Luciano Leilua quits Wests Tigers

[jadtiger]

Judging by the comment above the dropkicks at pawwa are starting to get annoyed

 

[Demps]

😂😂😂

Parramatta.

 

[crazycat]

I don't think this is good news.

Yes Luciano has issues. While his brother was a fizzer he was good for 2021.
Luc seemed to have a better attitude towards performance and wanted to go another level.

Yes his defense sucked. Both Leilua's guilty of that and for such big units you would think they would put it in.

I wanted too see how Leilua went under Cayless. If his defense improved and with a different coach that was on the cards, we could have had a gun. You cannot train someone to be physically that big.

That being said, his defense was crap. We need to fix defense and so hey I get it. IMHO I would have rather fixed this through training.

 

[Tigerwould]

From WT's website.
Wests Tigers player Luciano Leilua has confirmed to the club he will depart at the end of the 2022 season to take up a long-term deal with another NRL club.

The 25-year-old Leilua joined Wests Tigers at the start of the 2020 season and has gone on to play a total of 44 games for the club.

Since his arrival, Luciano has made a strong contribution to Wests Tigers, and we have no doubt that he is firmly committed to delivering his best football with the club in 2022.

We wish Luciano, his partner Dora, and his daughter Ida-Lynn all the best in the future.

Didn’t realise Luciano and Woods were an item.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I’m sure Dora will enjoy being an explorer in the tropics.

 

[Tigerwould]

I’m sure Dora will enjoy being an explorer in the tropics.


 

[Needaname]

Luch got the payday he wanted and as far as I'm concerned good on him. money like that doesn't come around very often. we're better served with Papali'i and Blore in the back row imo, gives us far more starch in defence.

up to us now to ensure we get something from the cowboys if he's going to head there a year early. Daejarn Asi or Heilum Luki would be ideal.

Why not have both?

 

[Tiger Tarl]

I agree. Keep him for 2022... unless we can get Jason Taumalolo in a swap... Although he's signed til 2026 on $950k per year... maybe the Cowboys could chip in... 😉

 

[Needaname]

I tell you one bloke that’s suddenly a bit more comfortable. All the media attention surrounding our halves has suddenly been diverted to a new topic.

 

[Twmba_Tigerman]

This is not as bad as the media make out. LL is not a 700K player and whilst he has been quite good for us (lets not talk about defence) there are many others that would provide the same amount of quality to the team for better coin. Just hope the tigers play hardball and we don't release him unless massively in our favour. We need to show backbone with others the way the Eels have with us. Additionally park the Hodgson thing. the answer to our #9 is already with us. Jake Simpkin with another season to develop under the tutorage of Robbie Farah.

 

[bigsiro]

@jadtiger said in [Luciano Leilua quits Wests Tigers](/post/1510571):
**I doubt there are any of our officials who want him hanging around in 2022,**

I doubt that. Lots of players nowadays do this. We do it too. We did it with Daine Lauri and with Papali'i. Don't you think Parra want Papali'i for another year?

**he has a losers attitude and will fit in at NQ**
What a spiteful thing to say. Not just about Luc but about NQ.
In the last 10 years NQ have made 2 qualifying finals, 2 semi finals, 1 preliminary final, been runners up and not to mention won a premiership.
Hate to give this reality check, but it is none other than the Wests Tigers who by definition are the No 1 biggest losers in the comp - and by a country mile.
And losing players like Leilua who have unreal potential - as you indicated - doesn't help.

 

[Elderslie_Tiger]

The Wests Tigers will push North Queensland for a swap deal with one of their young gun backrowers if the Cowboys want Luciano Leilua released for 2022.

The Cowboys landed the shock signing of Leilua on a three-year deal worth around the $2.1 million on Wednesday but the Tigers will only release the backrower if both clubs can negotiate a fair and reasonable outcome.

North Queensland have two of the best emerging backrowers in the NRL in the form of Helium Luki and Jeremiah Nanai and the Tigers have already begun the process of trying to land one



Luki, 20, stands 195cms and impressed in 11 NRL matches last year when Cowboys coach Todd Payten opted to blood the generation next of talent in North Queensland.

The Tigers aren’t the only rival club eyeing Luki after the rookie backrower impressed with his first foray into the NRL.


Aside from his obvious traits of size, speed and athleticism, Luki made good judges sit up with an effort play against the New Zealand Warriors last season when he chased down a runaway Reece Walsh in a brilliant cover



Nanai, 18, is considered one of the best emerging talents in the game after making his NRL debut last year.

The rookie was included in the Cowboys NRL squad at the end of 2020 aged 17 and was rewarded with four NRL matches last year.

This is where the Cowboys signing of Leilua gets curious.

After missing out on Viliame Kikau North Queensland still had money to invest in a backrower for 2023 but have they really nailed a brilliant deal in paying Leilua $700,000-a-season?





Wests Tigers were only prepared to offer Leilua a contract worth around the $500,000-a-season mark.




Even more so if it costs them one of their rookie emerging backrowers in Luki or Nanai?

The Cowboys went down a similar path last year when they blew the Sharks out of the water by offering halfback Chad Townsend a three-year deal worth $2.1 million midway through last season.

They also signed another half in Tom Dearden - which led to Jake Clifford departing for Newcastle.

As much as Townsend, 30, and Leilua are solid NRL players there’s a view North Queensland have paid too much for both recruits.

It will now be up to coach Todd Payten to make it

 

[Chicken_Faced_Killa]

At least they are starting to point out he’s over paid now.

 

[GarryOwen]

At least they are starting to point out he’s over paid now.

Unlike the News Ltd hacks to play both sides for outrage clicks.

 

[bathursttiger1]

From WT's website.
Wests Tigers player Luciano Leilua has confirmed to the club he will depart at the end of the 2022 season to take up a long-term deal with another NRL club.

The 25-year-old Leilua joined Wests Tigers at the start of the 2020 season and has gone on to play a total of 44 games for the club.

Since his arrival, Luciano has made a strong contribution to Wests Tigers, and we have no doubt that he is firmly committed to delivering his best football with the club in 2022.

We wish Luciano, his partner Dora, and his daughter Ida-Lynn all the best in the future.


Didn’t realise Luciano and Woods were an item.

Classic

 

[Spartan117]

At least they are starting to point out he’s over paid now.

No Returns Policy.

 

[Camel2281]

At least they are starting to point out he’s over paid now.

Yeah. Fox Sports articles via Hooper are actually being fair to us and calling it how it is with regards to the price tag. Unlike the drunken Buzz

 

[Littlebittipsy]

I am hopeful a deal is being worked out behind the scenes now and we will see Luciano go for 2022...

Luki, Nanai, Hammer...
Isn't Tuamalolo and Payten still off each other?
Fresh start for all.

Apparent that's what tigers are after

It'll work it's self out...

Sounds like we're aiming to not get the short stick any more.

Wouldn't give up on Hodgson yet either..

Yeah I’ve gotta a feeling the Hodgson deal isn’t dead yet.

 

[loklok]

Journo brent read said on mmm that the west tigers were offered a player to swap from cowboys for luch .but we rejected it .wonder which one.good play again from us .

 

[bathursttiger1]

Journo brent read said on mmm that the west tigers were offered a player to swap from cowboys for luch .but we rejected it .wonder which one.good play again from us .

Thurston.