Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

bptiger 0 said:
Gee really , u think that are team can avoid a spoon next year with the crap pack that we will field next year , do u think that Galvin and others will hang around for 2026 , if u do u got rocks in ur head , we must sign 2-3 forwards now or we will never get of the bottom
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BWG is validly pointing out though that issues with the balance in our squad can be resolved in 2026. Doesn't negate the point that 2025 has to be a year where progress is made. You can have both. There are at least 1 maybe 2 roster spots available for 2025 and as you say those spots should be filled by first grade forwards. I think Richo might find one or 2 additional spots before the season starts.

I will judge the recruitment round 1 2025, not in November 2024.
 
The-moP said:
In regards to Terrell May .. he has already met with the head honcho's of Dragons and Dogs .. he is supposed to sit down with Benji and Co this week .. here's hoping Jerome, Sunia and Api have been in his ear to convince to come on over .. no doubt after sitting down with Gus 'the tool' Gould last week .. he would have promise the world and told Terrell that don't even think about going to the Tigers as they're shit .. come to the Dogs we're winning the Premiership next season .. !! I can just read it now .. Gould the Magician - Dogs secure Terrell May on a bargin price .. !! 🙁🙁
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How on Earth could the Dogs still have cap space....oh that's right they've sacked JAC.🤔

Had they not sacked JAC could they even afford to make a play at May??
 
Betterdays22 said:
BWG is validly pointing out though that issues with the balance in our squad can be resolved in 2026. Doesn't negate the point that 2025 has to be a year where progress is made. You can have both. There are at least 1 maybe 2 roster spots available for 2025 and as you say those spots should be filled by first grade forwards. I think Richo might find one or 2 additional spots before the season starts.

I will judge the recruitment round 1 2025, not in November 2024.
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Yep just reinforcing the status quo for our roster build at the moment to allow us to make some realistic assumptions.

1 ... We don't have many spots left for next season. As weeks go by, probably less and less likely we'll be able to move on Naden & Bud unless they all-of-a-sudden agree to go to Super League. But we hold out hope another NRL club sees value in them at a subsidised price.

2 ... Out of the roster spots we have remaining for '25, blind freddy can see these will be utilised on forwards given the number of backs we have contracted to top 30 & development. So fair assumption our targets are May, Hetherington & re-signing Sione Fainu.

3 ... Richo, Benji & Betsey will be working just as hard on a few key external recruits for '26 (as they will be for '25) now Nov 1 has passed. My assumption looking at where our needs may lie (assuming Bateman & Klemmer are not with us in '26) is a backrower, another middle & possibly a strike outside back.

So common sense tells me, Richo will look into Kobe Hetherington (even if it's from '26), Terrell May, will keep an eye on the Taylan May situation, Leo Thompson, Kotoni Staggs, one of the dearth of Cronulla props on their list (they are just too prop heavy), Kai Pearce-Paul, Teig Wilton, and no doubt a few hard-nosed effort-based middles from his mid-season UK trip will be on his radar.
 
For me, the argument about what it's reasonable for fans to demand in 2025 comes down to whether or not you believe the following three things are all true:
1) That the sum total of previous attempts to rebuild the playing roster have amounted to absolutely nothing.
2) That having reached rock bottom it is going to take more than one year to climb out of the shit.
3) That at least some of the people running the joint are more competent than those that preceded them.

I don't think anyone can really argue with (1). Personally I think the talent on the roster hit rock bottom in 2022: we won more games in 2023 and we had a very young side with some actual upside, whereas in 2022 we were outclassed everywhere and still didn't actually produce much, Bula aside, with actual hope for improvement. I think we'll be a little better in 2025 just because the likes of the Fainus, Pole, Da Silva and some of the supporting case have a year of experience and size behind them.

I also don't think it's really possible to contradict (2). This is where I find some of the refusal to accept anything the club is doing as positive a bit tiresome. We can only sign players who are plausibly available, and we can only bring through our own young players gradually and with the expectation of inconsistency. This has been a truly dreadful, embarrassing club run by clowns. It isn't going to be a top four threat within a year. Put it this way: after their three consecutive wooden spoons, the Knights came 11th - but with the worst for and against in the comp and only three wins off last. That sort of performance is a reasonable benchmark for a club that has been as dire as ours.

It's point (3) that is really contentious. Unfortunately the same board is still in charge, and I believe they are fundamentally incompetent. On the other hand, the CEO is someone with a track record of turning clubs round and he does, at least, seem to be being allowed to get on with his job. Like most, I think there is a significant question mark over the coach - unfortunately this is a legacy of the previous administration.

Ultimately, what I've seen over the past year has been positive in the main: we have recruited at least as well as any team in the comp and there is finally some actual young talent at the club. The first grade spine should be set for the next 4-5 years at least. There have been some losses but mainly as a hangover of the previous administration - the ludicrous contract given to Utoikamanu, for instance.

Is this going to be enough to deliver a top eight position in 2025? Honestly, I think not. But I also think that would be more or less impossible in the absence of one of the top two or three coaches in the game. I think a realistic goal this year would be to finish 9th-12th, with a close to zero for and against. It's a long road back, basically.
 
I think our spine with a fit Bula , api being relieved by tds , luai and a best man wins @ 6 , is light years ahead of the last 2 years at least . Probably the last 5-8 years .
What the nrl has proven if your spine is class you will win at least 50% of your games . I mean Souths with lattrell are top 4 , without , they’re the worst team in the comp . Same for the knights and Ponga .
Bula had a down year , then it turned out he was carrying an injury most of the year . Same for Api .
We also have actual depth in nearly all key positions , which I can’t remember the last time that was the case . ( and no I don’t think Wakeham counts as actual depth ).
I think Galvin will come back to earth this season , and I predict Fainu will go past him at some point , speeding up the inevitable “is he an edge or lock “ conversation around Galvin . I hope I’m wrong though and this isn’t a conversation until 2027 , when he actually bulks up .
Our middles do look light on paper . But seriously , Ice was missing a chunk of the past season , and Stef was a passenger for a chunk of the rest .
On paper the pack looks weaker , I get that , but I actually don’t think it is . I think its honestly neither better or worse . But I think if we can match the 24 and 23 output , with the much improved backline we have , that should lead to way more victories .
If we can jag a Terrell May , then of course I think most of those uncertainties are answered .
The team is better next year on paper . The dragons are aging , same with manly . The roosters will start a season without JWH in the dressing room in nearly 20 year years . So they’re in transition . The dolphins will find things way tougher without uncle Wayne to steady the ship , the warriors have a million halves yet somehow have none.
Same thing for the knights yet they have a million reserve grade halves , so if Bradman best regresses at all , then they have lost a lot of strike.
I think the back half of the last season was the real Canberra so they’re beatable as well .
God knows what the eels will be . They could be amazing , they could be dead last by round 10 . There’s a lot of faith on perennial dickheads like Mitchell Moses to galvanise the team . The gutho loss is going to be huge for them .
And well you’d think Wayne will sprinkle the magic dust on Souths , but for all the positive vibes around the dolphins the last 2 years , they still didn’t come close to the 8 both years . And all of a sudden Souths are looking old as well .
Even the riff , have question marks . Luai carried that team with Yeo , when Cleary was out . For the first time in a long time they seem vulnerable .( they’ll run the table now I’ve said that lol ) .
Even the cowboys , who knows which team you’re getting . You’d honestly say Cronulla , Melbourne and Penrith , but really only Melbourne , have limited question marks .
This next season , for the first time in a long time , has soo much in flux .
I think the fact that bookies have us favourites for the spoon and 11th favourite for the title , shows how no one honestly as any idea what next year will bring .
Melbourne have to be favourites by a long way you’d think .
 
Lestronge said:
I think our spine with a fit Bula , api being relieved by tds , luai and a best man wins @ 6 , is light years ahead of the last 2 years at least . Probably the last 5-8 years .
What the nrl has proven if your spine is class you will win at least 50% of your games . I mean Souths with lattrell are top 4 , without , they’re the worst team in the comp . Same for the knights and Ponga .
Bula had a down year , then it turned out he was carrying an injury most of the year . Same for Api .
We also have actual depth in nearly all key positions , which I can’t remember the last time that was the case . ( and no I don’t think Wakeham counts as actual depth ).
I think Galvin will come back to earth this season , and I predict Fainu will go past him at some point , speeding up the inevitable “is he an edge or lock “ conversation around Galvin . I hope I’m wrong though and this isn’t a conversation until 2027 , when he actually bulks up .
Our middles do look light on paper . But seriously , Ice was missing a chunk of the past season , and Stef was a passenger for a chunk of the rest .
On paper the pack looks weaker , I get that , but I actually don’t think it is . I think its honestly neither better or worse . But I think if we can match the 24 and 23 output , with the much improved backline we have , that should lead to way more victories .
If we can jag a Terrell May , then of course I think most of those uncertainties are answered .
The team is better next year on paper . The dragons are aging , same with manly . The roosters will start a season without JWH in the dressing room in nearly 20 year years . So they’re in transition . The dolphins will find things way tougher without uncle Wayne to steady the ship , the warriors have a million halves yet somehow have none.
Same thing for the knights yet they have a million reserve grade halves , so if Bradman best regresses at all , then they have lost a lot of strike.
I think the back half of the last season was the real Canberra so they’re beatable as well .
God knows what the eels will be . They could be amazing , they could be dead last by round 10 . There’s a lot of faith on perennial dickheads like Mitchell Moses to galvanise the team . The gutho loss is going to be huge for them .
And well you’d think Wayne will sprinkle the magic dust on Souths , but for all the positive vibes around the dolphins the last 2 years , they still didn’t come close to the 8 both years . And all of a sudden Souths are looking old as well .
Even the riff , have question marks . Luai carried that team with Yeo , when Cleary was out . For the first time in a long time they seem vulnerable .( they’ll run the table now I’ve said that lol ) .
Even the cowboys , who knows which team you’re getting . You’d honestly say Cronulla , Melbourne and Penrith , but really only Melbourne , have limited question marks .
This next season , for the first time in a long time , has soo much in flux .
I think the fact that bookies have us favourites for the spoon and 11th favourite for the title , shows how no one honestly as any idea what next year will bring .
Melbourne have to be favourites by a long way you’d think .
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agree on your spine assessment, it’s the best we’ve had since 2016, possibly 2010.

our current pack isn’t good enough. Klemmer and Twal are effectively the same player, Pole’s hopeless in defence and Royce has got to build the motor. we currently don’t have a lock and without Hetherington or a player of a similar calibre we’re starting behind the 8 ball.

it’s why the acquisition of May and Hetherington is so crucial to our season. sign them both and we could very well push for the playoffs. without them I don’t see us any higher than 13th.
 
Lestronge said:
I think our spine with a fit Bula , api being relieved by tds , luai and a best man wins @ 6 , is light years ahead of the last 2 years at least . Probably the last 5-8 years .
What the nrl has proven if your spine is class you will win at least 50% of your games . I mean Souths with lattrell are top 4 , without , they’re the worst team in the comp . Same for the knights and Ponga .
Bula had a down year , then it turned out he was carrying an injury most of the year . Same for Api .
We also have actual depth in nearly all key positions , which I can’t remember the last time that was the case . ( and no I don’t think Wakeham counts as actual depth ).
I think Galvin will come back to earth this season , and I predict Fainu will go past him at some point , speeding up the inevitable “is he an edge or lock “ conversation around Galvin . I hope I’m wrong though and this isn’t a conversation until 2027 , when he actually bulks up .
Our middles do look light on paper . But seriously , Ice was missing a chunk of the past season , and Stef was a passenger for a chunk of the rest .
On paper the pack looks weaker , I get that , but I actually don’t think it is . I think its honestly neither better or worse . But I think if we can match the 24 and 23 output , with the much improved backline we have , that should lead to way more victories .
If we can jag a Terrell May , then of course I think most of those uncertainties are answered .
The team is better next year on paper . The dragons are aging , same with manly . The roosters will start a season without JWH in the dressing room in nearly 20 year years . So they’re in transition . The dolphins will find things way tougher without uncle Wayne to steady the ship , the warriors have a million halves yet somehow have none.
Same thing for the knights yet they have a million reserve grade halves , so if Bradman best regresses at all , then they have lost a lot of strike.
I think the back half of the last season was the real Canberra so they’re beatable as well .
God knows what the eels will be . They could be amazing , they could be dead last by round 10 . There’s a lot of faith on perennial dickheads like Mitchell Moses to galvanise the team . The gutho loss is going to be huge for them .
And well you’d think Wayne will sprinkle the magic dust on Souths , but for all the positive vibes around the dolphins the last 2 years , they still didn’t come close to the 8 both years . And all of a sudden Souths are looking old as well .
Even the riff , have question marks . Luai carried that team with Yeo , when Cleary was out . For the first time in a long time they seem vulnerable .( they’ll run the table now I’ve said that lol ) .
Even the cowboys , who knows which team you’re getting . You’d honestly say Cronulla , Melbourne and Penrith , but really only Melbourne , have limited question marks .
This next season , for the first time in a long time , has soo much in flux .
I think the fact that bookies have us favourites for the spoon and 11th favourite for the title , shows how no one honestly as any idea what next year will bring .
Melbourne have to be favourites by a long way you’d think .
Click to expand...
I love Bula. Think he has everything to be elite. Will be interesting to see how he handles having some competition with Turuva and possibly Luke L because he has some things to work on (positional play, support play, passing). I think he will go to another level.

In saying that, if he doesn't kick on at fullback in the first half of this year, a move to centre should be on the cards. I think he could be one of the be centres in the game. Theres a bit of Hammer about him
 
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