Jayden "Bud" Sullivan #278

[Bubba]

I reckon.

Next year (if we sign The Salad) our halves will be 7. Sezer and 6. Sullivan.

I reckon that Samuela will play first grade rounf 1, but Latu will do his time and be taught the Jedi art of being a dominant and controlling number 7.

He will be treated much like young Tallyn, a little bit in and a little bit out.

Once The Salad retires, we will have a ready made 20/21 year old half back and an expeienced 23/24 year old 5/8th in a spine that will also include Bula, Happy Api and Tallyn.

Happy days.
Happier days.

 

[earl]

Brooks would not have stayed for the same dollars as what Manly is paying. It’s a false economy.

He’s not happy with the salary for Sullivan, but what offer would have been acceptable? We were staring down the barrel of having no halves at all for next year. I think we were able to balance buying a player that could help us get out of this hole where we can’t score points and paying a reasonable salary given the lack of halves available.

We have Fainu and Sullivan for about $1 million a season. Doueihi is on $650k and if we get Sezer, he may cost us up to $500k.

$2 million for 4 first grade standard halves isn’t a bad result. The cap is in good shape.

Personally, I think Doueihi is the odd one out here. He’s on $650k and hasn’t been a clear standout in any position. For an extra $200k-$300k, we can buy Origin quality. Plenty of money for an upgrade within our top 4 halves.

I agree with you. I think Brooks left because he wanted out. It's hard not to talk about him because he is clearly the best option at this point out of the halves we might have recruited and have recruited but he has gone and we have to recruit some halves.

I'm fine with Fainu and Sullivan on those dollars. I'm not sold on Sezer but I'd love to be proven wrong.

Doueihi is a write off at this point. Maybe he'll come back next year and maybe he'll perform but he wasn't performing consistently in any position. I'd keep him just because I think it's the right thing to do for his sake but I can't see him getting another contract other than a bare minimum NRL contract. If he does and he deserves it I'd be stoked but I can't see it happening.

 

[weststigers]

Lol, it's not. You're delusional.

He's currently at a wakeham/madden level.

12 matches this season for 1 try assist, and a couple of tries (against us!)
His stats and impact this season is far poorer than those of Wakeham, who we can't wait to get rid of. But because he's faster, and played well as a halfback when he was 18 that makes him a star? No. Is he better than Trindall? Taafe? Ilias? Madden, Laurie etc.
The answer is no. Yet you think he should be paid more than all these players. Significantly more in some cases.

Relax mate. Plenty on here agree with me as they do your points. We are having a discussion. No need for name calling.

To your point. I’m not saying any player is worth more than any other. The reality is, a player is worth what he signed for, at the club he signed at, and at the time he signed. Take your example of Trindall. You are basing this off his previous contract. If he was off contract now, he would command a higher salary in general. Now if you break that down further, the Tigers would probably pay more for him than Cronulla. The guys you mentioned would command more money than Sullivan if their contract was being negotiated today.

It’s not a linear equation.

 

[weststigers]

Lol if we are talking about thereabouts, let’s just round it up to $5m. Then it’s still only a bit less.

Everyone knows he’s on roughly $1 million with us. Some say $900k. Some say $1.1 million. Only Luke really knows, but it’s nowhere near $550k

 

[Bula]

I reckon.

Next year (if we sign The Salad) our halves will be 7. Sezer and 6. Sullivan.

I reckon that Samuela will play first grade rounf 1, but Latu will do his time and be taught the Jedi art of being a dominant and controlling number 7.

He will be treated much like young Tallyn, a little bit in and a little bit out.

Once The Salad retires, we will have a ready made 20/21 year old half back and an expeienced 23/24 year old 5/8th in a spine that will also include Bula, Happy Api and Tallyn.

Happy days.
Happier days.

Not The Salad. Grand Mal.

 

[weststigers]

I agree with you. I think Brooks left because he wanted out. It's hard not to talk about him because he is clearly the best option at this point out of the halves we might have recruited and have recruited but he has gone and we have to recruit some halves.

I'm fine with Fainu and Sullivan on those dollars. I'm not sold on Sezer but I'd love to be proven wrong.

Doueihi is a write off at this point. Maybe he'll come back next year and maybe he'll perform but he wasn't performing consistently in any position. I'd keep him just because I think it's the right thing to do for his sake but I can't see him getting another contract other than a bare minimum NRL contract. If he does and he deserves it I'd be stoked but I can't see it happening.

Can’t argue with any of this. I too would have liked to see Brooks do well with us, but it’s not to be.

When all is said and done, sometimes you need to cut your losses and try something new. I think both parties have decided that’s the best way to go regardless of the result in the end.

I wish Brooks the best.

 

[Vicious]

Lol, it's not. You're delusional.

He's currently at a wakeham/madden level.

12 matches this season for 1 try assist, and a couple of tries (against us!)
His stats and impact this season is far poorer than those of Wakeham, who we can't wait to get rid of. But because he's faster, and played well as a halfback when he was 18 that makes him a star? No. Is he better than Trindall? Taafe? Ilias? Madden, Laurie etc.
The answer is no. Yet you think he should be paid more than all these players. Significantly more in some cases.

balmain boy I actually like reading your posts as you don’t sugarcoat anything and generally there is a fair amount of common sense and truth to it.
But with all the negativity you throw up, is it possible for you to post what halves you believe should have been retained/let go and who you would ideally like to see as our 4 top 30 contracted halves for 2024 ?
Also which other players contracted or not do you believe would be best for Wests Tigers to let go and which ones potentially recruited to enable us to be a better team and top 30 squad in 2024 in your opinion ?

 

[hugh1954]

I agree with you. I think Brooks left because he wanted out. It's hard not to talk about him because he is clearly the best option at this point out of the halves we might have recruited and have recruited but he has gone and we have to recruit some halves.

I'm fine with Fainu and Sullivan on those dollars. I'm not sold on Sezer but I'd love to be proven wrong.

Doueihi is a write off at this point. Maybe he'll come back next year and maybe he'll perform but he wasn't performing consistently in any position. I'd keep him just because I think it's the right thing to do for his sake but I can't see him getting another contract other than a bare minimum NRL contract. If he does and he deserves it I'd be stoked but I can't see it happening.

I GOOD luck with Brooks at Manly BUT to be honest I have had a gut full of him and his 10 years of stuff ups. One game doesn't make me teary eyed

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

So who in our football department was so amazed by the skill of naden, to'a and kepaoa to re-sign them last year for another couple of years each? Such a poor judge of quality cannot be tolerated in our football department. Given the changes i can't remember if these were hartigan, sheens, mcdonnell. But either way it's not good enough, and it's costing us dearly. Again.

Agree Naden for a long year deal was absolutely bonkers

 

[Vicious]

Agree Naden for a long year deal was absolutely bonkers

You can only assume they were hoping he would repay the faith and knuckle down to play consistently near his best for once in his life.
If played near his best 80% of the time he’d be ok as he is a talented player when on his game, but he very rarely shows it, very frustrating for fans, so you would imagine it’s even more frustrating for the coaches.

 

[Nadz4483]

Who's going to kick on the last? Both Sullivan and the young fella aren't big. Probably kick it 40m straight down the throat of the fullbacks.

Not sure the thought process on these recruits.

Brooks has been doing the last 10 years

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

You can only assume they were hoping he would repay the faith and knuckle down to play consistently near his best for once in his life.
If played near his best 80% of the time he’d be ok as he is a talented player when on his game, but he very rarely shows it, very frustrating for fans, so you would imagine it’s even more frustrating for the coaches.

That makes it even crazier because he had never shown signs of consistency before & was a mid season thankyou transfer to us in which he was quoted saying he moved here because he knew he would get a spot.

 

[Needaname]

Lol, it's not. You're delusional.

He's currently at a wakeham/madden level.

12 matches this season for 1 try assist, and a couple of tries (against us!)
His stats and impact this season is far poorer than those of Wakeham, who we can't wait to get rid of. But because he's faster, and played well as a halfback when he was 18 that makes him a star? No. Is he better than Trindall? Taafe? Ilias? Madden, Laurie etc.
The answer is no. Yet you think he should be paid more than all these players. Significantly more in some cases.

Sullivan was named at halfback 3 times this year.
1 of those, he started and 19m later got Sin binned and Griffen brought on Moses and Sullivan didn’t return.
The two other games were both replacing Hunt coz of Origin, agaisnt the Dolphins in his first genuine chance of halfback he kicked for 572m, 1 line break, 3 tackle breaks; ran for 96m with 18 post and made 25 tackles with 3 missed. The other game was 65min agaisnt the Raiders before doing his Hammy. I seem to recall from watching he was having a decent game but didn’t poll as decent stats. Not bad though for a guy given an opportunity at 21 playing in an average side.
At 5/8 he averaged roughly 30 receipts compared to 47 at halfback.
There’s something there, I was watching him in the Cup game vs the Raiders from earlier in the year. He was the sole half in the team and although didn’t run often at the line; his kicking game was varied and on point.
I’ve come around to signing him as a halfback after spending a bit of time watching him play outside of the highlights.

 

[Needaname]

Sullivan was named at halfback 3 times this year.
1 of those, he started and 19m later got Sin binned and Griffen brought on Moses and Sullivan didn’t return.
The two other games were both replacing Hunt coz of Origin, agaisnt the Dolphins in his first genuine chance of halfback he kicked for 572m, 1 line break, 3 tackle breaks; ran for 96m with 18 post and made 25 tackles with 3 missed. The other game was 65min agaisnt the Raiders before doing his Hammy. I seem to recall from watching he was having a decent game but didn’t poll as decent stats. Not bad though for a guy given an opportunity at 21 playing in an average side.
At 5/8 he averaged roughly 30 receipts compared to 47 at halfback.
There’s something there, I was watching him in the Cup game vs the Raiders from earlier in the year. He was the sole half in the team and although didn’t run often at the line; his kicking game was varied and on point.
I’ve come around to signing him as a halfback after spending a bit of time watching him play outside of the highlights.

Really wished we signed him using this years cap though. Opportunity lost there!

 

[Fainu Brothers]

Really wished we signed him using this years cap though. Opportunity lost there!

You know you can front load other players?

So it really doesn’t make a difference

 

[tony soprano]

AD should be brought back as a 13 or a centre.…he is not a 6 or 7

Should be introduced to lawn bowls or darts.

 

[crazycat]

Should be introduced to lawn bowls or darts.

Totally agreed re Adam Doueihi.

NRL is harsh. Adam has had 3 ACL's or a similar number. As a forum member once said "if Benji's shoulder dislocations were knee injuries, he would have played only 1 season with us".

AD had faults, AD had heart, AD is now a hasbeen.
Had he been a better player he could do a Chris Lawrence like transfer to the front row. Nope, try Lawn Bowls son.

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

I don't know what Scotty Prince is up to these days but it wouldn't hurt to bring him in once a month or how ever frequent it needs to be to mentor Sullivan.
Benji can guide him no doubts about that but get him some individualized assistance from another indigenous halfback, that knows the club would be valuable imo.
I havent seen a hell of a lot of Sullivan but he could turn into a Scotty Prince for us, there's a few similarities there that could be nurtured.

 

[Needaname]

You know you can front load other players?

So it really doesn’t make a difference

I don’t think you can. Unless it is an upgrade being signed and registered that year or a new contract.
I could be wrong though but I don’t think the Cap is THAT flexible.

 

[tiger_one]

I don't know what Scotty Prince is up to these days but it wouldn't hurt to bring him in once a month or how ever frequent it needs to be to mentor Sullivan.
Benji can guide him no doubts about that but get him some individualized assistance from another indigenous halfback, that knows the club would be valuable imo.
I havent seen a hell of a lot of Sullivan but he could turn into a Scotty Prince for us, there's a few similarities there that could be nurtured.

Good call except he's currently aligned to the Broncos as coach of the NRLW team.