Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[AdelaideTiger]

As has been pointed out before, Benji has come off the heels of 3.5 years of Madge, who did exactly that.

So, it may be an overcorrection, which is probably likely, but it also may be a gradual build whereby Benji sees rapport as priority number 1, make everyone happy and committed, then, once the cohesion and trust is established within the squad, start to dial up expectation as priority 2.

The alternative is coming in swinging for the fences and cracking whips from the outset and risk alienating large swathes of the roster, something that has happened at several clubs, not just ours, and something that Benji wants to avoid at all costs I'd say.

It remains to be seen if we have the patience to play that card.

Or, I could be miles wide of the mark.

Yeah agree there's a balance, the stick wasn't working so Benji chose to use the carrot more.
It worked well for the young blokes, they all came in a played above expectations, it was the old guard that didn't roll their sleeves up.

We still won nearly double the amount of times in 24 that we did in the previous two seasons, a culture change comes from the playing group, the coach just provides the right environment. I believe that Luai will give Api the support to make that change.

 

[madgey76]

Hodgo ffs no wonder we struggle, love the bloke but he is not what we needed, only reason I can think is he won’t question our head coach Bunji.
Talk about jobs for the boys, if we are even near the bottom say in rd10 I would like to think they will punt benji and get us a real coach.
Bunji didn’t want Holbrook now I no why FMD

 

[Jolls]

Just listening to Shawn Blore speak about Craig Bellamy and how tough the preseason was for those guys! Blore almost fainted a couple of times due to the intensity. It’s no secret why the Storm are so successful. It’s no fluke Bellamy has made 11 Grand Finals in 20 years which is ridiculous. They demand hard work and character.

Then I listen to Galvin on the footy show yesterday, speak about how Benji is all about creating a loving, fun environment. That’s our biggest flaw. We don’t flog our players enough to see what they’re really made of. Until that changes nothing changes at this club.

I don't think there is a correlation between the two statements. You can still have an enjoyable training environment and meet the physical requirements. You can do endless sprints or you can do strength and conditioning games, you can do endurance runs or you can carry logs/team members over an obstacle course to create fatigue and mateship at the same time - the list is almost endless.

Is it the training or the roster? Is it the youth (physically less developed) or the strength and wrestling programme? Is it the the conditioning of the players or their talent?

We definitely need to focus on strength, wrestling and conditioning - but I think that is a reflection of the age of our roster; perhaps we need a better programme as well - but unless you are there how do you know?

 

[jrtiger]

I've always felt chips are in with Benji for all of 2025.

This season was the start of a long-term plan to expose our key juniors to the rigours of the NRL, weed out those not in for the crocodile roll, recruit 5-6 players with the right stuff and roll out the game plan Benji wants.

Now he'll up the training ante in pre-season, adjust the support team around him with Richo's guidance, secure the pathways players he wants to retain based on positional depth charts and have enough quality in the NRL top 17 to progress pathways players through the more traditional route of Ball into Flegg into Cup in '25.

It will be an interesting next 4 weeks to see who the club can manage to 1 release, 2 recruit & 3 retain before pre-season kicks in! Plus hopefully a major sponsor announcement and confirmation of new independent Board directors etc.

I don't want it to be November 1 and we're still wondering on the above!

a lot of similarities between 2024 Tigers and 2023 Dogs.

not saying we'll have a similar season to what they've had this year, I don't think we will, but there is rightfully cause for optimism, providing we can still bring in a few players and shed some others.

 

[Tom Shines]

Looks like Madge to Broncos is a done deal, NSWRL have released him.
Blues need a new coach

Benji?

 

[Flippedy]

Just listening to Shawn Blore speak about Craig Bellamy and how tough the preseason was for those guys! Blore almost fainted a couple of times due to the intensity. It’s no secret why the Storm are so successful. It’s no fluke Bellamy has made 11 Grand Finals in 20 years which is ridiculous. They demand hard work and character.

Then I listen to Galvin on the footy show yesterday, speak about how Benji is all about creating a loving, fun environment. That’s our biggest flaw. We don’t flog our players enough to see what they’re really made of. Until that changes nothing changes at this club.

They were flogged by Madge apparently but that didn’t work either so where do we go?

 

[Don Kershane]

Bone and muscle needs to be a requirement for the players prior to the start of the season. Perhaps we should employ Gai Waterhouse as a consultant to give the boys a few barrier trials and geld the ones not putting in.

 

[Tom Shines]

They were flogged by Madge apparently but that didn’t work either so where do we go?

no disrespect intended… but perhaps you need to sign the right players first before you attempt to flog them in the preseason…

Also.. does Bellamy leave at 5pm?

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Bone and muscle needs to be a requirement for the players prior to the start of the season. Perhaps we should employ Gai Waterhouse as a consultant to give the boys a few barrier trials and geld the ones not putting in.

The ones not putting in should be relocated to another stable

 

[cqtiger]

You can flog the bejeezuz out of a reserve grade side and they’ll still be reserve grade

 

[Tom Shines]

You can flog the bejeezuz out of a reserve grade side and they’ll still be reserve grade

So don’t sign them up to begin with

 

[user118245]

no disrespect intended… but perhaps you need to sign the right players first before you attempt to flog them in the preseason…

Also.. does Bellamy leave at 5pm?

Does he have a family? If so does he want to go home to them 😭 #footy>family #bellyachelifestyle

 

[Tom Shines]

Does he have a family? If so does he want to go home to them 😭

We laughing at Bellamy ? really ? 😂

 

[tigermate]

all we need now is to sack heighno and bring in fitzhenry to run water...

then next year we can sack morris, hodgo and fitzy and bring in Gibbs, princey and fulton.

let the 2005 gravy train roll on.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

What about Benji?

 

[Tom Shines]

all we need now is to sack heighno and bring in fitzhenry to run water...

then next year we can sack morris, hodgo and fitzy and bring in Gibbs, princey and fulton.

let the 2005 gravy train roll on.

yeah … it ain’t great … but what was the expectation… some former first grade coach was coming here to be an assistant ? … and by the way he wasn’t going to be a distraction in case they start 1-4 next year … ?

Benji been here 2 years now … he needs to poo or get off the pot ..

 

[tigermate]

yeah … it ain’t great … but what was the expectation… some former first grade coach was coming here to be an assistant ? … and by the way he wasn’t going to be a distraction in case they start 1-4 next year … ?

Benji been here 2 years now … he needs to poo or get off the pot ..

i wouldve loved to have seen an assistant who has been under bellamy or robbo come in.

just anyone who has come from a successul system - penrith, storm, roosters.

and someone with a harder edge.

instead we get another mate of benjis

 

[coivtny]

Bone and muscle needs to be a requirement for the players prior to the start of the season. Perhaps we should employ Gai Waterhouse as a consultant to give the boys a few barrier trials and geld the ones not putting in.

That was TJ's training motto. Heard him say it often "muscle and bone".

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Yeh. Not Robbo. Cant even succeed lately with a roster where almost in every position a player is a rep.

 

[batboy]

all we need now is to sack heighno and bring in fitzhenry to run water...

then next year we can sack morris, hodgo and fitzy and bring in Gibbs, princey and fulton.

let the 2005 gravy train roll on.

Na..... That's not our go.
Fitzy doesn't meet the pre-requisites of having zero coaching experience!!

Fitzys been a trainer / coaching since he finished with us.