alex Twal is very agile for a forward and extremely strong defensively so we can sure up the middle and not have soft breaks like against the sharks.
Said this since this pairing started last year. I feel they are too similar and lack mobility. They are both very upright runners. Half the reason why Newcastle improved pairing an unknown Thompson with Safiti after moving on Klemmer. Similar shapes in the forward pack don’t work.
BAGNF05
Well-known member
Neither of them have great leg speed. Even Pole takes a while to wind up, his footwork is great though. It’s that wrecking ball type of forward that everyone on this forum is crying out for. Sadly, they don’t grow on trees.
weststigerman
Well-known member
I always hear this talk of a “wrecking ball” front rower. To me that just sounds like another way of saying an elite prop.
I’m curious to understand what you mean by that? JFH or Fonua-Blake? Or budget like Royce Hunt?
Agree but not all teams have them at prop , but they do seem to have at least 1 of them in the pack.
Olakuatu for manly, Kicks for the dogs, Sua, Leulia the Dragons, Fifita Titans to name a few that aren’t props but are just as effective as a go to hit man.
BAGNF05
Well-known member
I think quick leg speed players who are hard to tackle. Taumalolo in his prime the obvious example. AFB another. Junior P and Josh Pap in their early years but have slowed. Moses Leota also comes to mind.
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BAGNF05
Well-known member
Yeah it just changes how you construct your sets but generally it’s easier to get downfield and they get you some cheap tries.
I’d like to think Samuela Fainu will be pretty hard to handle in a year or so.
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Thinking the same. Oddly enough as he already is such a large forward in stature but he looks like he has a teenagers lanky build and could definitely put a fair bit more muscle on that frame.
BAGNF05
Well-known member
And already breaking tackles on the edge with regularity 🔥
Just checked his profile. He is apparently 109kg. You’ve got Olakuatu at 113kg and Kikau at 116kg. He is close and could easily add 4 or 5kg to his frame for physicality without losing speed or agility.
BAGNF05
Well-known member
You have to think he’s even better next year. Galvin will improve. Pole is getting better. Bula is consistent. Luai isn’t coming to play with a pack of guys who are over the hill.
That’s the light at the end of the tunnel for me. Big job for the club and coach but not hopeless.
I agree on some including Brooks is the same, a 5/8 forced to play out of position for a long time. I think Leilua has been good at the dragons, Garner in the 17 for the 3 time premiers almost every week, Ofahengaue & Aloia have also been solid this year. All of those players on current form would make this team easy. Hard to really judge Simpkin after only a month into a new system.
I get what you are saying tho, I guess it is a career graveyard if you come here. I wonder if it’s worth it to the players coming here for the overs knowing it will most likely be their careers over by the time they leave
Perspective 👍
My main concern isn’t the players who have moved on from us getting better at other clubs so much as it is the good players we’ve bought from other clubs turning to crap once they put the Tigers jersey on.
Tigerdazz2
Well-known member
Wayne Bennett has a keen eye, we saw what he did in the lead up to Dolphin's inaugeral
Tigerdazz2
Well-known member
Wayne Bennett sure makes astute signings. (Bennett's fingerprints are all over it) We've all seen what he has done since the lead up to the Dolphin's debut season and in the time since.
He's starting to put together a his squad for season 2025 and he's just signed this young blokes who is currently at the Storm. He looks a real goer, he'd of looked good in a Tigers jersey!
He's starting to put together a his squad for season 2025 and he's just signed this young blokes who is currently at the Storm. He looks a real goer, he'd of looked good in a Tigers jersey!
No good. According to some on this forum he would be crap as soon as he gets here.
Tom Shines
Well-known member
You list some but don’t mention others … there are a lot of players that have left the Tigers this past decade .. so all boxes will be ticked by several at their new club ..bad, the same and improved …
Aloiai looks better to me , along with Brooks … Joe is ok… but I actually rated him when he was here ..too early with Liddle ..some were terrible when they were here and were terrible at their new club like Mbye and Musgrove ..and I’m betting you can add AJ to that list … of course Teddy and Moses went on to be superstars .. Madden was crap when he was here … how could he not be better getting picked for first grade at the Broncos? but off the top of my head I could also mention the likes of Brown, Taupau and Lodge who arguably were better at their next club ..if there is a list let me know and I’ll pick out others Im sure ..
. I am gobsmacked with Talau … I laughed at my Manly supporting friends when they bought him … I didn’t think he was an NRL first grader … Im not laughing now ..
no good player seems to get worse at their next club after leaving here… unlike a lot we sign
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WestsTigers4VR
Well-known member
well well well…. Johnny Morris as the defence coach…. To be honest I didn’t think much of it till I googled but during his reign at the sharks during the 2019-2021 seasons his final two seasons saw his team top the list of most missed tackles. While equally having to make the least amount of total tackles in the comp for one of them and not so far off for the other. Thoughts?
Prime Api better than prime Farah in my opinion, mate.
