Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[The Chad]

When you have won 4 comps in a row, shooting for a 5th, you can do what you want.

And if he left, all the fans would be very concerned about keeping their #7....apparently coaches can be too close to players..

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

He’s in the extended squad at best at full strength. Not much chop.

That might well be mate but come on, the poor bugger hasn't pulled on a jersey yet, give him a chance before you write him off, you never know he might surprise you.

 

[Tucker]

There is no need to be a racist bogan

Shut up you fool you have no idea what you are talking about

 

[The Chad]

We will get the spoon if Geyer is near our best 17

He's played 3 games in the NRL this season. In a team playing for the GF.

How far off the top 17 is he if he gets game time?

 

[tigahhh]

this forum is dreadful at times, negative about things that aren’t even relevant. benji literally talked about how tough he is with the playing group & he’s not in it to make friends and you think he wants to be besties with them all. yawn

 

[liltiger]

The club can't be involved in sourcing TPAs. In all honestly actual, registered, above board TPAs are more or less meaningless nowadays. The NRL cracked down on them in 2017 and by 2022 the total value of TPAs was about 3% of the cap: https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/04/29/nrl-unpacked-how-does-the-salary-cap-work/ That would be about $345k per club, total.

Basically, if a club wants to pay its players more than it has cap room it is cheating. Does that happen? Sure, I don't doubt it. But if we've got contracts registered with the NRL that are $750k short of the cap and suddenly sign Payne Haas I suspect the auditors would be at Concord within the hour.

So we can't basically line up sponsors to just pay players outside of the cap as a third party agreement

 

[The Chad]

And played 11 games last year.

When they won the GF.

So yeah.

 

[tigahhh]

He's played 3 games in the NRL this season. In a team playing for the GF.

How far off the top 17 is he if he gets game time?

no we apparently need 1-17 of absolute superstars just nvm the salary cap or depth.

 

[The Chad]

no we apparently need 1-17 of absolute superstars just nvm the salary cap or depth.

I kind of get where people are coming from.

But Mav Geyer is really the exact kind of player we have been missing in our KOE.

We played Rueben Porter in 1st grade in 2024.

Career reserve grader debuting at 27.

That was the strength of our 'depth'.

Mav Geyer is a serviceable back up. It means Tony Sukkar isn't automatically thrust into 1st grade if we get an injury. It extends the quality we have to draw on by another player.

If we can have 5-6 guys like Geyer, Naden, Tu'itupou, Sukkar etc in the KOE to call on- guys with NRL experience, then we don't enter games saying "oh no! our bench!" which I'm pretty sure I read 23 weeks this season.

 

[Dr_Ice]

So we can't basically line up sponsors to just pay players outside of the cap as a third party agreement

No you can’t (officially)

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

no we apparently need 1-17 of absolute superstars just nvm the salary cap or depth.

Don't disagree with some about needing more quality players it will come through the juniors eventually or as Richo has done picking them off as they become available.

It's a slow calculated process that unfortunately takes time, frustrating as it is after years of disappointment, we just have to keep the faith.

 

[Tom Shines]

I kind of get where people are coming from.

But Mav Geyer is really the exact kind of player we have been missing in our KOE.

We played Rueben Porter in 1st grade in 2024.

Career reserve grader debuting at 27.

That was the strength of our 'depth'.

Mav Geyer is a serviceable back up. It means Tony Sukkar isn't automatically thrust into 1st grade if we get an injury. It extends the quality we have to draw on by another player.

If we can have 5-6 guys like Geyer, Naden, Tu'itupou, Sukkar etc in the KOE to call on- guys with NRL experience, then we don't enter games saying "oh no! our bench!" which I'm pretty sure I read 23 weeks this season.

Can I ask a question …

What’s the plan at 9 if ( God forbid) Api gets injured Week 1?

And who will back up that person?

 

[The Chad]

Can I ask a question …

What’s the plan at 9 if ( God forbid) Api gets injured Week 1?

And who will back up that person?

I think the club is in trouble if Api goes down.

It could be argued this is one of the more important positions to fill.


I would like the club to find a versatile player who can fill the spot for the short term at least. I still like Freddie Lussick as an option.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Can I ask a question …

What’s the plan at 9 if ( God forbid) Api gets injured Week 1?

And who will back up that person?

Tristan Hope.

Would not surprise to see us give an experiences dummyhalf a T&T - Levi, Luke etc.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

And if he left, all the fans would be very concerned about keeping their #7....apparently coaches can be too close to players..

You’re drawing a pretty long bow here. There’s nothing suggesting the relationship between Cleary and his players crosses any lines. And regardless, it works for them.

 

[The Chad]

You’re drawing a pretty long bow here. There’s nothing suggesting the relationship between Cleary and his players crosses any lines. And regardless, it works for them.

So what's different from what Benji is doing outside of the success rate? No indication he's crossing lines is he?

 

[Tom Shines]

Tristan Hope.

And how does that make you feel? Hope should be the third hooker at the club …

I think the club is in trouble if Api goes down.

It could be argued this is one of the more important positions to fill.


I would like the club to find a versatile player who can fill the spot for the short term at least. I still like Freddie Lussick as an option.

They are going to need to sign a better back up than Hope … i don’t know who though

 

[Tim Sheens]

Can I ask a question …

What’s the plan at 9 if ( God forbid) Api gets injured Week 1?

And who will back up that person?

That is why I voted for hooker being the most important hole that needs filling in that thread. An impact middle and/or lock would be great, but we have deckchairs to shuffle in that area and literally only Hope for the nine.

 

[davey_farrell]

Richo made a few stupid recruitment and retention calls this year.

And ? The post i replied to was about how much Fonua Blake improved them when they actually finished worse then last yr

sorry i read it wrong apologies

 

[The Chad]

You’re drawing a pretty long bow here. There’s nothing suggesting the relationship between Cleary and his players crosses any lines. And regardless, it works for them.

Your point was- players can be too close to coaches.

Cleary & Flannagan are pretty decent examples to show it does happen.

Works so far for Cleary. Could be argued Flanno's son is getting an unfair leg up.

Cleary is a good example though. Tyrone May was dating Cleary's daughter, wasn't he? Still sacked him when he had to.

If Benji gets confronted with a situation, and his buddy-buddy relationship gets in the way- fair enough. But if he makes the tough call?

Thing is- it hasn't happened. So bagging him for being 'too close' is just speculation.