Adam Doueihi #227

No.
The market determines his value...if we want him thats what we gotta go by generally...unless you're melb and happy to take unders
Yes the market and...

US.

AD isn't a must sign for us. Luai is our halves solid and Fainu could go halfback or 14th man.
With Jock Madden signed we have some injury cover, and we could bring Sullivan back with some distruption.

The market has gone up. Doubt we would sign him for what I think AD is worth and that is 350-400k. More likely 550/600 based on what I am seeing....

Lets do a pro and con:
Pro:
- kicker
- Can act as a 3rd playmaker from Center, this helps take the pressure off the halves and gives us attacking options. (anyone remember when Farah + Marshall would get marked and our attack would struggle).
- When he is on fire, He is on fire.

Con:
- soft/weak tackler. Not very solid on defense.
- Flakey. Sometimes ON sometimes way off his game.
- Hasn't settled into a position
- manged by Issac Moses.

I woudl say No.
 
Massive overreaction to a strong game in conditions you rarely see. Try one he created through poor Dogs defence. Second try he held the ball too long and threw it forward. His run away try was great, but he gets run down if it’s not a swamp. His kicking game is made for days like that, which happen what, twice per year?

The blokes a 350K utility.
The grass is always greener somewhere else?🤔
 
I’ve never really got the sense he was leaving. Not as long as the club wanted to keep him. It might only be a few games, but I don’t think it matters. If you turn up and prove to be a match winner at the right time, you’ll get rewarded. And for all those saying players only show up at contract time, just look Staines. Got a lucky break at the right time of the year with Bula going down, giving him an opening to really make it impossible for the club not to offer him something and he completely bottled it. Re-signing AD with the form he is in, fending off another clubs advances will also be good PR for the club.
 
I’ve never really got the sense he was leaving. Not as long as the club wanted to keep him. It might only be a few games, but I don’t think it matters. If you turn up and prove to be a match winner at the right time, you’ll get rewarded. And for all those saying players only show up at contract time, just look Staines. Got a lucky break at the right time of the year with Bula going down, giving him an opening to really make it impossible for the club not to offer him something and he completely bottled it. Re-signing AD with the form he is in, fending off another clubs advances will also be good PR for the club.
I think Charlie was a victim of our junior depth. Luke L and Makasini for wing and Tuitupou for some extra injury cover.

Luke and Makasini can both play centre and wing. Luke can also play fullback and we have Turuva there too. Doueihi fills in at centre too if needed.

He wasn't on huge money, but more than minimum and we needed forward depth badly.

I think it was just reshaping our roster more than anything. He's only had that one shocker, so I doubt it was that.

I reckon he was just surplus in that position.
 
Yes the market and...

US.

AD isn't a must sign for us. Luai is our halves solid and Fainu could go halfback or 14th man.
With Jock Madden signed we have some injury cover, and we could bring Sullivan back with some distruption.

The market has gone up. Doubt we would sign him for what I think AD is worth and that is 350-400k. More likely 550/600 based on what I am seeing....

Lets do a pro and con:
Pro:
- kicker
- Can act as a 3rd playmaker from Center, this helps take the pressure off the halves and gives us attacking options. (anyone remember when Farah + Marshall would get marked and our attack would struggle).
- When he is on fire, He is on fire.

Con:
- soft/weak tackler. Not very solid on defense.
- Flakey. Sometimes ON sometimes way off his game.
- Hasn't settled into a position
- manged by Issac Moses.

I woudl say No.

For most part of this year defensively he had been fine at one point was leading the NRL for effective 1-1 tackles at center.
 
Interesting thoughts regarding that AD only plays for contracts. My personal opinion is that you see the best of AD is when he is the main man and has the opportunity to play as a half and direct the play. I think he doesn’t enjoy being in the centres as has to wait for the ball and his options to do something are limited.
 
Interesting thoughts regarding that AD only plays for contracts. My personal opinion is that you see the best of AD is when he is the main man and has the opportunity to play as a half and direct the play. I think he doesn’t enjoy being in the centres as has to wait for the ball and his options to do something are limited.
And yet he doesn’t carry on claiming he’s a 7, though clearly enjoys playing more in the halves. Hes a very good club man, a junior, says the right things in the media, respects those around him… glad he’s staying , he’s good for the club on and off the field
 
The Eels were last place and we scored 22 points against them. Below are all Douihis games and starting position.

View attachment 26412
Missed rounds 4, 12 and 15. Has been very reliable considering his past 3 ACL's. He's a good reliable player in any backline position and occasional lock. Hard to find a good utility player. Worth every cent we've paid for him. Hopefully he remains injury free.
 
This is a great outcome as I don't think we went overboard to keep him.

AD put himself in this position because he is good at a lot of things but not great at any of them. As a result he is capabale of playing plenty of positions but he has deficiencies in all of them. If we take the rose coloured glasses off after the win last week and his good showing v Manly and Easts we can get a better feel for how he fits going forward.

If we look at his overall capabilites he is: tall and rangy (191cm, 95kg) providing a good physical presence; he is quick, but is not explosive off the mark; his kicking game is above average for a centre or lock, but below average for a half; his ball playing ability is good for a centre or lock but lacks the finesse of a top class half; his leadership is flawed, he is vocal and usually competitive, but has poor off the ball effort; and he can kick goals, but is well below average ranked 21/25 for kickers that have attempted more than 20 goals this season (Stats from RLP).

As a centre:

Strengths
  • Strong Ball Carrier: Powerful running game, good post-contact metres.
  • Defensive Communication: Reads defence better in 2025 than many natural centres due to his playmaking experience.
  • Offloading Ability: Can keep the ball alive and create second-phase play.
  • Kicking Option: Can be used as an alternate kicker on an edge.
Weaknesses
  • Agility/Footwork: Lacks elite lateral movement to consistently beat top-tier centres one-on-one.
  • Speed: Not fast enough off the mark to break open games or handle the fastest outside backs defensively.
  • Positioning: Occasionally caught out when defending complex backline shapes; lateral movement is below average and he can be a defensive liability

As a 5/8:

Strengths
  • Running Threat: Best utilised when he plays direct and takes on the line.
  • Ball Playing Vision: Solid short passing game, especially on sweep plays or shape shifts.
  • Kicking Game: Functional kicking game; has slotted clutch goals and repeat sets.
  • Composure: Has shown he can direct a side when paired with a controlling 7.
  • Strong Running Game: Off the back of momentum his strength allows him to dig into the line so defenders are committed, this provides time for his outside backs
Weaknesses
  • Not an Organiser: Needs a dominant half next to him to handle tempo and structure.
  • Lacks Creativity: Doesn't break down structured defensive lines with deception.
  • Inconsistent Game Management: Can go missing or overplay his hand in pressure situations.
  • Injury Impact: ACL issues have dulled his explosiveness on step and acceleration.
  • Takes too much on: Tends to starve his outside backs of posession as he runs too often.
  • Kicking Game: He lacks control and his long kicking game is below average for an half.

As a half:

Strengths
  • Competitive Nature: Willing to lead, has attitude and effort defensively.
  • Kicking under Pressure: Can handle some pressure kicking, including bombs and cross-field kicks.
  • Strong Running Game: Off the back of momentum his strength allows him to dig into the line so defenders are committed, this provides time for his outside backs
Weaknesses
  • Not a Natural Organiser: Game management, set-up play, and tempo control are not his strengths.
  • Decision-Making Speed: Takes too long to assess defensive movements in tight spaces.
  • Limited Vision: Doesn't naturally find mismatches or manipulate edge defenders.
  • Kicking Game: He lacks control and his long kicking game is below average for an half.

As a lock:​

Strengths
  • Ball-Playing Middle: Can act as a link-man between halves and forwards – handy in attacking shape.
  • Physicality: Handles the contact defensively and offensively; decent tackle efficiency.
  • Utility Value: Adds tactical variety as a middle who can kick/pass.
  • Kicking Game: Provides an alternate kicker which will disrupt last play defensive patterns.
Weaknesses
  • Defensive Reads in Middle: Sometimes late in adjusting to decoys or A/B defenders.
  • Lacks Line-Bending Impact: Doesn’t hit the line as hard as other specialist locks.
  • Speed of Play: Not a natural quick-play-the-ball or first receiver at pace.
  • Not a Defensive Enforcer: Doesn't dominate collisions like top-tier 13s (e.g., Yeo, Murray, Radley).
  • Fitness: Currently does not have the motor to meet the workload requirements (80 minutes).
If we take all of this in you are looking at a player who is not elite in any of the positions he is capable of playing. AD can't be a starter in our team, at present, based on his current capabilities. It has been made clear to all an sundry that his long term future at Wests Tigers is not in the halves. He is capable of pulling the odd game out of the bag as a half when the opposition is ill prepared; however, he lacks most of the skills required of a half in a top 8 team.

He has potential to transition to 13, his defence appears to be up to the task (but he doesn't win the collision) and he can perform the link role. However, to make the transition he needs a with a lot of work on his fitness and probably needs to add at least 5kg to enable him to win the collision and take on the line effectively.

The ball is well and truly in AD's court. He can hit it down the line for a winner if he puts his mind to it and make the transition to 13 (if we don't buy one in over the off season) or he will sit behind a raft players in the starting lineup as depth.
 
This is a great outcome as I don't think we went overboard to keep him.

AD put himself in this position because he is good at a lot of things but not great at any of them. As a result he is capabale of playing plenty of positions but he has deficiencies in all of them. If we take the rose coloured glasses off after the win last week and his good showing v Manly and Easts we can get a better feel for how he fits going forward.

If we look at his overall capabilites he is: tall and rangy (191cm, 95kg) providing a good physical presence; he is quick, but is not explosive off the mark; his kicking game is above average for a centre or lock, but below average for a half; his ball playing ability is good for a centre or lock but lacks the finesse of a top class half; his leadership is flawed, he is vocal and usually competitive, but has poor off the ball effort; and he can kick goals, but is well below average ranked 21/25 for kickers that have attempted more than 20 goals this season (Stats from RLP).

As a centre:

Strengths
  • Strong Ball Carrier: Powerful running game, good post-contact metres.
  • Defensive Communication: Reads defence better in 2025 than many natural centres due to his playmaking experience.
  • Offloading Ability: Can keep the ball alive and create second-phase play.
  • Kicking Option: Can be used as an alternate kicker on an edge.
Weaknesses
  • Agility/Footwork: Lacks elite lateral movement to consistently beat top-tier centres one-on-one.
  • Speed: Not fast enough off the mark to break open games or handle the fastest outside backs defensively.
  • Positioning: Occasionally caught out when defending complex backline shapes; lateral movement is below average and he can be a defensive liability

As a 5/8:

Strengths
  • Running Threat: Best utilised when he plays direct and takes on the line.
  • Ball Playing Vision: Solid short passing game, especially on sweep plays or shape shifts.
  • Kicking Game: Functional kicking game; has slotted clutch goals and repeat sets.
  • Composure: Has shown he can direct a side when paired with a controlling 7.
  • Strong Running Game: Off the back of momentum his strength allows him to dig into the line so defenders are committed, this provides time for his outside backs
Weaknesses
  • Not an Organiser: Needs a dominant half next to him to handle tempo and structure.
  • Lacks Creativity: Doesn't break down structured defensive lines with deception.
  • Inconsistent Game Management: Can go missing or overplay his hand in pressure situations.
  • Injury Impact: ACL issues have dulled his explosiveness on step and acceleration.
  • Takes too much on: Tends to starve his outside backs of posession as he runs too often.
  • Kicking Game: He lacks control and his long kicking game is below average for an half.

As a half:

Strengths
  • Competitive Nature: Willing to lead, has attitude and effort defensively.
  • Kicking under Pressure: Can handle some pressure kicking, including bombs and cross-field kicks.
  • Strong Running Game: Off the back of momentum his strength allows him to dig into the line so defenders are committed, this provides time for his outside backs
Weaknesses
  • Not a Natural Organiser: Game management, set-up play, and tempo control are not his strengths.
  • Decision-Making Speed: Takes too long to assess defensive movements in tight spaces.
  • Limited Vision: Doesn't naturally find mismatches or manipulate edge defenders.
  • Kicking Game: He lacks control and his long kicking game is below average for an half.

As a lock:​

Strengths
  • Ball-Playing Middle: Can act as a link-man between halves and forwards – handy in attacking shape.
  • Physicality: Handles the contact defensively and offensively; decent tackle efficiency.
  • Utility Value: Adds tactical variety as a middle who can kick/pass.
  • Kicking Game: Provides an alternate kicker which will disrupt last play defensive patterns.
Weaknesses
  • Defensive Reads in Middle: Sometimes late in adjusting to decoys or A/B defenders.
  • Lacks Line-Bending Impact: Doesn’t hit the line as hard as other specialist locks.
  • Speed of Play: Not a natural quick-play-the-ball or first receiver at pace.
  • Not a Defensive Enforcer: Doesn't dominate collisions like top-tier 13s (e.g., Yeo, Murray, Radley).
  • Fitness: Currently does not have the motor to meet the workload requirements (80 minutes).
If we take all of this in you are looking at a player who is not elite in any of the positions he is capable of playing. AD can't be a starter in our team, at present, based on his current capabilities. It has been made clear to all an sundry that his long term future at Wests Tigers is not in the halves. He is capable of pulling the odd game out of the bag as a half when the opposition is ill prepared; however, he lacks most of the skills required of a half in a top 8 team.

He has potential to transition to 13, his defence appears to be up to the task (but he doesn't win the collision) and he can perform the link role. However, to make the transition he needs a with a lot of work on his fitness and probably needs to add at least 5kg to enable him to win the collision and take on the line effectively.

The ball is well and truly in AD's court. He can hit it down the line for a winner if he puts his mind to it and make the transition to 13 (if we don't buy one in over the off season) or he will sit behind a raft players in the starting lineup as depth.
I love your in depth analysis Jolls. You should it for each player in our team and tells us who is elite and good at everything. They do not exist in this team and certainly not on the coin he is on. Lets be realistic and accept he is probably the best value for money player in our team.
 
I love your in depth analysis Jolls. You should it for each player in our team and tells us who is elite and good at everything. They do not exist in this team and certainly not on the coin he is on. Lets be realistic and accept he is probably the best value for money player in our team.
If we kept him for $400K he is good value, but I'm willing to bet that our best value for money player right now is Taylan May.

Look AD is good value but if we think he is a starter and going to get us to the finals we are barking up the wrong tree. He could transition to be a good 13 but if he was a starting half we would be back to where we were at the end of 24 as the opposition will target him with ball in hand. He just doesn't have it.

There are elite players in our team. Luai, although struggling with ball in hand is one, Api is another. Bula is not elite, but has most of the goods. Terrell is elite - he is the only prop in the game doing what he does. I think he could be more effective for sure - but buy in an Alpha prop to go with him and we could have one of the best combinations in the competition. Sam F, appears to have dropped off from last year but I think that is more about him and Luai getting the combination and timing down pat more than anything. With time he could be elite, as long as he keeps his Khods to himself. 🤣

I wish I had time to do an analysis of every player, I would love to.
 
Missed rounds 4, 12 and 15. Has been very reliable considering his past 3 ACL's. He's a good reliable player in any backline position and occasional lock. Hard to find a good utility player. Worth every cent we've paid for him. Hopefully he remains injury free.
Yes you're right. Where is his week in/week out position though?...that is the point being litigated and whether we should have paid him 500k a season.

By the way...rd 12 and 15 were byes. He missed rd 4 only.
 
Interesting thoughts regarding that AD only plays for contracts. My personal opinion is that you see the best of AD is when he is the main man and has the opportunity to play as a half and direct the play. I think he doesn’t enjoy being in the centres as has to wait for the ball and his options to do something are limited.
true, he doesn't enjoy being center.

But that's where we need him. Players like Jamie Lyon, SDK, El Mazri or our Pat Richards who can set up tries from the Center/wing positions.

This really kills me, as we grow 5/8's on trees but lack quality in the centers. That said, AD has the attitude of a halfback and could grow there.
 
Maybe Jerome realised he doesn’t look anything like a 1.25 million dollar per season player without Douehi partnering him in the halves, so he’s agreed to reduce his wage, by 150k to give us more cap space to re-sign Douehi?
Seriiusly doubt that Luai would ever take a haircut.
 
Did AD end up signing for $350k per year?

Lot of people here wanted to pay him $500k to match the other offer…maybe Richo has been around the park a couple times on these player negotiations 🤔
 
Hope he has agreed , be good business,
Now play him in the half’s rest of year every week , I would either run Latu at 7 every week in reserves to get him going or off the bench 14 , reserve grade I think would be best for him and the nrl team as AD is simply better at this point and we can win more games with AD there now
 
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