Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Buttface]

SPOTTED III​

A Hyundai SUV bearing the number plates of Wests Tigers five-eighth Jarome Luai parked at a McDonald’s

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How is Buzz Rothfield making a story out of Luai eating at McDonalds 😭😭😭😭😭😭

Top shelf mastheadery right here.

I was at that Maccas, I met JL there for breakfast to re-ink my hat. Buzz was hiding inside the Maccas bin at the carpark exit with a metre long lens and a brown paper bag. I asked him why he wasn’t in a bin closer to the action? He motioned to the brown paper bag and said the Maccas kids kicked him off the premises for drinking alcohol.

Cheers Buzz, keep up the good work.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

The disappointing way Latu Fainu is playing, Jock might be preferred.

Is that you Mrs Madden? lol

 

[rozelle_rudy]

No you are not the only one unimpressed. Most the forum seem unimpressed.
I don't think the nothing available excuse that some offer up really flies given the club should have known in February that the side needed forwards, though it is only more recently that available cap space would have been known.
I think it isn't as simple as blaming Benji, Richo or anyone else for not getting anyone over the line. I simply think it is just a massive challenge to convince outside talent to come here.

It's a vicious circle that curses the club. We are burdened with too many 2nd rate players, and that keeps us low on the ladder. Makes the club unattractive for better players to come.

Even when we get a top player, like Luai, he struggles to achieve the heights and the influence that he had at the top club.

 

[rozelle_rudy]

We need a workhorse forward, that is for sure.

We have some, but theyre second rate.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Yeah ..not a bad idea …

Bit worried about this game now … WT boys are going to have to be strong mentally this week … they need to find that resolve they had in the Sharks game …

Need Royce on the bench too for 10 mins either side of HT, his instruction 'hunt & destroy'!

 

[Tom Shines]

Need Royce on the bench too for 10 mins either side of HT, his instruction 'hunt & destroy'!

I would bring back Royce if he has that same level of fitness as earlier in the year ..

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

bulla will be back to contest 🔥🔥🔥

Another aerial x-factor is Mapapalangi, has taken some good ones this season in Cup. We certainly lacked in that area last week (Bula & KMapz certainly bring both aerial capability in attack & x-factor).

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

I would bring back Royce if he has that same level of fitness as earlier in the year ..

He's looked better in Cup his past 2 games but his issue is when we are on the back foot in defence, he seems to gas getting back into line and then we can't use him in attack as it's our outside backs then used for yardage. We may have to adapt when to bring him on in this period, i.e. when we have the ball in decent position not in our own 20.

 

[Tiger Tarl]

Need Royce on the bench too for 10 mins either side of HT, his instruction 'hunt & destroy'!

I reckon May and Hunt are the perfect complement. Playing 80min is starting to burn him out. But give him a solid 30, then bring on Hunt for the last 10 mins of half time, running hard. Then sub May back on 5 or 10 mins after half time for the remainder. It makes sense, keeps both fresh and focused on what they do best. Twal and Pole to share the other prop role.

 

[balmain boy]

Mpap in for toa
Hunt back in for Bird

I'd out Turuva to Skeltons wing with Bula at the back. Turuva and Tu'itupou on the wings.

 

[Vicious]

He's looked better in Cup his past 2 games but his issue is when we are on the back foot in defence, he seems to gas getting back into line and then we can't use him in attack as it's our outside backs then used for yardage. We may have to adapt when to bring him on in this period, i.e. when we have the ball in decent position not in our own 20.

Maybe we can send him to the NFL ?

 

[TheEnz]

Imo, I'm telling Hodgo thanks but time to leave, bring Cronk in to work on our attack, then bringing in Matty Johns. The guy is a clown but has on of the best football I.q running around. If I can't get him in to help the halves I'm calling his brother in. Joey has done some really good work with developing halves and their games.

Pretty obvious Cronk hates Luai. I think the attack is stuttering because we are not playing off the front foot, our halves are often getting monstered and have no space to work in. When we do dominate in the forwards (rarely) our attack actually looks ok.

 

[tigahhh]

I don’t think I have it in me to watch this weeks game, won’t be pretty tbh and I can’t stand to watch LG

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Mpap in for toa
Hunt back in for Bird

I'd out Turuva to Skeltons wing with Bula at the back. Turuva and Tu'itupou on the wings.

I second that.
And simple plan to execute out of yardage, 5th tackle high kick to Tuala on the left wing with KMapz & Turuva to contest or pressure. The kick may drop 30m out but Tuala either a) aint going anywhere or b) we get lucky and he spills it or we win the contest.

 

[TheEnz]

The distance was not the problem, it was actually good for a change. You simply can't have kicks being caught on the full at the 20-30m line. That's absolute suicide.
The problem was the kicks aren't high enough for our chasers to get through. Why do our kickers have the lowest kicking game in the comp? Get pat Richards to show them how to put some height into it. Our kickoffs and general field kicks are atrocious, worst in the comp by a long long way.

Most of our kicks on the weekend were kicked from well within our half, so 2 things...does not matter where you kick it the FB will be in position to catch and return, also your chasers are never getting there in time to minimise the return metres, add to that the fact our kick chasers seem to be running in concrete. I was quite surprised by the distance Luai was getting, he actually kicked better and further than AD.

 

[stephen]

Forward packs I think we are better than?

Remembering that I'm disclosing that we lack that intimidation factor, based on ability, I'd probably have our pack ahead of Souths, Parra, Knights, Dragons, Roosters & Sea Eagles.

That's on skills & talent.

But there are players from each club that I would add to our pack. Just as I'm sure they would take a handful of ours.

Can they take a handful today?

 

[Harvey]

The 3 biggest issues we have are our long kicking game, our speed and intensity in attack and defence and our forward impact.

In games where we play with some speed and are getting metres, we look a threat to score. Anyone that has played the game before knows it's a lot harder to break the line when the defence is set and in position.

To sum it up, it's pressure on both sides of the ball and pressure is built by cutting their time to make decisions in attack and defence.

Add our long kicks go straight to the fullback 20m out and they get the first tackle on the 20 or 30 most sets, we lose the field position.

Penrith put on a clinic in how to soak up the first 3 tackles within our 20 by pinning us in the corners on every set and backed it up with line speed in defence. They didn't give us anything all game. As Benji said, they strangled us.

So the same issues we have had since 2016?

 

[Tiger Stripes]

I can’t disagree with that and I think most of our supporters unanimously agree.
Maybe a bit harsh on a young up and comer such as Sukkar who does have scope for plenty of improvement, but he certainly doesn’t look like he’s ready to make a genuine impact at NRL level just yet.

I don't think Sukkar is quick/mobile enough, so will never improve very much as a 2RF. Hard to get faster?
Maybe if he beefs-up could replace Twal as a prop?

 

[TheEnz]

I don't think Sukkar is quick/mobile enough, so will never improve very much as a 2RF. Hard to get faster?
Maybe if he beefs-up could replace Twal as a prop?

He has been very underwhelming since his first couple of games. I can't help but think the source of our backline and edge issues is flowing from our misfiring middles though.

 

[upthetigers]

Fair enough and I believe you are a very good analyst so I’ll take your word for it.
So if we were to retain only one of Twal, Seyfarth or Bird, would you keep Seyfarth ahead of the other 2 ?
I only ask as I think it’s nearing the stage where we might need to make this type of decision and I think I would prioritise Seyfarth ahead of the other 2.
I don’t think we would have much trouble offloading Twal at his full 400k value if that’s a decision we were looking to make.

Yes Seyfarth is the keeper from those 3. He can do a job off the bench.