Isaiah Papali’i #265

Tucker said:
A suitable replacement is a current tier 1 International.
Don’t hold your breath.
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Not necessarily, but it would need to be a player who can positively influence games with either tackle busting ability or hard hitting defence, preferably both.
We seem t get lost in the fact there are always top quality players on their way up, hidden gems so to speak.
There are a thousand examples of this, but a good recent example is Jacob Preston.
He was toiling away in the Bears lower grades, unwanted by his local club Manly.
Then got signed/allocated to the Roosters NSW Cup Team and was scoring a lot of tries as a young up and coming edge forward.
It is like a record on repeat that the players that regularly stand out in NSW Cup almost always have it in them to also stand out in NRL when given the chance.
When there are barely any top quality proven NRL players in the position you need available, the next best option, in some cases better option due to value for contract price, is to find the best up and comers or players slipping under the radar in the position you are looking for.
 
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Vicious said:
Not necessarily, but it would need to be a player who can positively influence games with either tackle busting ability or hard hitting defence, preferably both.
We seem t get lost in the fact there are always top quality players on their way up, hidden gems so to speak.
There are a thousand examples of this, but a good recent example is Jacob Preston.
He was tilling away in the Bears lower grades, unwanted by his local club Manly.
Then got signed/allocated to the Roosters NSW Cup Team and was scoring a lot of tries as a young up and coming edge forward.
It is like a record on repeat that the players that regularly stand out in NSW Cup almost always have it in them to also stand out in NRL when given the chance.
When there are barely any top quality proven NRL players in the position you need available, the next best option, in some cases better option due to value for contract price, is to find the best up and comers or players slipping under the radar in the position you are looking for.
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In a perfect world, yes, but that is not a sound management decision until proven correct later on.
If you let a tier 1 International walk, it’s a hard sell to say don’t worry I’ve found this exciting 19 year old in Englands north. It’s a huge leap of faith.
I hope we are getting more than additional cap space from the deal.
 
Tucker said:
In a perfect world, yes, but that is not a sound management decision until proven correct later on.
If you let a tier 1 International walk, it’s a hard sell to say don’t worry I’ve found this exciting 19 year old in Englands north. It’s a huge leap of faith.
I hope we are getting more than additional cap space from the deal.
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How we let Papali’i go before Bateman amazes me.
Papali’i on the open market was snapped up at full freight before anyone could blink an eyelid, if Bateman is placed on the open market at his current contract value, no other NRL club would show any interest.
 
Vicious said:
How we let Papali’i go before Bateman amazes me.
Papali’i on the open market was snapped up at full freight before anyone could blink an eyelid, if Bateman is placed on the open market at his current t contract value, no other NRL club would show any interest.
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Yeah…I don’t see why we let anyone out of their obligations.
You’ve committed to us for good money. Get out there and have a go.
 
Vicious said:
How we let Papali’i go before Bateman amazes me.
Papali’i on the open market was snapped up at full freight before anyone could blink an eyelid, if Bateman is placed on the open market at his current contract value, no other NRL club would show any interest.
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Maybe it's not the NRL that he would be interested in? Hence the trip to GB by Richo.
 
Vicious said:
How we let Papali’i go before Bateman amazes me.
Papali’i on the open market was snapped up at full freight before anyone could blink an eyelid, if Bateman is placed on the open market at his current contract value, no other NRL club would show any interest.
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Probably because he agitated to go. This will probably be the only contract Bateman will see out. In saying that his performances this year have not warranted the level of criticism that they have been getting imo - and I was always thought the signing was madness at the time.
 
Vicious said:
How we let Papali’i go before Bateman amazes me.
Papali’i on the open market was snapped up at full freight before anyone could blink an eyelid, if Bateman is placed on the open market at his current contract value, no other NRL club would show any interest.
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I find it interesting that each of Papali'i, Stef & Willison are managed by the same agency and there have been some mentions that Willison is on our radar.

Maybe the IP to Panthers has a bit to do with creating cap space for a Stef extension & big play for Willison from 1 Nov.

I posted this in the Stef thread the other day in response to a Misty Muzzle post that Willison may be a big chance if we re-sign Stef (but my post seems to have disappeared for whatever reason).
 
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BlackWhiteGold said:
I find it interesting that each of Papali'i, Stef & Willison are managed by the same agency and there have been some mentions that Willison is on our radar.

Maybe the IP to Panthers has a bit to do with creating cap space for a Stef extension & big play for Willison from 1 Nov.

I posted this in the Stef thread the other day in response to a Cloudy Glock post that Willison may be a big chance if we re-sign Stef (but my post seems to have disappeared for whatever reason).
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This makes a lot of sense. Both in real terms & also in squad improvement terms.
 
The Chad said:
This makes a lot of sense. Both in real terms & also in squad improvement terms.
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I just hope the manager doesn't try to hold us to ransom by saying you have to sign Stef for way overs to get Willison otherwise you will miss both. I'm sure Richo wouldn't cop that anyway.
 
If Papali'i had managed to fit that damaging, tackle busting role he played at the Eels while here- he's worth $750k.

For whatever reason- and this is not a direct critisism of him- that hasn't eventuated.

Instead, he's a good kick chaser, a willing effort guy. And a decent hit up guy.

There are others out there at lower cost that can do that job.

I'd think a guy like Aitken fits. Billy Burns. Or if you can pry him away- Jack Williams.

All would cost less that Papali'i for similar results on the field.
 
Vicious said:
To put it simply, why would we let Papali’i go a year before his contract expires without a suitable replacement lined up ?
How does this improve our team ?
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I doubt this will happen. He's going to be out for 10 weeks, so no club is going to pay him to sit in the recovery ward.

That goes to my next point. If he is going to sit around injured, then what do we lose by letting him go tomorrow if he wants to? He may only play 1 or 2 games for us this year anyway. We get far more value by front loading a few contracts so there's more room in our cap for next year.
 
Good to know my suspicions of paying some part of Papali’i’s salary for his Penrith contract are proven false. Good deal to be had by all, that is $750 k cap money available next year.
 
GNR4LIFE said:
Why wouldn’t they take him now that he’s out for three months. It’s totally reasonable.
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The only possible 'what if' that just might be in thoughts / worth thinking about for all parties is a deal to get him into their system for rehabilitation, recovery and training in their system in time for the finals. Could be worth a talk between parties.
 

I haven't lived up to hype at Wests Tigers: Papali'i​

By George Clarke
Updated July 23 2024 - 2:16pm, first published 2:13pm

Isaiah Papali'i has conceded he is the latest big-name player to fail to match expectations at Wests Tigers and lead a revival of the struggling NRL club.
Papali'i will quit the Tigers at the end of the 2024 campaign, cutting short his three-year deal after just two seasons to join Penrith from the start of next year.
The New Zealand international arrived at Concord off a standout year in 2022 with Parramatta where he powered the Eels to the grand final and was named Dally M second-rower of the year.

But since his arrival at the Tigers, on a contract reportedly worth $750,000 per season, Papali'i is the first to admit that he has flattered to deceive.
It's why Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson told him he was free to leave, opening up salary cap room for coach Benji Marshall to play with.
Isaiah Papali'i is set to return from an ankle injury on Friday. (Scott Radford-Chisholm/AAP PHOTOS)

Isaiah Papali'i is set to return from an ankle injury on Friday. (Scott Radford-Chisholm/AAP PHOTOS)

Asked if he felt he had reached the bar he set during his barnstorming two seasons at the Eels, Papali'i said: "To be honest, probably not, I think I've struggled to find form.

"That led to me asking for a definitive answer on whether my future was here.
"I think the club as a whole was trying to find their feet, you can tell that by the results and I think that's what 'Richo' is doing.
"He is making some bold moves and that's a credit to him because he's doing it in the right way.
"For me it's just been a struggle, (having) a few different halves and I guess the club is trying to build a foundation here.
"I wanted to make sure my job was secure post 2025 and there wasn't an answer for that.
"I don't think it was whether I wanted to stay or go, I wanted to know I was part of the picture but we both agreed my form wasn't the best."

The exit of Papali'i, who will return from an ankle injury against the Warriors on Friday, has given the Tigers the spending power to retain Stefano Utoikamanu.

www.canberratimes.com.au

I haven't lived up to hype at Wests Tigers: Papali'i

Preparing to depart West Tigers earlier than originally contracted, Isaiah Papali'i admits he hasn't been able to produce...
www.canberratimes.com.au www.canberratimes.com.au
 
Needaname said:
Good to know my suspicions of paying some part of Papali’i’s salary for his Penrith contract are proven false. Good deal to be had by all, that is $750 k cap money available next year.
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What’s the point of having $750 k if Richo and benji refuse to sign a experienced replacement , and spent it on useless kids
 
Lauren said:

I haven't lived up to hype at Wests Tigers: Papali'i​

By George Clarke
Updated July 23 2024 - 2:16pm, first published 2:13pm

Isaiah Papali'i has conceded he is the latest big-name player to fail to match expectations at Wests Tigers and lead a revival of the struggling NRL club.
Papali'i will quit the Tigers at the end of the 2024 campaign, cutting short his three-year deal after just two seasons to join Penrith from the start of next year.
The New Zealand international arrived at Concord off a standout year in 2022 with Parramatta where he powered the Eels to the grand final and was named Dally M second-rower of the year.

But since his arrival at the Tigers, on a contract reportedly worth $750,000 per season, Papali'i is the first to admit that he has flattered to deceive.
It's why Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson told him he was free to leave, opening up salary cap room for coach Benji Marshall to play with.
Isaiah Papali'i is set to return from an ankle injury on Friday. (Scott Radford-Chisholm/AAP PHOTOS)'i is set to return from an ankle injury on Friday. (Scott Radford-Chisholm/AAP PHOTOS)

Isaiah Papali'i is set to return from an ankle injury on Friday. (Scott Radford-Chisholm/AAP PHOTOS)

Asked if he felt he had reached the bar he set during his barnstorming two seasons at the Eels, Papali'i said: "To be honest, probably not, I think I've struggled to find form.

"That led to me asking for a definitive answer on whether my future was here.
"I think the club as a whole was trying to find their feet, you can tell that by the results and I think that's what 'Richo' is doing.
"He is making some bold moves and that's a credit to him because he's doing it in the right way.
"For me it's just been a struggle, (having) a few different halves and I guess the club is trying to build a foundation here.
"I wanted to make sure my job was secure post 2025 and there wasn't an answer for that.
"I don't think it was whether I wanted to stay or go, I wanted to know I was part of the picture but we both agreed my form wasn't the best."

The exit of Papali'i, who will return from an ankle injury against the Warriors on Friday, has given the Tigers the spending power to retain Stefano Utoikamanu.

www.canberratimes.com.au

I haven't lived up to hype at Wests Tigers: Papali'i

Preparing to depart West Tigers earlier than originally contracted, Isaiah Papali'i admits he hasn't been able to produce...
www.canberratimes.com.au www.canberratimes.com.au
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Sounds like an honest assessment but of course he was polite enough to not mention the people he’s had around him.
Pity he couldn’t have had one more season with Luai and maybe become a Martin type clone.
I’m sure he will at Penrith.
 
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