Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Tom Shines said:
And why didn’t any other team sign him ?

Maybe it’s because they watched him play last year ..
Click to expand...
Played better than Patrick Herbert last year, and there are plenty who believe that’s a good Cup signing?

Very strange decision to not keep Naden on a cup contract and instead go for a guy who hasn’t played for 3 years and has a poor injury history.

Even stranger that the young guys like Makisini and Mason specifically mentioned Naden as the player who helped them the most with their transition to first grade and his role as a mentor.

I would have kept Naden on a Cup contract over guys like Herbert and Lehmann.
 
Canadian Club said:
Played better than Patrick Herbert last year, and there are plenty who believe that’s a good Cup signing?

Very strange decision to not keep Naden on a cup contract and instead go for a guy who hasn’t played for 3 years and has a poor injury history.

Even stranger that the young guys like Makisini and Mason specifically mentioned Naden as the player who helped them the most with their transition to first grade and his role as a mentor.

I would have kept Naden on a Cup contract over guys like Herbert and Lehmann.
Click to expand...

As if a fringe 30 yr old player with wife and kids who has been in the NRL system for the past 12-13 years is going to hang around for peanuts on a cup deal. There's more money for them in park footy.
 
hodgo said:
Unlike.many im.kind of excited and quietly positive for next year.
If we get steady improvement from.our youngens (fainus, bula, maka) a full season out of toa, kpp and tiny, and some pressure in the forwards from bunty, geyer, sakura, bird, sukkar and hunt, we will be pretty good.
We were electric at times last year and a year on together should improve that. Again our defence needs to step up but i think the squad is so much better then what we had in the past.
Click to expand...

Comes down to the quality of the training, especially the footy.

We've heard Benji say how the boys were going to be flogged, and are getting flogged in training. That's what folks are focusing on, as well as individual pics of certain players flexing in a photo, or reports of others 'training the house down.' All well and good. But what are the actual quality of the footy drills? At the end of the day, it was the fundamentals around the ruck, particularly under pressure, and a lack of ability to trouble organised defences, that let this team down in recent seasons, including 2025 with all the recruits.

If there isn't a focus on these, then expect the same results in 2026.
 
pawsandclaws1 said:
Our quality of junior recruit from out of our junior areas needs to improve. The Raiders can pull the Martin bros from the Far South Coast. Finucane, Elliott and the young Shark second rower who is the nephew of John Morris are all from the Far South Coast. The Knights second row forward is also from the South Coast. We need to look hard for those tough country forwards
Click to expand...

I'd say the juniors the club have are no better or worse than other clubs. But clubs like Penrith, Cronulla, Roosters, Storm, Broncos support these young players to get better.

The story of the 17 yr old Wests Tigers junior being a gun and then finishing up their last good year at Flegg level is as old as Adam and Eve. You see it in their body shape. They remain pudgy (MIller, Matamua, Tumeth, etc) whereas the juniors at other clubs look like athletes.
 
Tigerstigerstigers said:
plus Luke Luaali will be putting his best foot forward and my Smokey is Tavana to force his way in by end of season, kids got freakish talents.. I think Madden will have an important role at some point as well and think he’s underrated around here.

Backline should be covered. It’s the middle forwards that worry me. We really do need Pole to have a big season.
Click to expand...
The other who is a smokey is Max Taotua. Kid has all the tools to be a future NRL centre, hopefully he is making every post a winner in pre-season training with the NRL squad.
 
Tigerstigerstigers said:
plus Luke Luaali will be putting his best foot forward and my Smokey is Tavana to force his way in by end of season, kids got freakish talents.. I think Madden will have an important role at some point as well and think he’s underrated around here.

Backline should be covered. It’s the middle forwards that worry me. We really do need Pole to have a big season.
Click to expand...

Question mate Tavana is he really any good ? Because I have only seen him a few times and maybe he belongs in a circus with some of those finishing plays

Does he do the hard work out of the back end like Skeleton because I don't know if Skeleton will be here or in Perth in 27

Pole started great got injured and I think when he came back was still injured

Luaali i like him but is 6/7 choice
 
TigerSkins05 said:
Rock Hopper Steve said:
For me Toa gets one more season to prove his worth or it's bye, bye baby bye, bye.

You mean 2 or 3 games in the top grade .. then he's dropped to reggies for the remainder of the season.
Click to expand...
Good call TS I think a lot of us are growing impatient with him, Benji has spoken highly of him in the past he needs to be more ruthless if his forms not up to scratch.
Tom Shines said:
Didn’t they just extend him though ?

We go ok at getting guys to move on early though , so should be sweet there
Click to expand...
So true Tom if he puts in more ordinary performances Benji needs to act quickly, not keep persisting with him and dump him to reserves early, if he's there for most of the season and he has any self-pride he will be looking for a move.

One of the new clubs would probably take the bait, not our fault if they hook a rock cod.
 
Canadian Club said:
Played better than Patrick Herbert last year, and there are plenty who believe that’s a good Cup signing?

Very strange decision to not keep Naden on a cup contract and instead go for a guy who hasn’t played for 3 years and has a poor injury history.

Even stranger that the young guys like Makisini and Mason specifically mentioned Naden as the player who helped them the most with their transition to first grade and his role as a mentor.

I would have kept Naden on a Cup contract over guys like Herbert and Lehmann.
Click to expand...
Maybe he didn't want to.
 
Odessa said:
Question mate Tavana is he really any good ? Because I have only seen him a few times and maybe he belongs in a circus with some of those finishing plays

Does he do the hard work out of the back end like Skeleton because I don't know if Skeleton will be here or in Perth in 27

Pole started great got injured and I think when he came back was still injured

Luaali i like him but is 6/7 choice
Click to expand...
Tino Tavana has rare natural x-factor in attack, his well-documented aerial ability, quick feet close to defenders and very good hands & pass selection. He's not dissimilar to Benji in that he can produce magical plays without thinking in the blink of an eye. For example, a contested aerial catch in attack and then around-the-back flick pass inside to his centre Taotua (all whilst in the air) with the ball beating 2 defenders comes to mind.

He's probably about 187-188cm and not overly solid so is not a powerful ball runner from the back, relies more on evasion. However he is bigger than last year and looks to have put on a bit of muscle from pre-season pics I have seen. Defensively he has needed work but did improve this side of his game in Flegg this season. Has been prone to be overpowered 1-on-1 with his opposite winger or at fullback but I think getting physically stronger & a pre-season with the NRL boys will see an improvement.
 
Rock Hopper Steve said:
Does Royce look in career best shape or is it the camera angle, hope his upcoming season is a blinder if he can turn it around with more wind in the lungs surely his impact will lift the side.
Click to expand...
Totally agree champ, for me he is our biggest possible x factor next season. He looks super trim and if he can stay fit his impact off the bench will be enormous.
 
Plenty of reports in the media recently about how the tigers are confident of retaining Bula. Sounds like Isaac Moses has us exactly where he wants us….
 
Wiz said:
Plenty of reports in the media recently about how the tigers are confident of retaining Bula. Sounds like Isaac Moses has us exactly where he wants us….
Click to expand...

I’ll believe Bula is staying it when it’s announced …

Perth are desperate as you know what
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 776 (members: 24, guests: 752)
Back
Top