2026: 18 - 30 [DEPTH]

Demps said:
Krystian Mapapalangi ;

He played at Holy Cross College, Ryde.
In 2020 they awarded him sportsperson of the year.

It was informed to me that the Tigers overlooked him due to favouring Zane Camroux [at the time] and Krystian went on to sign with Manly before moving to Newcastle and eventually making his first grade debut.

In 2020 he made the schoolboy second team which featured;
Sean Russell [Eels]
Mikey Tannous [Tigers]
Riley Smith [Eels]

They had this to say about him;
The most talented centre to ever come through Holy Cross College. Signed a top 30 deal with the Manly Sea Eagles and is expected to progress up the ranks.
Click to expand...

They play different positions so I'm not sure how Zane was prioritised over Christian
 
innsaneink said:
Camroux wouldve been a ''its not what you know its what your last name is " signing"

Not much running around in Reggies though I did see Ray Fatala Mariner and hame Sela....though I dont know what theyd leave Saints reggies to play for the Magpies....
Why would a fringe first grader sign with WTs knowing theyre likely playing for the Magpies?
Payne seems out of his depth in reserves.
Do they train with first grade?
They rarely play the same ground bar today
Lower grades just seem to be a mess
Click to expand...
Yep, that's what was described to me.
Camroux's dad was friends with Sirro who was involved with the club and they backed Jnr... he showed some promise, imo but it hasn't worked out. Mapapalangi was overlooked and looked elsewhere.

Saw some training footage the other day and noticed Jirah Momoseia [spelling?] Was training against the first grade squad. He is / was a Hawks player that's worked his way into the Magpies team in recent weeks

I think Payne is a poor coach.
Kimmorley is with the women's team now eh?
Like to see this coaching issue addressed.
 
Last edited:
king_sirro said:
They play different positions so I'm not sure how Zane was prioritised over Christian
Click to expand...
Krystian is playing 6 today but came through as a centre.

The statement was; We have lost so many kids because of Siro protecting Zane Camroux, such as Krystian Mapapalangi (Newcastle), Dion Teaupa (Souths), Liam Tonpi (Roosters / Souths) just to name a few, all Balmain and Holy Cross Ryde School juniors.
 
Demps said:
Some insight;

We once had a KOE cup player making the team named John Tuivaiti. He also floated around the lower grades @ Manly and the roosters [Bears] too. He is Sam Tuivaitis older brother.

Sam played for Westfield's sports high, he's pictured here with some familiar faces.

View attachment 22718

Seems he came through the system at Parramatta, playing Harold Matt's, Flegg and SG ball. I also saw some images of him lining up for the Wentworthvillle Magpies.

Born in New Zealand and having stats of 191 cm tall & 117 KG - he is also OFF CONTRACT.

He would be a great bench option to partner Hunt and be a great squad filler with a high cieling.
Click to expand...
Further digging;

John Tuivaiti, Sams older brother... is currently playing for the Ryde Hawks.
Our RMC team.

They're third on the ladder.
A few players have floated between NSW cup and RMC this year.
 
11 rounds in, this will be the time when Richo & Benji make crucial roster calls for our players off-contract. This is what I would do ...

OFF CONTRACT NOW FOR 2026
Tony Sukkar (club option for '26) - retain him
Josh Feledy - no contract
Justin Matamua - no contract
Solomona Faataape - revisit at end of the season pending his form & if he would accept minimum but unlikely
Charlie Staines - no contract
Brent Naden & Adam Doeuihi - revisit at end of the season pending form, only consider retaining 1 of them at a maximum depending on dollars and willingness to accept being depth (Naden as wing/fullback only, Doueihi as centre/utlity)
Will Craig (dev) - no contract
Alex Lobb (dev) - no contract
Reuben Porter (dev) - no contract
Tristan Hope (dev) - revisit at end of the season pending form & accepting minimum to be our 3rd hooker
Heath Mason (dev) - revisit at end of July to monitor his development/form, likely to retain on a minimum

OFF CONTRACT ON 1-NOV FOR 2027
Luke Laulilii - extend for 2 years (close to minimum)
Kit Laulilii - extend for 2 years (close to minimum)
Solomone Saukuru - revisit next year
Starford To'a - extend for 2 years
Api Koroisau - extend for 1 year
Tallyn Da Silva - extend for 2 years
Jeral Skelton - extend for 2 years
Sione Fainu - extend for 2 years
Jack Bird - revisit next year
Lachlan Galvin - release
Bud Sullivan - release
Jahream Bula - extend for 3 years
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
11 rounds in, this will be the time when Richo & Benji make crucial roster calls for our players off-contract. This is what I would do ...

OFF CONTRACT NOW FOR 2026
Tony Sukkar (club option for '26) - retain him
Josh Feledy - no contract
Justin Matamua - no contract
Solomona Faataape - revisit at end of the season pending his form & if he would accept minimum but unlikely
Charlie Staines - no contract
Brent Naden & Adam Doeuihi - revisit at end of the season pending form, only consider retaining 1 of them at a maximum depending on dollars and willingness to accept being depth (Naden as wing/fullback only, Doueihi as centre/utlity)
Will Craig (dev) - no contract
Alex Lobb (dev) - no contract
Reuben Porter (dev) - no contract
Tristan Hope (dev) - revisit at end of the season pending form & accepting minimum to be our 3rd hooker
Heath Mason (dev) - revisit at end of July to monitor his development/form, likely to retain on a minimum

OFF CONTRACT ON 1-NOV FOR 2027
Luke Laulilii - extend for 2 years (close to minimum)
Kit Laulilii - extend for 2 years (close to minimum)
Solomone Saukuru - revisit next year
Starford To'a - extend for 2 years
Api Koroisau - extend for 1 year
Tallyn Da Silva - extend for 2 years
Jeral Skelton - extend for 2 years
Sione Fainu - extend for 2 years
Jack Bird - revisit next year
Lachlan Galvin - release
Bud Sullivan - release
Jahream Bula - extend for 3 years
Click to expand...
Think Staines opinion is harsh he has a crack it's not his fault they can't put him into space to use his obvious speed.
 
Demps said:
Krystian Mapapalangi ;

He played at Holy Cross College, Ryde.
In 2020 they awarded him sportsperson of the year.

It was informed to me that the Tigers overlooked him due to favouring Zane Camroux [at the time] and Krystian went on to sign with Manly before moving to Newcastle and eventually making his first grade debut.

In 2020 he made the schoolboy second team which featured;
Sean Russell [Eels]
Mikey Tannous [Tigers]
Riley Smith [Eels]

They had this to say about him;
The most talented centre to ever come through Holy Cross College. Signed a top 30 deal with the Manly Sea Eagles and is expected to progress up the ranks.
Click to expand...
How could he have been overlooked as a centre by preferring a five eight? What the f does our recruitment team do.
Hopefully he starts to get some form back was set to be a real option for the knights but I think he had a pretty tough run of injuries since. Didn’t realise he was our junior. Smh.
 
Rock Hopper Steve said:
Think Staines opinion is harsh he has a crack it's not his fault they can't put him into space to use his obvious speed.
Click to expand...
It is harsh but where I'm coming from is that Benji will prioritise Turuva & Skelton and will want to develop and give opportunities for Luke Laulilii & Haemasi Makasini

Yes both are left sided players and there could be a place for Staines as our NSW Cup right wing and right-side depth. Just think with a likely recruitment of Taylan May on the right, we will would target a lower $$$ bigger bodied backup.

But if Benji feels Staines is a popular member of the group, good cultural fit who would accept lower $$$ and opportunity to provide leadership in Cup (potentially as a fullback/wing), he could the one we prioritise out of him, Naden & AD.
 
Put simply depth is improved from the top down.
People don’t rave about depth signings. We need to sign players that are fighting it out for first choice in the 17. That will improve our depth.
 
Re-sign everyone. With 2 more teams coming in that depth pool is going to get shallower across the league
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
11 rounds in, this will be the time when Richo & Benji make crucial roster calls for our players off-contract. This is what I would do ...

OFF CONTRACT NOW FOR 2026
Tony Sukkar (club option for '26) - retain him
Josh Feledy - no contract
Justin Matamua - no contract
Solomona Faataape - revisit at end of the season pending his form & if he would accept minimum but unlikely
Charlie Staines - no contract
Brent Naden & Adam Doeuihi - revisit at end of the season pending form, only consider retaining 1 of them at a maximum depending on dollars and willingness to accept being depth (Naden as wing/fullback only, Doueihi as centre/utlity)
Will Craig (dev) - no contract
Alex Lobb (dev) - no contract
Reuben Porter (dev) - no contract
Tristan Hope (dev) - revisit at end of the season pending form & accepting minimum to be our 3rd hooker
Heath Mason (dev) - revisit at end of July to monitor his development/form, likely to retain on a minimum

OFF CONTRACT ON 1-NOV FOR 2027
Luke Laulilii - extend for 2 years (close to minimum)
Kit Laulilii - extend for 2 years (close to minimum)
Solomone Saukuru - revisit next year
Starford To'a - extend for 2 years
Api Koroisau - extend for 1 year
Tallyn Da Silva - extend for 2 years
Jeral Skelton - extend for 2 years
Sione Fainu - extend for 2 years
Jack Bird - revisit next year
Lachlan Galvin - release
Bud Sullivan - release
Jahream Bula - extend for 3 years
Click to expand...
Wow, Brent Naden and AD in the same category?? I don't get it.
Naden sadly has had enough chances. I would only give him a total minimum value contract and even then if no one else really put their hand up.

Otherwise I agree with everything else bar Bud Sullivan. Do we want to keep him and slot him into Galvin or Fainu's spot?
 
crazycat said:
Wow, Brent Naden and AD in the same category?? I don't get it.
Naden sadly has had enough chances. I would only give him a total minimum value contract and even then if no one else really put their hand up.

Otherwise I agree with everything else bar Bud Sullivan. Do we want to keep him and slot him into Galvin or Fainu's spot?
Click to expand...
You know what. You may be right re Bud.

We could tell him he's free to find a new club but we'll only chip in minimal of his reported $500k or we keep him as a back-up half & 3rd hooker and not extend Tristan Hope.

The Perth Bears may look at him for 2027 to save us that final year of his contract too.
 
Demps said:
Some insight;

We once had a KOE cup player making the team named John Tuivaiti. He also floated around the lower grades @ Manly and the roosters [Bears] too. He is Sam Tuivaitis older brother.

Sam played for Westfield's sports high, he's pictured here with some familiar faces.

View attachment 22718

Seems he came through the system at Parramatta, playing Harold Matt's, Flegg and SG ball. I also saw some images of him lining up for the Wentworthvillle Magpies.

Born in New Zealand and having stats of 191 cm tall & 117 KG - he is also OFF CONTRACT.

He would be a great bench option to partner Hunt and be a great squad filler with a high cieling.
Click to expand...
So he has a really high ceiling but signed to no club?

No alarm bells?
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
11 rounds in, this will be the time when Richo & Benji make crucial roster calls for our players off-contract. This is what I would do ...

OFF CONTRACT NOW FOR 2026
Tony Sukkar (club option for '26) - retain him
Josh Feledy - no contract
Justin Matamua - no contract
Solomona Faataape - revisit at end of the season pending his form & if he would accept minimum but unlikely
Charlie Staines - no contract
Brent Naden & Adam Doeuihi - revisit at end of the season pending form, only consider retaining 1 of them at a maximum depending on dollars and willingness to accept being depth (Naden as wing/fullback only, Doueihi as centre/utlity)
Will Craig (dev) - no contract
Alex Lobb (dev) - no contract
Reuben Porter (dev) - no contract
Tristan Hope (dev) - revisit at end of the season pending form & accepting minimum to be our 3rd hooker
Heath Mason (dev) - revisit at end of July to monitor his development/form, likely to retain on a minimum

OFF CONTRACT ON 1-NOV FOR 2027
Luke Laulilii - extend for 2 years (close to minimum)
Kit Laulilii - extend for 2 years (close to minimum)
Solomone Saukuru - revisit next year
Starford To'a - extend for 2 years
Api Koroisau - extend for 1 year
Tallyn Da Silva - extend for 2 years
Jeral Skelton - extend for 2 years
Sione Fainu - extend for 2 years
Jack Bird - revisit next year
Lachlan Galvin - release
Bud Sullivan - release
Jahream Bula - extend for 3 years
Click to expand...
Goal kicking options apart from Api? Do we buy one?
 
Rock Hopper Steve said:
Think Staines opinion is harsh he has a crack it's not his fault they can't put him into space to use his obvious speed.
Click to expand...
Yes Staines has been moved around and been doing the dirty hit ups , he goes in hard but is light weight , but he has a good would love to see him get ball in space , he is quick
 
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