Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[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.

 

[The Chad]

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

Reality.

Who are Manly realistically going to swap to take Bateman off our books for us?

I believe Sipley is undervalued as well.

 

[jadtiger]

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

Bateman plodder,dumb and expensive and you can also add disruptive to the list

 

[Moh]

It doesn't matter how often this is pointed out. People will still insist Bird will play centre and Turuva wing. The actual word of these players mean nothing to some, they know better.

I watched whatever podcast he mentioned this on (might've been a couple, think he was on the JAC/Mansour one too) - it was very much a that was his goal/intention and even what was discussed, but it definitely didn't come across locked in.

It will very much depend on who does enough to get a centre spot. Wouldn't be surprised at all if Taruva ends up on the wing, even if its after an unsuccessful transition to centre.

 

[weststigerman]

Faataape at centre & Turuva on the wing makes more sense. I mean, Faataape played significantly more often.

IMO Faatape is a very good NSW Cup player. Much like Porter.

Neither of them should be first choice or even top 30.

 

[Kelce68]

People forget our only capable second rower is a 22yo kid whose played less than 25 games.

Samuela is 20 years old.

People are making a lot of these mistakes lately.

 

[Kelce68]

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.

Laulili'i unequivocally earned his way into the first grade side. You do not debut an 18 year old who hasn't earned it.

Naden has tremendous natural ability. Ditto for Sullivan.

2024 Tigers showed plenty of examples of those earning spots through either performance in lower grades, 'coachability', effort areas or training professionalism.

Laulili'i, Johannssen, Faataape, Seyfarth

Conversely, there are many examples of talented or gifted footballers who were held back because they hadn't earned it.

Naden, Sullivan, Matamua

'Earning it' can and does mean more than simply doing time in Cup.

 

[boonboon]

Laulili'i unequivocally earned his way into the first grade side. You do not debut an 18 year old who hasn't earned it.

Naden has tremendous natural ability. Ditto for Sullivan.

2024 Tigers showed plenty of examples of those earning spots through either performance in lower grades, 'coachability', effort areas or training professionalism.

Laulili'i, Johannssen, Faataape, Seyfarth

Conversely, there are many examples of talented or gifted footballers who were held back because they hadn't earned it.

Naden, Sullivan, Matamua

'Earning it' can and does mean more than simply doing time in Cup.

Why is Matamua in the 2nd group - he is 21 and has played 15 games on NRL , the only forwards his age or younger who have played significant NRL are Davy Moale, Jeremiah Nanai, Finefuikaki and our own Sam Fainu.

Matamua came through playing in the halves which was always going to mean some time to adjust but most forwards his age either havent played NRL at all or mayby 1 or 2 games - guys at similar games as him are the Couchmans, Suia Wong but almost all the others have played 1 or 2 if any.

He is also significantly younger then Seyfarth who only just developed into NRL standard this year at 25 and Johannssen who is already older then him despite playing less NRL.

Our NSW cup team won 6 matches out of 24 - When Matamua was playing we won 5 from 11 and 1 of those losses was a 1 point loss to the team that won the comp.

 

[king_sirro]

I watched whatever podcast he mentioned this on (might've been a couple, think he was on the JAC/Mansour one too) - it was very much a that was his goal/intention and even what was discussed, but it definitely didn't come across locked in.

It will very much depend on who does enough to get a centre spot. Wouldn't be surprised at all if Taruva ends up on the wing, even if its after an unsuccessful transition to centre.

I wouldn't be surprised either. I haven't once said its locked in. Just that he will get first crack.

 

[innsaneink]

Bateman plodder,dumb and expensive and you can also add disruptive to the list

Certainly not the leader we need our young blokes looking to follow

 

[bptiger 0]

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.

Ur right but ur also wrong ,
I will explain , the bad ones won’t go but the good ones just leave and we just let them walk

 

[Kelce68]

Why is Matamua in the 2nd group - he is 21 and has played 15 games on NRL , the only forwards his age or younger who have played significant NRL are Davy Moale, Jeremiah Nanai, Finefuikaki and our own Sam Fainu.

Matamua came through playing in the halves which was always going to mean some time to adjust but most forwards his age either havent played NRL at all or mayby 1 or 2 games - guys at similar games as him are the Couchmans, Suia Wong but almost all the others have played 1 or 2 if any.

He is also significantly younger then Seyfarth who only just developed into NRL standard this year at 25 and Johannssen who is already older then him despite playing less NRL.

Our NSW cup team won 6 matches out of 24 - When Matamua was playing we won 5 from 11 and 1 of those losses was a 1 point loss to the team that won the comp.

Simple.

Because he made his debut two years ago. Was earmarked as starting lock to begin 2023 and then wound up in 2024 barely getting consideration.

Clearly there are issues that are affecting his ability to be selected.

He is in that group because he has always been a gifted player, but clearly hasn't done enough to earn a spot. Especially considering he has already tasted first grade.

 

[Tito Santana]

Good additions but we need big hard running props who can play big minutes!! We need the go forward, it’s our biggest weakness going forward. Only reason I’d let Bateman go is if we are getting one of those, ideally an experienced prop!

Bateman runs sideways more than Noffa.

Pathetic.

 

[Tito Santana]

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

Generally don’t bite their owners too.

Mmmmm Bateman is slowly becoming my new Brooksy. True story.

 

[Tito Santana]

Simple.

Because he made his debut two years ago. Was earmarked as starting lock to begin 2023 and then wound up in 2024 barely getting consideration.

Clearly there are issues that are affecting his ability to be selected.

He is in that group because he has always been a gifted player, but clearly hasn't done enough to earn a spot. Especially considering he has already tasted first grade.

Matamua reminds me of Blobby from Hotel Transylvania.

 

[2041]

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.

Do you know what mate? You need to take the L on this one instead of constantly moving the goalposts. I was responding to your claim that our recruitment is already the worst in the comp, which is demonstrably nonsense. I am entirely happy to acknowledge:
1) That some of the players we have recruited may not end up as superstars. Have a look at the list I posted and tell me how many teams won't say the same thing. I bet those Roosters fans are delighted they got Chad Townsend instead of Jarome Luai. How they must be rejoicing in Auckland at the thought of shoring up their pack/spine/back line/reserves with an in-demand superstar such as, er, Kahu Capper. On the other hand, signing Luai ALONE gives us about the best haul of the off season. Add Turuva to that and we've probably done best. Get anything much out of Skelton and Hunt and we've aced the pack.
2) That we have also lost some players. This is not "recruitment", which is what we were discussing. But since you want to play with the goalposts all the way over there: I wholeheartedly agree that whoever gave Utoikamanu that ridiculous contract ought to be fired and if you'd like to discuss further I'm here for it. I'd note, though, that since those people were in fact fired a year ago it might not be a massively enlightening discussion. What the hell it has to do with who we've signed I have no idea.
3) That we came last. Ain't no changing that now, chum. Fortunately we've recruited at least as well as anyone in the comp, which is one of the many, many things we needed to change in order to get out of this mess.

You wanna discuss how terrible the parking is at Leichhardt or how the logo on the training shorts peels off after a few washes? Or can you stay still for a minute and admit that you maybe slightly overstated the point on RECRUITMENT?