Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[happy_tiger]

I’ve been out Melbourne cupping ..did we sign someone?

Apart from signing Haas ...Yeo ....Cleary and KK .....no pretty quiet

 

[Vicious]

I’ve been out Melbourne cupping ..did we sign someone?

No we are just sitting back waiting for some mystery superstar middle to sign with us to make our pedestrian backline look good.
We will see pigs flying first.

 

[mtd#2]

No we are just sitting back waiting for some mystery superstar middle to sign with us to make our pedestrian backline look good.
We will see pigs flying first.

We saw Terrell May in 2025... In the 24 pre season that was the equivalent of pigs flying.

 

[palms]

Max Taotua upgraded to a train and trial contact

 

[Vicious]

We saw Terrell May in 2025... In the 24 pre season that was the equivalent of pigs flying.

We would need Payne Haas and Joseph Tapine to help bring our backline up to standard.
That’s the harsh reality and 2026 will further demonstrate this.

 

[KCtiger]

We would need Payne Haas and Joseph Tapine to help bring our backline up to standard.
That’s the harsh reality and 2026 will further demonstrate this.

What harsh reality?

 

[hank37w]

More of the same ? Re. The same design ? Or the new designs are very meh ?
I don’t get it really. Some of the fan designs are really creative and really sleek and minimal but hit the point. I know there’s design rules stipulated by the nrl , but the colours lend themselves to all kinds of unique and awesome jersey. I mean , there’s only so much you can do with sky blue and white . For example .

You could burn it for one.

 

[Vicious]

What harsh reality?

We have a large number of supporters on this forum who believe our backline meaning our 1-7 are genuine top 8 quality and it’s only our forwards that let us down and prevent us from making the top 8.
This is incorrect as our forwards are closer to top 8 quality than what our backline is.
In saying this we still need to improve our forwards and should be looking to recruit to make it better quality, but if we do not also realise our backline is not up to top 8 standard we will be banging our heads against the wall no matter how good our forward pack is.

 

[Wezt]

We have a large number of supporters on this forum who believe our backline meaning our 1-7 are genuine top 8 quality and it’s only our forwards that let us down and prevent us from making the top 8.
This is incorrect as our forwards are closer to top 8 quality than what our backline is.
In saying this we still need to improve our forwards and should be looking to recruit to make it better quality, but if we do not also realise our backline is not up to top 8 standard we will be banging our heads against the wall no matter how good our forward pack is.

What’s wrong with our 1-5 other then maybe Skelton (he’ll be replaced with Makasini eventually)

It’s more of the 6-7 that concerns me

 

[mtd#2]

We would need Payne Haas and Joseph Tapine to help bring our backline up to standard.
That’s the harsh reality and 2026 will further demonstrate this.

Slightly dramatic

 

[Vicious]

What’s wrong with our 1-5 other then maybe Skelton (he’ll be replaced with Makasini eventually)

It’s more of the 6-7 that concerns me

How many of our 1-5 make the teams we oppose on a weekly basis ?
Taylan May helps as he would make quite a lot of the teams we oppose, but if we are being serious and take off our rose coloured glasses, the others would only make the starting line up of a handful of the teams we oppose and that’s being generous.

 

[hank37w]

When he was out, we couldn't score points and looked horrible. When he came back we started to string some performances and points again. It's not rocket science what the difference was

Can't argue with that.

We are definitely a better team with him in it but he is still a long way off being a $800 - $900k full back.

His attack has improved to some extent but still a long way off being what you would even consider to be elite or among the top group of full backs, but what I find to be the most disappointing is how his defence, which was what he was lauded for on debut in the NRL has really dropped off to the point where it is really disappointing at times.

 

[Wezt]

How many of our 1-5 make the teams we oppose on a weekly basis ?
Taylan May helps as he would make quite a lot of the teams we oppose, but if we are being serious and take off our rose coloured glasses, the others would only make the starting line up of a handful of the teams we oppose and that’s being generous.

Bula is being courted by the Bulldogs who are a top 4 side

Taylan May would make 80% of sides

Turuva has won 2 premierships with the Panthers, would easily find another club

 

[Snidest 0]

We have a large number of supporters on this forum who believe our backline meaning our 1-7 are genuine top 8 quality and it’s only our forwards that let us down and prevent us from making the top 8.
This is incorrect as our forwards are closer to top 8 quality than what our backline is.
In saying this we still need to improve our forwards and should be looking to recruit to make it better quality, but if we do not also realise our backline is not up to top 8 standard we will be banging our heads against the wall no matter how good our forward pack is.

Nobody thought that this backline was top 8 quality in 2005 either:

Hodgson
Fitzhenry
Whatuira
Elford
Richards
Marshall
Prince

I personally got the shits on the old forum that Whatuira was our only signing for 2005 - after the 2004 season had been underwhelming....

I was wrong...

Give the process a chance and trust that Richo knows better than the previous dolts - AND that we have a coach who is invested in the club & looking to build long term success.

 

[Holman Barnes #1 Fan]

So that's the NSW cup and back up fullback sorted...

1. Jack Attard
6. Javon Andrews
7. Jock Madden
9. Tristan Hope

Throw in some other options, our cup team and depth is going to be an upgrade in 2026.

And we can all thank god for that. The cup team has been hot trash for some time.

 

[innsaneink]

More of the same ? Re. The same design ? Or the new designs are very meh ?
I don’t get it really. Some of the fan designs are really creative and really sleek and minimal but hit the point. I know there’s design rules stipulated by the nrl , but the colours lend themselves to all kinds of unique and awesome jersey. I mean , there’s only so much you can do with sky blue and white . For example .

Nothings happening on Friday

Friday week however is jersey day

I agree we have great colours to work with, and I dont mind our blokes in orange but I wont wear Orange (need a new jacket)

 

[Vicious]

Nobody thought that this backline was top 8 quality in 2005 either:

Hodgson
Fitzhenry
Whatuira
Elford
Richards
Marshall
Prince

I personally got the shits on the old forum that Whatuira was our only signing for 2005 - after the 2004 season had been underwhelming....

I was wrong...

Give the process a chance and trust that Richo knows better than the previous dolts - AND that we have a coach who is invested in the club & looking to build long term success.

You are not seriously comparing Hodgson to Bula or Marshall/Prince to Luai ?
It is very hard to judge different players from different eras, but our 2005 marquee players were genuine marquee players that didn’t need their forward pack to be overly dominant to be able to impose themselves and win games for their team.

 

[mtd#2]

We have a large number of supporters on this forum who believe our backline meaning our 1-7 are genuine top 8 quality and it’s only our forwards that let us down and prevent us from making the top 8.
This is incorrect as our forwards are closer to top 8 quality than what our backline is.
In saying this we still need to improve our forwards and should be looking to recruit to make it better quality, but if we do not also realise our backline is not up to top 8 standard we will be banging our heads against the wall no matter how good our forward pack is.

The biggest issue isn't/wasnt the backs OR the forwards; it was the halves and injured players.

Halves
We built the team around Galvin at 6 and Luai at 7. Galvin left mid-season. It took us 6-8 weeks to start getting it together again due to injuries and wrong combos.

You only need to look at what happened to the Warriors when Metcalf was out to see the impact of losing your main player...

I assume Luai will be #6 and Douhei #7... If we can keep this combo all year then we are gravy.

Injuries
People forget how dominant May and Pole were for those first 7 or so rounds before Pole got injured. There was a bit of media commentary about how they were in the top 2 or 3 prop combos in the comp at the time. Pole didn't come back the same player though...

Toa was on fire early last season. But then he started playing injured and never found the same form again - infact I think he went backwards...

If Pole and Toa stay fit and find the same form, then we are gravy.

 

[Vicious]

Jaxon Purdue will end up being much closer to the standard of a player such as Brett Hodgson than what Bula will, take that to the bank.

 

[innsaneink]

We have a large number of supporters on this forum who believe our backline meaning our 1-7 are genuine top 8 quality and it’s only our forwards that let us down and prevent us from making the top 8.
This is incorrect as our forwards are closer to top 8 quality than what our backline is.
In saying this we still need to improve our forwards and should be looking to recruit to make it better quality, but if we do not also realise our backline is not up to top 8 standard we will be banging our heads against the wall no matter how good our forward pack is.

You gunna hold them all accountable too?

Making broad, generalising statements is cowardly.

Direct your tears to those in charge, no one here can make a difference