Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
- Start date
I hope so but i doubt dragon supporters feel the same way
He is wanted by all 17 NRL clubs, so what makes anyone think he will choose to sign for the 3 time Wooden Spooners ?
It’s a great idea in theory, but the reality says he is no chance of signing for Wests Tigers unless we make him far and away the highest paid prop in the game and pay him around 1.2 million per season.
And as good as he is, he has not showed anything to suggest he is good enough to carry our forward pack on a 1.2 million dollar per season wage.
Yes we managed to sign Luai, but only by paying him 200k more than any other club was willing to pay him, the salary cap does not allow us to do that with more than one player and being any chance of building a decent team around them.
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Tom Shines
Well-known member
The Dragons fans want Latu
Of course they do, Shane Flanagan knows a quality player who could be squeezed out of playing regular NRL in his preferred position when he sees one.
jrtiger
Well-known member
that's the spirit lad.
Skelton thrives in contact and utilises his aggression constantly. not sure what you've been watching. Turuva is fast and has skill you can't teach with the ball.
I'm just as worried about them defensively as you are, but neither of them are lost causes. in fact, Skelton's contact in defence is off the charts, it's simply making reads.
let's see what happens with Olam.
as for the pack, you're right. there's much work there to be done, but there's more out there than just Thompson and Willison. I'll leave that up to Richardson.
Tom Shines
Well-known member
The scary thing is …I think there is a chance they will give him away …they are desperate for roster spots ….if it wasn’t the connection with his brothers they would probably do it
Trust me I want to be proven wrong and I wanted us to sign Skelton, but more as a fringe depth player than a guaranteed starter.
He’s young and potentially could become the blockbusting winger all us Wests Tigers fans desire, but I’ve watched a fair bit of him over the past 6 months or so and I’m seeing too many deficiencies in his game for my liking.
Similar story with Turuva, he gets an A for effort, but is showing nothing to suggest he will make it as a centre or be the X factor outside back we desperately need.
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pawsandclaws1
Well-known member
I reckon if we do the wrong thing and break them up it will cause massive unrest with the other 2 brothers.
It’s going tj be an extremely tough job working out how to best fit both Latu and Lachie Galvin in our starting line up, building a competitive team around them and keeping them both happy.
jrtiger
Well-known member
both are a net gain on anything we have at the minute, irrespective of what position they play. they bring x-factor, skill and proven yardage game. Turuva may well get moved to the sting eventually, but for now he's our guy at right centre.
again, there's worries defensively, but in Skelton's case, he needs time defending in first grade. you can count on two hands how many top grade games he's had. there's concerns, but let's wait and see what they bring before we start the doomsday prep.
Any more encouraging news?
sorry but if your saying toa is half the player turva is at any position I cant agree
Kelce68
Well-known member
I'll add that this new backline needs reps and time to work effectively.
No backline made up of strangers will function optimally. Skelton and Turuva being part of the internationals, whilst great further experience, will delay what fundamentally needs to be a chemistry-building preseason.
We've had the double whammy over the past few years of poor outside backs and poor continuity, especially last year. I'd love to see how often our back 5 was the same for more than one game in a row.
It's as much about the members as it is the cohesion for me. Backlines are far more unit-based than individual, particularly in defence.
On paper, Skelton and Turuva, whilst improving the backline immeasurably, may not make the back 5 elite by any stretch, but if they, along with Olam and Bula and one of Laulili'i or Staines can play in the vicinity of 20 games together, it (should) go a long way to drastically improving the edges.
I certainly hope our mob are not that stupid
balmain boy
Well-known member
Skelton is faster than almost every single outside back we used in 2024. He's ten times more aggressive and powerful than any back we used this season.
Turuva has been a star his whole career. Fast, elusive, strong he's lightyears ahead of any backs we've had over the past few years.
Then add in Makasini in the back end of the year and the makings of some powerful backs are there
pawsandclaws1
Well-known member
With Gutherson to the Dragons, how would Sloan feel being moved to the wing. Perhaps as good as Lomax did. Did Flanagan proposed to move Hunt to the wing as well?
fair enough. But what specifically have you seen of Turuva to suggest he will be any good at centre?
Yes. In Richo we trust. Best signing the club has made.
The other way to look at it is. If his brother is half as good as Leo is; they’ve just secured a decent replacement for a fraction of the price keeping their cap in tact.
Be funny if it plays out that way.
I would think Tyrone would have a higher goal to play first grade then to be in the shadow of his brother at the same NRL club.
