Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[larry2005]

Widdop - no more old guys coming off injury riddled seasons. Would be better off with benji. Momo could also play 6 at a stretch....i think he is a really underrated footballer.

 

[Devon Head]

My wish list over the next 12mths or so would be these players outside of WT system that are coming of contract.

Cameron Munster
Angus Crichton
Jordan Riki
Sitili Tupouniua
Toby Rudolf
Tuki Simpkins
Stephen Crichton
Xavier Coates

I’d be more than happy if we managed to snag at least 2 of these with the money that’s going to be available.

I'd add Staggs to that list as well. Off contract end of 2021.

I think Staggs is top of the clubs list.

Completely forgot about Stagg, would you play him in the centre’s or back row though?

He's one of the best centres out there, def a no from me to put him in back row.

 

[larry2005]

With B smith start him at 9, then shift to backrow when liddle comes on. Simpkin needs another year probably. Not many 9's can handle the middle until they are developed. C. Smith the obvious exception but he started at 7 and the game was different back then.

 

[Devon Head]

Brandon Smith would change our whole club and its perception INSTANTLY...

I don't care if you need to offer him 800 plus...and the captaincy...and tell the Storm they can pick anyone they want. That is a deal that would change our whole club. You do everything possible to get that done.

I'd have him in the team just for his Mad Monday antics. The kid is a dead set champion on and off the field. Real good sort of lad to have around your team.

 

[Devon Head]

Brandon Smith may not be the right fit for us. We won't know if we need a hooker until Jake Simpkin has played at least 5-6 games. By then, it will likely be too late to sign Brandon Smith.

Exactly. Look at the flow on impact at the Storm with Grant's arrival. Imagine losing Liddle or Simpkin

Well, if they signed Smith, it would be a given one of them (prob Liddle) would go.

I'll take it a step further. As soon as the Storm get a whiff WTs are interested, Smith"s release would be contingent upon a player swap.

Smith's release is already contingent on a player swap or satisfactory compensation.

 

[Newtown]

By The Mole
an hour ago

TIGERS POACH TALENTED AUCKLAND TRIO

Wests Tigers have raided the Warriors' heartland, signing three fine young prospects from Auckland.

All 18, Jarney Proctor (hooker/halfback), Tamehana Paruru (back-rower) and Tray Lolesio (prop) are Aucklands Manurewa Marlins juniors and had several NRL clubs on their trail.

But the trio decided their best chance of a pathway to the NRL was with the Tigers and will link up with the club in coming weeks for pre-season training.

All are probably 12 months or more off breaking into the NRL but have the talent to be great buys for the club in the long term.

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

Storm have said Smith will be at the club next year, they don’t muck around or mince words. They also want compensation. Smith wants to play hooker from all the reports.

No way if we sign Smith do we keep Liddle & Simpkins. They both will leave.

The challenges with trying to get JAC there is no way it’s going to be an easy discussion on player swaps with the Storm. I think people need to stop dreaming about it & we should focus on other players.

 

[Devon Head]

I’m glad the club doesn’t read this forum , because it’s like a lot of you think it’s 2016.
Widdop is done , Doueihi and for that matter Mbye , are much better than him . He’s injury prone , slow , and well on the wrong side of 30. His form in the UK is meh , at best . I watched plenty of games this year with him in it , and if he can’t shine in that comp , he’s doing nothing here .
We need a fullback and a backrower. Laurie and Sorensen , would be great . We should look to front load contracts from next year into this . But don’t do it until June 30 , as I’m sure someone amazing will become available . Signing Gareth Widdop is crazy talk . Honestly , we are better off getting benji back , to run the CC cup team .-
Not that I think that’s a good idea either .



Completely agree with all of that.Widdop has been very ordinary in the UK and wasnt going well for the dragons when he left.Avoid him like Typhoid Mary

In fairness he missed pretty much the whole season before he left.

And more than half the current SL season since due to injury on the soft fields of the OLD DART..

Played 12 of 20 rounds in SL this season albeit didn't set the world on fire with his form.

 

[avocadoontoast]

Replacing Reynolds with Widdop is a very sideways move, they’re virtually the same player, injury issues at the back end of their careers. The only difference is Widdop is cheaper

Totally different players. Widdop has a running, passing and kicking game, which Reynolds doesn't.

 

[JC99]

Replacing Reynolds with Widdop is a very sideways move, they’re virtually the same player, injury issues at the back end of their careers. The only difference is Widdop is cheaper

Totally different players. Widdop has a running, passing and kicking game, which Reynolds doesn't.

Both are pretty average. It’s no upgrade really, it’s just cheaper which is fine. Widdop can play round 1 then sit in reserves all year

 

[avocadoontoast]

Replacing Reynolds with Widdop is a very sideways move, they’re virtually the same player, injury issues at the back end of their careers. The only difference is Widdop is cheaper

Totally different players. Widdop has a running, passing and kicking game, which Reynolds doesn't.

Both are pretty average. It’s no upgrade really, it’s just cheaper which is fine. Widdop can play round 1 then sit in reserves all year

Absolutely, and that would be the plan. I don't think anyone would be expecting him to play first grade unless there's an injury. I've been really impressed with Hartigan, if he thinks he's ok for a year I have no issue with it.

 

[Tiger5150]

Replacing Reynolds with Widdop is a very sideways move, they’re virtually the same player, injury issues at the back end of their careers. The only difference is Widdop is cheaper

Totally different players. Widdop has a running, passing and kicking game, which Reynolds doesn't.

Yeah but how is his *effort* game?

 

[avocadoontoast]

Replacing Reynolds with Widdop is a very sideways move, they’re virtually the same player, injury issues at the back end of their careers. The only difference is Widdop is cheaper

Totally different players. Widdop has a running, passing and kicking game, which Reynolds doesn't.


Yeah but how is his *effort* game?

I never really understood that one, he looked like a headless chook most of the time

 

[Muffstar]

Replacing Reynolds with Widdop is a very sideways move, they’re virtually the same player, injury issues at the back end of their careers. The only difference is Widdop is cheaper

Totally different players. Widdop has a running, passing and kicking game, which Reynolds doesn't.

Both are pretty average. It’s no upgrade really, it’s just cheaper which is fine. Widdop can play round 1 then sit in reserves all year

Is this just speculation regarding Widdop or does it have some legs ?

 

[Russell]

I think we should look at brining Aiden sezer over before we look at Gareth
Sezers last season in the nrl he brought his team to the grand final and almost won Gareth’s last season in the nrl he struggled with dragons then wanted to go home

We could get him for 300k?

We could get Widdop for that and he is twice the player.

Whether it would be prudent to get him, is a job for Hartigan and Madge.

 

[Russell]

Didn't we just get rid of an injury plagued old 5/8...

We did. Once again people wanting to replace one rustbucket with another when they have the money for something with a good donk and a scratch or two.

As a backup for $200k, it makes sense (provided Laurie doesn’t come). Covers 1,6,7 and is a great kicker. At the moment our back ups are Walters who is injured (and nowhere near Widdop skill wise) and Madden and Talau who have never played first grade.

1 year deal, low risk.

It wasn't 200k - it was 300k. People like to make numbers up - or is Mikey saying we should downgrade Widdop further than he downgraded himself.

 

[Russell]

Brandon Smith will be granted an early release if melbourne can get a replacement they want. His manager has contacted 14 clubs including WT. Only wants to play DH unfortunately. He would be outstanding at number 13 for us.

Sorry "Cheese" - as a DH you make a great bricklayer.

 

[JC99]

Replacing Reynolds with Widdop is a very sideways move, they’re virtually the same player, injury issues at the back end of their careers. The only difference is Widdop is cheaper

Totally different players. Widdop has a running, passing and kicking game, which Reynolds doesn't.

Both are pretty average. It’s no upgrade really, it’s just cheaper which is fine. Widdop can play round 1 then sit in reserves all year

Absolutely, and that would be the plan. I don't think anyone would be expecting him to play first grade unless there's an injury. I've been really impressed with Hartigan, if he thinks he's ok for a year I have no issue with it.

He has the benefit of being able to cover fullback and 5/8 which is something Reynolds couldn’t do

Signing Widdop probably means we won’t get Laurie early though

 

[Nelson]

Replacing Reynolds with Widdop is a very sideways move, they’re virtually the same player, injury issues at the back end of their careers. The only difference is Widdop is cheaper

Totally different players. Widdop has a running, passing and kicking game, which Reynolds doesn't.

Both are pretty average. It’s no upgrade really, it’s just cheaper which is fine. Widdop can play round 1 then sit in reserves all year

Is this just speculation regarding Widdop or does it have some legs ?

It seems to be more than speculation that he is looking to return to the NRL and will have to accept a massive pay cut if he is to do so. It seems to be complete speculation that he may end up at the Tigers. It is just based on us having salary cap space available and having just released a 5/8 I'd say. It may *develop* into something, but I have no idea if the club would be interested in him.

 

[chocmilk]

I think Doueihi is a lock at 5/8

Can Widdop cover halfback? If not, the suggestion of signing Seizer isn’t the worst...

Brooks can go now, its been way too long