Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Wildcat777]

All I know is under Benji, we were conceding 40-50 points every few weeks this year. I’m skeptical that that changes in 25.

You are right, they did. TBH with the teams we have been fielding was expecting more. Expect blow when men play boys. 2025 will be different! Am confident with that as long as we are basically injury free as we really don’t have good/great depth.

 

[jrtiger]

I am hearing rumours we are going to be making a play for Jordan Riki for the 2026 season. Watch this space

dear god no. he sucks. one of those athletic types with no natural footballing ability.

 

[Wildcat777]

He didn’t recruit the whole top 30.

No just the free spots with garbage that was available and then even overpaid them.

 

[Wildcat777]

Ivan chased and signed Packer Reynolds and Matulino …

lol. Say no more about Ivan. NFI. On the bright side he did help a few players with retirement funding.

 

[jrtiger]

May and Pole should 100% be our starting front rowers next year with both playing 55-60 mins a night. I think these two can go another level in 2025 - one of them at the very least.

Hunt off the bench is solid and his ability to give us a impactful 25 mins to either swing or maintain momentum will be super helpful.

We have one more prop spot off the bench available, it’ll most likely be Klemmer but I doubt he plays again in 2026 so who’s next?

Think we need a really strong big name edge forward to partner Samuela with some firepower and you combine that with Luai, Galvin and Api. Well we can make some noise.

I think it might be Twal from the get go mate. the cap for 2026 is tighter than people realise. if Klemmer goes around again it gets even worse. the club won't take that risk.

the club is going to need to be savvy in terms of who and what they recruit on an edge. Parramatta and Brad Arthur had a knack for buying low on backrowers and developing them into stars. Papali'i, Cartwright, Shaun Lane. we have to do the same.

Simi Sasagi is probably the best in that "diamond in the rough" crop.

 

[Wildcat777]

They’re like minded and about to do some good work.
Wish someone had the balls to do it here.

So true, here we are missing ppl with balls.

 

[Demps]

May and Pole should 100% be our starting front rowers next year with both playing 55-60 mins a night. I think these two can go another level in 2025 - one of them at the very least.

Hunt off the bench is solid and his ability to give us a impactful 25 mins to either swing or maintain momentum will be super helpful.

We have one more prop spot off the bench available, it’ll most likely be Klemmer but I doubt he plays again in 2026 so who’s next?

Think we need a really strong big name edge forward to partner Samuela with some firepower and you combine that with Luai, Galvin and Api. Well we can make some noise.

Who's playing #13 ?

 

[jrtiger]

Who's playing #13 ?

don't be surprised if Terrell locks the scrum.

 

[JB9918]

Any got an idea on this apparent other club interested in Bateman?

Dragons? Parra? Not really sure who it is.

Any idea?

 

[balmain boy]

May and Pole should 100% be our starting front rowers next year with both playing 55-60 mins a night. I think these two can go another level in 2025 - one of them at the very least.

Hunt off the bench is solid and his ability to give us a impactful 25 mins to either swing or maintain momentum will be super helpful.

We have one more prop spot off the bench available, it’ll most likely be Klemmer but I doubt he plays again in 2026 so who’s next?

Think we need a really strong big name edge forward to partner Samuela with some firepower and you combine that with Luai, Galvin and Api. Well we can make some noise.

100% out front row in round one will be
8. May
9. Api
10. Pole

But Pole is currently only fit though to play 45-50 mins max, his fitness isn't up to it yet, especially when he gets tired.

So after 20 odd mins Pole comes off for Klem to keep things rolling in a steady no frills way. Then after 30 odd mins Hunt comes on for May for some punch to Swing momentum.

 

[Demps]

don't be surprised if Terrell locks the scrum.

Interesting.

Some options for once.

 

[GCfan]

Let’s see what he does in 2025, I’m highly confident Roosters finish bottom 4 and that’s with a handful of current internationals still on their books.

Would love to see it but just can’t.

 

[Tom Shines]

Previous admin let guys get away with murder, (Matterson, Aloiai, Packer etc. We paid players very big money but didn’t demand professional output. We always needed a general manager of football to oversee this stuff. Sheens was the right decision made too late but they muffed that too. Madge tried to change some things and was knifed in the back. Players were walking on eggshells and the club got scared of the negative press.

Only now is Richo changing that culture. Hope the Board are aware of this.

In the strong clubs the head coach has a simplified role which is get the team (a

The fact they reportedly made our sacked coaches sign non-disclosure clauses is a sign the culture issues were well known by those in charge.

Coaches in any sport that have no success get fired ..that doesn’t mean the CEO/board/owner that makes the call is any better though …and are often worse … but they get to throw someone else under the bus before their time comes

Madge got fired by Souths three years after winning their first premiership in 40 years… he wasn’t going to survive here ( or elsewhere ) after 4 years of going 9th, 11th, 13th and 13th ..

we have already previously agreed that Benji will end up the same if there is not significant improvement in 2025

 

[kade7]

bateman for ravalawa was thrown to us via the dragons

club turned it down want to create a spot for sione

dragons and souths sniffing still

 

[BAGNF05]

Coaches in any sport that have no success get fired ..that doesn’t mean the CEO/board/owner that makes the call is any better though …and are often worse … but they get to throw someone else under the bus before their time comes

Madge got fired by Souths three years after winning their first premiership in 40 years… he wasn’t going to survive here ( or elsewhere ) after 4 years of going 9th, 11th, 13th and 13th ..

we have already previously agreed that Benji will end up the same if there is not significant improvement in 2025

I’d argue that this Wests Tigers organisation has been one of the worst in all of world major sports. They persisted with a CEO through nine years of losing. Sacking coaches in that time was nothing more than a waste of money (paying out each coach a large sum).

Now that Benji has a roster that is improving, I’m comfortable with people expecting on field improvement.

 

[BAGNF05]

I'm not of the opinion that we need to make the 8 in 25 for Benji to survive but I do believe we need to see vast improvement over the last season for Richo to keep him on. Where that improvement leads on the ladder I'm not too sure. I'm pretty confident we will see the improvement, between the roster upgrades and hard no nonsense approach to training and conditioning it should make a vast improvement over the last 3 years.

10 wins is par for mine with this roster. Would be disappointing but an improvement all the same.

In the past I’d call that accepting mediocrity but we’ve been so far behind mediocre it’s no longer a relevant statement.

 

[BAGNF05]

May and Pole should 100% be our starting front rowers next year with both playing 55-60 mins a night. I think these two can go another level in 2025 - one of them at the very least.

Hunt off the bench is solid and his ability to give us a impactful 25 mins to either swing or maintain momentum will be super helpful.

We have one more prop spot off the bench available, it’ll most likely be Klemmer but I doubt he plays again in 2026 so who’s next?

Think we need a really strong big name edge forward to partner Samuela with some firepower and you combine that with Luai, Galvin and Api. Well we can make some noise.

We need the Pole who decided to come off the back fence v Raiders a few years ago. How does Benji unearth that guy every week?

 

[Tom Shines]

I’d argue that this Wests Tigers organisation has been one of the worst in all of world major sports. They persisted with a CEO through nine years of losing. Sacking coaches in that time was nothing more than a waste of money (paying out each coach a large sum).

Australian sports maybe … you should look at the New York Jets that have had about 50 years of dysfunction and this year are the biggest joke in American sports … their owner just gets to remain in place and do what he wants …he owns the team …

I’m still a bit worried that our ownership will remain in active decision making roles …they need to get that sorted very quickly ,,.. if they start turning things around next year …some of the HBG board will start thinking that it was due to them …

 

[BAGNF05]

Australian sports maybe … you should look at the New York Jets that have had about 50 years of dysfunction and this year are the biggest joke in American sports … their owner just gets to remain in place and do what he wants …he owns the team …

I’m still a bit worried that our ownership will remain in active decision making roles …they need to get that sorted very quickly ,,.. if they start turning things around next year …some of the HBG board will start thinking that it was due to them …

Love the NFL. Jets went all in on a hall of fame QB. Probably can’t fault them after Tampa’s experience then the Rams with Stafford.

They’ve also sacked their GM and head coach this year so they’re not just accepting the status quo, even if they are a massive joke.

 

[Tucker]

Benji has only had 1. And it was an ordinary lineup which got smashed by injury and suspension. Ivan had some decent experience and quality that season.

Wrong. The 2023 team was Benji’s as well.