Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Telltails]

Gutherson loves winning. Our players/ team need him - if he wants to keep winning not sure he needs us.

Slimey's got a tough run coming up..interested to see how Gutho goes..

I think individually Gutherson is pretty consistent - but if Parra is going to get the wobbles the next few weeks will test them for sure.

 

[Russell]

Cotric deal isn't cold yet ?

@Trusted_Insider

I can't see it happening this year, the Bulldogs seem to have a miraculous salary cap.

Josh Dugan sounds like he could be a late bolter though. Trying for him and Ferguson to get the band back together in '22?

The two of them wouldn't even make a rubber band. No thanks.

Unless we are collecting plodders that is.

 

[happy_tiger]

So who is the player to be upgraded to our squad?

With so many games on that there won't be any announcements today. Would always be tomorrow, after the round is over, so we won't know even if we signed someone from outside yet

Not likely to be tomorrow either with the two evening games as well.

Depending on the teams involved. If we signed someone from a club not playing tomorrow we could announce it.

If we were just promoting someone why not announce it today?

I don't think there will be much fanfare for this announcement.

You’ve got the inside word?

There hasn’t been any noise other than Panthers signing TPJ and Melbourne signing Tepai Morora in regards to the rest of the league finalising their squads.

I am expecting it to be an internal upgrade, I would expect Tuilagi

That would be a disaster and massive insult to everyone at the club (other than Kelma).

It says there's not a single player of any age that wants to join us.

There is not a lot around atm.

That's just not true and a massive copout. There's hundreds of players potentially available. We'd be far better off promoting Etu Lui, Israel Ogden or evn Logen Dillion given Laurie is out. Get them in the bubble asap!

Or target a star from another clubs Flegg squad. They're not playing for them, so being released to an NRL deal would be highly probable. We've got to be exploring all avenues. If they wont do it give me a job! Sure the kids aren't match fit but there's more long term value getting them training with the nrl squad now and this will help us next season, if not sooner. Promoting Tuilagi, Cooper etc achieves absolutley nothing and is completely pointless.

Such a good suggestion. We have talent that we can bring through from Flegg who actually have shown they want to win and do anything to be part of the club. All this rubbish that we'd be throwing them to the wolves etc. You either step up and learn or maybe you can't cut it - only one way to find out.

In reality, yes they will have had only half a season in 2 years (some of them 1.5 seasons from 2019) but they will be 22 next year - get them in the squad and get them training early if not for 2021 but for 2022.

Bulldogs and Broncos (Cowboys and Warriors also to a degree) are the template of what a team lacking necessary leadership looks like - and we're in the same boat. Atleast there are some world class players currently in or being added to their squads. We don't have this and depending on youth only decreases our ability to build a competitive enough team for the NRL.

It's why it's so easy for those teams to collectively collapse as they ultimately can't handle the demands of it and there's not enough experience to lead them out of trouble or model the correct behaviour.
There's also not enough composure, confidence and belief within the team.
Like others have pointed out, it helps form a unhealthy performance culture - with not many capable of distributing accountability in the side - and a losing culture. Can you imagine the Storm without the Bromwich brothers, Welch, Finucane, Kaufusi and NAS? It'd basically be sunshine Coast falcons. Or Roosters without JWH, Taukeiaho, Crichton or Tedesco.

Edit:Shouldn't be just saying them, as we have the exact same problem.

Yes ok - take your point but I would prefer not to give up. History shows that comps can be won from building from within and not just recruiting superstars. Some team called Manchester United was heavily criticised when they were told they would never win a comp with their juniors and without recruiting superstars from outside the club. They went onto to win many championships - average age 21 & 22 and built a dynasty!

Whilst I acknowledge this is very different, we shouldn't be waiting around hoping we can attract big name players before we promote or provide some opportunity to some of the most promising juniors around their early 20s. If anything they might inspire the older ones we have and gel into a finals if not winning combination.

It's not like we have much choice at the moment. A losing culture should never be an excuse for any promising youngsters.

If they have that attitude, they're not going to make it anyway.

Gee that Man U side seemed to have a few WHU players ....

 

[Muffstar]

Cotric deal isn't cold yet ?

@Trusted_Insider

I can't see it happening this year, the Bulldogs seem to have a miraculous salary cap.

Josh Dugan sounds like he could be a late bolter though. Trying for him and Ferguson to get the band back together in '22?

The two of them wouldn't even make a rubber band. No thanks.

Unless we are collecting plodders that is.

Agree mate if we get these 2 clowns, I'm done with this joint. Dugan is completely busted and Fergo has worse hands than Talau.

 

[tony soprano]

So does anyone know what happened to our last signing or upgrade to our 30 man squad for 2021

Not much doing until we get some real administrators in (sheens)


You really need to examine the last years under Sheens, that was when our cap was starting to get out of control.We started shedding players to stay under the cap.He was nothing special as an administrator despite what you think.

You are Not comparing apples with apples. Club had no money back then with less resources and support.

I found Gould's comments interesting.

Given our season tend to agree our board, ceo, Hartigan and madge don't have the experience to get it done. Look how the players, player managers and media have blown up in their faces they don't have the network or know how handle the situation.

https://twitter.com/wwos/status/1422173307663699974?s=19

Gould is 100% correct. Sheens has muscle memory and very connected. He has multiple former players as coaches and administrators. Connected with NSWRL, CRL we don’t have anyone with his boys. Our management is out of their depth.

Yeah surprisingly very insightful

 

[bigsiro]

Cotric deal isn't cold yet ?

@Trusted_Insider

I can't see it happening this year, the Bulldogs seem to have a miraculous salary cap.

Josh Dugan sounds like he could be a late bolter though. Trying for him and Ferguson to get the band back together in '22?

The two of them wouldn't even make a rubber band. No thanks.

Unless we are collecting plodders that is.

We already have the best collection!!

 

[Pascoes_barber]

Interesting hearing the perspective from someone that's actually achieved things in the game (Gus). Bit of a breath of fresh air from all the doom and gloom deathriding crap from the usual gutter press nobodies.

 

[voice_of_reason]

Interesting hearing the perspective from someone that's actually achieved things in the game (Gus). Bit of a breath of fresh air from all the doom and gloom deathriding crap from the usual gutter press nobodies.

Surprisingly balanced - sounds like he read my post from about 10 pages back 🙂

We're not as bad as some media would like to portray and there's a glimmer of hope. We need some patience to overcome the Cleary era and it was good to hear them explain the poor purchases which dumped us into salary cap problems.

It's clear we need a marquee player who is coming into their prime rather than beyond it. Someone to start the ball rolling and open the eyes of other players there's a future here.

Two or three players can change the team. The change in mindset of the rest will determine the success.

 

[Tigertragic83]

How's the form on the other commentators on the table? Was that chammas?

I think the opportunity that gets lost in here is Melbourne and roosters getting into a bidding war over Smith which I wouldn't want a part of. HOWEVER Harry Grant might feel very unsettled as I think he's actually a much better hooker than Smith.

Getting the signature of grant and lomax, along with Egan butcher and suddenly we look a lot more potemt

 

[jirskyr]

So does anyone know what happened to our last signing or upgrade to our 30 man squad for 2021

Not much doing until we get some real administrators in (sheens)


You really need to examine the last years under Sheens, that was when our cap was starting to get out of control.We started shedding players to stay under the cap.He was nothing special as an administrator despite what you think.

You are Not comparing apples with apples. Club had no money back then with less resources and support.

I found Gould's comments interesting.

Given our season tend to agree our board, ceo, Hartigan and madge don't have the experience to get it done. Look how the players, player managers and media have blown up in their faces they don't have the network or know how handle the situation.

https://twitter.com/wwos/status/1422173307663699974?s=19

That's not really what Gould said.

He said Tim Sheens is a smart signing. He said lots of folks inside an organisation have an opinion and think they can improve results, but no offence, you need experience and connections to make that work.

Gould did not specifically say current people at the club lacked those connections, he simply said Tim Sheens has them.

He said it's not as bad as it looks, but nor are the wins that good. He said Tigers are clearly not the worst team in the comp, not by a long shot, and probably 10 of the clubs are in the same situation of being way off the Top 6.

He said the team struggles under pressure, because they are young and don't have the top-end roster, and that's not about the coach that's about the individuals.

He said young coaches should not attempt rebuilds, he couldn't think of a situation where that works out (Chammas asked him about Cameron Ciraldo). Gallen asked him should Tigers throw "stupid money" to get that key pillar player, he said probably not, they already tried to buy experience and it backfired dramatically.

Was a pretty measured comment overall - in my favourite headspace of "moderation". It's not as bad as it looks, nor are the highs that good either. It's not as straightforward as one strategy or one obvious solution.

 

[Pascoes_barber]

How's the form on the other commentators on the table? Was that chammas?

Yes, shilling for Ciraldo. Which was promptly shut down.

 

[Mossman]

So Gus is Trent (young coach) the right fit for rebuilding your dogs??

 

[tiger_one]

So Gus is Trent (young coach) the right fit for rebuilding your dogs??

And why wasn't Gould asked by the panel?

 

[tony soprano]

So does anyone know what happened to our last signing or upgrade to our 30 man squad for 2021

Not much doing until we get some real administrators in (sheens)


You really need to examine the last years under Sheens, that was when our cap was starting to get out of control.We started shedding players to stay under the cap.He was nothing special as an administrator despite what you think.

You are Not comparing apples with apples. Club had no money back then with less resources and support.

I found Gould's comments interesting.

Given our season tend to agree our board, ceo, Hartigan and madge don't have the experience to get it done. Look how the players, player managers and media have blown up in their faces they don't have the network or know how handle the situation.

https://twitter.com/wwos/status/1422173307663699974?s=19

That's not really what Gould said.

He said Tim Sheens is a smart signing. He said lots of folks inside an organisation have an opinion and think they can improve results, but no offence, you need experience and connections to make that work.

Gould did not specifically say current people at the club lacked those connections, he simply said Tim Sheens has them.

He said it's not as bad as it looks, but nor are the wins that good. He said Tigers are clearly not the worst team in the comp, not by a long shot, and probably 10 of the clubs are in the same situation of being way off the Top 6.

He said the team struggles under pressure, because they are young and don't have the top-end roster, and that's not about the coach that's about the individuals.

He said young coaches should not attempt rebuilds, he couldn't think of a situation where that works out (Chammas asked him about Cameron Ciraldo). Gallen asked him should Tigers throw "stupid money" to get that key pillar player, he said probably not, they already tried to buy experience and it backfired dramatically.

Was a pretty measured comment overall - in my favourite headspace of "moderation". It's not as bad as it looks, nor are the highs that good either. It's not as straightforward as one strategy or one obvious solution.

The comment on how we buckle at the pressure playing teams outside the 8 interesting and our results certainly point to a correct theory. Could that be put down to a coaching issue?

 

[tony soprano]

So Gus is Trent (young coach) the right fit for rebuilding your dogs??

Good point

Answer No hence Gould's appointment

 

[voice_of_reason]

Gallen asked him should Tigers throw "stupid money" to get that key pillar player, he said probably not, they already tried to buy experience and it backfired dramatically.

To clarify, he said it backfired because we bought players well beyond their prime - Reynolds, Matalino, Tamou, Joey etc.

Paying overs for the wrong player is madness, paying overs for the right player is an investment. Ivan made some horrible choices.

 

[mike]

Gallen asked him should Tigers throw "stupid money" to get that key pillar player, he said probably not, they already tried to buy experience and it backfired dramatically.

To clarify, he said it backfired because we bought players well beyond their prime - Reynolds, Matalino, Tamou, Joey etc.

Paying overs for the wrong player is madness, paying overs for the right player is an investment. Ivan made some horrible choices.

But how do you determine who is the right or wrong player before you sign them?

 

[hsvjones]

So has the NRL updated if the deadline date has been pushed back or is it over already?
I think we are stuck with Mbye now with the injury to Laurie so hope we look at moving some salary forward to this year to help out next year now.

 

[tiger_one]

Gallen asked him should Tigers throw "stupid money" to get that key pillar player, he said probably not, they already tried to buy experience and it backfired dramatically.

To clarify, he said it backfired because we bought players well beyond their prime - Reynolds, Matalino, Tamou, Joey etc.

Paying overs for the wrong player is madness, paying overs for the right player is an investment. Ivan made some horrible choices.

But how do you determine who is the right or wrong player before you sign them?

I think Gould was saying that our player recruitment demonstrated players who were past their best, yet we paid premium dollars for them.
Poor/reckless/cap damaging choices.

 

[mike]

Gallen asked him should Tigers throw "stupid money" to get that key pillar player, he said probably not, they already tried to buy experience and it backfired dramatically.

To clarify, he said it backfired because we bought players well beyond their prime - Reynolds, Matalino, Tamou, Joey etc.

Paying overs for the wrong player is madness, paying overs for the right player is an investment. Ivan made some horrible choices.

But how do you determine who is the right or wrong player before you sign them?

I think Gould was saying that our player recruitment demonstrated players who were past their best, yet we paid premium dollars for them.
Poor/reckless/cap damaging choices.

Yeah I get that. The question is what process do you put in place so that you get the best bang for you buck and don’t make damaging choices?