Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Odessa]

So Shane Richardson's UK trip, he was shopping;

John Bateman - Gone (NQ)
David Klemmer - All but gone (Dragons)
Jayden Sullivan - Temporarily Gone (Souths)
Charlie Staines - Contracted for 2025 only
Brent Naden - contracted for 2025 only

 We've also got Justin Olam, potentially retiring pending medical.

Tumeth, Matamua, Feledy and Douihei all only contracted for this year, 2025.

Starford Toa has 2025 and 2026 on the books.

That's a lot of ordinary players on the way out.
Hopefully some upgrades incoming.

I would offer if top 30 spots allow it Staines and Naden contracts for next year 200k max each both played 50 NRL games

 

[Banterboi]

After leaving the WTs , Matterson had a good year or so at Parra , then gradually got worse. He was dropped form. Not on personality

Matterson approached several clubs, tigers being one of them. Yes his form is done. No other clubs wanted him, he took his PO, eels dont want him either, he knows it, taking a big paycheck to play reserves.

 

[Demps]

Was it a selling trip?
He didn’t manage to do a deal with anyone over there did he?

Tried his best, no bites...

Brought back a cup player, Charbel Tasipale.
Not even sure he's still with the club.

The ones he wanted gone or thereabouts though.

 

[Flippedy]

Manu off to French Rugby

MSN

www.msn.com

What a waste!

 

[user118245]

With Klemmer gone it is clear we need to bolster up the back row and centers.

If I was Richo I would obviously be targeting Taylan May for the centers.

My pick for a back rower would be Simi Sasagi from the Raiders, fairly sure he is off contract at the end of this year and will be very cheap.

Just re-signed today

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Matterson approached several clubs, tigers being one of them. Yes his form is done. No other clubs wanted him, he took his PO, eels dont want him either, he knows it, taking a big paycheck to play reserves.

That might explain why he was training at Concord in the off season, trying to sneak in the back door lol.

 

[cktiger]

How does May replace Klemmer Wests Tigers? God I hate how they’ve left us so short up front in the engine room where games are won and lost. This is a really shit way to start a new season.

May will be the early replacement for Olam. You can bet they’ve got someone already targeted for Klem’s spot.

 

[JC99]

They didn't have a spot in the top 30 free already?

They did, but makes it easier now.

 

[JC99]

May will be the early replacement for Olam. You can bet they’ve got someone already targeted for Klem’s spot.

Exactly. Even if we do sign a prop, I would expect it to be as a solid depth player or a rookie with decent potential. It won't be a bloke who slots straight into the 17 straight away.

 

[liltiger]

Nothing to do with politics mate.

It would be good if someone could cite an example and break down how it gives him an unfair advantage.

The only thing that irks people is he is on TV and GM of a club. What specifically, action, then outcome, has he done where he has had an advantage?

The main gripe for me is he gets a massive advantage and pass from the N.R.L admin in his criticism of referees, numerous times he has hammered the ref's and bunker while working as a panellist on 100 percent footy, the N.R.L never really did anything about it until pretty sure early last year when they fined him and Gould threatened to take the N.R.L to court over it, pretty sure the N.R.L caved and issued him a warning. Any other coach or administrator would have been hammered for half of what Gould said.

 

[weststigers]

The main gripe for me is he gets a massive advantage and pass from the N.R.L admin in his criticism of referees, numerous times he has hammered the ref's and bunker while working as a panellist on 100 percent footy, the N.R.L never really did anything about it until pretty sure early last year when they fined him and Gould threatened to take the N.R.L to court over it, pretty sure the N.R.L caved and issued him a warning. Any other coach or administrator would have been hammered for half of what Gould said.

Fair enough example. It was a pretty easy challenge though. He never said anything about the refs. It was about the rules. Actually, it was related to a try not given to Api. He was actually supporting US. He said the game was stupid because of some odd rules and penalties.

Besides, the fine was suspended for 12 months, not wiped, but let's say practically wiped to be fair.

Just not sure how this feeds into the conspiracy that he recruits players because of his TV job.

 

[rugbygoated]

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion but it should be grounded in some reality. Fitler was a great 5/8. Daley was a great 5/8. As for Brooks? His record of failure at the Tigers speaks for itself. He can only perform at Manly because he's surrounded by a team of superstars. That's hardly the calling of a 'great' player.

Likewise with luai, surrounded by superstars his whole career, yet is in elite category. Brooks has not been around superstars most his career

 

[rugbygoated]

Wasn't Luai that lost it for us, it was our handling errors and stupid penalties that helped Newcastle make they're way up field with absolutely no resistance, that and when we did have ball in the attacking zone Galvin's short kicking game wasn't his best.

Cooper Cronk thinks it was luai

 

[rugbygoated]

No mate, brooks is anything but clutch.

He is a very talented player but not a good leader or decision maker.

Anyway, He's at another club now

More clutch than luai

 

[crazycat]

There is no excuse to lose. Benji has by and large the team he wanted. Parramatta coming off a belting. At what point do we stop blaming the roster for our failings?

I can accept a loss.

I can't accept a fold.

There is a big difference there. Against the knights, we did look disjointed. We should have had some set plays some flow to our attack.

But then again, new half and a few players who haven't played in a while. Same can be said about the knights. Come 60 minutes in we were gassed.

We did not Fold, though.


Were going to loose games against better teams. Were playing Parra again and excluding Spoonbowl, usually it's a great heavy hitting game if it's us vs Parra.

I want us to tackle hard, play with grit and score some tries. I want our attack and defense to have structure and we be creative on tackle 5 instead of tackle 1. Most of all I want a team that doesn't give up!

I get that and I am back at the stadium.

 

[lathami]

Cooper Cronk thinks it was luai

Who cares what that inbred thinks!

 

[SeanT]

Who cares what that inbred thinks!

He is annoying. Sounds articulate but what he says isn't what the fans think.

 

[liltiger]

Cooper Cronk thinks it was luai

Everyone's entitled to an opinion, even after his kick we could have defended better to stop the try but didn't, pinning the game on that one play is pretty poor imo from Cronk. He must have also missed the linebreak Newcastle made in the first half that Luai got in cover and batted the ball back and dived on the ball to save a certain Knights try.

 

[Tiger Tarl]

I reckon we'll get a members email tomorrow that Klemmer has been released then another one on Monday that Olam is being medically retired and then one more (let's say Thursday) that Taylan May has signed on.

As for the backrow, I personally don't hate Twal and Bird sharing the lock role with Twal shoring up the middle in defence for 20min and then Bird coming on to add some dynamic. BUT what I saw from Seyfarth last week showed me we need a genuine starting 2nd-row option with Seyfarth off the bench as cover. Hope he has a blinder on Sunday and proves me wrong.

 

[Conbat07]

We need a Dylan Lucas type of edge forward