Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[WestsTigers4VR]

Don’t know if this sounds misogynistic but if they were hyping us up with a women’s team signing that’ll do me. Surely common sense would prevail in that it’s not something worth hyping the fans up about. But maybe I’m wrong, maybe everyone here was actually wanting/expecting a NRLW signing.

 

[Bula]

Rehab 😂

Latrell said No, No, No.

 

[Nonotmeagain]

Don’t get this we have 6 development spots, don’t get the need to move him on now? He has a 3-4 year contract. Even if he’s promised a top 30 which I doubt as he was signed as a kid not highly touted. I reckon he’s agitated to get out he’s got a call from the gulls or something. Bad move at least swap him for someone we need, otherwise keep him. Why do we need to keep being the dallits!?

He's an untried player at NRL level, hasn't set the world on fire in the games he's played and has a limited skill set - what's the big deal ? Because the media put some label on him doesn't make it so and maybe the Tigers were of the opinion he just wasn't suited to the Tigers happens in every club. You can't "swap" players if there's no players who want to play for your team.

 

[weststigerman]

The Narven Willett loss will come back to haunt, cant believe they let him go.

You could be right but I’m not convinced.

I can’t think of any really tall fairly slow players who have made it in the NRL. Maybe Shaun Lane?

You have to be either quick or powerful and he is neither at the moment. Alex Lobb has the same problem.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Is this old too??

Another Wests Tigers outside back set to depart for rival

He spent time with the NRL squad over the summer.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[Tiger Stripes]

Why not as head coach. Benji as assistant.

Want to replace Benji with another greenhorn. WTF?

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Don’t get this we have 6 development spots, don’t get the need to move him on now? He has a 3-4 year contract. Even if he’s promised a top 30 which I doubt as he was signed as a kid not highly touted. I reckon he’s agitated to get out he’s got a call from the gulls or something. Bad move at least swap him for someone we need, otherwise keep him. Why do we need to keep being the dallits!?

Using an NFL term, I'd say this has a bit to do with our club 'Depth Chart'.

The club would have one for each position including a succession plan in that position for older players.

Maybe (and I'm just speculating) Benji sees the likes of Luke Laulilii (18), Makasini (17), Solo Saukuru (20), Tino Tavana (20), Maxwell Taotua (19), Cameron Kanaan (19), Xavier Tauaifaiga (18) ahead or equal to him for outside back depth in that 18-20 age range.

And @ROZELLE.O.G mentioned I think that the club are possibly trying to get Mikey Nassar back from the Roosters.

 

[Tiger_Yoshi]

Is this old too??

Another Wests Tigers outside back set to depart for rival

He spent time with the NRL squad over the summer.

www.zerotackle.com

We seem to be losing quite a few up and coming "stars" to other clubs.....Hope its our "choice" rather than the players not wanting to be here...

 

[hsvjones]

We seem to be losing quite a few up and coming "stars" to other clubs.....Hope its our "choice" rather than the players not wanting to be here...

I actually think most are our choice.. We have too many in the same positions and cutting the ones we don't need and creating spots for the ones we do want.
Richo is all over this I believe, and I also think Richo has told Benji not to select Sullivan and hold firm to help him take other options.

 

[KCTiger2]

There is a couple of posts about us “losing” Will Craig

Apparently that is all bullshit and he never signed with Penrith and we never signed Harrison Hassett

Looks like the whole story was just a load of shit

 

[KCTiger2]

Using an NFL term, I'd say this has a bit to do with our club 'Depth Chart'.

The club would have one for each position including a succession plan in that position for older players.

Maybe (and I'm just speculating) Benji sees the likes of Luke Laulilii (18), Makasini (17), Solo Saukuru (20), Tino Tavana (20), Maxwell Taotua (19), Cameron Kanaan (19), Xavier Tauaifaiga (18) ahead or equal to him for outside back depth in that 18-20 age range.

And @ROZELLE.O.G mentioned I think that the club are possibly trying to get Mikey Nassar back from the Roosters.

Would really love to get Nassar back hasn’t got much time at the chooks I don’t think but definitely has a future here if he works hard

 

[Pascoes_barber]

Don’t know if this sounds misogynistic but if they were hyping us up with a women’s team signing that’ll do me. Surely common sense would prevail in that it’s not something worth hyping the fans up about. But maybe I’m wrong, maybe everyone here was actually wanting/expecting a NRLW signing.

Who's been hyping anything up?

 

[WestsTigers4VR]

Who's been hyping anything up?

The club… which has talked it about on the Tim Johannssen episode of Behind The Roar and also at the end of the signing announcement of Jeral Skelton: “Further signings will be announced in the coming days.” Haven’t heard much on the signing front, just figured if your gonna say it at least make it worth it or just keep your mouth shut about signings.

 

[hsvjones]

The club… which has talked it about on the Tim Johannssen episode of Behind The Roar and also at the end of the signing announcement of Jeral Skelton: “Further signings will be announced in the coming days.” Haven’t heard much on the signing front, just figured if your gonna say it at least make it worth it or just keep your mouth shut about signings.

Spot on....
Considering where we are at, we hang onto anything positive to look forward to and if it was not locked in or unsure you just don't say anything..

Pretty sure Richo goes on about the MEMBERS and how important we are, but this is pre-school stuff getting the fans excited for nothing.

 

[The Chad]

Don’t need to. Hetherington has been sent off and sin binned multiple times. Horsburgh was sent off about a month ago in NSW Cup.

You’d think people would be tired of seeing us play with 12.

You actually make my point. You remember sensational moments. Horsburgh got sent off, yes. But how many penalties has he given away this year?

Hetherington was, I think, nearly 200th in the penalties given away this season. You talk about him being sin binned & sent off. Cool. When was the last time?

You know what they don't do? Give drive killing penalties away on the regular.

You remember one or two moments (and in Hetherington's case- from 2-3 seasons back) and assume they are ill disciplined.

 

[ChilledChaos]

Bunty Afoa would be an underrated signing that should be looked at! Huge post contact metres every game! Hasn’t had many chances this year!

 

[weststigers]

Horsburgh is one of the hardest running guys available. His previous 2 seasons in Canberra were outstanding.

Hetherington & Horsburgh, combined with Klemmer, Sam Fainu & Seyfarth represent a hard edge in defence. I'm far more concerned about the soft underbelly of our middle than our ability to make metres.

An upgrade out wide generates more overall game metres through Turuva & Skelton- putting our middles in better position from their first hit up.

Sione Fainu & Pole would be the hard running middles that people get excited about.

But it's holding the middle together & making it an uncompromising place to run that I'm more focused on right now. Look how the Roosters forward pack is built. The Dolphins are similar. It's more about taking away the opposition attack than it is about generating our own.

The consensus is that Horsburgh & Hetherington are lunatics. I disagree. I think they are tarnished by a couple of 'sensational' penalties- but in general, rarely give penalties away- unlike the current crop of forwards we have. It's about being imposing, without being dumb.

Dylan Walker (or Jazz Tevaga) offer position flexibility. Why have him over Da Silva? Is Da Silva going to develop more in the 20 minutes he might get a game in 1st grade or from a full game, surrounded by a more experienced & competitive KOE pack? I'm not saying we don't use Da Silva. Just that a season of sitting on the bench for 15-20 minutes when Koroisau is weary isn't going to have him ready to go.

The Liam Knight reputation is completely overblown. He's dominated at KOE level all season- but again, tarnished by a couple of moments that people believe are his "every moment". Again- I'd have him in the mix, pushing for inclusion in the squad. Not handed a spot.

People don't want to take risks on guys like Horsburgh but want to buy in on perennial 20 minute bench guys like Royce Hunt.

I think you're over selling Horsburgh. He's serviceable, but no team is shaking in their boots thinking of him.

He'd be ok, but we would still need a top prop.

 

[WesternSuburbsBoy]

The club… which has talked it about on the Tim Johannssen episode of Behind The Roar and also at the end of the signing announcement of Jeral Skelton: “Further signings will be announced in the coming days.” Haven’t heard much on the signing front, just figured if your gonna say it at least make it worth it or just keep your mouth shut about signings.

Yep... even as someone who's defended this current admin needlessly putting out that statement on the end of the Skelton signing announcement & then almost a week later still not announcing anything is a very poor look.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Spot on....
Considering where we are at, we hang onto anything positive to look forward to and if it was not locked in or unsure you just don't say anything..

Pretty sure Richo goes on about the MEMBERS and how important we are, but this is pre-school stuff getting the fans excited for nothing.

All we can do is speculate until the club feeds us some signings.

I've had a good look at our roster & I'm fairly certain we won't be making any signings to our top 30 until the end of the season & we have formally freed up more spots. By that I mean, club has advised situations for Tumeth & Sezer moving forward and anyone we want to move on has taken up a deal elsewhere (hopefully Naden & Bud).

However what the club could be set to announce are extensions (Pole, Galvin ... fingers crossed) or pathways upgrades (Makasini, Large, Godinet, Hodges, Aho/Herman, Haywood into development or T&T etc) or external recruits into T&T contracts.

The BTR last week alluded to depth signings in key positions & Richo has spoken about more experience in NSW Cup so I reckon we could be getting a triple announcement of T&T recruits ...

Tristan Hope (hooker)
Reuben Porter (backrow)
One of Liam Knight, Jordan Grant* or Peter Hola (middle)

* I'm thinking someone like Jordan Grant (his brother Tim is working at the club) might be one as he is a player who knows he won't be getting a Top 30 contract anywhere so a T&T deal at this point is good to lock in.

 

[weststigerman]

You actually make my point. You remember sensational moments. Horsburgh got sent off, yes. But how many penalties has he given away this year?

Hetherington was, I think, nearly 200th in the penalties given away this season. You talk about him being sin binned & sent off. Cool. When was the last time?

You know what they don't do? Give drive killing penalties away on the regular.

You remember one or two moments (and in Hetherington's case- from 2-3 seasons back) and assume they are ill disciplined.

I'm okay with conceding penalties as long as they are smart. Bryce Gibbs gave away quite a few penalties, but often they were when the team was on the back foot and effectively slowed things down.

Send offs and sin bins is what costs the most and they are both guilty of it this season (not 2-3 seasons ago).

I'm confident Richo agrees and is smart enough not to sign them both. We'll see.