Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Vicious]

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Updated with Toa & Geyer

So currently 21 top 30 contracted players for 2027 assuming we have signed Jake Averillo.
I would look at Samuel Hughes depending on his price. He is no superstar, but he has plenty of NRL experience, is a big body who seems reasonably mobile for a bigger man, he seems to have a good engine and can play decent minutes when required, generally has good impact with his carries and a reliable defender.
For a smaller forward who plays with good energy and defends strongly, Ray Stone should be considered, but a similar player who is much younger and a bigger bigger body in Liam Le Blanc could be a cheaper and potentially better option.
I woukd love to keep Jeral Skelton, but I can’t imagine him hanging around to play NSW Cup, it could be a case of either use him at NRL level or lose him.
IF we do lose Skelton, I have mentioned this numerous times, but I can’t imagine Sione Finau would be all that happy being stuck in NSW Cup and not even getting an NRL opportunity when there are injuries at the Raiders, so he could be ripe for the picking at a cheap cost.
James Schiller has been the best right sided outside back in NSW Cup the past 3 years and is still only 24y.o. He would be a great back option at right centre or right wing.

 

[426Tlgerland]

Hes here now but didnt play on the weekend

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Thanks mate , good to see , is he still injured or good to go if he gets a spot in reserve grade

 

[balmain boy]

Ofcourse...

You have stupid money in America and any rich Silicon valley idiot with more dollars then sense will start sponsoring a soccer team. They may even pay for a US player with talent to live and develop in Europe or Brazil and learn the game properly.

and...

I really don't care. Seriously I see the soccer games and it's clear that Diving is a real game winning technique. The ref matters more there then in NRL and there is enough BS in this sport.

Lol, have you watched the NRL lately? It's so much worse at all the things you mentioned

 

[davey_farrell]

So currently 21 top 30 contracted players for 2027 assuming we have signed Jake Averillo.
I would look at Samuel Hughes depending on his price. He is no superstar, but he has plenty of NRL experience, is a big body who seems reasonably mobile for a bigger man, he seems to have a good engine and can play decent minutes when required, generally has good impact with his carries and a reliable defender.
For a smaller forward who plays with good energy and defends strongly, Ray Stone should be considered, but a similar player who is much younger and a bigger bigger body in Liam Le Blanc could be a cheaper and potentially better option.
I woukd love to keep Jeral Skelton, but I can’t imagine him hanging around to play NSW Cup, it could be a case of either use him at NRL level or lose him.
IF we do lose Skelton, I have mentioned this numerous times, but I can’t imagine Sione Finau would be all that happy being stuck in NSW Cup and not even getting an NRL opportunity when there are injuries at the Raiders, so he could be ripe for the picking at a cheap cost.
James Schiller has been the best right sided outside back in NSW Cup the past 3 years and is still only 24y.o. He would be a great back option at right centre or right wing.

I have heard we dont have a lot of cash for next year..could be very slim pickings...imagine if Jerome stayed for his 5 years cash could have been really tight

 

[Odessa]

Lol, have you watched the NRL lately? It's so much worse at all the things you mentioned

I was thinking the NRL in general the quality of games with the new rules are Cr@p very few good games this year

 

[balmain boy]

Most who watch our lower grades regularly agree.
I know you are not really a fan of Luke Laulilli due to his lack of size, but he offers everything that Turuva does and I think he is faster with much better tackle break and line break threat. I think we made an error letting him go and re-signing Turuva on big money as you can only really afford to have one player of their stature in your team.

I agree with most of your post. But in the end Luke's shortness will always be a massive liability on the wing and he will.always lose the majority of all aerial battles sent his way. And for that reason he's unlikely to ever be a first choice first grade winger at any club

 

[Tiger Stripes]

View attachment 39312

Updated with Toa & Geyer

Can you fix the background & print colours so we can read them please?

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

View attachment 39312

Updated with Toa & Geyer

Side note, how good is it to see a list like this with no options?

 

[balmain boy]

Haze Dunster , is he here this year or start 2027 .
Is he still currently injured ?

He's coming back from another ACL. He's not a first grade prospect for this season. He might play a bit of Cup at some point. Most likely he'll start in Ron Massey once he's fit.
If he wasn't Benji's cousin he probably wouldn't have even got a run with our ressies

 

[Vicious]

I have heard we dont have a lot of cash for next year..could be very slim pickings...imagine if Jerome stayed for his 5 years cash could have been really tight

Yes it seems that way, hence the reason I have suggested some potential lower cost signings with NRL experience and upside to their game to potentially improve our depth.

 

[Vicious]

N

I agree with most of your post. But in the end Luke's shortness will always be a massive liability on the wing and he will.always lose the majority of all aerial battles sent his way. And for that reason he's unlikely to ever be a first choice first grade winger at any club

No doubt he is a liability due to his lack of height under the high ball, but is Turuva any different ?
That is why I say you cannot have them both in the team as wingers and probably the reason we decided to let LL go.
Turuva who we are paying around 450k per season, possibly more with his recent extension is no better than Luke Laulilli who potentially has much more improvement in his game and is certain to be at a much cheaper cost, I’m assuming his contract with Perth Bears would only be 200 - 250k

 

[user118245]

Can you fix the background & print colours so we can read them please?

Got AI to do it but file upload won’t work 😐

 

[Tom Shines]

N

No doubt he is a liability due to his lack of height under the high ball, but is Turuva any different ?
That is why I say you cannot have them both in the team as wingers and probably the reason we decided to let LL go.
Turuva who we are paying around 450k per season, possibly more with his recent extension is no better than Luke Laulilli who potentially has much more improvement in his game and is certain to be at a much cheaper cost, I’m assuming his contract with Perth Bears would only be 200 - 250k

Turuva is a much better player …he has played a 100 NRL games and won 2 premierships… not bad at only 23 years old ..

 

[Vicious]

Turuva is a much better player …he has played a 100 NRL games and won 2 premierships… not bad at only 23 years old ..

That’s in the past.
What does he currently do on the rugby league field that is better, or that Luke Laulilli cannot do ?
I admire Turuva’s fearless yardage carries which are always a big help to us, but Luke Laulilli is equally as good in this area, but is faster and always looks more likely to make a clean line break.
I have no problem with Turuva being in our team, just making the point that we had a near identical player for half the contract value if we wanted to save money to assist in other positions.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

That’s in the past.
What does he currently do on the rugby league field that is better, or that Luke Laulilli cannot do ?
I admire Turuva’s fearless yardage carries which are always a big help to us, but Luke Laulilli is equally as good in this area, but is faster and always looks more likely to make a clean line e break.
I have no problem with Turuva being in our team, just making the point that we had a near identical player for half the contract value if we wanted to save money to assist in other positions.

I don't remember any times that Turuva's mistakes have basically solely cost us a game. I could think of an occassion or two that Luke has.

Turuva is also a much better defender and communicator by a long shot.

 

[king_sirro]

That’s in the past.
What does he currently do on the rugby league field that is better, or that Luke Laulilli cannot do ?
I admire Turuva’s fearless yardage carries which are always a big help to us, but Luke Laulilli is equally as good in this area, but is faster and always looks more likely to make a clean line break.
I have no problem with Turuva being in our team, just making the point that we had a near identical player for half the contract value if we wanted to save money to assist in other positions.

He does literally everything better than Laulilii

 

[Tom Shines]

That’s in the past.
What does he currently do on the rugby league field that is better, or that Luke Laulilli cannot do ?
I admire Turuva’s fearless yardage carries which are always a big help to us, but Luke Laulilli is equally as good in this area, but is faster and always looks more likely to make a clean line e break.
I have no problem with Turuva being in our team, just making the point that we had a near identical player for half the contract value if we wanted to save money to assist in other positions.

No chance they are “identical”…

Luke is 5 ft nothing and may as well be wearing a sign saying kick the ball high to me and you will outjump me ….happy for the Bears to have him alongside his brother and Geyer ..they have a fine eye for talent ,.. Turuva as I mentioned is a 100 game veteran and played in 2 premiership teams …. You think Ivan is picking Luke to play any game ?

You seem dirty on Turuva because he is getting paid …no matter how much you would like it …we can’t have a team of NSW Cup players on $200k a year apiece and expect to do welll..

 

[Vicious]

He does literally everything better than Laulilii

Like what ?
He is slightly better under the high ball and even that is debatable.

 

[mtd#2]

That’s in the past.
What does he currently do on the rugby league field that is better, or that Luke Laulilli cannot do ?

Oh you know, just important NRL qualities like defence and butterfingers. Nothing major 😂😂

Theres a fast kid in the under 16s, maybe we should bring him too? Lol

 

[Bellend]

Apparently, we are 1 0f 2 clubs chasing Wilson De Courcey if he gets released and we are after another outside back that is related to either Api or Turuva.