Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[weststigers]

If they want the Magpies to be successful, they might wanna have a look a what the Jets are doing
- actually recruiting and paying decent players.

I think the main aim From those guys is to see Magpies running out - and not the Tigers, that’s it.
They don’t care how it’s run, if it wins or what not.
They just want it to exist

Just somewhere to be on a weekend for a bunch of old has beens and never was beens.

 

[wstigers11]

Can you name some of them? I want to check out their pedigree ,,,

Tiger ones include: Alex Conti, Mikey Nassar, Sosefo Finau & Jope Rauqe (who was just selected for u19 Origin last night)

We had 4 Tigers in the Origin line up & only 1 is still with the club.

 

[Tom Shines]

Someone has just made my day!

https://twitter.com/x/status/2064864425149104146

 

[TheEnz]

Someone has just made my day!

https://twitter.com/x/status/2064864425149104146

Good ole Manly...love a Wests Tigers player. maybe we could swap him for Koula or Hamuole 🙂

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Someone has just made my day!

https://twitter.com/x/status/2064864425149104146

Daily Telegraph: A rival club has emerged as a potential new home for Wests Tigers back Starford To’a, who has been given permission to leave, despite being handed a contract extension just last August.

Tyson Jackson and Brent Read
less than 2 min read
June 11, 2026 - 10:11AM

Manly have emerged as frontrunners to land the signature of Wests Tigers centre Starford To’a from next season.

It is understood Toa is viewed as a potential replacement for departing Sea Eagles outside back Reuben Garrick, who will leave the club at the end of the year to join the Sydney Roosters.

Toa was granted permission to look elsewhere earlier this year, despite the Tigers extending him last August until the end of 2028.

The Tigers are desperately trying to clear salary cap space to re-sign forward Samuela Fainu on a monster extension.

Just last week the Tigers had signed Jake Averillo to a four-year deal, with the Dolphins centre believed to partner Taylan May in the centres next season.

A potential move to five-eighth looms the following year when Jarome Luai departs for PNG and a spot in the halves opens up.

It’s also understood both Royce Hunt and Alex Seyfarth have been granted permission to look elsewhere for the remainder of their deals at the Tigers.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Good ole Manly...love a Wests Tigers player. maybe we could swap him for Koula or Hamuole 🙂

I'd say they'd be keen for Seyfarth too especially with the Warren McDonnell & Peter Gentle links there.

 

[Jolls]

So in other words they want Wests Magpies to fail ?
It just doesn’t make sense.

No, they choose to invest more in other community activities. Look at the numbers and see it for yourself. Also take five minutes to read the objects of the constitution and make a determination for yourself if you think they are meeting the intent.

 

[mtd#2]

Didn’t we have a good bunch coming through a few years ago that won one of the junior comps ? Most are gone or never developed to NRl level

@Vicious claims the clubs strategy is NOT to invest any time and resources into the juniors or pathways... still waiting for the evidence of this

 

[wstigers11]

It’s also understood both Royce Hunt and Alex Seyfarth have been granted permission to look elsewhere for the remainder of their deals at the Tigers.

Still can’t see what they are planning to do forwards wise if these two eventuate.

 

[Tom Shines]

Tiger ones include: Alex Conti, Mikey Nassar, Sosefo Finau & Jope Rauqe (who was just selected for u19 Origin last night)

We had 4 Tigers in the Origin line up & only 1 is still with the club.

Conti - left for “greater opportunities “…. if there is one postion where we were roadblocked 18 months ago it was at 7

Mikey Nasser - one of Isaac’s boys left years ago for the Roosters originally..not Gus

Finau - At the Magpies in 2023 …can’t find much info as to why he left ,,. We couldn’t identify a good young middle forward though anyway

 

[Blooey]

Someone has just made my day!

https://twitter.com/x/status/2064864425149104146

Our players tend to do well playing at Manly..
Star will be fully fit and get centre of the year next year 😂

 

[Tom Shines]

@Vicious claims the clubs strategy is NOT to invest any time and resources into the juniors or pathways... still waiting for the evidence of this

He won’t admit they are tight asses

 

[Tom Shines]

Our players tend to do well playing at Manly..
Star will be fully fit and get centre of the year next year 😂

Probably…tbh I don’t even care ..just move on and give us a it more cash to spend elsewhere

 

[kade7]

good to see the news about toa and blore come out

starford has interest from super league also, but the manly deal probably only option for nrl, parramatta did sniff but have gone cold

blore would prefer to come back to the tigers, money is the issue , st george happy to match current storm deal , tigers not willing to go that high

the narrative around samuela is silly we have the money, we are just looking to move on some contracts that have not worked out

 

[Tom Shines]

I asked AI​

Academy & Pathways Players Signed from Other Clubs/Systems (2024–2026)​

Confirmed External Recruits into Bulldogs Pathways​

Player	Position	From	Signed	Notes
Mikey Nassar	FB / Back	Sydney Roosters	~Jun 2025	Helped Roosters win the SG Ball Cup (U19s), NSW Schoolboys rep. Now in Ron Massey Cup. Agent Isaac Moses connection — Roosters won't deal with Moses, so Dogs swooped [au.news.yahoo.com]
Cooper Toy	Wing / Outside Back	Sydney Roosters	2025	Joined Bulldogs' Jersey Flegg squad from the Roosters. Featured in 2025 Pre-Season Challenge, now playing NSW Cup (10 games, 6 tries across 2025–26) [bulldogs.com.au], [bulldogs.com.au]
Taniela Otukolo	Hooker	Western Clydesdales	2025	Listed as "joined from the Western Clydesdales" for 2025 pre-season [zerotackle.com]
David Bryenton	Fullback	QLD (Keebra Park)	2025	2025 Australian Schoolboy, Peter Stelling Medallist. Was linked to Raiders and Tigers before signing with Dogs. Departed April 2026 to return home to QLD — significant loss [foxsports.com.au]
Logan Spinks	Edge Forward	Greater Northern Tigers (Tamworth)	2023 (3yr deal)	2023 Australian Schoolboy. Came through Bulldogs' regional pathway via Greater Northern Tigers/Laurie Daley Cup. Dev list 2025–26, elevated to Top 30 from 2027. Breakout NSW Cup campaign in 2025 [zerotackle.com], [zerotackle.com]
Enari Tuala	Centre / Wing	Newcastle Knights	Nov 2024	Not a junior but signed young (26) — 87 games at Knights, 18 at Cowboys. Now re-signed through 2028. Scored 5 tries in 9 games in his 2025 debut season at the Dogs [en.wikipedia.org], [nrl.com]

Canterbury Rugby League (NZ) Partnership Pipeline 🇳🇿​

The Bulldogs formalised a partnership with Canterbury Rugby League (Christchurch, NZ) in 2023, which has produced a cluster of juniors now in the system:

Player	Position	NZ Club	Status	Notes
Sosaia Alatini	2nd Row	Hornby Panthers (Canterbury NZ)	Supplementary player 2026	Scouted as a teenager in NZ, moved to Australia for schooling. Harold Matthews premiership winner 2023, SG Ball star 2024–25. Now a 2026 supplementary squad member [canterbury...ague.co.nz], [bulldogs.com.au]
Chelden Hayward	Wing / Centre	Linwood Keas (Canterbury NZ)	SG Ball 2024–25	Canterbury NZ age-group rep, NZ Secondary Schools selection via St Thomas of Canterbury College. Commutes between Christchurch and Sydney seasonally [canterbury...ague.co.nz]
Bronson Reuben	Five-eighth	Northern Bulldogs (Kaiapoi, NZ)	SG Ball 2024–25	Teammate of Alatini in the 2023 Harold Matthews Cup title team [canterbury...ague.co.nz]
Genesis Ah Kam Sherlock	Centre	Linwood Keas (Canterbury NZ)	SG Ball 2025	NZ Clubs 18s Boys rep in 2024 [canterbury...ague.co.nz]
Evander Tafua	Forward	Sydenham Swans (Canterbury NZ)	Harold Matthews 2025	First player signed after the CRL-Bulldogs partnership became official. Identified at Bulldogs clinics at Ngā Puna Wai, Nov 2023 [canterbury...ague.co.nz]
Kaawyn Patterson	Hooker	NZ Warriors U17s (Dargaville)	SG Ball 2025	Won NZ Warriors U17 Player of the Year, then departed Warriors pipeline to join Bulldogs [theniche-cache.com]

Other Regional / External Academy Recruits​

Player	Position	From	Notes
AJ Jones	TBC	Through grades	Re-signed 2026 — been in system since teenager, Top 30 from 2027 [nrl.com]
Jed Reardon	Centre / 2nd Row	Son of Bulldogs great Steve Reardon	Joined 2023, part of 2024 JF premiership. Fresh 1-year deal [nrl.com], [bulldogs.com.au]

I wouldn’t say it’s a kings ransom of ex tigers there… would you agree ?

 

[innsaneink]

So in other words they want Wests Magpies to fail ?
It just doesn’t make sense.

There you go again putting words in people mouths

 

[Demps]

Daily Telegraph: A rival club has emerged as a potential new home for Wests Tigers back Starford To’a, who has been given permission to leave, despite being handed a contract extension just last August.

Tyson Jackson and Brent Read
less than 2 min read
June 11, 2026 - 10:11AM

Manly have emerged as frontrunners to land the signature of Wests Tigers centre Starford To’a from next season.

It is understood Toa is viewed as a potential replacement for departing Sea Eagles outside back Reuben Garrick, who will leave the club at the end of the year to join the Sydney Roosters.

Toa was granted permission to look elsewhere earlier this year, despite the Tigers extending him last August until the end of 2028.

The Tigers are desperately trying to clear salary cap space to re-sign forward Samuela Fainu on a monster extension.

Just last week the Tigers had signed Jake Averillo to a four-year deal, with the Dolphins centre believed to partner Taylan May in the centres next season.

A potential move to five-eighth looms the following year when Jarome Luai departs for PNG and a spot in the halves opens up.

It’s also understood both Royce Hunt and Alex Seyfarth have been granted permission to look elsewhere for the remainder of their deals at the Tigers.

Good news.

Hopefully we get Averillo & some better back up options.

 

[Vicious]

They are tight asses …how can you argue against that? 😂

All I am saying is it would be hampering the chance of success for Wests Magpies if not enough funds are being given towards our junior player, pathways and emerging talent.

 

[Tom Shines]

All I am saying is it would be hampering the chance of success for Wests Magpies if not enough funds are being given towards our junior player, pathways and emerging talent.

Who could give them more ? 🤔

 

[Vicious]

His comments were related to the kids promised top 30 contracts and getting paid before they had proven themselves or in some cases they proved they are not first grade talent yet we had to give them a contract because it was promised to them a year or two before. There are multiple examples of this and i believe Will Craig is thankfully the last one we will flush through the system.

I know for a fact that Gus is out there poaching the pick of the players and paying them good coin (for a 15 - 18yr old & outside of salary cap) to sign up in the Dogs junior system.

Yes and I think it’s fairly safe to say Alex Conti was one of them.
He has not played NRL yet, but is playing extremely well in NSW Cup this season.