Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Red88_Tiger]

If Bateman doesn’t come back next year , he’s broken his contract and we won’t have to paid bugger all , if Warrington want him maybe we chip in a bit , but we hold the whip hand

I don’t know why but after reading your post I had visions of the local fuel tanker driver in a blue shearer’s singlet with a stock whip in hand standing over a skinny white Bateman
Hilarious but somewhat mentally disturbing.

 

[Needaname]

You do realise it's not a first choice strategy, right?

It's only the best option in the situation when there's nothing decent on the market or willing to come.

We just signed Skelton.
Why wasn’t he a mid season signing?

 

[Nonotmeagain]

Luai signs for money Utoikaimanu signs for knowledge

Is the NRL salary cap "broken"?

Some recent signings suggest it might be.

www.zerotackle.com

It's always about money and as he points out, it goes both ways. The club's management has been injudicious with previous signings/removals over a long term that has trashed the expectations of any meaningful turn around in the short term under the current admin.

 

[Dr_Ice]

We just signed Skelton.
Why wasn’t he a mid season signing?

Because the Dogs are in the finals race and he is a backup for the NRL side if required, they probably would not have released him

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

It's always about money and as he points out, it goes both ways. The club's management has been injudicious with previous signings/removals over a long term that has trashed the expectations of any meaningful turn around in the short term under the current admin.

No. Its not always about money. Utoikamanu signs for less money

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Currently recovering from an ACL injury after just overcoming a previous long term injury.
His resilient at least.

He hasn't had a lot of luck at present with injury but he has worked consistently hard to improve to get into the NRL in a side with great depth at prop. He has a high work rate in attack and defence. Fitzgibbon also had a high work rate.

 

[Betterdays22]

The positive in this is hopefully threefold ...

1 Mason gets experience for the rest of the season at the back
2 Bula can focus on his legs in the gym when he is able to resume some lower body weights
3 Bula won't be playing internationals so will report back for training/rehab in November

Is Mason ready to play fullback in firsts? I thought he was struggling there in cup. I guess nothing to lose by throwing him in even if Staines is probably a safer bet

 

[tigers.]

I cannot see why not .. the guy is tall enough .. big enough .. fast enough .. has great hands .. and a great understanding and anticipation of the game.

Joseph Sua'ali'i was 17 years and 294 days when he played for the Rorters .. !! So why can't the Tigers apply for a exemption for Makasini .. !! In fact Makasini's current physical body shape is bigger then when Sua'ali'i made his debut.

So Makasini for NRL 2025 is on the cards .. 🙂

Roosters have a good system to bleed younger players though . We gotta be careful don't want to expose these kids to losing and bad habits . But if he's good enough why not .

 

[Don Kershane]

No. Its not always about money. Utoikamanu signs for less money

Depends what the cut is for the manager. Do some of these players really know what deals are struck between club and manager?

 

[Tito Santana]

Forgot about Schuster. He would be massive for
us at 13 after 1yr off. I'm sure benji has tabs on whether he's been training and keeping in shape.
450-500k wouldn't break the budget, he was getting
800k at Manly. Nobody has put their hands up @ lock

Subject to reduced fatness

 

[phil1986]

The positive in this is hopefully threefold ...

1 Mason gets experience for the rest of the season at the back
2 Bula can focus on his legs in the gym when he is able to resume some lower body weights
3 Bula won't be playing internationals so will report back for training/rehab in November

Mason to get real game time for experience is a good thing to see.

 

[Canadian Club]

I cannot see why not .. the guy is tall enough .. big enough .. fast enough .. has great hands .. and a great understanding and anticipation of the game.

Joseph Sua'ali'i was 17 years and 294 days when he played for the Rorters .. !! So why can't the Tigers apply for a exemption for Makasini .. !! In fact Makasini's current physical body shape is bigger then when Sua'ali'i made his debut.

So Makasini for NRL 2025 is on the cards .. 🙂

The difference is that Makasini will still be at school next year which means he won't be able to train with the first grade squad during the week, or be able to do a full pre season.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

The difference is that Makasini will still be at school next year which means he won't be able to train with the first grade squad during the week, or be able to do a full pre season.

Schoolboy outside back debutants ... Brasher '89, Lawrence '06, could the next be Makasini '25 ?

 

[Tim Sheens]

Jahream Bula reportedly out for the rest of the season. He was said to have injured his shoulder during the Knights match, which was evident in his shoulder grabbing during the match.

He will require Arthroscopic Labral repair which will see him out for the rest of the season.

I am not unhappy that it has happened now, as it should allow him to be ready and raring to go when pre-season arrives, with new combinations and comradery to work on.

 

[magpies forever]

If Bateman doesn’t come back next year , he’s broken his contract and we won’t have to paid bugger all , if Warrington want him maybe we chip in a bit , but we hold the whip hand

I expect WT to reach agreement with payout to Bateman. We dont want him back, but he is saying the usual 'I intent to honour the contract' as a preface to getting a payout. whether he comes back somewhere else in NRL or stays in the ESL who knows? Who cares?

 

[bptiger 0]

The difference is that Makasini will still be at school next year which means he won't be able to train with the first grade squad during the week, or be able to do a full pre season.

Stuff school if the kid is a talent, his career is playing footy , if he can’t make a living in 14 years as a footy player , he would be making far more than a plumber

 

[bptiger 0]

Schoolboy outside back debutants ... Brasher '89, Lawrence '06, could the next be Makasini '25 ?

Brasher and Lawrence done alright , brasher was even through into a finals game if I remember

 

[bptiger 0]

I expect WT to reach agreement with payout to Bateman. We dont want him back, but he is saying the usual 'I intent to honour the contract' as a preface to getting a payout. whether he comes back somewhere else in NRL or stays in the ESL who knows? Who cares?

I would call his buff, demand he’s back by certain date or do him for breach of contract , time to get tough with these players

 

[TSP]

Once he is under less pressure to run the attack and lead the group as well as groom the younger players iv got no doubt he will find his best footy again.

Yes, he’s beyond any need for external motivation, he just plays for the love of the game and the fans.

And he’s still marquee, as far as can be health wise.

With Luai arriving I suspect he will dive further into his zone of comfort which unlike many others is spectacular and ethereal.

Api is one of those players who belongs to the game, not a single club or nation.

Given his less illustrious team mates with us compared to smug, there’s an argument that he’s actually stepped up his game despite age and injury.

The cynics said he was here for cash, but we paid market at best.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Brasher and Lawrence done alright , brasher was even through into a finals game if I remember

Grand Final as a schoolboy, a day many of us have tried to erase from our memories!