Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Hang on; there's a rumor that a player, currently 26, who plays in the halves, has 3 premiership rings and has played 7 origins, could be a realistic target for the club, yet people are not a fan of the idea...

Have I got that correct?

Oh dear.
Not that I really don't want Luai...

But you could have simplified the Adam Blair signing in a similar way.
 
The only way I can see a luai deal working out is if we go sezer 7 Sullivan 6 next year with 2025 onwards being Sullivan 7 luai 6 and latu in the centres for a few years until luai is moved on
I don’t think Fainu could cut it as a centre in the NRL tbh. I could see whoever loses the battle for the starting NRL side between him & Sullivan asking for a release before 2025 (if Luai does come that is)
 
You would think more so now after the weekend & the performance of the young Samoan FB (Faalago) from the Storm, Olam & Blore happens.

Storm back 5 would be Paps/Faalago, Warrick, Smith, Meany, Coates plus still have Tonamepaui (wrong spelling I think?). That's 7 for 5 spots. They also have a more depth in the squad.

After the loss of multiple forwards to the Dolphins last year plus Sims to ESL. It's on IMO.

So we look like:

Bula, Staines/Naden, Olam, To'a, Tupou... Nofoaluma, Reilly & Kepaoa as next in line.

Loose Nofoaluma or Kepaoa & lock in Staines would be happy with that top 30.

Not a fan of the Suli rumour.

I think Simpkin will be on the move & frees up a spot.
 
Hang on; there's a rumor that a player, currently 26, who plays in the halves, has 3 premiership rings and has played 7 origins, could be a realistic target for the club, yet people are not a fan of the idea...

Have I got that correct?

Oh dear.
You say that like the salary cap doesn't exist. Put it this way: if we signed Luai but were paying him, say, $6m a year I'm sure we'd all agree that would be a terrible idea - it would mean every single other player on the roster would have to be on minimum salary. If we signed Luai for $250,000 a year, by contrast, I'm sure even the biggest doubters would say that was a cracking bit of business.

Agreed? So by definition you also agree that there's some point in the middle of those two numbers where opinions will reasonably be divided. Personally I'd love the Tigers to sign Luai, but I'm very hesitant about the idea of doing so for $1.4m a year.

Here's an example of why: the Broncos signed Adam Reynolds for $800,000 a year. Is Luai $600,000 "better" than Adam Reynolds? I guess you could argue it. But I bet the Broncos were glad they had a bit of wiggle room when Reece Walsh became available a year later...
 
I would pursue Olam, we desperately need quality centres and he is 100% one. Remember when Andrew Johns said this about him. "The Papua New Guinea star has had a breakout season leading to recognition from NRL immortal Andrew Johns that he was the “best Centre in the world” earlier this year. He was later invited and awarded the well deserved Dally M Centre of the year award."
Form is temporary, class is permanent.
 
Although it would be a difficult negotiation, we need to sign Olam but also keep Blore.
keeping Blore is step one and the most crucial step. providing we do that then we can either offer someone else up to Melbourne or take Olam off their hands. knowing Melbourne they'll be pushing for a swap, and while Nofoaluma would be everyone's preference to leave, I reckon they'd take a good look at Kepaoa.
 
keeping Blore is step one and the most crucial step. providing we do that then we can either offer someone else up to Melbourne or take Olam off their hands. knowing Melbourne they'll be pushing for a swap, and while Nofoaluma would be everyone's preference to leave, I reckon they'd take a good look at Kepaoa.
I agree that Melbourne might consider Kepaoa as he’s a big unit with good mobility for a man of his size, so Bellamy may get a lot more out of him than what we can.
 
Not that I really don't want Luai...

But you could have simplified the Adam Blair signing in a similar way.
Yes.

You could have. Though, He didn't have the premierships, didn't play in the spine and wasn't in a glaring area of need for the club, so the comparison is ok at best.

Even still, the issue arose once he had arrived and we saw a pattern of poor output. It's at that point that his signing can be, correctly, judged harshly. Very few people were upset with Blair signing prior to him arriving. On paper, he was a fantastic addition. In fact, he was seen by many as the missing ingredient and one of the key reasons we were instilled as premiership favourites at the start of 2012.

If Luai was to sign (I personally don't think he will), and we see a similar poor output from him over the first part of his tenure here, then the fanbase will have every right to be upset with the lack of value for money.

But this is literally the case with every signing.
 
Was Blair a case of him not being coached and utilised to his strengths?
different coaching styles is what ruined him, imo.

there was a lot of talk about the fact that WT didn't train as hard as Melbourne and Blair came in and wasn't accustomed to Sheens' methods. chances are when you're not training in a manner that brings out the best in you, you'll probably struggle to play your best.

there's no doubt Blair had some absolutely atrocious games that let the jersey down. that's not what I'm arguing here. his attitude seemed to change on a weekly basis. but I do believe that the lack of a decent 7 (Humble, Miller, Moltzen) and the inability to build combinations also hurt his chances of making good.
 

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