Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Oldman]

The players contracted 26-30 in our top 30 list or those on Development deals do not have any effect on the recruitment/retention for more high profile players on a much bigger salaries such is Terrell May, Royce Hunt, Sunia Turuva, Jeral Skelton etc
Top 30 contracted players 26-30 on every NRL team list are players on the minimum wage still trying to force their way higher up that list and hoping to become genuine NRL top 17 contenders.
Willett was in direct competition with the likes of Luke Laulilli, Solomone Saukuru and Alex Lobb, while Faagatu was in direct competition with the likes of Kit Laulilli and Justin Matamua.
Obviously Manly have pounced on Willett and are of the belief he’s a player with NRL potential, strangely enough the much more highly rated Faagatu does not appear to have landed at any other NRL club as yet.
Sometimes when young players are as highly rated as what Faagatu was from a young age suddenly start to hit a few road bumps in their career progress, they can become disillusioned and lose the drive and determination they once had.
You don’t be an elite player at 18/19 and then suddenly become a passenger at 20-22 without something going drastically wrong and it is generally the mind that loses confidence not being able to handle the roadblocks that were never there previously. Coaching also plays a massive part in this.

Yes
I’m sure we all played with and against some man-Childs when we were 16/17 that everyone was saying would make it, But surprisingly most struggled once everyone else grew to the same size or bigger,
Many a child superstar gave the game away once things became hard.

 

[JC99]

Regarding signing a centre for 2026, one player I would be keeping an eye on is Zac Laybutt from the cowboys.

He's back from an ACL injury but he looked an absolute weapon before suffering the injury, a very big powerful and skillful centre who's only 23 and could've possibly fallen down the pecking order while on the side line

 

[Vicious]

Regarding signing a centre for 2026, one player I would be keeping an eye on is Zac Laybutt from the cowboys.

He's back from an ACL injury but he looked an absolute weapon before suffering the injury, a very big powerful and skillful centre who's only 23 and could've possibly fallen down the pecking order while on the side line

Very good player, but I’m under the impression he is very highly rated by the Cowboys, I can’t see them letting him go.
If we are talking outside backs we probably need to find a way to get Olam off our books for 2026 before we can go too hard in the market for someone else.
I still think we will be getting Taylan May for 2025 IF he is found not guilty in his up coming court case.
A committed and focused Taylan May would be clearly the best centre/winger on our roster in my opinion.
Grant Anderson currently the first chosen back up centre/winger at Melbourne Storm is only currently earning 130k according to Zero Tackle which I find to he a fairly reliable source. It has been rumoured he’s off to the Broncos in 2026, but nothing confirmed as far as I am aware, I’d easily value him as a 300-400k per season player and I assume it would go very close to getting him if offering that type of money. He’d be another walk up start in our NRL team in my opinion.

 

[bptiger 0]

I like the Seyfarth signing, particularly as were just missing so much at the front.

He has the body to improve, he puts in... Plus were just missing so much up front with MR 16 minutes and Papalii gone.

While Maloney may not be at Parra Grand Final form, I note The bulldogs came 6th and Maloney seemed to be doing a decent job. If Canterbury want to punt him, sure, whatever, dogs you do you.... IMHO total madness. I reckon though they would be looking at the Cheese not TDS. Da Silva is a little surplus here and I am sure teams are looking at him, but he hasn't proven to much on the field. Hope he stays and learns some Api goodness, but if he goes, Latu could step in. ....

Now that I think about it. Lachlan Galvin appears to have the fitness and conditioning of a 9. If he did a year of MMA like say Damien Cook did he would be devistating.

No he’s to tall

 

[batboy]

WOW! And you can't say it's just bad luck.

This is likely what happens when a 17 year old kid is selected to play up in grades before he's technically, mentally, and physically ready. No doubt he may have skill, but perhaps needs more time with his age group. A player like Suaalii already had the physical traits. Luke Laulilii looked like a dwarf out there in NRL.

Yeah - reckon his size has plenty to do with it…
Beats me why we keep trying to go with these undersized backs… bery rarely works out,
been that way forever - drives me nuts

 

[Vicious]

Yeah - reckon his size has plenty to do with it…
Beats me why we keep trying to go with these undersized backs… bery rarely works out,
been that way forever - drives me nuts

💯 agree.
The kid (Luke Laulilli) is too gutsy for his own good, runs the ball at top speed almost every time which is commendable and what you ideally want from your players, but as you and others are saying, he just doesn’t seem big enough for it to be a viable long term option. The only way around this for someone of his smaller size is to be an absolute speed demon in the Khan-Pereira mould, but from what I’ve seen he unfortunately doesn’t fit into that category either.

 

[Buttface]

Yeah - reckon his size has plenty to do with it…
Beats me why we keep trying to go with these undersized backs… bery rarely works out,
been that way forever - drives me nuts

It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but a good big fighter will always have it over a good little fighter. It’s just the way it is.
Mite is right.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but a good big fighter will always have it over a good little fighter. It’s just the way it is.
Mite is right.

What would you be more scared of if it charged you, a Fox Terrier or Dobermann

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

 

[weststigerman]

Lobb makes Willett look like Usain Bolt

I think they’re both pretty slow. It’s just that Willett is now at another club and some people have FOMO.

 

[Merlot]

I think they’re both pretty slow. It’s just that Willett is now at another club and some people have FOMO.

eagles love a tall string bean on the wing,can't say i disagree

 

[Buttface]

What would you be more scared of if it charged you, a Fox Terrier or Dobermann

I have had issues with both, a foxy latched on to my ankle and the Doberman ate my leg.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

I have had issues with both, a foxy latched on to my ankle and the Doberman ate my leg.

Wow you are a magnet for dog dislike.

 

[Vicious]

Sign Francis Molo to add size, power and depth to our forward pack.

 

[Glenji95]

Sign Francis Molo to add size, power and depth to our forward pack.

If you’re basing it off the trial majority of the ones that played won’t even play first grade. Besides we have too many middles if we’re gonna sign another forward it needs to be a back rower.

 

[Vicious]

If you’re basing it off the trial majority of the ones that played won’t even play first grade. Besides we have too many middles if we’re gonna sign another forward it needs to be a back rower.

We need a back rower too, but how can you be confident in what we have for middles outside of our top 17 plus Sione Fainu ?
It’s not possible for middles to all play each and every week without injuries, you need at least 2 genuine NRL quality back up middles.

 

[Glenji95]

We need a back rower too, but how can you be confident in what we have for middles outside of our top 17 plus Sione Fainu ?
It’s not possible for middles to all play each and every week without injuries, you need at least 2 genuine NRL quality back up middles.

Well we don’t have enough spots mate we’ve only got 1 left for this season, and we need it to go to a back rower, not a middle. No use worrying about the players that played in the middle when majority of them aren’t even in the top 30. We need a back rower more so then a middle at this stage, plus even if we had more spots I don’t think Molo would be the one to sign anyway.

 

[Year_of_the_Tiger]

Any info on Sione’s injury?

 

[Vicious]

Well we don’t have enough spots mate we’ve only got 1 left for this season, and we need it to go to a back rower, not a middle. No use worrying about the players that played in the middle when majority of them aren’t even in the top 30. We need a back rower more so then a middle at this stage, plus even if we had more spots I don’t think Molo would be the one to sign anyway.

I know what you’re saying, but I think we need to make sure we have middles that can make inroads to ensure our class players have time and space to play.
Although not perfect, Molo looks like he could be available for 2025 and is a proven big unit who runs the ball hard and makes good inroads against any opposition.
We are more chance of scraping by what we have for back row depth than trying to survive if we get a couple of injuries and don’t have the quality up front.

 

[crazycat]

@BlackWhiteGold mentioned it back it October

Nothing from the club though
I don't think they mentioned Chris Faagutu either

I don't think they publicise stuff about junior movements

We have lost a fair bit:
Before confirming the list, they confirmed the departures of five players: Solomon Alaimalo, Isaiah Papali'i (Penrith Panthers), Aidan Sezer (Super League), Junior Tupou (The Dolphins) and Stefano Utoikamanu (Melbourne Storm).

I mean we have gained a lot and those gains should be upgrades bar our forward pack. (May + Hunt < Stefano + Papalii ... although I reckon our hires may shame our former players in performance on the field.._.

I'm not suggesting we actively look to recruit one of their players (though if Guymer is available...). We've got 1 spot and I'd guess not a whole lot of cap space to make a play at any of them. I'm just refuting that our pack is significantly better than theirs or that few of their forwards would make our team.

I totally agree.

That aside in not sure the "we were last when he was here" argument holds for any one player. I mean we were last when Api was here but I still want him here. Same for Fainu or Galvin. Similarly, I'd recruit players that have previously received a spoon if they are the right fit. It hasn't stopped Panthers or Manly recruiting a few of our mob.

JOffa left after disagreements with Marshall. No point even considering bringing him back whilst Marshall is still here. Doesn't mean he isn't a better footballer than many of our best 17 forwards.

While were at 17, we need a complete change. Look I just wouldn't bring Joffa back and I would be very reluctact to take back Stefano or Papalii or anyone who has left us, while we sucked.