@sleeve said in [Signing Suggestions & Rumours](/post/1287745) said:
Michael Tannous looks promising,plus another couple,but as yet to young,.Then we have to keep them as all other clubs will swoop as we have done.Madden may be given a try,and i think Laurie would be great but until we get another FB that will be his position.We all hope Douiehi works out in the long run.
I am bullish on Tannous, much more so than Madden. Seems to have an air of arrogance about his play which is what a good half needs.
I like the look of Michael Tannous as well. Plays very direct with speed. Looks well balanced on his feet and has a great side step. Still young. Not sure what’s happening with reserve grade this year. He is named in the Balmain 2021 SG Ball team but was doing pre season with The NRL extended squad. I’m guessing 2022 at the earliest for NRL?
Madden is in the Top30 and a possibility for R1 depending on trial form. He will have to grab whatever opportunities in NRL with both hands as Tannous will be competing for a halves spot in 2022.
SG Ball age has increased to under 19’s this year. I’m guessing it’s because of how all the lower grades have been disrupted with COVID.
Development players for 2021 are Kelma Tuilagi, Reece Hoffmann, William Kei.
You’d imagine Tannous would get a development contract in 2022. Or if Walters moves to Brisbane, Hoffmann might get a 2021 Top 30 spot and Tannous a dev spot this year as we are thin in the halves. With 3 spots in the Top 30 still vacant anything could happen.
Interested to get your take on his strengths and weaknesses? Have you watched him in the junior ranks?
Sorry, I don’t have any great insight into his strengths and weaknesses. I do know a lower grade coach that is impressed by his game. I did notice from online videos of his games that he has plenty of speed and a great step. 2020 was very limited for live footy viewing.
[link text](https://youtu.be/2it97_GRM7g)
Thanks for that clip, he looks like a good prospect. Plenty of speed, a good step and he likes to play physical by the looks of it. Good signs.
Had to laugh at the bloke he passed the ball to at 2.11........he must of thought it was an away game that bloke?
It’s only junior footy of cause......but it does highlight how well balanced he is at speed and how direct his natural game is. Obviously there is a lot more than that to make it as an NRL half. Hopefully reserve grade happens this year and he can step up from SG Ball.
Looking forward to watching Madden in the trails this year. I think he played in last year trials against Penrith or the Warriors but didn’t impress from memory.
Madden played in the Penrith trial.
How did he look to you? I seem to remember he wasn’t near Brooks level. However Brooks regressed throughout 2020. Brooks did have a bad back in 2019 and 2020 which I think he has now gotten on top of.
He played about as good as his forwards let him. Iirc we got thumped by about 30+ and there were no real standouts
I can't agree more
If our forwards don't set a platform. We go nowhere. When we vs'd Parra you could tell Both teams just took such a thumping. I think us and Parramatta lost our next 3 games.
If we don't have the forwards, expect the same in future.
Case in point why madge signed James Tamou. You need an old head in there that has experienced it all telling the young kids to keep their heads up