Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[hodgo]

I

What a load of rubbish , u ask all 17 coaches who they regard as essential, I bet to a man they say forwards win matches , u ever tried coaching a team with crap forwards and great backs , it doesn’t work 50 years ago and it don’t work today

I think you are jumping the gun. No one said you don't need ok forwards just that they arent required in the same vein they used to be. i just don't think you need the gun forwards you used to. Good solid forwards are the go.

 

[batboy]

Doesn’t sound like you have actually watched much of To’o.

When that one trick is running through tacklers it makes you a pretty valuable rugby league player.

I will add that it’s potentially not a sustainable way to play the game into your 30’s. Josh Mansour aged quickly.

As did the likes of Nofoaluma and Utai before them....
I've watched plenty of To'o, As much as anyone here I'd safely bet....
Much more than Most.

He does what he does very well, No doubt....
doesn't have enough in his kit bag for me.
That's why anyone banging on about him only refers to his meters, or finishing...

I'm looking for a threat in the air, some size and some speed....
Pretty basic requisites of a modern day Winger you'd think?
He's not real flush with any of that...

 

[Harvey]

Some interesting stats around run metres for wingers as opposed to props and how it translates to winning

Top 5 Wingers for Metres 2024:

Jacob Kiraz (Bulldogs) - Finals
Brian To’o (Panthers) - Finals
Greg Marzhew (Knights) - Finals
Kyle Feldt (Cowboys) - Finals
Daniel Tupou (Roosters) - Finals

Top 5 Props for Metres 2024:
Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors) - Missed Finals
Joseph Tapine (Raiders) - Missed Finals
Mitchell Barnett (Warriors) - Missed Finals
Jack De Belin (Dragons) - Missed Finals
Corey Jensen/RCG (Broncos/Eels) - both missed finals

Our props made the least metres, so surely we should have been further up the table.

 

[BAGNF05]

As did the likes of Nofoaluma and Utai before them....
I've watched plenty of To'o, As much as anyone here I'd safely bet....
Much more than Most.

He does what he does very well, No doubt....
doesn't have enough in his kit bag for me.
That's why anyone banging on about him only refers to his meters, or finishing...

I'm looking for a threat in the air, some size and some speed....
Pretty basic requisites of a modern day Winger you'd think?
He's not real flush with any of that...

I’ll give you aerial threat.

Everything else he excels at and many of those are weaknesses we need to address.

 

[BAGNF05]

Our props made the least metres, so surely we should have been further up the table.

The point of the post was that wingers can offset front row metres.

Not when you have Charlie Ragdoll and Brent I’ll be back in 10 mins as your first elect wingers.

 

[Buttface]

He's not about to cause speculation and destabilise Penrith midway through the finals.

The denial often happens before the truth.

 

[Tigersmurf]

Warbrick will have eclipsed him by mid next year...
Not just Physically.
(Has already IMO)

To'o is a one trick pony - Can make dirty yards....
Limited Speed Wise, Limited in the Air.
I'd rather have a Winger that doesn't make quite as many yards - but is faster, bigger and better with the high ball.
He just doesn't get challenged in the air as much at Penrith as he would elsewhere simply because most teams that play Penrith are kicking from well inside their own half.

Overall,
The Panthers game makes him look much better than he is,
And he costs too much. Anyone talking about buying a Winger for 900k is on Crack.
- We'd be buying a contract the panthers could do without.

For some reason this post reminds me of a line out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory:

"I bet the golden ticket makes the chocolate taste terrible".

 

[weststigerman]

The To'o stuff reminds me of every finals series where the rumour is we have signed players "who are currently playing in the finals" and would be announced once the finals finished.

You know what happened after the finals finished? Nothing.

 

[bptiger 0]

You have put words in my mouth there mate. I was referring to the yardage game. Do Penrith have crap forwards?

No 😜

 

[balmain boy]

So true. If this does come to fruition, we'll be paying for one of the best wingers in the world at the peak of his powers PLUS the experience, leadership & cultural value he brings to the squad PLUS the marketing power he brings to the club. So $800k would be good value IMO.

We would need to go higher than 800k. Bula is on 800k ffs. The best winger in the world will want 900k, and that's fair enough.

We need to change the culture at the club, releasing losers and signing winners is how we do that.

We don't have many/any other players on big money long term, most clubs have 2-3 players on close to a million. You want to have a few elite players and then some cheapies to round out the 30. Having a squad full of Nadens, Toa's and Staine's on 350-400k kills the club. Having Too on 900k + Saukuru on 150k is so much better than having Naden Toa and Staines for the same value.

Of course we just need to release the deadwood, yet again.

 

[Masterton]

When it comes to the indigenous players the whole world are wrong and bad, "all good bra" why wouldn't they carry on like that everyone bends over backwards for them

If you think it's only indig players racking lines, you're delusional.

 

[Needaname]

All I'm saying is Brian To'o has twice now shut down any speculation of him wanting to leave & the Penrith CEO has come out & shut down any talk of him leaving either. He's contracted to Penrith till 2027 & there is no chance in hell they'll be letting him go early. Just saying so we don't have to see 5 pages of imaginary backlines with Brian To'o in them.

I’m curious why that is the case. Why has he had to shut it down twice, if it was already confirmed as a non event back in the middle of the year when it became a media topic?

 

[Needaname]

I think you answered your own question there. Defence wins comps and they play an important role in controlling the ruck. Panthers control of the middle is a big reason why they're so successful.

If a team is consistently losing the ruck in defence, the wingers can't do a thing about that.

Just watch To’o in defence, that’s all I have to say.

 

[Needaname]

Warbrick will have eclipsed him by mid next year...
Not just Physically.
(Has already IMO)

To'o is a one trick pony - Can make dirty yards....
Limited Speed Wise, Limited in the Air.
I'd rather have a Winger that doesn't make quite as many yards - but is faster, bigger and better with the high ball.
He just doesn't get challenged in the air as much at Penrith as he would elsewhere simply because most teams that play Penrith are kicking from well inside their own half.

Overall,
The Panthers game makes him look much better than he is,
And he costs too much. Anyone talking about buying a Winger for 900k is on Crack.
- We'd be buying a contract the panthers could do without.

I hear Maika Sivo might be interested if you are.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

He's too big. Too strong. Wont work for us.

 

[clontarfkid]

For some reason this post reminds me of a line out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory:

"I bet the golden ticket makes the chocolate taste terrible".

Warbick is already established as the best winger in the ARL
does everything very well
another great Bellamy talent identification..out of nowhere +
Were asleep at the wheel

 

[Tiger Tarl]

Not saying that I've heard either way but $2M for Luai and To'o is money well spent IMO. Regardless, best to not talk about it for a few months.

 

[clontarfkid]

He's too big. Too strong. Wont work for us.

Hes also getting on a bit..poor defence reader...but unstoppable from 20 out.
Weve hired Skelton...now need some speed in the backline

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Wouldn't hurt. But I hear you.

 

[Flippedy]

Are we going after any props? We need more props. Are RCG or NAS an option? Or anyone else?