Great news about May - but they need another external forward

[Roar_Power]

Pity we don’t have a Simon Dwyer clone about to jump out of our Pathway system. We have been screaming out for a damaging back rower for as long as a damaging centre!!
Probably been greedy but a top notch backrower added to what we have and your talking final footy

This could be Johanssen in time....

 

[Tucker]

I think Sukkar will surprise a few next season.

There’s an opportunity there for him. He has to fully committ and take it.

 

[TIGERS]

I defer to Richo and Benji's combined judgement. We are a development club.

I think if we had Pascoe still running the club we'd have been all in on some hopeless veteran forward 10 minutes after losing out on stef, the deal would have been done by now and we'd be busted being stupid with a war chest yet again.

 

[jrtiger]

we're still a middle and edge forward away from the pack being 'complete'.

I think the middle forward will likely come from within, with Sione and Johannssen the most likely.

the backrow situation is dire. the depth is atrocious. if (when) Bateman leaves we've got Samuela, Seyfarth, Bird, Sukkar, Tumeth and Porter, with 4/6 of those off contract. we're gonna have to try and chase a couple players to fill spots in both grades. Godinet and Duncombe will push up the grades next year but they're still 12-18 months off full time deals realistically.

there's a few on the market currently that suit our needs.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

we're still a middle and edge forward away from the pack being 'complete'.

I think the middle forward will likely come from within, with Sione and Johannssen the most likely.

the backrow situation is dire. the depth is atrocious. if (when) Bateman leaves we've got Samuela, Seyfarth, Bird, Sukkar, Tumeth and Porter, with 4/6 of those off contract. we're gonna have to try and chase a couple players to fill spots in both grades. Godinet and Duncombe will push up the grades next year but they're still 12-18 months off full time deals realistically.

there's a few on the market currently that suit our needs.

I'm getting nervous about Richo being able to offload players over the next 1-2 months to be able to offer Sione a contract & potentially if a backrower falls out of the tree too.

It seems media talk about Bud, Naden & AD has gone quiet for the time being and we'll need a few things to go our way for them to land at other clubs. Like Broncos missing Hunt which may spark Madge's interest in AD.

Also seems the termination of Jordan Miller still has a bit to play out legally. No doubt just about the amount of payout $$$ but until sorted it looks like we don't have the roster spot to formally register Terrell May.

I get the feel too that unless Isaac Moses & Manly budge on $$$, Bateman may be a hard one to move. I hope Richo stands firm & onus comes onto Bateman and how much he wants to leave.

Other possibilities are coming to an agreement with Tumeth/Isaac Moses on paying him out but for them to accept they will want at least a full season Training or Dev contract at another club OR a player being terminated for multiple breaches.

A scenario I don't want to consider but stranger things have happened is Pole commits to Melbourne for '26 and somehow we negotiate an early release to free up a roster spot.

 

[jrtiger]

I'm getting nervous about Richo being able to offload players over the next 1-2 months to be able to offer Sione a contract & potentially if a backrower falls out of the tree too.

It seems media talk about Bud, Naden & AD has gone quiet for the time being and we'll need a few things to go our way for them to land at other clubs. Like Broncos missing Hunt which may spark Madge's interest in AD.

Also seems the termination of Jordan Miller still has a bit to play out legally. No doubt just about the amount of payout $$$ but until sorted it looks like we don't have the roster spot to formally register Terrell May.

I get the feel too that unless Isaac Moses & Manly budge on $$$, Bateman may be a hard one to move. I hope Richo stands firm & onus comes onto Bateman and how much he wants to leave.

Other possibilities are coming to an agreement with Tumeth/Isaac Moses on paying him out but for them to accept they will want at least a full season Training or Dev contract at another club OR a player being terminated for multiple breaches.

A scenario I don't want to consider but stranger things have happened is Pole commits to Melbourne for '26 and somehow we negotiate an early release to free up a roster spot.

the Bateman scenario is going to come to a head in the next few weeks. the situation is untenable for both parties and he's due back at training in less than a month. Manly are being patient because they know WT need to free up a roster spot and won't budge on 50/50. Richo will have no choice but to pick up the phone.

the Miller stuff is ridiculous, quite frankly. he's only hurting himself at this point. I think that will resolve itself pretty soon. as for Bud and Naden I feel they're long odds to leave between now and March.

Doueihi's probably the one to leave in the short term. I reckon Ilias will dig his heels in at Souths which will lead Flanagan to us.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

the Bateman scenario is going to come to a head in the next few weeks. the situation is untenable for both parties and he's due back at training in less than a month. Manly are being patient because they know WT need to free up a roster spot and won't budge on 50/50. Richo will have no choice but to pick up the phone.

the Miller stuff is ridiculous, quite frankly. he's only hurting himself at this point. I think that will resolve itself pretty soon. as for Bud and Naden I feel they're long odds to leave between now and March.

Doueihi's probably the one to leave in the short term. I reckon Ilias will dig his heels in at Souths which will lead Flanagan to us.

I'd do the deal on 50/50 but nothing more. If that's not acceptable to Manly or Isaac, I'd hope Richo/Benji welcome Bateman back, have some closed-door talks to work through differences & ensure he knows what is & isn't acceptable in terms of his behaviour to the coach. Anything less to be a breach!

Yep I think so too re AD. Either gets a 2 year offer at Dragons or Broncos unless his knee is too great a risk for other clubs.

 

[weststigerman]

I'd do the deal on 50/50 but nothing more. If that's not acceptable to Manly or Isaac, I'd hope Richo/Benji welcome Bateman back, have some closed-door talks to work through differences & ensure he knows what is & isn't acceptable in terms of his behaviour to the coach. Anything less to be a breach!

Yep I think so too re AD. Either gets a 2 year offer at Dragons or Broncos unless his knee is too great a risk for other clubs.

Would be nice to do a swap with the Broncs - AD for Hetherington. Even if the Broncos sign him for a year he's more chance of playing 6 there than at WT.

 

[jrtiger]

Would be nice to do a swap with the Broncs - AD for Hetherington. Even if the Broncos sign him for a year he's more chance of playing 6 there than at WT.

I did think this but when you have a look at their squad they've got an ungodly amount of halves. Madden, Rogers and Coby Black plus Mam & Reynolds.

St George look the likelier option imo.

 

[tigermate]

Cory horsborough would’ve topped it off for us.

Him and say Zach Lomax - basically getting paid what Olam is.

And I would swap Skelton for JAC.

And we would be top 8. Pushing for top 6-4.

 

[ancient_magpie]

Cory horsborough would’ve topped it off for us.

Him and say Zach Lomax - basically getting paid what Olam is.

And I would swap Skelton for JAC.

And we would be top 8. Pushing for top 6-4.

Skelton will be better value than Jac in the long run I think.

 

[ancient_magpie]

we're still a middle and edge forward away from the pack being 'complete'.

I think the middle forward will likely come from within, with Sione and Johannssen the most likely.

the backrow situation is dire. the depth is atrocious. if (when) Bateman leaves we've got Samuela, Seyfarth, Bird, Sukkar, Tumeth and Porter, with 4/6 of those off contract. we're gonna have to try and chase a couple players to fill spots in both grades. Godinet and Duncombe will push up the grades next year but they're still 12-18 months off full time deals realistically.

there's a few on the market currently that suit our needs.

If we keep buying players above them Godinet andDuncombe will look else where a bit of patience needed.

 

[jrtiger]

If we keep buying players above them Godinet andDuncombe will look else where a bit of patience needed.

I don't think so.

these days the club is pretty good with corresponding with the youngsters and their families about their development plan. there's an opportunity to play first grade here, you just have to earn it. Archie and Pheonix are two I think will thrive with that model.

Richardson's come in and fixed that right up. look at pre-season, there's only one SG Ball-age player that's been given a crack. these boys are going to have to work for it, and rightly so. that's the culture we've needed to breed for decades.

 

[TYGA]

Extend Pole and move on from Bateman are the most important moves we can make. Moving players on may be more important longer term than signatures. If we can back this up for 2026 recruitment we may turn it around.