Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Tom Shines said:
I’ll be surprised if this team only wins 6-7 games and finishes in the bottom 4… they are better than last years team with more depth, more experience playing together and they should avoid the disruption around Galvin leaving ..: even if Bula signs elsewhere I think he will keep his head down all year and move on quietly in 2027
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Which teams are worse than last year?

I think GC and Newcastle will struggle again.
Manly
Cowboys
St George

I'd be disappointed to finish below these teams.

Hard to say before a ball has been kicked - there is always a roughie each year. Hopefully that team is us.
 
diedpretty said:
The same thing will happen if Douehi doesn't give him early ball and a bit of space to move in. Douehis run first mentality while good at times can hinder the right side attack. In the last trial Toa and Turuva never got a look in as defence was on them the moment they got the ball.
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Said a similar comment a few pages back.
Rock Hopper Steve said:
Mate he hasn't played a game for us yet you might be surprised, give him a chance, he didn't get much opportunity at the knights how can you show what you can do when the ball is bypassing you to the backs 90% of the time.

It's up to Doueihi to give him some useful ball, I remember on one occasion at the knights when they finally got the ball to him, he ran through a gap for 50mtrs.
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Betterdays22 said:
I like Adam Doueihi. I also like Shaun Johnson, but that is madness...
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I also like AD; however, he is inconsistent, has an average kicking game (good distance poor control), average passing game, cramps the payers outside him, fades in and out of games and at times has a heart the size of a pea. Apart from that I'm all in on him.

I trust that Benji and co also identified the minor deficiencies in Adam's game and has addressed them over the off season.

That was tongue in cheek by the way - Adam can play but he is a different half to the one I think Luai needs (see the deep dive for the reasoning).
 
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Vicious said:
In a perfect world we could lose nobody we want to keep and add Barnett.
But, that is unlikely and we probably cannot offer him as much as some other clubs if we are upgrading and extending the contracts of some of our key players currently off contract at the end of 2027.
I initially mentioned Fonua as a player who could potentially be used as bait to sign Mitch Barnett only because of the uncertainty about him wanting to stay with us long term.
If he was wanting to head elsewhere after the conclusion of the 2027 season, it could be a case of trying to get a high quality player swap for him early.
Alternatively I would be happy if Fonua extends with us and remains at the club for many years to come.
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He wants to go to Melbourne to play alongside his brother - his mother has been reported as wanting him to return to Melbourne. He's not going to be swapped for anyone other than a Melbourne player and we know how that worked out for us last time.
 
Hope KPP hasn't been reading the forum while waiting for his 1st game for us, the poor man might be getting a complex with a few of our concerns over Adam's timing to feed ball to his outside men.

Everything will be all right Kai, just breath son.
 
Rock Hopper Steve said:
Hope KPP hasn't been reading the forum while waiting for his 1st game for us, the poor man might be getting a complex with a few of our concerns over Adam's timing to feed ball to his outside men.

Everything will be all right Kai, just breath son.
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On the bright side, when AD ran at the Penrith line he did break it and offloaded to a trailing Bula. It might just as well have been KPP. I'm kinda hoping that Bonji was keeping the powder dry on the right edge. The most potent left edge will have been well studied by the rivals when time comes. So maybe the softly softly approach with the right will allow for them to shine when the opposition Def is focused on the left edge.
 
Jolls said:
I also like AD; however, he is inconsistent, has an average kicking game (good distance poor control), average passign game, cramps the payers outside him, fades in and out of games and at times has the heart the size of a pea. Apart from that I'm all in on him.

I trust that Benji and co also identified the minor deficiencis in Adam's game and has addressed them over the off season.

That was tongue in cheek by the way - Adam can play but he is different half to the one I think Luai needs (see the deep dive for the reasoning).
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I can totally see why Benji is starting the year with him at halfback, and its very possible he gets some decent results, but all of the holes in his game you have described above will limit the sides progress in the long run
 
Betterdays22 said:
I can totally see why Benji is starting the year with him at halfback, and its very possible he gets some decent results, but all of the holes in his game you have described above will limit the sides progress in the long run
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With the 6 man bench I assume we will always include a back up halve whether that be Lutu Fainu or Jock Madden.
That being the case we will always have insurance if Doueihi or anyone else is having a bad game and struggling in the halves.
I’m a big Jock Madden fan and could not be more impressed than what he has so far shown us in his return to Wests Tigers colours.
I think JM has matured and is 💯 NRL ready.
However, I’m an even bigger fan of Doueihi’s running game when playing in the halves and think his run threat will cause our opponents chaos.
The 6 man bench could not have come at a better time for us and should be ideal for us providing Benji uses a bit of common sense and uses it correctly.
 
Vicious said:
With the 6 man bench I assume we will always include a back up halve whether that be Lutu Fainu or Jock Madden.
That being the case we will always have insurance if Doueihi or anyone else is having a bad game and struggling in the halves.
I’m a big Jock Madden fan and could not be more impressed than what he has so far shown us in his return to Wests Tigers colours.
I think JM has matured and is 💯 NRL ready.
However, I’m an even bigger fan of Doueihi’s running game when playing in the halves and think his run threat will cause our opponents chaos.
The 6 man bench could not have come at a better time for us and should be ideal for us providing Benji uses a bit of common sense and uses it correctly.
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Why you all talking about having a 6 man bench like it's going to somehow change
the strategy of the game?
It may help with early game ending Injuries in key positions, Outside that - the effect will be minimal.

It's not like it will need to be a factor in every game multiple times.
 
batboy said:
Why you all talking about having a 6 man bench like it's going to somehow change
the strategy of the game?
It may help with early game ending Injuries in key positions, Outside that - the effect will be minimal.

It's not like it will need to be a factor in every game multiple times.
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True, it might aid us early in the season though, if Doueihi is stinking up the right-side attack he could be hooked for Madden.

But on the flip side an interchange is used up from a forward needing a break.
 
batboy said:
Why you all talking about having a 6 man bench like it's going to somehow change
the strategy of the game?
It may help with early game ending Injuries in key positions, Outside that - the effect will be minimal.

It's not like it will need to be a factor in every game multiple times.
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I think that there are several options you could use depending on who you are facing and what the concerns are. I mean how many times a year does a half go down - and carrying one as 18/19 week in week out affects the player and the KoE team. If Benji is confident in AD as a starter I don't see a need to vary the standard bench much at all. You can afford to carry 4 middles a utility and a backup for Api as he can slip into half as required. If we think that it will be a grind much the same.

Latu provides us with good options where we can rotate fast middles if we want to change the momentum of the game. Skelton on the bench could also be an option as he is big enough to have a run in the middle if required (not sure how many reps he has done there though).

Carrying a player as valuable as a 7 as a maybe, is a waste.

The smart coaches will be choosing horses for courses!
 
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Tom Shines said:
I gotta admit .. I’m not a fan of Hope … they are in a spot of bother if Api goes down ..,

Big expectations for Mak … I think he might start on the wing .., but I guess I prefer him over Herbert in the centres .., it’s still an area of concern given problems with Toa that persist
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Haywood was our best 9 by a country mile in the pre-season. I would not be surprised if he isn't coming off the bench in firsts towards the second half of the season. Benji is not afraid of throwing the kids in if he thinks they are ready. A 20 min stint once the venom is out of the game might work for him. Other option is you get a defensive 9 in there for the first 20 and use Api the same way they did at the panthers...comes on and creates against a fatigued defense. All I know is he should not be playing 80mins week in week out.
 
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