Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[crazycat]

This is probably going to sound negative, and may be unpopular, but in my mind when I take off my orange and black (and white) glasses for a minute and look realistically at our spine I can't see how anyone can say that on current form ("potential" aside - just form) we are good enough.
Just put Halfback aside (lord knows there has been plenty said about Brooks) and Hastings is an unknown quantity.
Laurie, as much as I like the guy, is way off the top fullbacks in the game at the moment and needs to improve many areas of his game to get near them. His support play, his positional play, his D, even his passing game are all only average at best.
AD is the same, a long way to go to be a great 5/8. Love the guy, don't get me wrong, but has much work to do and his injury will hamper his development.
Liddle is way off the best hookers, and in my mind probably has the least chance of getting there. I've already posted my thoughts on him and my disappointment if we miss out on getting Hodgson.

So, what's the answer - obviously our half needs to stand up, but we also really need a quality hooker and we really need our fullback and 5/8 to step up to the next level if we want to compete with the best.

It is unpopular, but I have been saying this for months. 2022 is looking like more misery. There are signs 2023 could be better though, if we had 2 or 3 more big names to go along with big Pap

2022 is another building year.

Hopefully some heat from 2023 onwards.

Even sheens said it himself... "we are building for 2023"

2022 we will stink. I'd be surprised if Madge makes it through the year. We have a weak spine, our best player will miss half the season and we have a heap of guys who are just unknown quantities still.

2023 hopefully the good signings keep coming bulldogs style and we can turn into something.

This is GOOD.
Yes 2022 another "rebuilding year". Except we might actually REBUILD!
What we do as a club is redo year 1, sign players at bargain cap price and not focus on what we need to do to build the actual training practices we need to get right.

2021 was a year focused on Attack. We lost due to poor defense and a lack of grit among our team. Games we should have turned up at, we were soft and flakey.

2022 - if we get our defense and structure right, we stand a chance of not being walkovers. Get a team playing for each other.

 

[PabloX]

With Tino signing on at the Titans, does that leave the door open for someone to come in and poach Mo Fotuaika? Hopefully that club is us

 

[Chicken_Faced_Killa]

With Tino signing on at the Titans, does that leave the door open for someone to come in and poach Mo Fotuaika? Hopefully that club is us

When’s he off contract? Okay would be a great target

 

[PabloX]

With Tino signing on at the Titans, does that leave the door open for someone to come in and poach Mo Fotuaika? Hopefully that club is us

When’s he off contract? Okay would be a great target

End of 2022, so free to talk now.

https://www.titans.com.au/news/2019/08/27/fotuaika-extends-stay-at-titans-until-end-of-the-2022-season/

 

[bathursttiger1]

With Tino signing on at the Titans, does that leave the door open for someone to come in and poach Mo Fotuaika? Hopefully that club is us

Whether he would come here after what happened to his brother, is the big question.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

This is probably going to sound negative, and may be unpopular, but in my mind when I take off my orange and black (and white) glasses for a minute and look realistically at our spine I can't see how anyone can say that on current form ("potential" aside - just form) we are good enough.
Just put Halfback aside (lord knows there has been plenty said about Brooks) and Hastings is an unknown quantity.
Laurie, as much as I like the guy, is way off the top fullbacks in the game at the moment and needs to improve many areas of his game to get near them. His support play, his positional play, his D, even his passing game are all only average at best.
AD is the same, a long way to go to be a great 5/8. Love the guy, don't get me wrong, but has much work to do and his injury will hamper his development.
Liddle is way off the best hookers, and in my mind probably has the least chance of getting there. I've already posted my thoughts on him and my disappointment if we miss out on getting Hodgson.

So, what's the answer - obviously our half needs to stand up, but we also really need a quality hooker and we really need our fullback and 5/8 to step up to the next level if we want to compete with the best.

It is unpopular, but I have been saying this for months. 2022 is looking like more misery. There are signs 2023 could be better though, if we had 2 or 3 more big names to go along with big Pap

If Hastings performs to a high level we are a lot better side. If Gildart comes in and proves he is a quality NRL centre we are a lot better side. If we can sign Hodgson it gives us another option at hooker as well. There is also time until the seasons starts.

Do we need ANOTHER option at hooker?
IMHO maybe we need a replacement. Liddle seems to have momentary flashes of Brilliance, Simpkin did help us win a few games but...

Were carrying promise, not performance.
Getting 3 hookers, means 2 watching the game or a bench hooker. None of Hodgson, Simpkin or Liddle seem able to play Lock/second row so you would be carrying a specialist hooker.
Seek other options.

I don’t remember Simpkin being a factor in us winning any games. And no, that’s not to bash him. Just hyperbole around him is way ott, and that point is an example of that.

 

[rihannafan1]

How much you offering to upgrade Stefano if you were WT 🤔

Imagine being the person who writes a story telling other people they earn too much. You apparently went to university, got a degree and this is how it ended up. Complete lowlife.

 

[Geo]

*Estimated Salaries…lol…equates to I have no real clue so I’ll make some stuff up and write an click bait article..

Foxsports… 101

 

[Arch]

Just read this on Nine, isn’t this guy on a train a trial with us?

https://bit.ly/3FDjQJM

Manly signs Knights discard
The Sea Eagles have picked up a handy front-rower from Newcastle who could push for a top grade spot next season.
Christian Ma'anaima was in the Knights' NRL squad this year but had no chance to show his wares behind the likes of the Saifiti brothers and David Klemmer.
The big middle forward turns 21 next year and will start the season in NSW Cup and wait for an opportunity.
A strong player with a good motor, he could prove another astute buy for the Sea Eagles, who picked up several bargain buys who excelled in their run to the finals in 2021.

 

[westtigers]

Dont remember little winning any games either cant pass a ball from dummy half and gets gassed after 20 minutes the just stands in the back line .

 

[twentyforty]

How much you offering to upgrade Stefano if you were WT ?

Imagine being the person who writes a story telling other people they earn too much. You apparently went to university, got a degree and this is how it ended up. Complete lowlife.

I wonder why the writer doesn’t believe Payne Haas is getting paid unders ? Lol

 

[Terry T.Nuts]

Hey there Arch, it is. I coached Christian at High School level, he is a terrific young man who never took a backwards step. He was playing in the Auckland Rugby League comp at 14 against bigger older boys and always delivered. He went to Newcastle when he was 15, I would love to see him deliver.

 

[earl]

This is probably going to sound negative, and may be unpopular, but in my mind when I take off my orange and black (and white) glasses for a minute and look realistically at our spine I can't see how anyone can say that on current form ("potential" aside - just form) we are good enough.
Just put Halfback aside (lord knows there has been plenty said about Brooks) and Hastings is an unknown quantity.
Laurie, as much as I like the guy, is way off the top fullbacks in the game at the moment and needs to improve many areas of his game to get near them. His support play, his positional play, his D, even his passing game are all only average at best.
AD is the same, a long way to go to be a great 5/8. Love the guy, don't get me wrong, but has much work to do and his injury will hamper his development.
Liddle is way off the best hookers, and in my mind probably has the least chance of getting there. I've already posted my thoughts on him and my disappointment if we miss out on getting Hodgson.

So, what's the answer - obviously our half needs to stand up, but we also really need a quality hooker and we really need our fullback and 5/8 to step up to the next level if we want to compete with the best.

It is unpopular, but I have been saying this for months. 2022 is looking like more misery. There are signs 2023 could be better though, if we had 2 or 3 more big names to go along with big Pap

If Hastings performs to a high level we are a lot better side. If Gildart comes in and proves he is a quality NRL centre we are a lot better side. If we can sign Hodgson it gives us another option at hooker as well. There is also time until the seasons starts.

Do we need ANOTHER option at hooker?
IMHO maybe we need a replacement. Liddle seems to have momentary flashes of Brilliance, Simpkin did help us win a few games but...

Were carrying promise, not performance.
Getting 3 hookers, means 2 watching the game or a bench hooker. None of Hodgson, Simpkin or Liddle seem able to play Lock/second row so you would be carrying a specialist hooker.
Seek other options.

Good point but I'm not sure what we do. Liddle/Simpkin don't appear to be able to punch out much more than 20 quality minutes at best. It's such a critical position as well.

My take is SImpkin to reserves all season and Liddle playing 20-40 minutes per game.

The problem like your stating is that it takes up one bench spot. At the same time you can't have dud service from your 9 especially at critical times.

 

[Eternal Tiger]

I saw Ma'anaima in some training photos from Concord last week. What happened??

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Dont remember little winning any games either cant pass a ball from dummy half and gets gassed after 20 minutes the just stands in the back line .

No one claimed he did win games. Nice strawman.

 

[PabloX]

I saw Ma'anaima in some training photos from Concord last week. What happened??

The mole has updated it to now say the tigers not sea Eagles

Tigers sign Knights discard

The Wests Tigers have picked up a handy front-rower from Newcastle who could push for a top grade spot next season.

Christian Ma'anaima was in the Knights' NRL squad this year but had no chance to show his wares behind the likes of the Saifiti brothers and David Klemmer.

The big middle forward turns 21 next year and will start the season in NSW Cup and wait for an opportunity.

A strong player with a good motor, he could prove another astute buy for the Tigers.

 

[KingRobbie]

I saw Ma'anaima in some training photos from Concord last week. What happened??

The mole has updated it to now say the tigers not sea Eagles

Tigers sign Knights discard

The Wests Tigers have picked up a handy front-rower from Newcastle who could push for a top grade spot next season.

Christian Ma'anaima was in the Knights' NRL squad this year but had no chance to show his wares behind the likes of the Saifiti brothers and David Klemmer.

The big middle forward turns 21 next year and will start the season in NSW Cup and wait for an opportunity.

A strong player with a good motor, he could prove another astute buy for the Tigers.

Is he serious?

That guy has to be the biggest dribbler of all time.

Imagine being a journalist breaking a signing announcement and getting the wrong club.

 

[Demps]

I saw Ma'anaima in some training photos from Concord last week. What happened??

The mole has updated it to now say the tigers not sea Eagles

Tigers sign Knights discard

The Wests Tigers have picked up a handy front-rower from Newcastle who could push for a top grade spot next season.

Christian Ma'anaima was in the Knights' NRL squad this year but had no chance to show his wares behind the likes of the Saifiti brothers and David Klemmer.

The big middle forward turns 21 next year and will start the season in NSW Cup and wait for an opportunity.

A strong player with a good motor, he could prove another astute buy for the Tigers.

??

 

[Eternal Tiger]

A new low, even for The Mole 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️