Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[TigerWest]

Danny Weidler reports the playing future of outstanding Warriors winger David Fusitu’a is in serious doubt. He is battling personal issues. Footy is the least of his priorities at the moment. Reckon he's homesick for sure.

He went back to NZ last year too right? Obviously has some stuff going on back there poor bugger.

Would make sense. Has been terrible since the covid hit. His head is obviously not in it. He was a wonderful player before 2020.

Hopefully he gets himself right and Madge keeps in touch with him to explore future options?

 

[The_Patriot]

Esan Marsters released by cowboys & sings with titans

looks like they're keen to leak more points

Esan played quite well at WTs especially under Cleary.

Yes because he is a cat and cant handle responsibility and pressure.

Ill never forget him laughing and carrying on like nothing happened in that game we needed to win against the Sharks to make the 8. Farah played with a broken leg, others busted their rear ends, this guy just gave up try after try then showed no signs of the loss being on his lack of professionalism.

Those who saw he reacted were not surprised to see him punted. You can rebuild culture with guys like that.

100% cat and needed to be shown the door.

 

[Fade.To.Black]

I hear Oliver Gildart is a done deal.

Staggs? Coates?

By the sounds of recent press Coates will be on his way to the vermin from Victoria.
Staggs will finish up wherever feet are the tastiest.

 

[balmain boy]

Esan Marsters released by cowboys & sings with titans

Interesting, I wonder who the Cowboys have in mind to fill a roster spot?

Dearden is my first guess. Mbye 2nd.

Midseason? No chance. Broncos already have paper thin depth in the halves. Unless they sign Mbye or Johnson immediately, which is highly doubtful

 

[balmain boy]

I hear Oliver Gildart is a done deal.

Hope not. Why would we want such a small backline? Can you imagine him and Nof next to one another.

If it's only 200k as a squad option for him to prove himself ok, but he's just a run of the mill back.

 

[avocadoontoast]

I hear Oliver Gildart is a done deal.

Hope not. Why would we want such a small backline? Can you imagine him and Nof next to one another.

If it's only 200k as a squad option for him to prove himself ok, but he's just a run of the mill back.

Yep, seems like the signing you make when everyone else has said no..

 

[rihannafan1]

Gildart has a bit of pace to him and a decent pass. If we're not throwing major coin at Naden you'd think Oliver's deal isn't big either. Only 24. Low risk, sensible signing.

Is this official ?

Na but it comes from Yoss and he's no gas bagger.

 

[Guest]

I hear Oliver Gildart is a done deal.

Hope not. Why would we want such a small backline? Can you imagine him and Nof next to one another.

If it's only 200k as a squad option for him to prove himself ok, but he's just a run of the mill back.

Yep, seems like the signing you make when everyone else has said no..

The positives from what I can see:

Good acceleration;
Overall he has good pace;
Good on his feet with a very neat right to left step and has an ability to get on the outside of his opposite due to his acceleration;
Not afraid to pass and use his winger, by being able to get on the outside of his opposite this will promote the natural tendency for the winger to come in and leave his winger unmarked;
Throws a nice little flick pass; and
His highlights don't look any worse than Jackson Hastings.

The unknowns:

Defensive ability;
Ability to adapt and handle NRL

 

[avocadoontoast]

I hear Oliver Gildart is a done deal.

Hope not. Why would we want such a small backline? Can you imagine him and Nof next to one another.

If it's only 200k as a squad option for him to prove himself ok, but he's just a run of the mill back.

Yep, seems like the signing you make when everyone else has said no..

The positives from what I can see:

Good acceleration;
Overall he has good pace;
Good on his feet with a very neat right to left step and has an ability to get on the outside of his opposite due to his acceleration;
Not afraid to pass and use his winger, by being able to get on the outside of his opposite this will promote the natural tendency for the winger to come in and leave his winger unmarked;
Throws a nice little flick pass; and
His highlights don't look any worse than Jackson Hastings.

The unknowns:

Defensive ability;
Ability to adapt and handle NRL

All good points. I hope he absolutely kills it, I just have concerns about super league outside backs succeeding in the NRL. He is one of the good ones by all reports though. Hope he wasn’t too expensive.

 

[JC99]

I hear Oliver Gildart is a done deal.

Hope not. Why would we want such a small backline? Can you imagine him and Nof next to one another.

If it's only 200k as a squad option for him to prove himself ok, but he's just a run of the mill back.

Haven't we learned not to rule out players due to size? All I care about is can he defend and set up a few tries and we won't know how he handles NRL until he's playing

 

[Tiger_Fanatic3]

I hope Madge and Hartigan are monitoring this situation very closely. As an aggressive, hard-running forward he will be a phenomenal addition. Tapine and Madge have a Kiwi connection.

Tapine at 13 would just about round our pack out. don't see it happening, but imagine.

We can only hope !

 

[yeahcaz]

I hear Oliver Gildart is a done deal.

Hope not. Why would we want such a small backline? Can you imagine him and Nof next to one another.

If it's only 200k as a squad option for him to prove himself ok, but he's just a run of the mill back.

Yep, seems like the signing you make when everyone else has said no..

I’d say there’s a good chance everyone has done. Much like when Canberra started their English recruitment, we’re really having a hard time getting any nrl talent to come to us. Likely won’t be on a ton when he comes over and there’s more pressing positions for us to spend big on then centre’s, like we’re not the bulldogs.

 

[yeahcaz]

By watching those 2019 highlights, i legit can’t tell if he’s really quick or everyone else is just behind the pace dramatically. I’m hoping for the first.

 

[JC99]

[link text](https://youtu.be/fgUZ_obyLK0)

Obviously can't see if he's any good at defending in these highlights but he looks decently fast, has a nice right foot step and good ball skills. Very good at creating overlaps for his winger outside him. If we do get him seems a good replacement for Joey on the left edge.

 

[Ultimate Warrior]

Recent history is up against him, as no English back in the modern era has made it out here. It’s good to see the club are thinking outside the box though. Just wish they were targeting pommy forwards.

Just hope we haven’t paid a heap for him.

Widdop was brilliant but is an exception. Hall was solid for the Roosters but had big names infront of him.

Backs struggle as they aren’t use to the speed & size during development stages. Here you are always up against big boppers from under 7 upwards, there it’s very different they don’t have anything like that to help the development. He is young & appears talented touchwood and we get an exception. Hastings plays his side of the park which could take a load off him as well.

Hall hardly played mate

 

[balmain boy]

I hear Oliver Gildart is a done deal.

Hope not. Why would we want such a small backline? Can you imagine him and Nof next to one another.

If it's only 200k as a squad option for him to prove himself ok, but he's just a run of the mill back.

Haven't we learned not to rule out players due to size? All I care about is can he defend and set up a few tries and we won't know how he handles NRL until he's playing

Well his defence has been questioned by many who've watched him. If his defence is questionable in the UK he'll get butchered here.

But I'm not going to say he can't make it, just that he would have to work a lot and Improve out of sight to make it here.

 

[JC99]

I hear Oliver Gildart is a done deal.

Hope not. Why would we want such a small backline? Can you imagine him and Nof next to one another.

If it's only 200k as a squad option for him to prove himself ok, but he's just a run of the mill back.

Haven't we learned not to rule out players due to size? All I care about is can he defend and set up a few tries and we won't know how he handles NRL until he's playing

Well his defence has been questioned by many who've watched him. If his defence is questionable in the UK he'll get butchered here.

But I'm not going to say he can't make it, just that he would have to work a lot and Improve out of sight to make it here.

Alternatively I've seen people say he's a good defender so who knows. Unfortunately he's injured at the moment so we can't watch him.

 

[weststigerman]

A lot of risk in signing Gildart, hopefully it’s a year with a club option if it’s true.

He’s unproven and most outside backs from the UK struggle in the NRL. Reading a few articles how he already has a long term shoulder injury and he’s been out all year with a groin problem.

Seems like a better option would be throwing an extra 400k on top of what Gildart would cost at a Coates or Staggs. Even Gagai at 500k for a couple of years would improve our backline immensely.

 

[jirskyr]

There is zero chance of Sam burgess being allowed to play. If he did there would be the biggest uproar the game has ever seen and the only time all fans and clubs unite .

You mean an uproar like when Greg Inglis miraculously came out of medical retirement to play in England?

He wasn't medically retired though. He gave away the game due to lack of desire to keep up with the brutal training and the weekly grind of the game. He had a few niggles that required time off so instead gave it away. Forfeited majority of his remaining contract and took on a support role at the club.

Big difference between his and Sam's circumstances.


Fair enough. Widely misreported at the time it occurred.

The big stink was how after he made a big deal about foregoing his contract money he suddenly gets a job with Souths. I remember the uproar on here after we had been done for Farah. It was obviously organised before he quit.

No different to Cronk's job at Roosters, Burgess' at Souths, or any other of the cushy jobs lined up for the boys to smooth out their back-ended payments.

I still can't believe Tigers got slammed for *trying* to organise Farah an ambassador role (he didn't actually sign on). It's just as bad as when Bryce Gibbs got 3 weeks for sliding into Luke Burt with his knees after an attempt to stop a try, but nobody since has received more than a week since for knees contact, not even Jeremy Smith 2010.

 

[jirskyr]

Recent history is up against him, as no English back in the modern era has made it out here. It’s good to see the club are thinking outside the box though. Just wish they were targeting pommy forwards.

George Williams doing OK? You mean outside back? Widdop. Herbie Farnworth. Happens from time to time.

Back in the day, they were mostly backs coming over - Hanley, Offiah, Gregory, Shaun Edwards, Currier, Schofield, Connolly.