Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Canadian Club said:
Any talk of Latu being anything other than a long term half is crazyyyy.

Theres probably only 3-4 halves under the age of 21 that look like they will be a half in the NRL for 10+ years and Latu is one of them. Even Galvin has question marks over his long term position in the halves.

Might be bias but I see Latu, Katoa and Strange as certainties. Galvin, Fletcher Sharpe and Purdue are definitely 10 year first graders but long term position is a question mark.

Pezet, Sanders, Talagi and King-Tongia all possibles/looking likely.
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it’s wild hey , latu’s ceiling is katoa , can’t believe we want to box him into lock . he has always been ~that~ guy coming through LG just got the jump on him because he was injured .
 
I admire the confidence people have in Latu but he has only shown glimpses of potential.

How many full games has he played?

He’s still got plenty to prove. Not saying he can’t but people have him locked in as a very good first grader already.
 
BAGNF05 said:
I hope he stakes his claim in the next two months but I’d still sign Sexton as an experienced guy and have a halfback spot up for grabs for the form player. I see the value in a young player having to earn his jersey.
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It'd be like history repeating itself in a way. Wasn't the reason the powers that be hired Aiden Seezer to be the experienced guy to help develop our young halves?
He didn't work out to well, his discipline was up there with the bad old days of Darren Senter, he became a liability.

If Sexton became available he'd be a decent pick up if he's signed on for no more than what he is on at the Dogs, his goal kicking is a bonus and lessens the dependence on Doueihi if he's injured or "goes missing" during the season.

There's not too many experienced halves out there but do we want to impede the likes of Latu and risk him getting poached?

I don't know where I sit on this, Latu for mine is a 7 but being injury prone who's the guy taking his place? I'd like to see how TDS would go as a halfback, could he be a smokey back up for Latu until Api retires?
Has he ever played in the halves?
Whilst I have no doubt Heath Mason is going to become a great 1st grader, he's not there yet and is underdone but should he get more game time? Or should he develop more in the Reggie's with an aim of earning a starting spot some time into season 2026?

I don't know, the things that cross my mind when I (as usual) just can't get to sleep 😴
 
If we lose Tallyn, it will be our biggest mistake yet. I love Api and I understand the sentiment around retaining Api and rewarding him for staying loyal but he's only got 2-3 years left at the most. I guarantee the same ones that are calling TDS 'unloyal' and saying we should let him go are the same ones that will be the loudest critics in 3 years if we do let him go. Exactly why Richo is trying to retain him, and is willing to go against Benji for the first time.

Tallyn is only 20 and already has clubs offering him a starting role and big money. Hes shown his upside and has easily been the best in our Cup side playing with NRL veterans. Api has been one the best hookers of the past decade and he didnt even debut until he was 21, became a regular starter at 24-25 and an Origin player at 28. No one really knew about Api until he was in his mid 20s. Tallyn has been that good and that dominate that clubs want him to start for their side at 20. Not to mention Tallyn has the SG Ball record for most tries scored in a season by a hooker and most points scored in a season by a hooker.

Just because hes hasn't come into first grade and scored a try every game, it doesn't mean he's not good. That mindset is exactly why we havn't been successful in over a decade and other teams have. Our junior development has been a failure for a long time because we don't back our development and would rather back a mediocre reserve grader whos played 14mins of NRL rather than our own who have carved up the junior grades and has multiple clubs after them.
 
I hope Latu can stay uninjured for the rest of the season and show us what we have , he is tough and gets us going straighter than Galvin with his sideways running , time for him to show and earn his spot .
TDS , youth is what we need and he is a solid player , needs to be retained and share the hooking with API but with longer minutes as time goes forward , retain both API and TDS.
May Jnr , time to show us what he has , train hard and do exact what the coaching staff want him to do , plus add some extra work in on top , show it , earn it , I think he will stay long term I got that feeling.
KPP , good signing and should be used as a hard running back rower , he has size , strength and can defend , great pick up.
Needs - another prop but aggressive and can play min 40/50 min , I think we good to go with this , we do have some talent in lower grades to add in over next couple years
 
Canadian Club said:
If we lose Tallyn, it will be our biggest mistake yet. I love Api and I understand the sentiment around retaining Api and rewarding him for staying loyal but he's only got 2-3 years left at the most. I guarantee the same ones that are calling TDS 'unloyal' and saying we should let him go are the same ones that will be the loudest critics in 3 years if we do let him go. Exactly why Richo is trying to retain him, and is willing to go against Benji for the first time.

Tallyn is only 20 and already has clubs offering him a starting role and big money. Hes shown his upside and has easily been the best in our Cup side playing with NRL veterans. Api has been one the best hookers of the past decade and he didnt even debut until he was 21, became a regular starter at 24-25 and an Origin player at 28. No one really knew about Api until he was in his mid 20s. Tallyn has been that good and that dominate that clubs want him to start for their side at 20. Not to mention Tallyn has the SG Ball record for most tries scored in a season by a hooker and most points scored in a season by a hooker.

Just because hes hasn't come into first grade and scored a try every game, it doesn't mean he's not good. That mindset is exactly why we havn't been successful in over a decade and other teams have. Our junior development has been a failure for a long time because we don't back our development and would rather back a mediocre reserve grader whos played 14mins of NRL rather than our own who have carved up the junior grades and has multiple clubs after them.
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Tallyn is yet to prove that he can play 80 consistently in one of the most demanding roles on the field hence why there are few clubs if any running with 20 year old hooker.
There is a path way at WTs for Tallyn if he wants to do it patiently with one of the best mentors in the game.
But if Tallyn sees his future elsewhere like his mate then it won't matter what the club throws at him and in the meantime they might lose API while doing it.
 
Telltails said:
Tallyn is yet to prove that he can play 80 consistently in one of the most demanding roles on the field hence why there are few clubs if any running with 20 year old hooker.
There is a path way at WTs for Tallyn if he wants to do it patiently with one of the best mentors in the game.
But if Tallyn sees his future elsewhere like his mate then it won't matter what the club throws at him and in the meantime they might lose API while doing it.
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Hardly any hookers play 80 mins these days. I wouldn’t put that as a factor against him. Not to mention at 20, I don’t think he needs to prove it.
 
GNR4LIFE said:
Hardly any hookers play 80 mins these days. I wouldn’t put that as a factor against him. Not to mention at 20, I don’t think he needs to prove it.
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Exactly there is a pathway for him with API yet some see it as a problem in retaining him. If he goes to another club because he believes he should be the starting hooker he will have to prove he is capable and or he will to have follow a pathway into the role like he would here.
 
watersider said:
And my last ABC related post (I was in the garden today) is that carayannis also said that while there's been no deal yet, that Bud was definitely not coming back to the tigers.

People asking about the Jonah Glover rumour...I posted earlier that carayannis had said today that we were after him and they see Latu as more of a lock (hence their unsuccessful pursuit of Reynolds - which carayannis thought was good for us that we missed out on him). All the commentators thought we should play Latu at half (I agree).

I don't know whether carayannis knows anything, just wanted to contribute to the rumour thread with a rumour. He sounded pretty certain about all of that, saying firmly that is what we're doing rather than those journalists who sound more like they're speculating.
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thanks for posting mate.

the Glover rumours are super interesting. I think he's excellent with ball in hand but admittedly it's in NSW Cup and I haven't really seen his defensive abilities or his kicking game enough to make a comment.

to me, it sounds as if the club is trying to give itself a few options in terms of who partners Jarome next year and what the makeup of the side looks like. although I think that Latu should absolutely be first choice, his injury history is of some concern. hopefully we see him have a good run in the 6 at some point this year, ideally from this week onwards, to get a decent look.
 
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