Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Rock Hopper Steve]

I was like many expecting Luai to lead this team around and step out of nathans shoes. For me i do agree hes brought alot to the club off field but for the money hes getting hes not doing half of a Moses or similiar paid players simple as that and needs to improve. Plenty of last play options hes let other take care off, the other class halves dont do that.

It looks to me the poor bugger is trying to do to much and getting frustrated, how many times does he have to turn up out wide and strengthen the defense then back to organising the attack.

Having too much to do can take it's toll.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Nas at 350 Get it Done. come on man whats wrong with you people.

Great post seen that line in a movie once can't put my finger on which one it was though lol.

 

[HUNT 101]

View attachment 28717

I was like many expecting Luai to lead this team around and step out of nathans shoes. For me i do agree hes brought alot to the club off field but for the money hes getting hes not doing half of a Moses or similiar paid players simple as that and needs to improve. Plenty of last play options hes let other take care off, the other class halves dont do that.

💯... Needs to dominate, not off load his expected work load..the little grubber 5m off the try line is nice when it comes off , but he needs to take full charge, be a game changing dominate player... unless bags has instructed him otherwise.. which would be poor coaching, so I'm will assume It's on him..

 

[upthetigers]

Everyone has an opinion on what went wrong----------But IMO it is simple.........we did Not have an experienced or clever half like Moses, Cleary, Hughes or Hunt to mention a few from successful sides.
Until we have a top notch 1/2, we will struggle. We spent most of the year experimenting with different players/combos and nothing was very successful.

Our forwards for 2026 will match most sides and will be better than a lot of others.

The backline starts at the half. AD went well and I can only hope he can continue to direct, kick & defend.

And ALL the spine players need to practice grubber kicks through the defence when 15m out instead of 5 hit ups and a ball change over.
The coach can only do so much explaining the advantages of a grubber try or goal line restart.
The spine players and anyone in a good position must take it on themselves to learn and understand when it's on. So many tries go begging and in turn can change the momentum of a game. Frustrating!

Didn't we sign Luai to be the controling halfback 🤔

 

[mikey]

Didn't we sign Luai to be the controling halfback 🤔

We did but he's been controlling half a team that's like herding cats. Leading top class players is easy. Unfortunately we have a number of Chunks straight out of the Goonies.

 

[Vicious]

We did but he's been controlling half a team that's like herding cats. Leading top class players is easy. Unfortunately we have a number of Chunks straight out of the Goonies.

He does not look comfortable being the dominant half and was much better when Doueihi or Latu Fainu took control.
2026 will be very interesting to say the least.

 

[Merlot]

Who needs speed.

brandon knows were to get on

 

[crazycat]

Didn't we sign Luai to be the controling halfback 🤔

Actually

Dinnit Luai sign with us to BE the Controlling Halfback!


I am kinda ok if Luai becomes a perm 5/8. He knows the role and knows how to play that role. Yet, I don't think he will be ok. His drive will go "stuff this", as he came here to be halfback.

Also who's going to teach him to be Halfback? Marshall, No.
We need to hire a coach or give him someone to mentor/peer off (which I don't think is possible).

We fired Kimmorley, at least he would teach Luai how to be a 1 pass halfback.
We either hire a former NRL halfback as coach like Maloney/Pearce/whomever we can get or it's NRL coach time.

 

[crazycat]

Bird’s now wife is extremely hot.

yea, she looks hot but then scroll to Amy Koroisau..

The WAGs cheering on their NRL star beaus on from the sidelines

Here, FEMAIL looks at some of the wives and girlfriends cheering on their partners this season and what their lives look like outside of the stadium.

www.dailymail.co.uk

God I hope we don't sign a cheater here.

 

[upthetigers]

brandon knows were to get on

more speed then oxford st

 

[upthetigers]

Actually

Dinnit Luai sign with us to BE the Controlling Halfback!


I am kinda ok if Luai becomes a perm 5/8. He knows the role and knows how to play that role. Yet, I don't think he will be ok. His drive will go "stuff this", as he came here to be halfback.

Also who's going to teach him to be Halfback? Marshall, No.
We need to hire a coach or give him someone to mentor/peer off (which I don't think is possible).

We fired Kimmorley, at least he would teach Luai how to be a 1 pass halfback.
We either hire a former NRL halfback as coach like Maloney/Pearce/whomever we can get or it's NRL coach time.

100% where is the halfback coach speak to Andrew Johns

I think Samuela is in for a very good season he will be our Olakau'atu hopefully KPP is dangerous on his edge too.

If we sort out our halfback we will be more lethal on the edges. Bula will hopefully develop and take his game to another level too.

We just need our 1-17 to be injury free and putting in 7.5/10 performances consistently.

 

[Merlot]

more speed then oxford st

different economy -getting paid blow for blow

 

[Tony Taco]

I walked over the road to see if the new neighbour needed a hand cutting his tree down, which I have done more than a dozen times, and I’m sure his reply had a tone of “nah you’re right ol’ digger” in it. When I get back after not helping, Mrs BF has a laugh and says he probably didn’t want you to hurt yourself”
I was talking to a good mate today who’s 70, just came back from Japan and didn’t ski for the first time. 🕰️ I am not looking forward to that.

Japan getting a hammering from Aussies these days. Life after 50....

 

[crazycat]

100% where is the halfback coach speak to Andrew Johns

I think Samuela is in for a very good season he will be our Olakau'atu hopefully KPP is dangerous on his edge too.

If we sort out our halfback we will be more lethal on the edges. Bula will hopefully develop and take his game to another level too.

We just need our 1-17 to be injury free and putting in 7.5/10 performances consistently.

Can Andrew Johns really coach halfbacks?
Don't get me wrong, he could play. But Newcastle hasn't exactly churned out halfbacks.
Sure Mullen and Peter Wallace had something. Yet you see a lot of Fringie halfbacks end there but no gun halfbacks lately.

I kinda expected Thurston to do the same thing at the Cows. I guess he has helped Dearden immensily and Jake Clifford has gone OK.

Harsh truth. I don't see Benji coaching a game controlling halfback because he never was a game controlling halfback. Sure he could set up tries and do incredible plays, but structural play he did not do.

 

[Tom Shines]

It kills me how so many members are against so many signings until he signs for another club. Personally i would love to have an impact player that gets you off the seat like NAS but noone wants him here. smh

I’ll take him… rumours are that Storm have already paid him $500k to walk away … could be cheap

 

[Tucker]

And if he does pull his finger out he might make you look like a goose Tuck lol.

How?
I believe he did not earn his salary from us in 2025.
If that isn’t repeated in 26 I’ll be happy.

 

[crazycat]

I’ll take him… rumours are that Storm have already paid him $500k to walk away … could be cheap

RE NAS...

Look, we just signed KPP and Bunty. People are saying they would prefer Bunty to NAS, I don't honestly.

That said, something went totally skew with Storm and NAS. Bellamy said "resign him on 850k per year", then 2 years later pays 500k per year for him to walk away. They are not a team that does that.

I wouldn't sign NAS at the moment, I would if we were looking at a top 4 run because if he can be signed at 350k he could be the cheap signing that pushes your team over the premiership window. I think too he would impart some Storm culture and work ethic.

Flip it, Melbourne are punting him. It could be for one really bad reason that nukes your team for a few seasons. I suspect it's because Stef has taken NAS role in the team, but we don't want the next "Cheese".


I suspect the "bad reason" is not NAS himself. But that due to the rules changes in the game, momentum is more important then an impact prop. NAS brings aggression and that aggression is costing penalities and momentum.

I am tempted to just grab a Large prop rotation. Be a Thudding team for awhile, with Hunt + NAS + Bunty + Stef we suddenly have a very fearful pack. Add Seyfarth + Fainu's + KPP we then have a stack of prop and 2rd depth and can go to Terrell May and say "hey you want to focus on Lock!". But that's a very different game to what Benji is coaching us for.

 

[hank37w]

Reportedly the Storm paid him 500k a season so you would think 300/350 would get it done.

Do you think we need him now our pack with a fit Royce, Pole, Bunty, Terrell plus 2nd row of Sam and KPP is looking much bigger than the latest season.

You can never have enough big guys but think we could strengthen another position, opinions vary by individual thoughts though.

500k a season?

So where does all this talk about him supposedly being on 800 or 850k a season at the Storm come from.

All this speculation on who is on what really shits me, I would just like the NRL to be open about who is getting paid whatever amount and stop all the guessing, stuff the Rugby League Players Association.

 

[Tom Shines]

RE NAS...

Look, we just signed KPP and Bunty. People are saying they would prefer Bunty to NAS, I don't honestly.

That said, something went totally skew with Storm and NAS. Bellamy said "resign him on 850k per year", then 2 years later pays 500k per year for him to walk away. They are not a team that does that.

I wouldn't sign NAS at the moment, I would if we were looking at a top 4 run because if he can be signed at 350k he could be the cheap signing that pushes your team over the premiership window. I think too he would impart some Storm culture and work ethic.

Flip it, Melbourne are punting him. It could be for one really bad reason that nukes your team for a few seasons. I suspect it's because Stef has taken NAS role in the team, but we don't want the next "Cheese".


I

I’ll tell you what went askew …. Bellamy got the shits because NAS got suspended for 2 grand finals… they lost both without him

Being suspended and missing the Grand final won’t be a problem if he was to join us I suspect in 2026

 

[tigertragic]

500k a season?

So where does all this talk about him supposedly being on 800 or 850k a season at the Storm come from.

All this speculation on who is on what really shits me, I would just like the NRL to be open about who is getting paid whatever amount and stop all the guessing, stuff the Rugby League Players Association.

In theory he was in $850 +, but accepted $500 to leave and Pursue other opportunities