Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[balmain boy]

Please let me emphasise this before you read below, THIS IS A SPECULATION AND THEORY

I’m sure by now we’ve all either seen or heard some stuff about Jordan Miller, and the potential situation he is leaving. I would like to bring light to Fonua Pole’s brother Suli who has very very high wraps on him. In Sydney today training with Fonua and Sua Faalogo. You might ask how this is relevant, he was training in a WT shirt. Potentially something cooking there since he is contracted to the Melbourne Storm but in WT gear when fonua isn’t, or just a supportive brother who either got given bc he forgot a shirt to train it or chose to wear his brothers team as a joke.

Check Sua faalogo instagram story to see it from 6 hours ago

There was a rumour we had signed Fonua's brother last year, but when the season started he was still at storm. Maybe we signed him for next season. If we did I can't see nua leaving. We should also be all over Faalogo. I've been putting his name forwards for a few years now, he's exactly what we don't have, X factor. And he's also best friends with the Poles, go all in for all three and sort the rest out later

 

[balmain boy]

If we are swapping players with Manly- Toafofoa Sipley.

Hasn't he been linked previously?

What is your obsession with us signing fringe first graders?

We need top quality to dig us out of this hole. And we have the cash to splash and very few spots to work with

 

[innsaneink]

My only real concern with Lualili'i getting the nod is that it is almost gift wrapped to him. That has been my one issue with the juniors starting- they didn't earn their way in- they got in on natural ability.

It's his position eventually. No doubt. But there is no consequence to not pushing himself harder, to improve etc. He's not 100% up to NRL standard, but he's likely given a walk-up start.

For mine, Benji would be better off using aging veterans & having the kids beat them out through work.

That is why I suggest Liam Knight, Joe Stimson etc. I expect they'll get beaten out over the course of their contract. But at least the junior player worked hard & won the spot. To'a & Naden, to some degree, have earned first shot at the outside backs.

And Lualili'i has obviously worked hard to get in front of.Naden.and Toa
.. No gift wrapping imo... Yiu don't get to first grade on just talent it's obvious with him

 

[weststigers]

I love the way our recruitment has been among the worst in the comp other than signing one of the handful of best halves in the world. Also we signed the 2023 rookie of the year, who just had a beast of a game in the preliminary final and grand final. We're certainly being left in the dust by the devastating recruitment wins of such outfits as:
Brisbane: no signings
Raiders: Myles Martin, Matty Nicholson, Ethan Sanders, Savelio "that's a hot" Tamale
Bulldogs: Tom Amone, Marcelo Montoya, Sitili Tuponiua
Titans: Tukimihia Simpkins
Manly: Jazz Tevaga
Knights: Taj Annan, Francis Manuleleua, James Schiller
Cowboys: Karl Lawton, Kai O'Donnell
Parramatta: Dean Hawkins, Isaiah Longi, Zac Lomax, Jack Williams
Souths: Euan Aitken, Gerome Burns, Lewis Dodd, Lachlan Hubner, Jamie Humphreys, Max McCarthy, Josh Schuster
Dragons: Damien Cook, Valentine Holmes
Roosters: Chad Townsend

All those clubs are laughing at our pathetic haul of Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva, Royce Hunt and Jeral Skelton, I bet.

Well put.

In a year when not much was on the market, I'm pretty happy with what we've managed to sign.

 

[2041]

We did win the spoon, so we do need to recruit a lot more than other clubs too

Sure, but equally we can only sign what’s available. There’s no “you’re bad so you can have players who are contracted elsewhere” rule. I think that’s my point, actually: unfortunately, getting out of the hole this club has dug itself into Is a multi-year job. That’s reality. So denying positive progress just because it hasn’t fixed everything overnight is daft.

 

[user118245]

There was a rumour we had signed Fonua's brother last year, but when the season started he was still at storm. Maybe we signed him for next season. If we did I can't see nua leaving. We should also be all over Faalogo. I've been putting his name forwards for a few years now, he's exactly what we don't have, X factor. And he's also best friends with the Poles, go all in for all three and future the rest out later

Only thing is, does that move jahream to centres or Sua? Hopefully papi re-signs and we can bargain a loan option which then turns into a opportunity to buy him when his contract is up

 

[Lestronge]

What evidence do you have that these blokes weren’t doing their job off field?

None . I didn’t say that ! I was explaining what I meant by “do your fudging job” . And the lack of fitness , and strength and conditioning, has me 💯 convinced either the players didn’t do what they needed to , or the strength and conditioning team didn’t . Either way , it proves my point . If everyone is doing their job to the best of thier ability , and they’re honest with themself , then the results will come .
Making excuses and blaming others , and notching and moaning are the antithesis to this .

 

[Tucker]

Bateman certainly wasn't doing his job on the field, plus the fact he didn't bother to turn up for preseason two years in a row makes it pretty evident he wasn't committed off the field either

His stats weren’t as bad as people say on field.
I don’t know why he was always late to preseason. That didn’t help.

 

[jadtiger]

Bateman swap for Keppie

I laughed when i saw this because i read it as "Bateman swap for a Kelpie".A kelpie would be much better than Bateman as they are very loyal

 

[bptiger 0]

We've added:
Jarome Luai
Sunia Turuva
Jack Bird
Jeral Skelton
Royce Hunt

3 off them are backs the other two are fringe players at best , weather u like it or not ice and stepho are better than the two we got , wait till u see them preform in there new teams , and again what have we got to fall back on , OUR great nsw cup players , our club never learns , we let players walk whenever they like , even when contracted . The answer is get a coach like Bennett no matter what it costs and see the club go forward, he was available but we stick with rookie coach , no wonder players are walking out the door

 

[bptiger 0]

Well put.

In a year when not much was on the market, I'm pretty happy with what we've managed to sign.

Agreed done fantastic signing, but we NEED grunt up front or these great signing will mean bugger all , because we will be going backwards

 

[Ron Brodrick's Spirit]

3 off them are backs the other two are fringe players at best , weather u like it or not ice and stepho are better than the two we got , wait till u see them preform in there new teams , and again what have we got to fall back on , OUR great nsw cup players , our club never learns , we let players walk whenever they like , even when contracted . The answer is get a coach like Bennett no matter what it costs and see the club go forward, he was available but we stick with rookie coach , no wonder players are walking out the door

It's not players walking out the door that's the problem.
It's we can't get players to walk out the door that's the problem.

 

[tigermate]

3 off them are backs the other two are fringe players at best , weather u like it or not ice and stepho are better than the two we got , wait till u see them preform in there new teams , and again what have we got to fall back on , OUR great nsw cup players , our club never learns , we let players walk whenever they like , even when contracted . The answer is get a coach like Bennett no matter what it costs and see the club go forward, he was available but we stick with rookie coach , no wonder players are walking out the door

I would be shocked if galvin extends considering all of isaac moses players leave … they all not like the coach? Or do we have other moses players on the books?

 

[pawsandclaws1]

2041 wrote that you can only sign what is available which is spot on. With Richardson at the wheel, we have a leader who will give us the best chance of signing what is not available.

 

[king_sirro]

Even the word of the player doesn’t mean much when they haven’t even arrived at the club yet. Players always have their preferred positions, but it doesn’t mean that’s where they end up playing. Bird playing in the middle with a body as banged up as his seems like an unnecessary risk when he is also a capable centre. A position we are also weak in.

No I agree it doesn't mean they will end up there in the end. I do believe coming straight out of negotiations that currently that's the intention though. They will get first crack at those spots.

 

[king_sirro]

3 off them are backs the other two are fringe players at best , weather u like it or not ice and stepho are better than the two we got , wait till u see them preform in there new teams , and again what have we got to fall back on , OUR great nsw cup players , our club never learns , we let players walk whenever they like , even when contracted . The answer is get a coach like Bennett no matter what it costs and see the club go forward, he was available but we stick with rookie coach , no wonder players are walking out the door

It depends how you choose to analyse it. What we know Stef can produce he is better than Hunt, no doubt. However what he actually did produce in 2024, particularly defensively he is worse. So I choose to look at last year's output on the field we are replacing for half the price rather than what could have been if Stef found his best with us.

As long as Hunt puts in every time he is one the field, then he will be an upgrade on what Stef did last year for half the money.

There is also significant improvement in Sione, Pole and Sam Fainu. Also the usual steady improvement from Seyfarth. Johannsen will be almost twice as good.

So while I see your argument that on paper we are weaker in the forwards, I actually think we will end up stronger provided Benji can harness the effort every week off the back of a preseason that gets us super fit.

 

[batboy]

I love the way our recruitment has been among the worst in the comp other than signing one of the handful of best halves in the world. Also we signed the 2023 rookie of the year, who just had a beast of a game in the preliminary final and grand final. We're certainly being left in the dust by the devastating recruitment wins of such outfits as:
Brisbane: no signings
Raiders: Myles Martin, Matty Nicholson, Ethan Sanders, Savelio "that's a hot" Tamale
Bulldogs: Tom Amone, Marcelo Montoya, Sitili Tuponiua
Titans: Tukimihia Simpkins
Manly: Jazz Tevaga
Knights: Taj Annan, Francis Manuleleua, James Schiller
Cowboys: Karl Lawton, Kai O'Donnell
Parramatta: Dean Hawkins, Isaiah Longi, Zac Lomax, Jack Williams
Souths: Euan Aitken, Gerome Burns, Lewis Dodd, Lachlan Hubner, Jamie Humphreys, Max McCarthy, Josh Schuster
Dragons: Damien Cook, Valentine Holmes
Roosters: Chad Townsend

All those clubs are laughing at our pathetic haul of Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva, Royce Hunt and Jeral Skelton, I bet.

How many of those teams are coming off a long last - 3 years in a row?
I'd bet those teams are laughing at the suggestion here that the likes of
Royce Hunt is seen to be replacing Stefano at any stretch.
- I did say, Outside Luai.

I look forward to seeing what the Canterbury Reserve Grade Union 7's player can bring to 27 Weeks of NRL, and Royce Hunts' 20 minute contribution should make quite an addition to our well beaten pack that's just lost 3 of it's better forwards.

 

[426Tlgerland]

My concern so far with signings is
Luai is class and an upgrade
Hunt = Average
Skelton = Average
Turuva = good at Panthers , can he do similar with our players
Bird = Back end of footy life
clubs wants
Bateman , Staines , Naden. , Klemmer , Sullivan , gone
who replaces them , our reserve grade team was rubbish , .and got bashed weekly .
we are short 2 props and a second row but we want to move on a prop and second row player , 2025 even with Luai is starting to look ugly .
Sullivan and Bateman I get , but Klemmer and Staines were both ok and worth keeping .
Bateman , Sullivan , Naden should free up about 1.3 million you would think
600 , 400 , 300 k , 300 would need to be used to move them on so
1 million left = 2 x 500 k solid first graders min

 

[Buttface]

I laughed when i saw this because i read it as "Bateman swap for a Kelpie".A kelpie would be much better than Bateman as they are very loyal

Fast, smart and cheap, can’t say the same about Bates?

 

[The Chad]

It's almost like nobody read the "we are a development club" line & thought "we are going to buy our way out of trouble" was the catch phrase.