Isaiah Papali’i #265

[versa]

Hopefully gets out early!!!

Judging from Parra’s press release, he wants to honour the final year

It’s a shame the way the rules work. As a fan when a player signs it should be for the upcoming season

 

[Tiger_Fanatic3]

Bye bye lucy and garner

Come 2023, we have tulagi/blore and Big Papa

I guess that’s the direct Luciano replacement

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Hopefully gets out early!!!

Judging from Parra’s press release, he wants to honour the final year

It’s a shame the way the rules work. As a fan when a player signs it should be for the upcoming season

At least it gives us something to look forward to when our season inevitably turns to mud next season.

 

[TigerWest]

Bye bye lucy and garner

Come 2023, we have tulagi/blore and Big Papa


I guess that’s the direct Luciano replacement

I guess that LL and Garner have next season to see if they want to still be here?

 

[TCL]

Great signing, great work by the club. Let’s hope it’s the first of many.

 

[rihannafan1]

Bye bye lucy and garner

Come 2023, we have tulagi/blore and Big Papa


I guess that’s the direct Luciano replacement

I guess that LL and Garner have next season to see if they want to still be here?

Garner, whatever, it hasn't really worked. If we could keep Luc on 450 I think it'd be solid.

 

[Guest]

I’d like to know what that leaves us for 2023. Do we have room to make any more of a splash? Mbye will be completely off the books by then.

Yes we will, there's a few other players off contract at the end of next season - Tamou is on 350k, Lucy is on 400ish, Garner around 300k, 450k back in the kitty from Mbye...Liddle is off contract as is Mikaele, count on both being on around 300k...Financially we're ok.

 

[TigerWest]

Bye bye lucy and garner

Come 2023, we have tulagi/blore and Big Papa


I guess that’s the direct Luciano replacement

I guess that LL and Garner have next season to see if they want to still be here?

Garner, whatever, it hasn't really worked. If we could keep Luc on 450 I think it'd be solid.

May the best player win then?

 

[Eyeofthetiger 0]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/sheens-lands-first-signing-with-papali-i-to-join-tigers-from-eels-20211118-p59a3v.html
‘The kid can play’: Sheens says Papali’i will have huge impact on Tigers
Christian Nicolussi
By Christian Nicolussi
November 18, 2021 — 3.43pm
Save
Share

Wests Tigers director of football Tim Sheens says Isaiah Papali’i will be the first and last Eels player the club targets after he joined them on a three-year deal worth just under $2 million from 2023.

The Dally M second-rower of the year was locked in negotiations with Parramatta about an extension before their western Sydney rivals pounced.

Sheens said Papali’i was someone who would “improve our football team on and off the field”, but there was next to no chance of him heading to Concord early in time for the 2022 season.

Sheens also confirmed halfback and Newcastle target Luke Brooks was staying put and “has got around training the past couple of days with a smile on his face”, the Josh Hodgson deal had stalled with Canberra while they were still in the market for an “experienced centre or back-rower who can play centre”.

Papali’i enjoyed a breakout year with Parramatta in 2021, and despite the Eels promising to bump up his deal for 2022 - which was just south of $200,000 - the Tigers blew their western Sydney neighbours out of the water.

Sheens refused to take credit for getting the Papali’i deal over the line, and praised coach Michael Maguire for flagging the 23-year-old who can play on an edge or in the middle in the first place. Maguire will also relish the chance to work with Papali’i with New Zealand at next year’s World Cup.

“Isaiah is someone who had a breakout year on the field, and while we won’t see him until 2023, it’s a move in the right direction for us,” Sheens told the Herald. “He’s a student of the game and the kid can clearly play.

“As far as I can see, Isaiah will improve our football team and a player who will have an influence on our team, on and off the field.”

Papali’i has often praised his mother Lorina for the influence on his career - he told the Herald earlier this year his mum could hit just as hard as his NRL rivals - and Lorina said there had been a lot of conversations about his next deal.

“He was very torn and he really wanted Parramatta to match [the deal], but the Tigers’ offer he couldn’t refuse,” Lorina said from Auckland on Thursday night.

“At the end of the day you only have one life and one opportunity and you need to make the most of it because you don’t know when it could all end.”

Lorina said her son would give his all for the Eels next year “and it would be great if they could win it and finish on a high, especially with so many of them unsure if they will still be together”.

Papali’i’s exit comes just a week after fellow Eels back-rower Marata Niukore signed a whopping four-year deal with the Warriors from 2023.
Parramatta’s player retention strategy has become a huge off-season talking point with so many of their players off contract at the end of next year and officially free to sign deals with rivals for the following season.

Clint Gutherson, Reed Mahoney and Junior Paulo are three of their biggest stars – and all managed by Sam Ayoub – and have generated intense interest.

Papali’i was keen to stay in Australia and left the Warriors after the 2020 season to test himself out of his comfort zone. That Papali’i is on a contract for 2022 which hardly befits his new-found standing in the game will do little to help the Eels retain their headliners.

Meanwhile, Dylan Walker has re-signed with the Manly Sea Eagles until the end of 2022 with coach Des Hasler saying: “Dylan is a very experienced player, his re-signing was a high priority for us.”

Thanks for posting

 

[loklok]

Anyone hoping he does a Moses or matterson.
Come in early big fella 🤣🤣🤣

 

[yeahcaz]

I get the feeling if we secure another name or 2 for 2023, it’s more incentive for the club to back Madge and not sack him in 2022. Unless the team is diabolically bad, I’d say he’s kept around till the end of his contract with 23 truly being a last chance

 

[weststigerman]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/sheens-lands-first-signing-with-papali-i-to-join-tigers-from-eels-20211118-p59a3v.html
‘The kid can play’: Sheens says Papali’i will have huge impact on Tigers
Christian Nicolussi
By Christian Nicolussi
November 18, 2021 — 3.43pm
Save
Share

Wests Tigers director of football Tim Sheens says Isaiah Papali’i will be the first and last Eels player the club targets after he joined them on a three-year deal worth just under $2 million from 2023.

The Dally M second-rower of the year was locked in negotiations with Parramatta about an extension before their western Sydney rivals pounced.

Sheens said Papali’i was someone who would “improve our football team on and off the field”, but there was next to no chance of him heading to Concord early in time for the 2022 season.

Sheens also confirmed halfback and Newcastle target Luke Brooks was staying put and “has got around training the past couple of days with a smile on his face”, the Josh Hodgson deal had stalled with Canberra while they were still in the market for an “experienced centre or back-rower who can play centre”.

Papali’i enjoyed a breakout year with Parramatta in 2021, and despite the Eels promising to bump up his deal for 2022 - which was just south of $200,000 - the Tigers blew their western Sydney neighbours out of the water.

Sheens refused to take credit for getting the Papali’i deal over the line, and praised coach Michael Maguire for flagging the 23-year-old who can play on an edge or in the middle in the first place. Maguire will also relish the chance to work with Papali’i with New Zealand at next year’s World Cup.

“Isaiah is someone who had a breakout year on the field, and while we won’t see him until 2023, it’s a move in the right direction for us,” Sheens told the Herald. “He’s a student of the game and the kid can clearly play.

“As far as I can see, Isaiah will improve our football team and a player who will have an influence on our team, on and off the field.”

Papali’i has often praised his mother Lorina for the influence on his career - he told the Herald earlier this year his mum could hit just as hard as his NRL rivals - and Lorina said there had been a lot of conversations about his next deal.

“He was very torn and he really wanted Parramatta to match [the deal], but the Tigers’ offer he couldn’t refuse,” Lorina said from Auckland on Thursday night.

“At the end of the day you only have one life and one opportunity and you need to make the most of it because you don’t know when it could all end.”

Lorina said her son would give his all for the Eels next year “and it would be great if they could win it and finish on a high, especially with so many of them unsure if they will still be together”.

Papali’i’s exit comes just a week after fellow Eels back-rower Marata Niukore signed a whopping four-year deal with the Warriors from 2023.
Parramatta’s player retention strategy has become a huge off-season talking point with so many of their players off contract at the end of next year and officially free to sign deals with rivals for the following season.

Clint Gutherson, Reed Mahoney and Junior Paulo are three of their biggest stars – and all managed by Sam Ayoub – and have generated intense interest.

Papali’i was keen to stay in Australia and left the Warriors after the 2020 season to test himself out of his comfort zone. That Papali’i is on a contract for 2022 which hardly befits his new-found standing in the game will do little to help the Eels retain their headliners.

Meanwhile, Dylan Walker has re-signed with the Manly Sea Eagles until the end of 2022 with coach Des Hasler saying: “Dylan is a very experienced player, his re-signing was a high priority for us.”

No one likes to give him credit, but well done Madge.

I'm hopeful Madge and Sheens will work much better than Madge and Hartigan who seemed to be on different wavelengths.

 

[avocadoontoast]

We showed last year sometimes you need to go all in and pay a bit more to get the player. We were too conservative last year and got noone.

Whilst we not offering stupid money for a player like mbye or Reynolds this bloke has plenty upside and we can afford it

The right type of player will always outplay his contract value, barring injury. I think Papa is one.

We haven't paid stupid money either. We've paid good money but not stupid.

Fifita is on 1 million +. Is Fifita a better player ?

Yes he is.

I don’t think he is. I think Fifita is terribly overrated.

 

[mike]

I get the feeling if we secure another name or 2 for 2023, it’s more incentive for the club to back Madge and not sack him in 2022. Unless the team is diabolically bad, I’d say he’s kept around till the end of his contract with 23 truly being a last chance

I always thought we should let Madge see out his contract. The problem with the team was always the quality of the players, not the coach. The decision to develop the juniors along with one or two signings is the correct one, but will take time to bear fruit.

 

[Deleted member 3518]

Bye bye lucy and garner

Come 2023, we have tulagi/blore and Big Papa


I guess that’s the direct Luciano replacement

I’ll pack Lucy’s bags abd drive him to Kellyville myself . One of the most consistent backrowers to be swapped with the worst edge defender in the comp .

I rate Luciano , but he needs to move to lock IMO .

 

[Geo]

“experienced centre or back-rower who can play centre”.

Sheensy's back..

 

[Chicken_Faced_Killa]

“experienced centre or back-rower who can play centre”.

Sheensy's back..

How’s Kyle Lovett’s acting career going? Any chance we could lure him back?

 

[palms]

Long bow drawn by the reporter saying Sheen's credited Madge for the signing. Couldn't see any quotes?
Outstanding result for the Tigers. This will definitely provide a lift coming into the Christmas break.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Long bow drawn by the reporter saying Sheen's credited Madge for the signing. Couldn't see any quotes?
Outstanding result for the Tigers. This will definitely provide a lift coming into the Christmas break.

Nor could I see any quotes from him saying we wouldn’t be looking at any more Eel players

 

[TigerJunior4]

I think this is a great signing. It relieves the pressure valve and shows we can sign good players. I’m also loving the fact we got one over Parra and all the media pressure is on them now because of poor recruitment strategies.