Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[king_sirro]

it is a major concern when you got an 18 yr old making his debut who plays with more confidence then more than half the team

I agree mate, but let's look at the positive of that. For years I have argued the best way off the bottom is to just back kids. These days experience doesn't mean as much as it used to. Obviously a highly talented experienced player is great, but having experience just for the sake of it is a lost cause. Klemmer perfect case in point.

Throw arrogant kids in and I'm confident we will improve. Up and down, but certainly improve.

Once Latu and Sione are fit and have at least one game in KOE cup I would throw all 3 brothers in. I bet it gives the group a huge boost.

3 Fainu's, Galvin, Bula, Pole, Faataapu, TDS and even Willett. Faagatu some time off the bench here and there.

Throw em all in I say. Stuff these experienced try hards. The rest of the 17 will be filled out with more then enough experience.

 

[supercoach]

I agree mate, but let's look at the positive of that. For years I have argued the best way off the bottom is to just back kids. These days experience doesn't mean as much as it used to. Obviously a highly talented experienced player is great, but having experience just for the sake of it is a lost cause. Klemmer perfect case in point.

Throw arrogant kids in and I'm confident we will improve. Up and down, but certainly improve.

Once Latu and Sione are fit and have at least one game in KOE cup I would throw all 3 brothers in. I bet it gives the group a huge boost.

3 Fainu's, Galvin, Bula, Pole, Faataapu, TDS and even Willett. Faagatu some time off the bench here and there.

Throw em all in I say. Stuff these experienced try hards. The rest of the 17 will be filled out with more then enough experience.

Only way to go, we have tried most other ways ad come up empty

 

[Vicious]

Todays game is based on power, speed, skill, athleticism and experience. We just don’t have the right mix to be able to mix it with most teams. It would not matter who was coach if they had the present roster at their disposal.

It’s certainly not all gloom, because there are the likes of Bula, Galvin,TDS, Steff and the Finau’s. We need to be very smart in our recruitment and target areas we are poor in , like big young athletic backrowers and powerful outside backs.

Its a very long and slow process to climb off the floor to near the top

It doesn’t have to be a long slow process.
Obviously we need to watch and see who steps up over the next few weeks and who doesn’t, but if as expected we continue to lose games we should be going on a heavy recruitment drive for next season quickly before the available players head elsewhere.
Plenty of talent available that fit the big, strong and fast criteria if we move fast enough, also the possibility of strengthening up this season by recruiting players who could be looking for a change of clubs early this season due to lack of opportunity where they currently are.
I’ve mentioned Angus Crichton before and I know it’s rumoured he could be going to overseas rugby union, but if a deal has not already been done, it’s every chance it won’t be happening.
Sone mentioned they thought his illness from last year is still effecting him, well he featured highly in the highlights and looked to be doing plenty of good things in attack and defence based on his recent NSW Cup game.
He cannot possibly be happy playing NSW Cup and Richo surely has a connection with him, I’m certain he’d add some size, power, aggression and mobility on the edge that we are currently lacking.

 

[bptiger 0]

Way too early to write Mason on or off. Let him develop in NSW Cup and see where he ends up at the end of the season.

Think he could be a good 1/2 or 5/8 has speed and attacks the line his defence is good one of our better kids , then there’s not a lot to crow 🐦‍⬛ about after there 1st game

 

[Todd Packer]

Way too early to write Mason on or off. Let him develop in NSW Cup and see where he ends up at the end of the season.

NSW Cup is where our talent goes to die. Playing at that level only drags players down.
Name the last player that got better playing NSW Cup for us.

 

[The Chad]

NSW Cup is where our talent goes to die. Playing at that level only drags players down.
Name the last player that got better playing NSW Cup for us.

Pretty much agree.

At this stage, if the player excels in the pathways, move them into the 1st grade squad & demote those guys that are not performing. Coming up through the reserves is not a thing anymore.

Kit Lualili'i on the KOE bench is not teaching him how to be a 1st grader.

 

[Odessa]

I get up some mornings full of hope and happiness then I venture over to the forum 😁

 

[BUGSY MALONE]

Apart from Api Koroisau, Jahream Bula and Lachlan Galvin the cupboard is bare for talent. My measurement of a teams player quality is what other clubs would try and sign them? Maybe add Fonua Pole and Isaiah Papali'i, Stefano Utoikamanu and yet to see Latu Fainu, (though the first four names have been underwhelming for sometime). The opportunity for the Tigers to sign a GREAT Coach in the NRL e.g. Bennett or Bellamy has been lost to nurture the young talent. Wests Tigers need to approach BENJI MARSHALL and see if he could work with Wayne Bennett for the next couple of years (would he leave QLD) and maybe a chance to play finals footy. Benji needs coaching assistance and it can't be Robbie Farah, Chris Heinington or John Morris.

 

[Tom Shines]

It doesn’t have to be a long slow process.
Obviously we need to watch and see who steps up over the next few weeks and who doesn’t, but if as expected we continue to lose games we should be going on a heavy recruitment drive for next season quickly before the available players head elsewhere.
Plenty of talent available that fit the big, strong and fast criteria if we move fast enough, also the possibility of strengthening up this season by recruiting players who could be looking for a change of clubs early this season due to lack of opportunity where they currently are.
I’ve mentioned Angus Crichton before and I know it’s rumoured he could be going to overseas rugby union, but if a deal has not already been done, it’s every chance it won’t be happening.
Sone mentioned they thought his illness from last year is still effecting him, well he featured highly in the highlights and looked to be doing plenty of good things in attack and defence based on his recent NSW Cup game.
He cannot possibly be happy playing NSW Cup and Richo surely has a connection with him, I’m certain he’d add some size, power, aggression and mobility on the edge that we are currently lacking.

It doesn’t have to be a long slow process .. but it most likely will be … if it was easy they would have done it by now ..

Crichton has some well reported issues ..I wish him all the best … but he would be another risky call for the tigers … they have a few of these in tow at the moment already.. not sure he is the best choice at this time…

Also .. scouring the NSW cup teams each week trying to identity guys that are better than Toa or Seyfarth doesn’t really help as much as you might believe …I think we can both see that this is a very low bar to step over … but replacing these guys with other reserve graders won’t move the needle much .. signings like this need to be the exception rather than the rule

Richo has mentioned a 5-6 times since he took over in January that he is going to ride the juniors/ pathways home … the best group he has seen apparently… right or wrong .. time will tell… but that’s the direction they are headed in

 

[Vicious]

NSW Cup is where our talent goes to die. Playing at that level only drags players down.
Name the last player that got better playing NSW Cup for us.

Tristan Reilly then we told him to go,

 

[Todd Packer]

Tristan Reilly then we told him to go,

He started out crap and remained crap.

 

[Vicious]

It doesn’t have to be a long slow process .. but it most likely will be … if it was easy they would have done it by now ..

Crichton has some well reported issues ..I wish him all the best … but he would be another risky call for the tigers … they have a few of these in tow at the moment already.. not sure he is the best choice at this time…

Also .. scouring the NSW cup teams each week trying to identity guys that are better than Toa or Seyfarth doesn’t really help as much as you might believe …I think we can both see that this is a very low bar to step over … but replacing these guys with other reserve graders won’t move the needle much .. signings like this need to be the exception rather than the rule

Richo has mentioned a 5-6 times since he took over in January that he is going to ride the juniors/ pathways home … the best group he has seen apparently… right or wrong .. time will tell… but that’s the direction they are headed in

We do have plenty of talent within our juniors, but so does every other club.
To find Pole and Bula, then add the emerging Galvin, Da Silva and Mason plus recruiting the Fainu brothers, along with the fast emerging Large brothers, Makasini and Godinet just to name a few is very good.
Obviously we have other young hopefuls amongst them and future recruitment of more young talent will be very important.
If we recruit 6-8 good standard players, some young and looking for opportunity, others a bit older and wiser but have attributes we are lacking, we would quickly change from being a bottom 3 team to a genuine top 8 contenders.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

He started out crap and remained crap.

We all see life differently. That we agree on. So I respect your words and yourself. 100%. I saw Tristan improving. On the up and up. Again. With all due respect brother.

 

[Todd Packer]

In Tristan's case there was no choice but to play him in NSW Cup.
Anyone eligible for an age group team should remain there if we want to develop them. The next step should be NRL.
Our Reserves are putrid , nobody's learning anything standing behind a tryline 10 times a game.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

In Tristan's case there was no choice but to play him in NSW Cup.
Anyone eligible for an age group team should remain there if we want to develop them. The next step should be NRL.
Our Reserves are putrid , nobody's learning anything standing behind a tryline 10 times a game.

We had a choice. He was improving. Learning the game. Solid in what he knew at that time.

 

[Tom Shines]

We do have plenty of talent within our juniors, but so does every other club.
To find Pole and Bula, then add the emerging Galvin, Da Silva and Mason plus recruiting the Fainu brothers, along with the fast emerging Large brothers, Makasini and Godinet just to name a few is very good.
Obviously we have other young hopefuls amongst them and future recruitment of more young talent will be very important.
If we recruit 6-8 good standard players, some young and looking for opportunity, others a bit older and wiser but have attributes we are lacking, we would quickly change from being a bottom 3 team to a genuine top 8 contenders.

They have 1 free spot this year and 4 next year .. its tight ..and they don’t seem to churn over the guys that they don’t want as easily as other clubs…

Thats why I prefer these limited roster spaces to be filled with established first grade talent.. not fringe guys at other clubs

 

[Vicious]

They have 1 free spot this year and 4 next year .. its tight ..and they don’t seem to churn over the guys that they don’t want as easily as other clubs…

Thats why I prefer these limited roster spaces to be filled with established first grade talent.. not fringe guys at other clubs

Yes and plenty of others can be pushed out if they don’t start showing us some value for money,

 

[Tom Shines]

Yes and plenty of others can be pushed out if they don’t start showing us some value for money,

What are they waiting for then?

 

[Vicious]

What are they waiting for then?

I’m tipping Richo will be ruthless and tapping quite a few on the shoulder very soon if they don’t start showing big improvement quickly.

 

[Conbat07]

NSW Cup is where our talent goes to die. Playing at that level only drags players down.
Name the last player that got better playing NSW Cup for us.

Blake Austin, Marika Korribette, Bula