Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[pawsandclaws1]

What if it works though, what if from the NRL's perspective they can tap the League-mad PNG market for youth talent and eventually business?

And for the government, as you said, it's an investment in support of our region, as well as soft power influence. You mock competition with China but that's a real thing, does anyone want the Chinese building sub bases or other such stations off our coast line?

It has to be put into perspective. It's $600M over 10 years, i.e. $60M per year. Our annual Pacific Development budget is $1.5B so the league-specific investment is just 4% of that budget.

By some comparisons - in 2024-25 the govt gave Timor $100M to upgrade their airport and Fiji were given $72M to upgrade their bridges and resurface roads. In fact the most recent budget gave PNG $620M for maintenance of their ports, which is the entire decade outlay for rugby league.

Also by way of comparison, the WA Govt alone has committed $10M a year for 7 years to support the Perth Bears, plus $200M to upgrade HBF Stadium where the Bears will play.

I include the $600m in our defence budget.

 

[liltiger]

Wow just got the news Hope and Murray I’m ok with , both good back up , but wow NO.
Appi , Staines , AD , signing on , API our captain should have been done before TDS departed , Jesus it would blow up if API decided to go else where , Richo needs to pull his finger out and get API done plus 3 min from outside our club, Hope was enough into the 30 , I would also dump one of our current asssitant coaches m who ever is the attack coach and replace him

Agree, move Hodgo on, just can't see Benji replacing him with anyone worth while though out of fear of being replaced.

 

[Vicious]

I have a good mate in Sydney who is a long term Parra member and he said yesterday that the eels are looking at AD as a 14 , says info come from with in the club

It’s hard to imagine the Eels would be looking at anyone external as a 14 when they have Rylee Smith and TDS as their two young hookers to share their number 9 role.
However the Eels look like they need a 6 unless Joash Papali’i makes it his own between now and the end of the season.
I could see Adam Doueihi fitting in with them as their starting 6.

 

[Nonotmeagain]

What if it works though, what if from the NRL's perspective they can tap the League-mad PNG market for youth talent and eventually business?

And for the government, as you said, it's an investment in support of our region, as well as soft power influence. You mock competition with China but that's a real thing, does anyone want the Chinese building sub bases or other such stations off our coast line?

It has to be put into perspective. It's $600M over 10 years, i.e. $60M per year. Our annual Pacific Development budget is $1.5B so the league-specific investment is just 4% of that budget.

By some comparisons - in 2024-25 the govt gave Timor $100M to upgrade their airport and Fiji were given $72M to upgrade their bridges and resurface roads. In fact the most recent budget gave PNG $620M for maintenance of their ports, which is the entire decade outlay for rugby league.

Also by way of comparison, the WA Govt alone has committed $10M a year for 7 years to support the Perth Bears, plus $200M to upgrade HBF Stadium where the Bears will play.

$600M of taxpayers money shouldn't be directed towards a professional sport for a team in another sovereign country. Whether it's 1% of the budget or 100% it's still a waste and there'll be nothing to show for it in 10 years - not bridge, not better road, not a port - maybe just a football team. I guess if China builds a base they'll be a long way behind the 750 bases the US has around the world.

 

[Buttface]

What if it works though, what if from the NRL's perspective they can tap the League-mad PNG market for youth talent and eventually business?

And for the government, as you said, it's an investment in support of our region, as well as soft power influence. You mock competition with China but that's a real thing, does anyone want the Chinese building sub bases or other such stations off our coast line?

It has to be put into perspective. It's $600M over 10 years, i.e. $60M per year. Our annual Pacific Development budget is $1.5B so the league-specific investment is just 4% of that budget.

By some comparisons - in 2024-25 the govt gave Timor $100M to upgrade their airport and Fiji were given $72M to upgrade their bridges and resurface roads. In fact the most recent budget gave PNG $620M for maintenance of their ports, which is the entire decade outlay for rugby league.

Also by way of comparison, the WA Govt alone has committed $10M a year for 7 years to support the Perth Bears, plus $200M to upgrade HBF Stadium where the Bears will play.

Paws has the answer to my mockery.

P

Post in thread 'Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion'

Jul 18, 2025

What if it works though, what if from the NRL's perspective they can tap the League-mad PNG market for youth talent and eventually business?

And for the government, as you said, it's an investment in support of our region, as well as soft power influence. You mock competition with China but that's a real thing, does anyone want the Chinese building sub bases or other such stations off our coast line?

It has to be put into perspective. It's $600M over 10 years, i.e. $60M per year. Our annual Pacific Development budget is $1.5B so the league-specific investment is just 4% of that...

• pawsandclaws1

• 

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Is this the pre-home game announcement they expect will get peolple flooding down Mary Street?

 

[Ermo]

So what your saying is that Balmain panicked and kicked possession away despite being given six again 🤣🤣🤣

And they blame Wests for being losers 🤷‍♂️

Tumbleweeds on this post

 

[boonboon]

$600M of taxpayers money shouldn't be directed towards a professional sport for a team in another sovereign country. Whether it's 1% of the budget or 100% it's still a waste and there'll be nothing to show for it in 10 years - not bridge, not better road, not a port - maybe just a football team. I guess if China builds a base they'll be a long way behind the 750 bases the US has around the world.

You do understand at its closest its only 4km between Australia and PNG.

 

[das tigers]

For 1 year for a position we need depth in... Don't think 5 or 6 players are gonna fall out the tree & all come to us.

Yeah I get it and good luck to Hope. Just underwhelming when we're down the bottom of the
ladder and it's internal signings.

 

[Tigrr2]

Maybe they are keeping top 30 spots open for the new coach to choose players as if we get the spoon Benji may be gone

 

[cktiger]

Tumbleweeds on this post

Not from me… I replied.

 

[Vicious]

Surely Herbie Farnworth has to be on our hit list of potential recruits that could change our team for the better ?
To be a realistic chance of signing him we would need to offer him ridiculous money for a centre, 1 million per season possibly more, but week in week out he proves to be an influential difference maker to his teams success, we have never had a centre like him wearing Wests Tigers colours.

 

[Tcat]

Sadly

Not a Rumour or signing suggestion in sight here in this thread.....

Should create a General BS talk thread

 

[Odessa]

The scarecrow Jason Taylor?

Also Anasta is Wille peters manager

 

[Odessa]

China are still coming, I’ve heard Albo has secretly bought himself a PNG jersey. They’re staying.

They want all the pacific

 

[Merlot]

Should create a General BS talk thread

place would go into meltdown

 

[supercoach]

Over the years there have been a ton of good mid range players like Nick Meaney and Jake Averllo come on the market and we have not even had a sniff at them. The ones we seem to target seem to never amount to much

 

[bptiger 0]

And just as we type, Tristan Hope signs for 1 season into top 30 & Charlie Murray moves into Development squad for 2026.

Oh so excited that them two will save us , Richo how long did it take u to come up with these top class players 🤔🥴

 

[Buttface]

They want all the pacific

It’ll all be the sea of China, a bit like the Gulf of Mexico has suddenly become the Gulf of Trumerica.
Let’s not turn this into a political thread, I hate those.

 

[bptiger 0]

$600M of taxpayers money shouldn't be directed towards a professional sport for a team in another sovereign country. Whether it's 1% of the budget or 100% it's still a waste and there'll be nothing to show for it in 10 years - not bridge, not better road, not a port - maybe just a football team. I guess if China builds a base they'll be a long way behind the 750 bases the US has around the world.

The fine print is the , USA aren’t trying to take over must of the pacific, once china take Taiwan look out PNG and others then Australia