Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[BAGNF05]

He is better depth than what we have currently.

Really? I have him as Fataapes back up and a really high risk option if he has to defend on an edge as a back rower. Hopefully it’s to strengthen the Maggie’s.

 

[Telltails]

The market is skinny for quality FG players. When Bellamy announces he can't find any the NRL should be listening instead they are going for expansion. Managers are rubbing their hands together and players will be seeing the dollar signs while the game and the fans just keep getting taken for granted

 

[BAGNF05]

The market is skinny for quality FG players. When Bellamy announces he can't find any the NRL should be listening instead they are going for expansion. Managers are rubbing their hands together and players will be seeing the dollar signs while the game and the fans just keep getting taken for granted

Tiny violins playing for Bellamy, what a shit squad haha

 

[Tcat]

Payne Hass under the radar available to talk to clubs November 1st.

Brisbane having some cap problems as well with Staggs, Cobbo and Walsh all off contract too.

All that money saved up from Galvin, Papalili, Klemmer and Stefano. I’d be throwing it all at him and then some.

May and May to build our pack around for that next decade would be something special.

Rooster will be sniffing hard

 

[cktiger]

Pretty sure he switched to Union as a young lad, even before Harold Matts?

If he went to St Pats at Strathfeld (as someone mentioned) he would have been playing union for his school on the weekends.

 

[Telltails]

Tiny violins playing for Bellamy, what a shit squad haha

Just the reality that the coach most revered at the club most consistently successfully can't find players - hello AJK. It filters through

 

[BAGNF05]

Just the reality that the coach most revered at the club most consistently successfully can't find players - hello AJK. It filters through

I’d give that more credibility if he didn’t have the competition favourites in his change room. So many young fellas step into the NRL and play well, I thinks it’s mainly in the key positions where talent is a bit thin.

 

[Lestronge]

The market is skinny for quality FG players. When Bellamy announces he can't find any the NRL should be listening instead they are going for expansion. Managers are rubbing their hands together and players will be seeing the dollar signs while the game and the fans just keep getting taken for granted

I don’t believe that . What it is , is someone like Bellamy can’t stand the thought of having to sign a 2 star prospect / player instead of being able to cherry pick the 4 and 5 star prospects/ nrl players.
There’s heaps of guys in lower grades who could do a job if given a chance .
There’s even more who have given the game up because they’re a late bloomer , and the game doesn’t alllow them the time to get decent enough around 25/26. For every Walker and Matt King , there’s a 100 who walked away from thier dream , because some scout said too , a lot of the time because of their own self interest rather than what’s best for the player .
Whilst there will be an initial weakening of the comp , inevitably that second tier will flourish , and guys who saw limited opportunities enough that “wasting” 3-4 years of thier life applying thier trade in KOE or Q cup , won’t see it as a waste anymore .
Expansion will prolong and strengthen the lower leagues , it won’t weaken it .
We’ve got 2 top 30 guys right now , who could and probably will , really benifit from more job opportunities . In Matamua and Tumeth . I can see both players coming into their own around 25 . Stone at the dolphins was told he was too small to make it here . He’s worked hard , and I don’t think anyone would call him small these days .
The problem is elitism in this game has killed the game around the fringes . More teams equals more opportunities , and nrl clubs will have to be less cut throat in the way they develop, and allow for actual development .
Also player hoarding at the lower levels can’t really happen as much . Look at the storms top 30, and tell me players 21-30 couldn’t walk into that top 17 of Perth .
Chuck in the new South Island team , and there will be heaps of opportunities . The PNG team will be mainly far North Queensland guys and png players . I can’t see too many non PNG guys making it there , nor wanting to .
Even someone like Tim Johannson . What’s his issue ? For me , he needs to hit the gym, otherwise he looks not far off nrl . Right now currently if he doesn’t make it in the next 2 years , it’s really looking dire for him. But really with these 2 teams I can see a top 30 coming his way , and a full time offseason of heavy lifting , creatine , eggs , oatmeal and endless eating , between workouts .
How many Guys like that who really only needed a full time couple of nrl offseasons to make the leap ? I think it will require the league to be patient with prospects . Because they won’t be able to be so fickle and “shiny new toy” about these guys.
Like I said , we’ve all given up on the former Aus schoolboy captain Tumeth , and Matamua a nsw rep in juniors . That’s serious pedigree .

 

[BAGNF05]

I don’t believe that . What it is , is someone like Bellamy can’t stand the thought of having to sign a 2 star prospect / player instead of being able to cherry pick the 4 and 5 star prospects/ nrl players.
There’s heaps of guys in lower grades who could do a job if given a chance .
There’s even more who have given the game up because they’re a late bloomer , and the game doesn’t alllow them the time to get decent enough around 25/26. For every Walker and Matt King , there’s a 100 who walked away from thier dream , because some scout said too , a lot of the time because of their own self interest rather than what’s best for the player .
Whilst there will be an initial weakening of the comp , inevitably that second tier will flourish , and guys who saw limited opportunities enough that “wasting” 3-4 years of thier life applying thier trade in KOE or Q cup , won’t see it as a waste anymore .
Expansion will prolong and strengthen the lower leagues , it won’t weaken it .
We’ve got 2 top 30 guys right now , who could and probably will , really benifit from more job opportunities . In Matamua and Tumeth . I can see both players coming into their own around 25 . Stone at the dolphins was told he was too small to make it here . He’s worked hard , and I don’t think anyone would call him small these days .
The problem is elitism in this game has killed the game around the fringes . More teams equals more opportunities , and nrl clubs will have to be less cut throat in the way they develop, and allow for actual development .
Also player hoarding at the lower levels can’t really happen as much . Look at the storms top 30, and tell me players 21-30 couldn’t walk into that top 17 of Perth .
Chuck in the new South Island team , and there will be heaps of opportunities . The PNG team will be mainly far North Queensland guys and png players . I can’t see too many non PNG guys making it there , nor wanting to .
Even someone like Tim Johannson . What’s his issue ? For me , he needs to hit the gym, otherwise he looks not far off nrl . Right now currently if he doesn’t make it in the next 2 years , it’s really looking dire for him. But really with these 2 teams I can see a top 30 coming his way , and a full time offseason of heavy lifting , creatine , eggs , oatmeal and endless eating , between workouts .
How many Guys like that who really only needed a full time couple of nrl offseasons to make the leap ? I think it will require the league to be patient with prospects . Because they won’t be able to be so fickle and “shiny new toy” about these guys.
Like I said , we’ve all given up on the former Aus schoolboy captain Tumeth , and Matamua a nsw rep in juniors . That’s serious pedigree .

Bellamy and Cronk don’t understand suffering.

 

[The Chad]

More teams in the NRL SHOULD mean that clubs invest more into developing & retaining juniors.

I think it will also slow the player drain to the UK. This is beneficial to UK sides who are getting overrun by 2nd tier Australian players & not developing their own players.

If all this happens hand in hand with the ESL being taken over by the NRL, I can see that competition getting stronger through development as well.

The real issue with expansion is WHERE the expansion teams are placed. I'll be honest- PNG & Perth do not inspire confidence for me (however, I'm sure the business model is in place to strengthen through local quality instead of reliance on buying a team). South Island is perfect in NZ- so long as it is in the right town. Ipswich/Toowoomba in Qld would work. There's enough population in these areas to help sustain the club juniors & enough interest to ensure reasonable turnout in attendance.

 

[Vicious]

There’s already a Matty Nicholson mould? He’s played like 5 NRL games.

Have you been watching ?
He’s made plenty of attacking impact in 5 games, hits gaps at pace, not sure why this never happens for us ?

 

[BAGNF05]

Have you been watching ?
He’s made plenty of attacking impact in 5 games, hits gaps at pace, not sure why this never happens for us ?

The Raiders forward pack is machine like. We have one machine in ours.

 

[Vicious]

Payne Hass under the radar available to talk to clubs November 1st.

Brisbane having some cap problems as well with Staggs, Cobbo and Walsh all off contract too.

All that money saved up from Galvin, Papalili, Klemmer and Stefano. I’d be throwing it all at him and then some.

May and May to build our pack around for that next decade would be something special.

He will likely be offered 1.5 million per season to head to the new Perth franchise if he is chasing the money, otherwise he will stay with the Broncos.
I know it’s good to be ambitious with our potential recruits, but we need to also be realistic about who would consider signing with us.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

The market is skinny for quality FG players. When Bellamy announces he can't find any the NRL should be listening instead they are going for expansion. Managers are rubbing their hands together and players will be seeing the dollar signs while the game and the fans just keep getting taken for granted

There is no doubt we will lose a player or 2 Nov 1 to Perth and the following Nov 1 to PNG. Most clubs will likely lose someone.

Hopefully for us it's just a player/s off-contract who is depth and sees a better opportunity of first 17 at the new franchise.

I'd say this is part of the reason why the club wanted to know the Galvin situation now, so one way or another, we can attempt to extend players now or work to recruit players in now.

Players I feel may be approached as soon as Perth's recruitment team is assembled are Doueihi, Naden, Feledy & Staines. Then come Nov 1, Starford, Api, TDS, Skelton & Bird will be gauged no doubt.

I wouldn't think the Laulilii brothers would want to leave their family at their age.

So Richo will be trying to sort out our hooker situation long-term asap as well as extend Starford & Jeral.

I also think keeping the Fainu brothers together & even bringing together the May brothers would be calculated long-term investments.

Thoughts?

 

[Lestronge]

More teams in the NRL SHOULD mean that clubs invest more into developing & retaining juniors.

I think it will also slow the player drain to the UK. This is beneficial to UK sides who are getting overrun by 2nd tier Australian players & not developing their own players.

If all this happens hand in hand with the ESL being taken over by the NRL, I can see that competition getting stronger through development as well.

The real issue with expansion is WHERE the expansion teams are placed. I'll be honest- PNG & Perth do not inspire confidence for me (however, I'm sure the business model is in place to strengthen through local quality instead of reliance on buying a team). South Island is perfect in NZ- so long as it is in the right town. Ipswich/Toowoomba in Qld would work. There's enough population in these areas to help sustain the club juniors & enough interest to ensure reasonable turnout in attendance.

to be fair purely on development alone , the bears and Perth combined right now will have 8-9000k juniors to pick from . Thats not horrendous. And the PNG team will have a whole country of hundreds of thousands of raw untapped potential . The issue with both these will be making sure that elite pathways and facilities are put in place , and not like the initial Perth team , having guys playing on a dirt track with a shipping container like its group footy in the middle of lightning ridge .
Coaching needs to be just as important as revenue . If not more so . Especially for PNG , as it’s 3rd world no matter how pretty a gated community might make it seem like it isn’t, so attracting elite talent will be extremely difficult if it’s not coming from within . In saying the last comment though , I guess it’s not going to be any different to South Africa , where all the players live in exactly the same environment as it will be in PNG , due to the extreme violence in South Africa . But still the players over there grew up like that , soo it isn’t a culture shock as much as it will be in PNG. I’ve lived that life , and it sounds fun , but after about 10 months , all you do is miss home , even though you have everything you would ever need to be comfortable .

 

[lathami]

More teams in the NRL SHOULD mean that clubs invest more into developing & retaining juniors.

I think it will also slow the player drain to the UK. This is beneficial to UK sides who are getting overrun by 2nd tier Australian players & not developing their own players.

If all this happens hand in hand with the ESL being taken over by the NRL, I can see that competition getting stronger through development as well.

The real issue with expansion is WHERE the expansion teams are placed. I'll be honest- PNG & Perth do not inspire confidence for me (however, I'm sure the business model is in place to strengthen through local quality instead of reliance on buying a team). South Island is perfect in NZ- so long as it is in the right town. Ipswich/Toowoomba in Qld would work. There's enough population in these areas to help sustain the club juniors & enough interest to ensure reasonable turnout in attendance.

Hopefully more teams to go below us though!
Bring them on

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

He will likely be offered 1.5 million per season to head to the new Perth franchise if he is chasing the money, otherwise he will stay with the Broncos.
I know it’s good to be ambitious with our potential recruits, but we need to also be realistic about who would consider signing with us.

I agree. I doubt very highly we will be able to recruit another blue chip external unless ...

1 - they don't want to leave Sydney for family reasons (i.e. DCE)
2 - Richo has a strong relationship with them & sells the dream with some side perks (i.e. Adam Reynolds)
3 - they have a strong relationship with Jarome (i.e. Brian To'o)
4 - they are off-contract now for 2026 (i.e. KPP)

And yes we need to continue to lock in our elite pathways prospects especially those in positions of future need & x-factor. Aside from those already signed (Makasini, Taupau-Moors, Godinet, Haywood), I'd be prioritising Tino Tavana, Max & Mitchell Taotua, Riley Oitmann, Logan Brookes, Archie Duncombe & Siotame Havea Jr.

I harp on him a bit and have no idea what he's currently doing as has been unsighted since pre-season but another is Flegg prop Jekope Sovau, family of Api & Tito, with a massively high ceiling).

 

[Tucker]

He will likely be offered 1.5 million per season to head to the new Perth franchise if he is chasing the money, otherwise he will stay with the Broncos.
I know it’s good to be ambitious with our potential recruits, but we need to also be realistic about who would consider signing with us.

No way.
That is extraordinary money for a player who gets bashed up all game every week. He’ll start copping some injuries soon. You can’t be in the front row playing like he does forever.
Look how big JT came back to the field after a few years of being a superhero. It’s not sustainable.

 

[Lestronge]

There is no doubt we will lose a player or 2 Nov 1 to Perth and the following Nov 1 to PNG. Most clubs will likely lose someone.

Hopefully for us it's just a player/s off-contract who is depth and sees a better opportunity of first 17 at the new franchise.

I'd say this is part of the reason why the club wanted to know the Galvin situation now, so one way or another, we can attempt to extend players now or work to recruit players in now.

Players I feel may be approached as soon as Perth's recruitment team is assembled are Doueihi, Naden, Feledy & Staines. Then come Nov 1, Starford, Api, TDS, Skelton & Bird will be gauged no doubt.

I wouldn't think the Laulilii brothers would want to leave their family at their age.

So Richo will be trying to sort out our hooker situation long-term asap as well as extend Starford & Jeral.

I also think keeping the Fainu brothers together & even bringing together the May brothers would be calculated long-term investments.

Thoughts?

Yea I think for the first time the club has realised who makes up the bulk of those “biggest junior nursery in the world “ demographic. There’s a heap of islander , indigenous , and lower socio economic kids looking for a way out for not just them but thier whole family . This is obviously getting better as the housing developments pushing out towards the new airport introduce younger families with money etc.
My point is family and the idea that it’s a club for families is a pretty good idea to push . Regardless of on field performance we will look after you .(within reason, it’s still a professional footy team) . Like even TDS , I think the noise around him is he just wants to make sure he’s moving at the right pace and trajectory . I think it’s pretty clear he’s got nsw/aus potential , and I guess he just wants to ensure he maximises that potential . Which say what you will about us , we sure do have an amazing track record of producing elite dummy half players .
Obviously there’s Farah as the big one . But in the nrl right now there’s 4 tigers juniors as their clubs number 1 or 2 dummy half.
I think someone like Naden will be at the bears in 27 . Maybe AD ? Probably not . Guys like Sullivan , and even the pommy kid who’s come over and learning his trade in cup at Souths .
If I’m Onitoni Larges dad I’m looking real hard at that Perth team . That’s a club that would literally build around my son . Or any dad with an elite kid like that .

 

[Lestronge]

I agree. I doubt very highly we will be able to recruit another blue chip external unless ...

1 - they don't want to leave Sydney for family reasons (i.e. DCE)
2 - Richo has a strong relationship with them & sells the dream with some side perks (i.e. Adam Reynolds)
3 - they have a strong relationship with Jarome (i.e. Brian To'o)
4 - they are off-contract now for 2026 (i.e. KPP)

And yes we need to continue to lock in our elite pathways prospects especially those in positions of future need & x-factor. Aside from those already signed (Makasini, Taupau-Moors, Godinet, Haywood), I'd be prioritising Tino Tavana, Max & Mitchell Taotua, Riley Oitmann, Logan Brookes, Archie Duncombe & Siotame Havea Jr.

I harp on him a bit and have no idea what he's currently doing as has been unsighted since pre-season but another is Flegg prop Jekope Sovau, family of Api & Tito, with a massively high ceiling).

Didn’t he play SG ball for Balmain this year ?