Kelma Tuilagi Signs With Manly

hank37w said:
We've got a couple of second rowers that look pretty good in attack but are unfortunately leaving, but one thing all our second rowers have in common is that they all have defensive issues.
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And there's no one to teach the younger ones coming through....
 
Tiger_Bond said:

Rivals poach another Tiger cub​

Fatima Kdouh
Enjoy it while it lasts, Wests Tigers fans.
The clock has started ticking on the most promising backrow prospects seen at Concord in recent times.

Boom forward Kelma Tuilagi will join North Queensland bound Leilua Leilua in departing the club at the end of the season.

The 23-year old, who beat Luke Garner to a starting edge spot, has agreed to join rivals Manly on a long-term deal. Tuilagi opted to take the security of a three-year contract with the Sea Eagles over the two years offered by the Tigers.

“Madge [Michael Maguire] fought to bring me here from Melbourne. I had tears in my eyes telling him,” Tuilagi told The Daily Telegraph.

“We came back from the Christmas break but Madge had Covid, so I had to wait another week before telling him in person.
The Wests Tigers had already lost Luciano Leilua (left) to the Cowboys and have now lost Kelma Tuilagi (right) to Manly. Picture: NCA NewsWire.

The Wests Tigers had already lost Luciano Leilua (left) to the Cowboys and have now lost Kelma Tuilagi (right) to Manly. Picture: NCA NewsWire.
“Holding it in was so hard. I didn’t want to do it on the phone. I wanted to tell him face-to-face because he was confident I would stay.”

It’s not the first time Tuilagi has slipped through a club’s fingers.

Stuck down the pecking order behind the likes Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi and Dale Finucane at the Storm, Melbourne let Tuilagi walk away at the end of season 2020.

The Storm could rue the decision to let the rising forward leave with lock Finucane no longer at the club and second rowers Kaufusi and Bromwich switching to the Redcliffe Dolphins in 2023.

“I started playing league when I was 15 in New Zealand. Melbourne came over and picked me up, I played some edge, some middle back then,” Tuilagi said.

“I was grateful I started off with the Storm because they are a pretty good team.

“But coming to the Tigers was the start of me.

“I had been down in Melbourne quite a bit … but the Tigers gave me the opportunity to play NRL.”

While Tuilagi opted for security, Leilua was searching for a sea change when deciding to sign a three-year deal with the Cowboys.

“It was time to get out of Sydney for me,” Leilua said.

“Madge was the main reason I wanted to stay, because he built me up to what I am today. Everything I have done in footy is because of Madge. He’s turned me into the 80 minute player that I am.”

Tuilagi and Leilua looked very good together for the Tigers in Round One, but the combination won’t be together after 2022. Picture: NCA Newswire.

Tuilagi and Leilua looked very good together for the Tigers in Round One, but the combination won’t be together after 2022. Picture: NCA Newswire.
Impressive in the trials series, Leilua has carried that form into the start of the season on the right edge.

It’s been a similar story on the left side for Tuilagi.

After five games off the bench last season, Tuilagi has claimed a starting spot and is primed for a breakout season.

Tuilagi’s physicality is already causing problems for opposition defences with his line-bending runs and offloading ability.

“He’s a man of few words, he can be funny when you get to know him … he’s impressed me with just how physical he is … we don‘t really see it at training. He is the nice guy,” Leilua said.

“And then on the field, he’s putting on shots, he’s got line speed. He’s menacing.”

But Tuilagi is more reluctant than Leilua to take on the tag as the club’s newest ‘bash brothers’.

“I’ll leave the bashing to Luce. I’m a lover, I’m not a basher,” Tuilagi laughed.

“Everyone looks at me and sees someone who doesn’t say much, whether it’s on the field or off the field … on the field, I’m a quiet and shy dude.

“I keep telling myself I don’t need to say anything, just let your actions talk.

“From how I play, people think I’m aggressive but deep down. I’m not.”

The dynamic duo have pledged to do everything they can to help return the Tigers to the finals for first time since 2011 before departing the club.

“Everyone says it … but I desperately want to make the finals,” Leilua said.

“I want to have a good time here. When you’re having a good time you’re winning games. I want to win games.

“We’re also from the same village in Samoa, Fatausi. That would make the finals even more special,” Leilua said.

While the Tigers lose Leilua and Tuilagi, the club has signed Parramatta backrower Isaiah Papali’i from season 2023.
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What a load!
so emotionally distraught why not approach the recruitment and retainment team and madge and say how important long term security was
 
Kaito said:
Should have flicked garner when we could have ..
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It is disappointing about Kelma, but at least now we can say you win some and you lose some,
which is unlike previous seasons when it was just lose and lose.
and unlike previous seasons we seem to be in a much better position to make a further 2-3 quality signings for next season.
 
Jimmy said:
it's disappointing losing these two but hopefully, we get to see them pump out a fantastic year for us. what I'm not disappointed in is the fact that we didn't pay overs for these guys like come on 500k for kelma is crazy (keep in mind they signed him last year after 5 games off the bench), and promising him an edge spot is even dumber, Schuster, bully, Lawton, olakau'atu where does he fit in? manly starting to piss me off stealing our forwards like when are they going to learn it doesn't even work out for them, idiots!!

​

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The salary cap in 2023 will be $10 million.

That averages to $333 000 per player for a 30 man squad. Obviously some are much lower, balanced out by several much higher.

However, to pay Kelma $500 00 a year, or 150% of the mean salary, for a quality starting backrower, would have been far from crazy in my opinion.

I'm very disappointed by this one.
 
People get wound up over the weirdest things. A bit like Paul Momorovski. No club has fought hard to keep him and he has bounced around several clubs. Surely this is an indicator of their value. Fringe players and not worth spending elite money on, whatever the price.

This guy is the same, bounced around, Melbourne let him go and not a whisper. As soon as we do, it's big news. Everyone has a price and maybe his value to us is $350. At Manly it may be more. Good luck to him.

And before anyone says how well he played in the Rnd 1 Storm game last week....I'd like to see that for multiple games and multiple seasons before panicking that we lost a great player.
 
Can't imagine they'll make a play for Garner now as well - something went cold there obviously and they moved on to pinch Kelma. Really hope we can grab Nanai to make up for the loss.
If we could get him and Blore returns fit to play we should be covered on the edge in 2023.
 
MAGPIES1963 said:
Manly has been recruiting/stealing from us since the Magpies days of the 70' and 80's.
Manly is not Robin Hood
They steal from the poor to increase their own riches.
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If the reported difference is correct with the Manly offer, obviously the club has made the decision it can do better. Since we don't have all the information and we have according to that article yesterday lots of $, you have to believe something is in the works.
 
TigerSJ said:
Can't imagine they'll make a play for Garner now as well - something went cold there obviously and they moved on to pinch Kelma. Really hope we can grab Nanai to make up for the loss.
If we could get him and Blore returns fit to play we should be covered on the edge in 2023.
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When were they ever going to make a play for him? It’s been an unfounded rumour that hasn’t gone away for 2 years. There’s never been weight to it.
 
Geo said:
Manly have Cap issues in 2023.. that's why there has been no official announcement.. they need to rectify them before the NRL will register the contract..
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Source? They're offloading Marty Taupau at the end of the year who's on 800k so you'd have to think that would free up a fair bit of money. Dylan Walker too.
 
Aidos said:
Source? They're offloading Marty Taupau at the end of the year who's on 800k so you'd have to think that would free up a fair bit of money. Dylan Walker too.
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They have large issues based on the kids they have retained.
It's why they are 3 players (with potentially 1 coming our way) below the threshold for this year.
Some more players have to move for next season.
 
MAGPIES1963 said:
Manly has been recruiting/stealing from us since the Magpies days of the 70' and 80's.
Manly is not Robin Hood
They steal from the poor to increase their own riches.
Click to expand...

G'day magpie1963, hope you're as fit as a fiddle, and it's great seeing you back after the short break from the forum.
 
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