Roster Breakdown: 2024-2029

The Chad said:
Just looking at players that we have signed for next season & those still available:

Fullbacks:
Bula

Wing/Centre:
Luke Lualili'i
To'a
Turuva
Skelton
TAYLAN MAY
DANE GAGAI
ISREAL LEOTA
CHARLIE STAINES


Halves:
Luai
Latu Fainu
Heath Mason
Jayden Sullivan

Second Row:
Sukkar
Pearce-Paul
Samuela Fainu
Bird
Saukuru

Prop/Lock:
Terrell May
Twal
Sione Fainu
Pole
Hunt
Seyfarth
Kit Laulili'i
ADAM ELLIOTT

Hooker:
Koroisau
Hope
JOEY LUSSICK

I count 23 players signed (I think Hope is signed...let's assume he is)

Development Squad- 6 Players
Haywood
Makasini
Godinet (I think)
Murray (I think??)
ZYON MAIU'U
VILIAME FIFITA


I think that's all- so 4 of 6?

That leaves 7 Top 30 & 2 Development from our off contract guys, or from outside the club before we look at T&T contracts.

I'm going to go ahead & assume that Taylan May gets a Top 30 spot. Quite likely Doueihi's spot, if signing with Isaac Moses is an indication.

That leaves 6 spots.

Richo has talked up the need of a strike centre & backrower. KPP fills the back rower spot. There's not exactly a huge selection of available options ay centre. Which leaves us with a few question marks. I wouldn't be surprised if the club doubles down on the wing/centre spot & actually does add a guy like Gagai for the short term. But then adding a younger option to challenge (remembering Makasini is on the cusp). I still think someone like Isreal Leota, playing Q Cup but a Broncos junior, fits. Big & fast with big wraps on him. While on the position- someone with the versatility of Charlie Staines can certainly be returned at a reasonable cost & low risk

If Sullivan returns, there's no real point to investing beyond a T&T type contract or KOE contracted player like Kurt Falls etc.

With 3 additions in the outside backs, that leaves 3 spots for the forwards. KPP is already added. I would assume another backrower/lock might be required as well as another dummy half.

Given the real lack of options, I think Adam Elliott probably makes the most sense for that #13 role. Trey Mooney would be great- but I'm only looking at guys off contract at this point.

The club is still down to 2 dummy half options, so I think this opens up an opportunity for Joey Lussick to make a short trip from Parra to the Tigers.

That still leaves 1 available Top 30 spot (the club tends to leave 1 open) and a couple of development spots.

Canterbury's Zyon Maiu'u could take one of those comfortably & then a guy like Viliami Fifita or Lazerus Vaalepu- big middles that offer something different. Given that he's a Tartak client, let's go with Fifita.


I don't know. If you told me our team next season was going to add Gagai, Taylan May, KPP & Adam Elliott to the starting 17...I'd feel pretty good about it.
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Curious how you would name the 17 with both Gagai and May, would Skelton, Bula, Turuva or To’a miss out?
 
Needaname said:
Curious how you would name the 17 with both Gagai and May, would Skelton, Bula, Turuva or To’a miss out?
Click to expand...
Probably Skelton.

The good news is- you have players fighting to play.

Skelton hasn't proven throughout his career he can stay healthy. So he's the likely one to drop out. But if anyone goes down, he's a good stand in option.
 
2026 roster has to improve

1. Bula/Turuva
2. Makasini/ Skelton
3. May / Maapalangi
4. Toa/ Makasini
5. Turuva / Tuitupou
6. Luai / Douihei??
7. Latu Fainu/Madden
8. Terrell May/ Hunt
9. Api/ Hope
10. Pole/Twal
11. Sam Fainu/Bird
12. KPP/Sukkar
13. ??? / Seyfarth
14. ??? / Mason
15. Twal
16. Seyfarth/ Murray
17. Sione Fainu

We don’t have a bonafide 13 Yeo demolished us huge man that tackles and plays as a half. Rare as hens teeth tbh.

No utility that plays hooker/half/lock. Kurt Mann style player. Our second rowers are solid KPP and Sam Fainu but one injury and we are cactus.

In summary a starting 13, utility hooker and edge back rower are a necessity. Given Hunt hasn’t fired a shot we need another prop. Certain players need to be upgraded from Twal, Seyfarth, Sukkar, Bird.

A lot of work has to be done by Richo and I can’t see it happening. Time will tell.
 
Regardless of the top side additions going forward, it's equally important that the KOE squad offers a proper path for development of the young players while offering some valuable experienced players to help with their learning.

Outside of the promising juniors coming though (Heywood, Godinet, Tupou-Moors, newly signed Javon Andrews etc) there are a number players that are on the cusp, if developed enough- Charlie Murray, Jaxson Rahme, Luke & Kit Lualili'i, Heath Mason, Broederlow, Mapapalangi, Saukuru etc.

These guys need to be able to take the field as often as possible. The more they play & are exposed to competition, the more likely they can become regular squad members, as well as hardening the squad if they get called on.

Their development will be helped with a handful of 'veterans' in the squad as well, offering experience, guidance & also covering for 1st team opportunities.

This is where Jock Madden, Isaac Tui'tupou, Tristan Hope &....maybe....Brent Naden, who I think is pretty good for the culture as a lot of young players look up to him. Can we get Naden back on a T&T next season?

I don't really want to see the KOE squad filled with Rueben Porter, Lobb, Falls, El-Zakhem, Lovodua, Moretti etc types- guys that never really made it, nor are likely to, and offer nothing more than roadblocks to the younger players.

The club needs to use KOE as the training ground for either the guys on the cusp, or the guys pushing through the ranks, to a 1st grade position.
 
If we need are going to make the 8 next year…. Our bench needs to be much better than it has been this year.

8. Terrell May
9. Api Korisau
10. TBA
11. Kai Pearce-Paul
12. Samuela Fainu
13. Alex Twal

14. Latu Fainu
15. Sione Fainu
16. Fonua Pole
17. TBA

Depth;
We need two forwards in 17 that are a level up from our depth forwards.
Alex Seyfarth, Hunt, Kit Laulilli, Tony Sukkar, Mavrik Geyer, Sol Saukuru,
 
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Tigerwould said:
If we need are going to make the 8 next year…. Our bench needs to be much better than it has been this year.

8. Terrell May
9. Api Korisau
10. TBA
11. Kai Pearce-Paul
12. Samuela Fainu
13. Alex Twal

14. Latu Fainu
15. Sione Fainu
16. Fonua Pole
17. TBA

Depth;
We need two forwards in 17 that are a level up from our depth forwards.
Alex Seyfarth, Hunt, Kit Laulilli, Tony Sukkar, Mavrik Geyer, Sol Saukuru,
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Agreed, we need a couple of middles, that's what's missing from our squad, if we get to really good middles, we will make the 8 easy, need our halves to step up with organisation and creating opportunities also.
 
Are they getting two more middles is the question… might be a bit too much to ask given some other issues with the squad ..I can see them settling for one
 
Tom Shines said:
Are they getting two more middles is the question… might be a bit too much to ask given some other issues with the squad ..I can see them settling for one
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an outside back, a middle forward and a guy that can play in the middle and at hooker a pinch would be ideal. the issue is there's very little out there that solves our issues in free agency currently.

November 1 opens up a wealth of opportunities but then comes the question of early releases.
 
Tigerwould said:
If we need are going to make the 8 next year…. Our bench needs to be much better than it has been this year.

8. Terrell May
9. Api Korisau
10. TBA
11. Kai Pearce-Paul
12. Samuela Fainu
13. Alex Twal

14. Latu Fainu
15. Sione Fainu
16. Fonua Pole
17. TBA

Depth;
We need two forwards in 17 that are a level up from our depth forwards.
Alex Seyfarth, Hunt, Kit Laulilli, Tony Sukkar, Mavrik Geyer, Sol Saukuru,
Click to expand...


I have mentioned it the last few.weeks Corey Jensen from the Broncos would be about the best bet for a old head
 
jrtiger said:
an outside back, a middle forward and a guy that can play in the middle and at hooker a pinch would be ideal. the issue is there's very little out there that solves our issues in free agency currently.

November 1 opens up a wealth of opportunities but then comes the question of early releases.
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I feel the outside backs is less of an issue. If two outside backs get injured we will still have solid back up in 2026. If Terell May goes down. We are f’d.
 
Tom Shines said:
What if Api goes down ? You happy with Hope ?
Click to expand...
No. But at the same time I’m glad we didn’t pay TDS $650K as a backup hooker. If we had a strong pack with Terrell and another high level middle…Hope (or someone else in the top 30) could do a job while Api recovered.
 
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