Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Jolls said:
In the current setup definitely agree. I think the transition will happen over the offseason. I share jrtigers concerns about AFs ability to absorb the defensive requirements so it may need to be a role.shared with Twal until he is capable.of.handling the grind.
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AF ?
You got me I went back half a doz posts?
 
Jolls said:
Sorry AD's, - Fat Fingers. I was typing on my phone while standing in the rain waiting for my grandkids to do their book week parade.
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Lol fat finger, we won't let you invest in any financial instruments you might add too many zeros to the end of the layout, the horror of the impending margin call.
 
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Jolls said:
Sorry AD's, - Fat Fingers. I was typing on my phone while standing in the rain waiting for my grandkids to do their book week parade.
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I got you, though any mistyped letter other than F would not have muddied things so much.

Mind you, having long criticised Doueihi for lacking effort, I still believed that he could make the transition to be our ball-player style lock, even though pre 2025 Doueihi would have struggled a hell of a lot more with the defensive workload. Severe doubt that he can demand the halves spot full time remains, but good luck to him and others fighting for it.
 
If AD continues he current form at 7, would we really want to move him to 13 ?
I understand also need to accommodate Latu, but surely he has to earn it and that would mean taking his chances at 7 when they come, but in the meantime continuing his role as our 14.
In regards to potentially moving on Jack Bird and Royce Hunt, surely we would need to replace them with potentially better players if we are going to offload them.
In addition to that we would need to ensure whatever club takes them pays full freight as we surely cannot afford to contribute wages to any more players being offloaded.
The only similarly versatile player I see that could be an upgrade on Bird would be Takakai from the Sharks as his power running off the bench or maybe even starting at 13 would certainly assist our go forward.
As for a similarly big and aggressive power running forward with a bigger engine than Royce, it’s only really another Shark in Branden Hamlin-Uele that stands out.
 
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Vicious said:
If AD continues he current form at 7, would we really want to move him to 13 ?
I understand also need to accommodate Latu, but surely he has to earn it and that would mean taking his chances at 7 when they come, but in the meantime continuing his role as our 14.
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They both should be given an equal opportunity in the offseason at 7 ..

It also depends on who else is signed …maybe if 13 is still open , they move AD there
 
Tom Shines said:
They both should be given an equal opportunity in the offseason at 7 ..

It also depends on who else is signed …maybe if 13 is still open , they move AD there
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The point is if AD continues to excel and be an important part of our team at 7, it would make no sense moving him to 13.
Latu doesn’t appear to be unhappy and is certainly not kicking stones while being our number 13.
A lot can happen in a pre season, but at this stage I don’t hunk it hurts us at all to continue playing Latu as our number 14 in 2026.
He will likely get plenty of opportunities throughout the season to start on the halves through injuries etc.
 
Vicious said:
The point is if AD continues to excel and be an important part of our team at 7, it would make no sense moving him to 13.
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If he is the best option at the club… Latu has had limited opportunities at the position so far and may overtake him with more time and experience… I think his ceiling is much higher
 
Vicious said:
If AD continues he current form at 7, would we really want to move him to 13 ?
I understand also need to accommodate Latu, but surely he has to earn it and that would mean taking his chances at 7 when they come, but in the meantime continuing his role as our 14.
In regards to potentially moving on Jack Bird and Royce Hunt, surely we would need to replace them with potentially better players if we are going to offload them.
In addition to that we would need to ensure whatever club takes them pays full freight as we surely cannot afford to contribute wages to any more players being offloaded.
The only similarly versatile player I see that could be an upgrade on Bird would be Takakai from the Sharks as his power running off the bench or maybe even starting at 13 would certainly assist our go forward.
As for a similarly big and aggressive power running forward with a bigger engine than Royce, it’s only really another Shark in Branden Hamlin-Uele that stands out.
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I think the offloading Bird story has been embellished by the media somewhat & the Hunt story (via one UK media platform that doesn't have the best strike-rate) is probably a journo putting 1 and 1 together and getting 3. This is how I see it, purely opinion ...

Bird has been informed he won't be extended beyond next season. The club has informed him he can explore his options and if he finds a longer deal, the club is willing to release him but I doubt the club will chip in much $$$ for this if any. However the club is also willing to retain him as per his contract.

I highly doubt Hunt is being shopped. For one, I believe Hunt has been playing injured which has had an impact on his output. If the club can get his body healthy ready for a full pre-season, I reckon Benji will back himself to get the output out of Royce they want. Secondly, no other club is likely to take Royce for 2 seasons on anywhere close to the $$$ he is on for us and I highly doubt Richo would chip in $150k-$200k each year for him to play elsewhere when we have a fair load to pay for Bud Sullivan.
 
Vicious said:
The point is if AD continues to excel and be an important part of our team at 7, it would make no sense moving him to 13.
Latu doesn’t appear to be unhappy and is certainly not kicking stones while being our number 13.
A lot can happen in a pre season, but at this stage I don’t hunk it hurts us at all to continue playing Latu as our number 14 in 2026.
He will likely get plenty of opportunities throughout the season to start on the halves through injuries etc.
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Theres no way you would move AD out of the 7 in the short term until Latu can prove he can take over we are winning games with Adam at 7 he is making some good decisions on running, kicking and passing.

But can see a possible move to 13 say late 26 or sometime in 27, it will happen eventually you would think.
 
Rock Hopper Steve said:
Theres no way you would move AD out of the 7 in the short term until Latu can prove he can take over we are winning games with Adam at 7 he is making some good decisions on running, kicking and passing.

But can see a possible move to 13 say late 26 or sometime in 27, it will happen eventually you would think.
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Yes correct … there is an offseason to come though and Latu is still young and improving …

If AD is still the best option in 2026 than keep him there … however I think the sooner Latu is the best option at the position the better for the club ..
 
Tom Shines said:
Yes correct … there is an offseason to come though and Latu is still young and improving …

If AD is still the best option in 2026 than keep him there … however I think the sooner Latu is the best option at the position the better for the club ..
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Another thing is Latu seems a respectful young lad unlike the impatient wonder boy that left us.

Don't think he will have a problem of taking time and learning the 7 craft, the kind of young player you want at the club.
 
Rock Hopper Steve said:
Another thing is Latu seems a respectful young lad unlike the impatient wonder boy that left us.

Don't think he will have a problem of taking time and learning the 7 craft, the kind of young player you want at the club.
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Yes …and they are able to take their time compared with Galvin ..

But I still think he should be given the opportunity to win the position… he is at the age and we hope the talent level where a big improvement can happen in his game within a short time …

Until that happens though, then keep him at 14…. Moving Latu to starting 13 would be something I wouldn’t particularly favour though … he needs to concentrate on learning the halves role
 
Jolls said:
100% that is where the deficiency lies. I outlined in the deep dive how I see the May/AD thing working. May could well play 13 as he has all of the skill but looking at the way our "style" is coming along I see AD as a link to get both JL and Latu wider as required and May as the cue for ad lib second phase play with Api up his bum and Luia trailing.

To me Royce has clearly been struggling with and injury and that is a problem for us - we need at least one more to gut us the momentum to really make this work. Get them on the back foot, May with a late offload agaisnt a retreating defence - cue Api to JL in broken field with Bula and the other May pushing up in support and Sam F running na inside shoulder line just waiting to be hit.
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Your posts are fantastic. I click on you just to see recent contributions to make sure I don’t miss anything
 
Tom Shines said:
Yes …and they are able to take their time compared with Galvin ..

But I still think he should be given the opportunity to win the position… he is at the age and we hope the talent level where a big improvement can happen in his game within a short time …

Until that happens though, then keep him at 14…. Moving Latu to starting 13 would be something I wouldn’t particularly favour though … he needs to concentrate on learning the halves role
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I have faith that Benji will know when he's ready to take the 7 role from AD, I think Benji has a smart head on his shoulders although a lot of us had doubts there for a while lol.
 
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