Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tom Shines]

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the way lee still criticises the club publicly and puts his name in the media whenever something happens with WT infuriates me to no end, it’s his fault we got to where we did. was all self interest and the fans deserved much better

We know Sheens is dirty on the club as well, which causes his best mate The Mole to always be reporting negative stories about the club… couple that with the Isaac Moses/ Benji feud now happening as well…with Moses seemingly determined to disrupt the WT

For a club that is so success starved they somehow seem to have more arch enemies than Batman …

 

[Betterdays22]

Unfortunately benji wants to fill our forward pack with Polynesians, mostly big bodies, apart from the rare exception are soft we need more hard nutcase country boys, Canberra have Hudson young, Horsbourgh Penrith have yeo Martin, Sorenson, chooks have Radley, Lindsay, Collins, Angus C the closest we have to that is seyfart

We currently have Twal, Sukkar, Seyfarth, Bird in the pack and he has just moved Doueihi there. He has given Charlie Murray a run this year plus they have recruited KPP and tried to recruit Koby Hetherington.

There are many valid criticisms of Benji, but the narrative being pushed by some on here that Benji prefers polynesian players is rubbish.

 

[Nonotmeagain]

In hindsight now, the period 2020 - 2024 has been an absolute clusterfu*k for the club. A PhD student should do their doctorate on how not to run an elite sporting team based on the WT over this period. And Lee, the HBG & Justin should hang their heads in shame for many of their key decisions in this period.

Whilst many of us heralded the appointment of Sheens after Madge wore out the playing group led by sooks like Joey Leulia & Nofa, I for one clenched my teeth when vision emerged of Sheens returning to Concord into the old demountable footy offices flanked by his best mate Warren McDonnell. Unfortunately nostalgia got the better of common sense and we've paid the price.

I cannot think of one good thing McDonnell did for the club in his latest tenure. Anyone?

1) The term "Elite sporting team" would not apply to the Tigers - they would be more the subject of an autopsy rather than the rigorous study required for a Phd;
2) Leave ??

 

[tigahhh]

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We know Sheens is dirty on the club as well, which causes his best mate The Mole to always be reporting negative stories about the club… couple that with the Isaac Moses/ Benji feud now happening as well…with Moses seemingly determined to disrupt the WT

For a club that is so success starved they somehow seem to have more arch enemies than Batman …

the more we are starved success the happier they are as we dominate the NRL news cycle, negativity sells

 

[Jolls]

This is so true, but let's analyse that for a minute.

If we do that and put in place any other development structure we need, how long will it take? In my estimation, you are looking at 10 years to firstly get it right, then to develop everyone else under you in a consistent manner.

Our fans want Richos head after 18 months. The media takes our success game by game. There is no patience for this and at best we get politician style terms where people expect big changes in a short period, then reload again hoping for a different result.

It remains to be seen how Benjis coaching career will pan out, but he has brought some identity to the club which he can sell to players for the first time in a long time. Some stability as well. To me, it's part of the journey, but I see many things heading in the right general direction despite not getting the results.

Even Penrith struggled with new players in an established and working system this year until they could figure out what was going on. The last 10 years for us have been different systems from different coaches and this year we have a new bunch of players with movement happening within the season. Lots more work to do and time to pass until you can say things are a failure.

This is too right, this forum is a prefect example of wanting success immediately. Unfortunatley, it doesn't happent that way and to build the systems we need to achieve our goals takes time and money. Time we has been wasted though infighting and money that is prioritised by HBG back into the cubs that generate it as opposed to the club that needs it. I can't really blame them though as we have lurched, under HBG guidance, from one plan to another never seeing out the first under the political type of terms you described.

For the first time since I have been following the club I see that we are taking steps towards changing this. Is Benji the best coach in the situation we face ourselves? From a short term winning games perspective - probably not. Is he the right guy, with the support of Richo, to pour the foundation that we can build on? He may not be, but he is the closest we have got and I think he gets what we need to do. It is painful, especially when we are trying to build the club while concurrently trying to win games. I would like to understand the detail of the plan - but I know that is a fantasy. Richo has pinned a big hairy audacious goal on the board - to become a top 4 club. Everything we do has to be aligned with that goal.

 

[weststigers]

We currently have Twal, Sukkar, Seyfarth, Bird in the pack and he has just moved Doueihi into the there. He has given Charlie Murray a run this year plus they have recruited KPP and tried to recruit Koby Hetherington.

There are many valid criticisms of Benji, but the narrative being pushed by some on here that Benji prefers polynesian players is rubbish.

Loose forwards are our biggest weakness. You can't use Seyfarth or Sukkar as a serious attacking threat. There's plenty to play out in the off season around recruitment as there is each year. Let's hope we jag a couple of players that move the dial for us.

 

[Tom Shines]

the more we are starved success the happier they are as we dominate the NRL news cycle, negativity sells

Seems a bit more to it… I don’t see any other ex Chairman in the media bagging his old club at any opportunity

Plenty of others have been sacked over the years…

It seems personal with these guys

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

I genuinely cannot fathom the pitchforks for Starford To'a.

he is injured. he is therefore going to make mistakes. blame the coach for playing him busted, and the admin of past and present for our horrendous depth in the outside backs.

at his best he is up there with the best centres in the competition. his stats from the beginning of the season indicate as such.

fingers crossed he gets the rest he so desperately needs this week.

No one's doubting how good he can be when he's sound jr but the problem is every season he ends up lame in some part of his body which keeps on happening every season, it's looking like he's made of glass.

Every player goes through injury that's part of football but can you afford to have someone on your roster that continuously ends up on the sideline our should be rested for a niggle.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

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We know Sheens is dirty on the club as well, which causes his best mate The Mole to always be reporting negative stories about the club… couple that with the Isaac Moses/ Benji feud now happening as well…with Moses seemingly determined to disrupt the WT

For a club that is so success starved they somehow seem to have more arch enemies than Batman …

'V for Vendetta' some may say has been playing out of the Concord cinema starring Tim Sheens with a support cast of Warren Mac, Isaac Moses, Wayne Lambkin, Peter Gentle, Luke Vella, and The Mole as The Mole and introducing Lachlan Galvin, Onitoni Large & Tallyn Da Silva with parental permission.

 

[Betterdays22]

Loose forwards are our biggest weakness. You can't use Seyfarth or Sukkar as a serious attacking threat. There's plenty to play out in the off season around recruitment as there is each year. Let's hope we jag a couple of players that move the dial for us.

Yep the over-arching point about needing hard edged, intimidating forwards I agree with. I don't agree it is a problem with too many polynesian players, or that Benji favours them, which is what the first comment was about. E.g. I would take Kaufusi in a heartbeat he is exactly what we need.

Could not care less if we have a team full of polynesians, white kids from the country or people mars. I just want to win.

 

[Kelce68]

They also did the same with Brooks Moses and Teddy

When your not a destination club you have to take risk TDS Galvin great young players and last I read 1 in 40 juniors from flegg make it to first grade

What would it be 1 in 1000 for a TDS

And 1 in 10000 for a Galvin

So Sheen's and MacDonald have a very high success rate

I don't think that accurately reflects the situation.

You're right in that not everyone makes it, but you keep as many as you can as long as you can to maximise your odds. You then need to be good at identifying talent within and without of that group.

The Warren and Tim show just signed them all up to overs too early, on too-high a tier contract (often with guaranteed Top 30) and hence we've found ourselves trying to dig out of it for the last few years.

It is THE reason why depth has been an issue. There's no room for decent replacements because those who have been available in the squad when needed are not even in the conversation about being ready, much less ready to step up and do a job.

 

[Dennisspicer1]

He's playing injured. Most players have a niggle at this time of year. But To'a makes sure everyone knows about it during games. It's been his MO for years.

If you're selected to play, then go out there and bust your gut rather than getting up like a geriatric to play the ball, or giving up the moment a player looks to run through a gap beside you.

Interesting to know how many years Toa has been with us and how many games he has played.

 

[Kelce68]

U saying Jack Williams ,Hopgood ,Paulo

You saying that Paulo , Williams , Hopgood and throw in younh Tuivete and Guymer are no better than our muscle 😂

Yes. They are, easily, no better than our pack.

But read the words carefully, I'm not saying, for a moment, that we are streaks ahead. The output seems on par this season, but with a caveat; our pack, with the exception of May, have been underperforming. The Parra pack have been playing to their abilities.

Paulo has one foot in retirement. Hopgood has been very average this season. Jack Williams is a solid first grader. Guymer has done bits and pieces (at best) in the few games he's played, ditto with Tuivati.

There is, literally, nothing exciting about that pack. And I'll reiterate, they're playing closer to their ability than ours.

Terrell May in Origin caliber, with Samuela on the way.

Pole has been disappointing post-injury. Hunt has basically objectively failed. We still don't have a lock.

Then we've got fringe first graders in Seyfarth, Sukkar, Bird and Twal.

 

[Kelce68]

He may very well end up in the middle in 2026 with KPP and Samuela (and Godinet coming through).

Hopefully.

I'd have him on the bench over Seyfarth tomorrow. And could cover both.

We still need more edge threats.

 

[Jolls]

Only concern I have Jolls atm is Sheens and McDonald were amazing at getting good kids into our pathway system. I'm not up to date in all honesty but can't remember the last good junior Richo has brought in.

I don't have the detail but from what I pull from the Wests Tigers Faithfull boys there is talent in the pipeline. What I do see lacking though is investment into the pathways team. We need to invest into developing a system, as part of the overall system, that is almost set and forget. That is the science that underpins the pathways - the art is recruiting the right person to have those in the pathways believing that this is the best place for them to develop, at the right rate, to become a consistent FG at WT when the time is right.

 

[twentyforty]

Yep the over-arching point about needing hard edged, intimidating forwards I agree with. I don't agree it is a problem with too many polynesian players, or that Benji favours them, which is what the first comment was about. E.g. I would take Kaufusi in a heartbeat he is exactly what we need.

Could not care less if we have a team full of polynesians, white kids from the country or people mars. I just want to win.

So we recruit people who want to win and can win. Sounds simple, but it’s obviously not otherwise we would be doing it.
It sometimes seems like we gravitate toward players who want to play nrl not necessarily become great players.

 

[jrtiger]

He's playing injured. Most players have a niggle at this time of year. But To'a makes sure everyone knows about it during games. It's been his MO for years.

If you're selected to play, then go out there and bust your gut rather than getting up like a geriatric to play the ball, or giving up the moment a player looks to run through a gap beside you.

it’s an elbow. if you’ve played with a bad one, you’d know how hard it is, especially when his mobility is limited the way it is.

given that elbow is used to fend and obviously is crucial to defensive contact, I’m a little more forgiving. again, the grievance has to be on the coach and the medical staff, not Starford.

 

[weststigers]

Yep the over-arching point about needing hard edged, intimidating forwards I agree with. I don't agree it is a problem with too many polynesian players, or that Benji favours them, which is what the first comment was about. E.g. I would take Kaufusi in a heartbeat he is exactly what we need.

Could not care less if we have a team full of polynesians, white kids from the country or people mars. I just want to win.

Mate I think we need to take a serious look at Kaufusi for a short term contract if nothing comes onto the market. He's not going to make a huge amount of line breaks, but he's another one that is good with his defensive line speed and aggression.

It'd be an upgrade to our 17. All depends on the $$$ though.

 

[jrtiger]

Yep imo the medical & coaching team have been doing him and the team a disservice by playing him when we have Mapapalangi or Naden as backups. Defensively he was very good in the first 6 or so rounds, even in contact, but I feel the 5-10% he has lost in strength/confidence has led to some crucial misses this past month plus he doesn't have the power in his fend.

I get most players play with niggles through a season but when it's noticeable how it has affected To'a, Sam Fainu, Royce Hunt this season, I just don't think we've made good decisions to play them.

Anyway happy to proven wrong if Peter Moussa is out there to respond?

nailed it, as usual.

 

[mikey]

KPP isn't a poly either.

Tons of the best forwards in the game are poly.

The poly issue I raised earlier isn't about siging them or having them in the team.

The issue is about two, talented white juniors being bullied out of the club because Luai wanted to play with his mates/other polys in the spine.

What a crock. What proof do have of that?