Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Lukic]

If Brown can get 1.3 a season from the Knights Luai would have no problems jagging another deal on the coin he is currently on or more

Perhaps a little bit more, but mind you Brown is a few years younger and the 10 year deal will be significantly discounted as a proportion of the salary cap when it goes up soon.

Luai might get 1.3m a year from someone else but certainly not over 10 years.

 

[user118245]

Tamale extends with raiders

 

[GNR4LIFE]

well i for one don’t feel like starting all over again, if benji & luai walk we’ll be back to square one in the sheens era. god help us all if that’s the case

Yeah, we aren’t out of square one anyway. It’s hard to go backwards when you’ve made no headway.

 

[tigertragic]

Unfortunately this year is no different to past years
A tigers team with limited depth/quality cattle
A Tigers team that releases first graders from the squad as the year progressed
A Tigers team that seasons over mid way thru the year
The team has improved marginally but the above remains the same

 

[tigahhh]

Again most talented roster in the comp is subjective in many ways. Firstly that is simply your opinion. I'd agree they are right up there but I dont think they are any more talented than say the Storm or Sharks.
Then was it still the most talented whilst Walsh was out, or whilst Mam was out?
Are they building into the season (eg. training loads, playing minutes for old/young players, combinations) in order to peak at the backend compared to other teams peaking to soon?
I certainly agree they could be doing much better. They could also be going much worse. They are going just fine.

when your replacement for Ezra at 6 is Ben Hunt, I’d say that’s a pretty stacked/talented squad.

 

[tigahhh]

Tamale extends with raiders

good signing

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

i worry this willie peters talk is pushed by fox & co simply because braith anasta manages him. there’s always another agenda. also, the super league is pretty dire at the moment so it’s hard to know if that would translate to the nrl.

Plus the Richo-Willie relationship from Rabbitohs days gives the media content to speculate. Won't be long before they pull out the photo of Richo & his son with Willie when Richo went to the UK last year. I think either Brent Richardson or Willie posted it on Insta.

 

[Tiger Stripes]

The contracts our assistant coaches are on may dictate what happens at the end of the season i.e. how much the club is will to pay out.

John Morris - contracted through to end of 2027.
Brett Hodgson - end of 2026.
Chris Heighington - ??? but is coming up to 2 years.
Aaron Payne - end of this season.

I think you have hit the nail on the head. A shakeup is warranted ASAP.
Benji bogged down with player management; and his so called helpers not up to speed with tactics, opposition weaknesses to exploit, slackening of effort plays from within.
And of course we need to get some new external recruits big time! Repeating the obvious.

 

[Nonotmeagain]

Not trying to butt heads- but why is it Benji that is the problem?

The problem pre-dates Benji.

If I had to put the cross hairs anywhere...it's the '5 year plan'.

And not in the way people think.

It's not STICKING to a 5 year plan. The club makes statements about adapting change....puts in place structures & 5 year plans....then changes parts of it every couple of years.

This isn't the same 5 year plan Tim Sheens had.

Or the 5 year plan Madge had.

Or the 5 year plan Cleary had.

I can see some value in upgrading the support staff around Benji. I believe Hodgo is better than Farah was as an assistant already. Bringing in an experienced guy to sit beside Benji wouldn't hurt- but it has to be the right experienced guy. Anthony Griffin has always been talked about as a great development coach- from his time way back to the Broncos. Not surprisingly- he was part of the Panthers rebuild for a time too.

Changing Benji now starts a brand new 5 year plan. Restarts all the current schemes, systems, roster plans etc.

We are getting better players into the club. The key now is to STICK with the plan. See it through. Actually commit to something.

We are a rubbish club with a bunch of rubbish players. Losing guys like TDS & Galvin might sound terrible at the moment. But who are they, really? There are MAYBE 3-4 guys in the club that I would say must be kept. The rest are really quite replaceable.

Don't compare the CURRENT Tigers to the CURRENT Bulldogs. Gould started that rebuild in 2021. Richo started in 2024. I remember the Tigers taking the wooden spoon away from the Bulldogs not that long ago.

We will lose far more players before we are done. And I'm sure it will be a terrible day for the club we never recover from. Until we do.

TDS would make ZERO difference this weekend against the Roosters when we are already without Bula, Luai & Api. We will struggle, not because Tallyn is gone, but because there is no Bula, Luai & Api.

Context is needed. We are on as many wins as last season already. We have lost more games by 4 points than by 40 points compared to last season.

Our current bludging prop is dropped to KOE. Last year, our biggest bludging prop joined the Storm. We are in a stronger position there too.

We need back rowers & centres. The club has added KPP for next season already.

Benji might be in charge of a team not winning games. But, compared to last season, there is overall improvement. The club needs to get the squad balance right.

I forgot Cleary couldn't do anything either with us. He joins an illustrious group of Pearce, Most of Sheens, Potter , Taylor and Maguire so surely there must be some coaching talent in that lot so it's not all Benji

 

[tigahhh]

Plus the Richo-Willie relationship from Rabbitohs days gives the media content to speculate. Won't be long before they pull out the photo of Richo & his son with Willie when Richo went to the UK last year. I think either Brent Richardson or Willie posted it on Insta.

yeah I’m sure the burgess connection will be coming up soon too lol

 

[Moh]

I think you are right. I want to see him succeed. It’s the heart and the head thing. My heart wants him to, but my head knows he won’t. I think that’s the problem with people who are backing him. They love him so much, they have convinced themselves that he’s the man, Their heart is overruling their head.

The other thing I asked myself, do I see Benji coaching again at another club if he ever does get the sack?

That answer is definitely a no. So why am I backing him?

 

[balmain boy]

clubs like the bunnies & manly have poached young up and coming talent from the roosters etc in the past couple of days and we’ve seemingly done nothing. dont rly understand this part of the club, there seems to be a lack of identifying talent or maybe kids just don’t want to come here. we really need more scouts

We should be raiding the Panthers, Roosters, Raiders, Broncos, warriors etc and trying to nab some of their best talents.
Instead we do nothing and hope that bus burn in the south west turn into world beaters and went to stay at a loser club like us

 

[Tiger_claws]

yeah we’d always be able to score points, it’s kinda the dna of the club. 2005 wasn’t won with defence

It sure was won on defence. I think we conceded only 7 tries in those 4 finals games

 

[tigahhh]

I think you have hit the nail on the head. A shakeup is warranted ASAP.
Benji bogged down with player management; and his so called helpers not up to speed with tactics, opposition weaknesses to exploit, slackening of effort plays from within.
And of course we need to get some new external recruits big time! Repeating the obvious.

experienced, smart coaches that couldn’t quite crack it as a head coach that need to be vetted by richo. That’s what benji needs around him. Then we need a better or one more pathways recruiter for more depth signings. Benji & Richo can look after the “marquee” signings to avoid leaks.

 

[Needaname]

They have given up mate … they made no June 30 moves and let a player leave the rest of this year without replacing him…

We have seen this before , so we shouid know what it looks like

Ok. I took this as giving up on the field. I don’t think they have given up on the field and you’d hope that remains whether we come 9th or last.

 

[tigahhh]

We should be raiding the Panthers, Roosters, Raiders, Broncos, warriors etc and trying to nab some of their best talents.
Instead we do nothing and hope that bus burn in the south west turn into world beaters and went to stay at a loser club like us

yes!!! the warriors cup team is about to break the record for most wins in a row
absolute pot of gold in terms of talent about to come through

 

[Tom Shines]

experienced, smart coaches that couldn’t quite crack it as a head coach that need to be vetted by richo. That’s what benji needs around him. Then we need a better or one more pathways recruiter for more depth signings. Benji & Richo can look after the “marquee” signings to avoid leaks.

Again… I don’t disagree… but is the money there to sign better assistant coaches ? Like anything ,..you get what you are prepared to pay for..

 

[tigahhh]

Again… I don’t disagree… but is the money there to sign better assistant coaches ? Like anything ,..you get what you are prepared to pay for..

don’t think so, owners need to stop with the stinginess

 

[Tom Shines]

yes!!! the warriors cup team is about to break the record for most wins in a row
absolute pot of gold in terms of talent about to come through

I wonder if anyone at our club is keeping an eye on other teams NSW Cup teams form … maybe another one of Richo’s tasks!

 

[batboy]

😂

This line is a classic. People pretending that Benji in first week alongside Sheens and McDonnell thinking that he had deciding say over every single recruitment decision as if it wasn't heavily implied that he had a seat at the table rather than running the show.

Sheens, and later Richo's, line around Benji was that we won't hire anyone Benji doesn't want, it'll be the coach's side - or something close to that effect.

People acting like he's be Coach, Head of Recruitment and Head Talent Scout all in one 😂

Sheens and McDonnell would've be the senior members in those discussion, just as Richo is now. I'm sure Benji has a large say, but to act like it's a 'well, you've got these players here, so bad luck' is hilarious and again, as always, conveniently missing context.

Look at what Ryles has done in 1.

What has he done?

- They're below us on the table
- Are coming from a higher base
- Have more familiarity in their squad
- Is at a club with a better overall reputation from a recruitment standpoint; primarily due to results
- Is at a much richer club with greater football dept spending and resources

So, what exactly has he done?

He appointed assistant coaches for a Start, You might add he didn't get beat 64 Blot..
- He's turned them into a better side than we are, You've obviously not watched them?
The next few weeks will re-enforce that for those a little slow on the uptake.
- Coming from a higher base? Spoonbowl was a 'Higher Base' OK?
- More familiarity, There's plenty of new Guys - Plenty of young guys, Plenty been moved on this year
Captain has been MIA most of the year,
Oh, And Ryles is 6 months into the job.

You can bang on about their standpoint in recruitment
- Facts are we were seen as the club with the best recruitment for 2025.

We've always got plenty of excuses, I love it....
**Edit**
Like I said, 4th year of putting this squad together - Ignoring just gives another excuse.