Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

I really don’t know how to feel it seems very out in the open right now - doubt even Moses knows where he wants to go.... however seems like we’ll find out within the next fortnight

The quick timing of his expected decision before the start of the year gives me some confidence he might be coming here as we’ve been chasing him pretty hard - the fact we’re also delaying Bateman’s signing too (both players managed by Isaac Moses) gives me extra hope as we might be trying to figure out how we’re gonna structure both contracts

Bulldogs noise is getting a little louder recently, but they seem to have there attention at Stephen Crithcon... with Ciraldo having a close bond with him too

Parra seem to be overlooked too - he very well could go back but the word around town is that won’t be the case... interesting times ahead
 
Lee's an easy target.

But he's not the reason we haven't landed the big fish.

The fact we're perpetually unsuccessful and extremely undesirable is.
What's easy got to do with it? Would these players came without lee talking? No. But the things he speaks about recruitment is not the time or the place in the media. Pascoe and him need to be on a leash and worry less about the players and more about their actually duties.
 
cont...

ROSTER WOES

If all eyes weren’t already on Brooks, they will be next season.
The big-name, big-money playmaker is the Tigers’ only halfback option as it stands after the club decided to release Jackson Hastings to the Knights in a swap deal for David Klemmer.
Handy back-up Jock Madden and utility Tyrone Peachey have also exited, leaving the Tigers alarmingly slim in the halves with just one Top 30 spot spare.
Hastings arrived to Concord with fellow Super League recruit Oliver Gildart and brought with them a sense of hope. After all, Hastings was the 2019 Man of Steel and had turned his career around, while Gildart was an English international that was highly rated in the UK.
But Gildart spent a lot of his time at the Tigers in reserve grade, joined the Roosters on a loan deal and then got an early release to join the Dolphins in 2023.
Hastings finished the season playing lock despite being a specialist halfback and then was shipped off to the Knights.
It was a sad ending for two players that were touted as the Tigers’ big recruits heading into 2022.
Nailing recruitment an retention is a non-negotiable for the successful clubs but it’s been a sore point for the Tigers even before Maguire’s time.
It was two-time premiership-winning coach Ivan Cleary that signed off on big-money deals for Russell Packer, Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye.

Cleary was also at the helm when the club lost James Tedesco to the Roosters.
And for what it’s worth Jason Taylor was head coach when a young Ryan Papenhuyzen and little-known Josh Addo-Carr slipped through the cracks.
Then there’s the bungled Benji Marshall exit, which was under Maguire’s reign. The Tigers icon may have found his way back to the club but it’s hard to forget that he had to read in the newspaper that he wouldn’t be offered a new deal beyond 2020.


The Hastings decision has left a lot of fans scratching their heads — and the announcement garnered a big reaction on social media.
CEO Justin Pascoe hit back at the critics declaring in a statement: “Not everyone will be happy with some of the decisions we make, but we do not apologise for these decisions.”
And Roach backs the club on this one.
“I’m a bit of a realist. I didn’t quite get the hype about his season,” he said.
“He was doing a lot, but I don’t know whether he was really doing a lot on the field with the amount of times he handled the ball and the drop-off plays.
“I’m sure he’ll do well for Newcastle but for me, I found there were a lot of words in his season — there was a lot of talk.
“I think Tim Sheens is smart enough without saying anything to see through that.”
Hastings, at the very least, brought that never-say-die attitude that the Tigers had been missing. He was also a fan favourite — that’s why Pascoe knew it would ruffle some feathers.

Time will tell if it was the right call or not.

Sheens clearly has a vision for the club.
In exchange for Hastings he got a veteran prop to add to a forward pack that’s starting to turn heads.
Klemmer turned back the clock last season as one of the Knights’ best. He’s also got 194 NRL games under his belt as well as 19 games for Australia and 14 for New South Wales.
“He’s one of those guys where you know what you’re going to get every week,” Roach said.
“Dave’s been doing it for a long time now, he’s a big body and has a big presence and he loves the game.
“I think he’ll be good for the Tigers, especially with those young blokes coming through. You’ve got to learn from the older blokes about how to be professional and what’s expected, so you need those guys in and around the club.”
Koroisau is a “great buy” according to Roach — and everyone in the game would likely agree. The 30-year-old is a three-time premiership-winner and one of the best No.9s going around.
“He’s a world class hooker, he knows how to bring blokes onto the ball and knows what’s needed to win,” Roach said.

Throw in Isaiah Papali’i — one of the most damaging second-rower’s in the NRL — as well as John Bateman, who the club is tipped to land, and all of a sudden the Tigers go from a last resort option for players to a club with promise.
And Roach wants to see them capitalise off that.


“The biggest problem when you’re down the bottom, everyone knows what you need to do and what you need to get but the hardest part is attracting players and convincing people you’re on the way up,” he said.
“Now that we’ve attracted Koroisau and Papali’i, we have to go after a superstar, someone that can break games up.”
Is that player Mitchell Moses?
“No I don’t think so,” Roach answered.
“I’d like to have him back there, he’s a world-class halfback but I’m talking about a strike matchwinner like a Tom Trbojevic or a Latrell Mitchell.”
The Tigers are in the hunt for Moses and are said to be willing to pay the star halfback over $1 million a season for him to return to the club he made his NRL debut at.
Peel back the glitz and glamour of the marquee players that can deliver now and you’ll find the club’s pathways system is starting to boom.
The Tigers are just one of three NRL clubs that have more than one team in the Harold Matthews Cup (under 17s) and SG Ball (under 19s).
Their Western Suburbs Magpies side claimed the Harold Matthews premiership this year, the Balmain Tigers made the finals in SG Ball and the Wests Tigers’ Jersey Flegg side also made the finals.

The Macarthur Wests Tigers made the Andrew Johns Cup grand final and made the finals in the Laurie Daley Cup (under 16s and 18s regional NSW representative competitions respectively).
The Tigers’ NSW Cup side struggled this year, but only because the club used that grade to fast track the development of emerging talent, who were still young enough to play Flegg.
20-year-old Fonua Pole took that challenge in his stride and was rewarded with an NRL debut — and retained his spot in the 17 for the remainder of the season too.
As did 19-year-old second-rower Justin Matamua, who progressed from SG Ball right through to NRL in the one season.
Kitione Kautoga, who is tipped for NRL stardom one day, also got a taste of first grade late in the year.
But Roach warned these exciting prospects won’t mean anything if the club’s ducks aren’t all in a row up top.
“You’ve got to be realistic,” he said.
“If you’re great in the lower grades, that’s fantastic but how many players actually make it through to first grade?
“Those kids can’t do anything more than what they’re doing now and the experience of blokes like Klemmer and Koroisau will help... But I don’t pin my hopes on my club having good juniors.”
The Tigers are destined for improvement next season. A premiership is probably a bridge too far, but if everything goes right they could break that 11-year finals drought.
However Roach is just happy to see his club making positive moves.
“At least now there’s movement, they’ve gone out onto the market and made changes,” he said.

“They’re doing something and I’m getting excited about what they’re doing — they’re trying rather than just going through the motions.”
If everything goes right ...haven't I heard that before somewhere
Dolphins are legit. They've got decades of history on the Redcliffe peninsula and a really strong, grass roots culture in North Brisbane. They're fine.

Titans, and the gold coast in general on the other hand, is a graveyard.
Dunno Dude ...they looked like a shambles ...don't even have an official NRL site yet ......that's unprofessional

I'll argue this until the day I die but they should have gone to Ipswich or Toowoomba ....Redcliffe is just the most northern suburb of Brisbane

Footy fans from this area either became Brisbane Broncos fans or stuck with your original NSWRL club

Ipswich hates Brisbane and so does Toowoomba .......and Ipswich is one of the biggest growth areas in Australia

The Lions haven't moved their headquarters to Springfield because it is nice and pretty
 
I really don’t know how to feel it seems very out in the open right now - doubt even Moses knows where he wants to go.... however seems like we’ll find out within the next fortnight

The quick timing of his expected decision before the start of the year gives me some confidence he might be coming here as we’ve been chasing him pretty hard - the fact we’re also delaying Bateman’s signing too (both players managed by Isaac Moses) gives me extra hope as we might be trying to figure out how we’re gonna structure both contracts

Bulldogs noise is getting a little louder recently, but they seem to have there attention at Stephen Crithcon... with Ciraldo having a close bond with him too

Parra seem to be overlooked too - he very well could go back but the word around town is that won’t be the case... interesting times ahead
Really can’t see how they can afford Moses with what they have signed and the fact there in for Crithcon
 
I really don’t know how to feel it seems very out in the open right now - doubt even Moses knows where he wants to go.... however seems like we’ll find out within the next fortnight

The quick timing of his expected decision before the start of the year gives me some confidence he might be coming here as we’ve been chasing him pretty hard - the fact we’re also delaying Bateman’s signing too (both players managed by Isaac Moses) gives me extra hope as we might be trying to figure out how we’re gonna structure both contracts

Bulldogs noise is getting a little louder recently, but they seem to have there attention at Stephen Crithcon... with Ciraldo having a close bond with him too

Parra seem to be overlooked too - he very well could go back but the word around town is that won’t be the case... interesting times ahead
IMO if he’s taken delivery of a flash new bmw recently as an “ambassador” I’d wager he knows where he’s going.
 
IMO if he’s taken delivery of a flash new bmw recently as an “ambassador” I’d wager he knows where he’s going.

Could have taken the offer up as
part of his old contract - was
waiting for the car to come out.
He's still signed for '23 don't forget
Has very little to do with where
he will be in '24 in my opinion ...
 
MITCHELL MOSES

Eels administrators fear they’re losing the fight to retain their star halfback. They have tabled a four-year deal which they believe is fair and reasonable.

However, it will fall short of what the Wests Tigers and Bulldogs are willing to offer, which is in excess of $1.2 million per season. Moses has a clause in his contract that allows him to stay with the Eels in 2024, but he has no later than April next year to trigger the rollover. Expect a decision much earlier.

LUKE BROOKS

For the Wests Tigers, this is as much about Brooks as it is Adam Doueihi and Daine Laurie. All three spine players are off-contract at the end of 2023 and the decision to retain Brooks beyond the final year of his 2023 contract will impact how much the club can spare for either Doueihi or Laurie. Do they ask the polarising halfback to take a massive pay-cut or do they sever ties all together? Of the three, in my view, Doueihi has to be the absolute priority. He’s an out-and-out footballer who has the size and skill to be one of the most dominant five-eighths in the game.

(DT)
 
I reckon playing next to Burton, and already having a playing relationship with Mahoney would be tempting for Moses. They are short a couple of players but I think we would be very happy to have all of their recent upgrades - and if they get Crichton as well they will there abouts.
I reckon having Ice and Brooksy around him might be appealing for Moses too.
 
If everything goes right ...haven't I heard that before somewhere

Dunno Dude ...they looked like a shambles ...don't even have an official NRL site yet ......that's unprofessional

I'll argue this until the day I die but they should have gone to Ipswich or Toowoomba ....Redcliffe is just the most northern suburb of Brisbane

Footy fans from this area either became Brisbane Broncos fans or stuck with your original NSWRL club

Ipswich hates Brisbane and so does Toowoomba .......and Ipswich is one of the biggest growth areas in Australia

The Lions haven't moved their headquarters to Springfield because it is nice and pretty
Yeh, they're fair points. Ipswich would've been a gun spot for sheer size and participation rates. Redcliffe by comparison are a professional and profit-making club with a monster leagues club and out of the box suburban home ground. It's an interesting comparison.

My point was simply that Redcliffe aren't a cereal box team but are actually grounded in a rich history at QCup and junior levels.
 
What's easy got to do with it? Would these players came without lee talking? No. But the things he speaks about recruitment is not the time or the place in the media. Pascoe and him need to be on a leash and worry less about the players and more about their actually duties.
That was my entire point.

Glad you agree.
 
Yeh, they're fair points. Ipswich would've been a gun spot for sheer size and participation rates. Redcliffe by comparison are a professional and profit-making club with a monster leagues club and out of the box suburban home ground. It's an interesting comparison.

My point was simply that Redcliffe aren't a cereal box team but are actually grounded in a rich history at QCup and junior levels.
Redcliffe will be even larger in infrastructure in years to come.
Brisbane is expanding north from North Lakes and Caboolture is moving east separated only by the freeway.
The place is going to be huge in 15years.
 
MITCHELL MOSES

Eels administrators fear they’re losing the fight to retain their star halfback. They have tabled a four-year deal which they believe is fair and reasonable.

However, it will fall short of what the Wests Tigers and Bulldogs are willing to offer, which is in excess of $1.2 million per season. Moses has a clause in his contract that allows him to stay with the Eels in 2024, but he has no later than April next year to trigger the rollover. Expect a decision much earlier.

LUKE BROOKS

For the Wests Tigers, this is as much about Brooks as it is Adam Doueihi and Daine Laurie. All three spine players are off-contract at the end of 2023 and the decision to retain Brooks beyond the final year of his 2023 contract will impact how much the club can spare for either Doueihi or Laurie. Do they ask the polarising halfback to take a massive pay-cut or do they sever ties all together? Of the three, in my view, Doueihi has to be the absolute priority. He’s an out-and-out footballer who has the size and skill to be one of the most dominant five-eighths in the game.

(DT)

Who wrote this one bud?
 

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