Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tom Shines]

Letting Benji make all our recruitment and retention calls is like letting the lunatics run the asylum.
Api won’t be getting any better, TDS will be it’s a no brainer for anyone that uses common sense.

The only thing I can think of is that both Richo and Benji are all in on the next 2-3 years …that looks like Richo’s timeline for his time here …

Maybe now he has been here 18 months, it’s a bigger job than he imagined , and his goal has gone from winning a premiership to getting them into the 8 in three years ?

 

[liltiger]

Letting Benji make all our recruitment and retention calls is like letting the lunatics run the asylum.
Api won’t be getting any better, TDS will be it’s a no brainer for anyone that uses common sense.

Bennett said it perfectly, the worst thing to ever tell a coach is he has x amount of weeks to save his job, all that does is ensure all the resources are used by the coach and players are flogged and forced to play injured for however many weeks to save their job. This just seems the same, Benji just making a decision in order to try to win games now, instead of looking to the future.

 

[liltiger]

Have to be honest also, I don't hate the idea of Jack De Belin at lock for 2 years just to fill the breech till someone better comes along. Won't light the comp on fire but is super reliable, imo is better than Twal and Sayfarth.

 

[diedpretty]

What did you think they would be talking about?

Talking and actually putting a deal on the table are 2 different things - of course in the talks they would be saying whats on offer. This is what was originally reported in the media
" Da Silva’s agent has asked for and been granted permission to speak with other clubs, not just the Knights."
Whats weird is i cant find any official statement from the club saying he had permission to talk or negotiate.

 

[mtd#2]

Not a crack at you but - worst CEO?
Stefano - no better since joining Storm. We get May - win for us.
Papalii - was under-performing most times here. No better at Panthers. We've now got KPP from 2026. Hopefully a win for us.
Galvout - should have been born a sapper in medievial times the amount of under-mining he did here. good riddance.
TDS - appears he is a half-clone of Galvout. We don't want me first players at the club. We've had too many in the past (ironically including our current coach).
Large - who knows if he will aspire to anything. No loss imo.
Our position on the ladder is once again a bitter pill to swallow but I believe there is a positive change - the results could have been oh so much better in some games but we've only really had two poor turnouts the whole year.

Alot of these folks will be riding the wave of success when we play finals next season.. they just can't see the progress

 

[mtd#2]

Have to be honest also, I don't hate the idea of Jack De Belin at lock for 2 years just to fill the breech till someone better comes along. Won't light the comp on fire but is super reliable, imo is better than Twal and Sayfarth.

Yeah it's a shame he went to the eels he would have filled a role for us.. I like him as a player

 

[Vicious]

The only thing I can think of is that both Richo and Benji are all in on the next 2-3 years …that looks like Richo’s timeline for his time here …

Maybe now he has been here 18 months, it’s a bigger job than he imagined , and his goal has gone from winning a premiership to getting them into the 8 in three years ?

Unless we sign one or two high profile game changing players, we will not make the top 8 within the next couple of years with what we already have, no chance.

 

[batboy]

Alot of these folks will be riding the wave of success when we play finals next season.. they just can't see the progress

How many seasons you been saying that for?

 

[Tucker]

Maybe now he has been here 18 months, it’s a bigger job than he imagined , and his goal has gone from winning a premiership to getting them into the 8 in three years ?

Yes it was commented on at the time that he was taking this job too lightly and underestimated what a shitshow this club is. Having stated that, he has done some good things on the financial side. On the football side though, things are more stubborn than anticipated. We have a decent squad who arent playing well enough to win consistently. In this topsy tuvry competition, this squad is too good to finish bottom 4. However off field distractions and player upheaval is still present and threatening to derail yet another year. Its hardwork for them currently.

 

[colinbh]

Not a crack at you but - worst CEO?
Stefano - no better since joining Storm. We get May - win for us.
Papalii - was under-performing most times here. No better at Panthers. We've now got KPP from 2026. Hopefully a win for us.
Galvout - should have been born a sapper in medievial times the amount of under-mining he did here. good riddance.
TDS - appears he is a half-clone of Galvout. We don't want me first players at the club. We've had too many in the past (ironically including our current coach).
Large - who knows if he will aspire to anything. No loss imo.
Our position on the ladder is once again a bitter pill to swallow but I believe there is a positive change - the results could have been oh so much better in some games but we've only really had two poor turnouts the whole year.

Agree

 

[Tom Shines]

Unless we sign one or two high profile game changing players, we will not make the top 8 within the next couple of years with what we already have, no chance.

Yeah …I agree with that..

Watching games like last night ,,.they are levels from that standard ..

 

[Vicious]

Yeah …I agree with that..

Watching games like last night ,,.they are levels from that standard ..

Did you notice the Bulldogs regularly play from edge to edge and all 4 edge players run the ball hard and are a handful for the opposing defence if they are not making line breaks or offloads.
Then their fullback is also constantly available to hit holes, gets to TOP SPEED very quickly and a great last line defender.

 

[Moh]

I get the TDS thing, he wants more game time and we're not willing. Fine.

But please explain how it is a good idea and helpful in anyway for us to let him go now as opposed to the END OF THE SEASON?

It's just dumb.

 

[tigahhh]

Doesn’t he have a 3 year deal in the top 30 at manly?

he’s not in top 30 yet
He’s just had a shoulder reco , one of many injuries so far at manly , word is manly won’t be stopping in his way he wants rugby

 

[Oldman]

I’d take Ilias in a heart beat . Provides cover for luai in origin and injury . Is a tigers junior , and has a good attitude and work ethic and is a talented kid albeit with a ceiling.

It’s a NO from me,
Hasn’t seen regular first grade since he got seriously injured at the bunnies, that’s 2 teams now that don’t think he is up to that level week in week out.
Which I tend to agree with.

 

[shankspony]

I think to this point Richo has done a great job and the club seems headed in the right direction. On field we could be higher but the organisation as a whole has seemed to forgotten how to win, which hurts everyone I'm sure, and hopefully this can be addressed ASAP! The thing I am a bit disappointed about in recent times is the lack of communication from Richo. As soon as the other dopes were moved on and Richo came on board, I signed on as a member and I have been happy with my decision to do so. However we really need to hear from him soon, whether it's with good news (another quality signing) or just to let us all know what the heck is happening with losing these good kids. I'm happy to believe there are sufficient reasons for what's going on but it would be good to know a little more about it. The silence is what's worrying and frustrating.

 

[Vicious]

I get the TDS thing, he wants more game time and we're not willing. Fine.

But please explain how it is a good idea and helpful in anyway for us to let him go now as opposed to the END OF THE SEASON?

It's just dumb.

It would only make sense if we are using his contract money towards signing sone top quality players.
I’m not holding my breath waiting for that to happen, but it’s the only reason that would make any sense.

 

[tigahhh]

I keep seeing everywhere Luai ain’t playing tonight 😟😟😟😟😟

 

[Tucker]

Yeah …I agree with that..

Watching games like last night ,,.they are levels from that standard ..

They can do it sporadically. Their effort v Cronulla is proof that they can bang with the big boys. They also hung with Warriors, Souths, Penrith and Canberra but just didnt have that final couple of percent to get them.Consistency takes time. Add 3 more established NRL players and the balance of results will tilt.

My question though is if we keep losing these juniors, is it sustainable enough to build a premiership winning squad?

 

[Tucker]

I keep seeing everywhere Luai ain’t playing tonight 😟😟😟😟😟

Shit.
Injured?