Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

He said that prior to last season, before he won player of the year at second row. Can't take too much from that. Samuela knows hes better suited at second row and have heard that he speaks to Haumole regularly about how he cant improve at second row.

Please, can the forum stop moving our best players from their best positions!
Yeah you’re probably right.

Still reckon we need a top tier lock to complete our middle rotation. Twal and Sione as the two props on the bench. Seyfarth and Hunt as 18/19 man etc.
 
Interesting wording in the announcement, I might be reading too much into it....or maybe I'm desperate to have some troops this year. When you compare his announcement to Turuvas they have not really ruled out him coming early:

KPP:
Wests Tigers are pleased to announce that Kai Pearce-Paul will join the club ahead of the 2026 season on a three-year deal.

Turuva:
The 21-year-old, who was NRL Rookie of the Year last season, will link up with Wests Tigers at the end of the 2024 season.

Both could mean the exact same thing, however KPP's is more open ended.
The email header:
Pepper Money

Kai Pearce-Paul to join Wests Tigers from 2026 season​

So I think the message is pretty clear
 
I don't think anyone who has suggested him, at least definitely @Demps , was suggesting him for NRL specifically.

If he really wanted to be around his brothers here, he'd be a very good depth player to have. His experience for our reserves would be great.

I really don't like him as a person - but Terrell has changed my perspective on the family as a whole, so I wouldn't be too upset if we had him here for depth.
What do we do with a heath mason if we sign a dead end like Tyrone May?
Did little when he was in the NRL (exCept be mates with some good footballers) has done even less since - Terrell needs a reality check, no one is giving up a top 30 spot on his brother just to keep him happy.
 
He said that prior to last season, before he won player of the year at second row. Can't take too much from that. Samuela knows hes better suited at second row and have heard that he speaks to Haumole regularly about how he cant improve at second row.

Please, can the forum stop moving our best players from their best positions!
Samuela will become a middle eventually but let’s keep him on and edge till we find a suitable replacement
 
fifita for sure mid season, make it happen richo
Would he
I don't think anyone who has suggested him, at least definitely @Demps , was suggesting him for NRL specifically.

If he really wanted to be around his brothers here, he'd be a very good depth player to have. His experience for our reserves would be great.

I really don't like him as a person - but Terrell has changed my perspective on the family as a whole, so I wouldn't be too upset if we had him here for depth.
Okay, it definitely felt like people were suggesting him as NRL standard. Demps is a g, didn't know he'd even commented on Tyrone.
 
He said that prior to last season, before he won player of the year at second row. Can't take too much from that. Samuela knows hes better suited at second row and have heard that he speaks to Haumole regularly about how he cant improve at second row.

Please, can the forum stop moving our best players from their best positions!
Currently Sam isn't one of our best players and he hasn't done enough in either position yet to determine his best position.
I was trying to find a comment I made last year regarding Samuela. One of his Blacktown coaches believed at the time that he was more suited to the middle even though he had only been used on an edge at Blacktown and Manly.
 
Currently Sam isn't one of our best players and he hasn't done enough in either position yet to determine his best position.
I was trying to find a comment I made last year regarding Samuela. One of his Blacktown coaches believed at the time that he was more suited to the middle even though he had only been used on an edge at Blacktown and Manly.
Maybe thats why hes a Blacktown coach and not anything more. Not to mention thats when he was 18 and had different body, frame and opposition.

I will start by saying, he's 21!
He is definitely one of our best players, even at his age hes our best forward after May (not including Api).

It doesnt even take much to see that Samuelas best position is second row. Look at his frame and his running style... Hes the closest thing to Haumole in the league and we want to move away from that?

We have May and Pole who are great props. Theres to much over thinking. I can tell you now, halves HATE going up against Samuela, hes one of the toughest assignments at backrow in the league due to his body type and aggression. There isnt much more to say than that.

Just think about what you are saying for a second... You want our team to win games, as we all do. But to do that, you want someone who was our player of the year in the second row to move to a position he hasnt played in first grade.

Samuela has the potential to be a top 5 backrower in the league in 3-5 years... Why is this even a discussion?
 
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What do we do with a heath mason if we sign a dead end like Tyrone May?
Did little when he was in the NRL (exCept be mates with some good footballers) has done even less since - Terrell needs a reality check, no one is giving up a top 30 spot on his brother just to keep him happy.
Adele Hague is adamant Mason is the perfect 14 on the bench, was saying that's even what Mason wants. Can cover virtually any position in the backline, once he gets a year or two under his belt can cover hooker and lock aswell as a ballplayer. Reckons he's our Connor Watson.
 
Adele Hague is adamant Mason is the perfect 14 on the bench, was saying that's even what Mason wants. Can cover virtually any position in the backline, once he gets a year or two under his belt can cover hooker and lock aswell as a ballplayer. Reckons he's our Connor Watson.
Once Latu is starting, it makes the most sense.

Nice that we can have hooker, backline and halves cover in the one player.

Now we need a centre to replace Doueihi and 1 more big name forward. That's job complete as far as roster overhaul goes I'd say.
 
Maybe thats why hes a Blacktown coach and not anything more. Not to mention thats when he was 18 and had different body, frame and opposition.

I will start by saying, he's 21!
He is definitely one of our best players, even at his age hes our best forward after May (not including Api).

It doesnt even take much to see that Samuelas best position is second row. Look at his frame and his running style... Hes the closest thing to Haumole in the league and we want to move away from that?

We have May and Pole who are great props. Theres to much over thinking. I can tell you now, halves HATE going up against Samuela, hes one of the toughest assignments at backrow in the league due to his body type and aggression. There isnt much more to say than that.

Just think about what you are saying for a second... You want our team to win games, as we all do. But to do that, you want someone who was our player of the year in the second row to move to a position he hasnt played in first grade.

Samuela has the potential to be a top 5 backrower in the league in 3-5 years... Why is this even a discussion?
I appreciate he is young and still developing as a player. I also think he should go on to be the best forward out of current crop (aside from May). But he is not currently our next best forward.

How do you claim a guy who hasn't broken a tackle for over a month and was not breaking many before that, hasn't thrown an offload this year and has a total of 2 linebreaks for the season is one of the toughest assignments in the backrow? Seems every team has found him easy to deal with thus far.

Yes he showed a bit last year but nothing like Olakuatu, in fact nothing like any of the better backrowers. Doesn't have the same speed, doesn't have the same footwork and doesn't have the same hands. But sure, he is a similar build so must be the same type of player.

I think he has the potential to be a very good player. I don't think he will go close to being a top 5 backrower.

"you want someone who was our player of the year in the second row to move to a position he hasnt played in first grade". Yes the same transition hundreds before him have made, not an outrageous move.
Why do I think he can/should? He seems to or at least did seem to enjoy the contact and is about our only forward able to win the collision on both sides of the ball. He seems to have enough footwork to step between defenders and find his front but not so good to beat defenders with his feet and get past them. He seems to have a bit of awareness of when to pass before the line so could help some of our lesser middles get one on one with a defender and possibly help them win some contact running the ball. He has been poor defensively (even last year) with his decision making and fairly susceptible to getting beaten by speed on an edge, I think there are plenty others around the comp who can do a better job defensively on an edge.
Finally not an argument for moving him but look how our last few Kelly Barnes medalist are going. Not sure that award should be validation for him playing on an edge.
 
I appreciate he is young and still developing as a player. I also think he should go on to be the best forward out of current crop (aside from May). But he is not currently our next best forward.

How do you claim a guy who hasn't broken a tackle for over a month and was not breaking many before that, hasn't thrown an offload this year and has a total of 2 linebreaks for the season is one of the toughest assignments in the backrow? Seems every team has found him easy to deal with thus far.

Yes he showed a bit last year but nothing like Olakuatu, in fact nothing like any of the better backrowers. Doesn't have the same speed, doesn't have the same footwork and doesn't have the same hands. But sure, he is a similar build so must be the same type of player.

I think he has the potential to be a very good player. I don't think he will go close to being a top 5 backrower.

"you want someone who was our player of the year in the second row to move to a position he hasnt played in first grade". Yes the same transition hundreds before him have made, not an outrageous move.
Why do I think he can/should? He seems to or at least did seem to enjoy the contact and is about our only forward able to win the collision on both sides of the ball. He seems to have enough footwork to step between defenders and find his front but not so good to beat defenders with his feet and get past them. He seems to have a bit of awareness of when to pass before the line so could help some of our lesser middles get one on one with a defender and possibly help them win some contact running the ball. He has been poor defensively (even last year) with his decision making and fairly susceptible to getting beaten by speed on an edge, I think there are plenty others around the comp who can do a better job defensively on an edge.
Finally not an argument for moving him but look how our last few Kelly Barnes medalist are going. Not sure that award should be validation for him playing on an edge.
Based it off what i have heard from 2 current NRL players... They would know better than anyone. He's one of the first on the tip sheets for match ups, which is rare for a second rower. Hes in his second full year of first grade and if you know the game, service from the halves is more important than anything as a backrower. You can run the perfect line, but it doesnt mean anything if you dont get the ball at the right time. Point in case, Samuelas try against the Sharks this year. If you watch his junior tape, he scored nearly all his tries from inside or outside balls from Latu.

He is 21, no backrower is defensively sound at that age or sub 50 games into their career. Just give it time, let him develop. The Dogs, Storm and Panthers are currently the best because they give their players time to develop into their roles. Moving positions and shifting the squad doesnt help anyone other than fan egos. We want wins on the field, not the internet.

Once Sam hits 100 games in the backrow he will be an elite backrower. He's done more in his first 30 games than some of the best backrowers currently in the game in their first 30... The reason that guys like Martin, Angus, Haumole etc are at their level is that their teams gave them time and let them develop in their position. Moving Sam away would only stall his development and the teams. He's shown so much ability at back row, why would you risk that for something that isn't even likely? Not to mention we have May and Pole who we know are quality props.

I respect your opinion and i'm not attacking you or your point of view, this is purely about the betterment of our team and putting us in the best position to win games!
 

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