Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[pawsandclaws1]

Whether this is true or not, why is it sad for south-west Sydney ? It’s sad for Wests Tigers. But I love to see the kids from Magpie land kick on and play in the NRL. Teddy, Jessie, Taniela Paseka, Sean Keppie, Trent Peoples etc ... brilliant.

As long as this club continues to let the world refer to them almost singularly as, “The Tigers” and wraps itself in Leichhardt Oval mythology, why would a talented kid like Miller feel any affinity to the club. He can’t play for his local NRL club because he doesn’t really have one.
The south-west of Sydney, the Magpie junior reps, they are a feeder club for the entire NRL, not the Tigers.

This stuff will keep happening while the Wests Tigers continue to try to be all things to a number of divergent regions. Grow a pair and base the club in Campbelltown (as was agreed in the joint venture discussions 22 years ago) and things will undoubtedly change.

Good luck to Jordan.
I for one will be cheering him on whichever colours he chooses to wear.

It is sad because we need more young players from the SW representing WTs. We have not engaged as well as we could with this area until recently with the new Pathways initiatives There is always room for improvement but imo the club will always represent Campbelltown/Macarthur region and the Inner-West. Let's get the COE built at Campbelltown similar to the one at Concord.

 

[jadtiger]

That’s correct but who are the Dogs going to sign?

Anybody and everybody and all on overs as per usual

 

[SeanT]

Has kade Dykes actually been signed?

 

[batboy]

We are beginning to feel like the Penrith Tigers. If my memory serves me correctly 6 of our current squad have played for Panthers. Blore and Laurie maybe juniors only.

Laurie
Naden
Roberts
Tamou
Peachey
Blore

Could be seven if Hetherington is signed.

I would chase Burton hard as he is something special and would play him at either Full-Back or Centre.

Maybe we could offer Trent Barrett a consulting gig at WT to work on our attack and that way he could keep the ex Panthers connection and may allow us to sign more ex Panthers.

Have we signed Kade Dykes from Sharks for 2023. Note he is 18th man for the Sharks this week.

Only Laurie and Blore came through there....
All the other mentioned have been in 3-4 other club systems.

Naden on his 5th.

 

[batboy]

I reckon Hethrington will head back to Canberra. He was pictured on raiders social media at the raiders 40 yr anniversary dinner last week and his dad was inducted into their hall of fame. I could never figure out why he wasn't at the raiders in the first place

Because he grew up in Newcastle probably...
Long way between Newy and Canberra and it ain't all just the miles

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

I reckon Hethrington will head back to Canberra. He was pictured on raiders social media at the raiders 40 yr anniversary dinner last week and his dad was inducted into their hall of fame. I could never figure out why he wasn't at the raiders in the first place

Hetherington to Raiders, Tapine to Tigers ... make it happen Madge/Sheens/Mcdonnell.

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

Wonder if Hetherington could be moulded into an edge backrower, apparently quite quick over a short distance seems to have the body type for it on the bigger end of the scale. Could be interesting to see if we are actually interested at all. His discipline is a concern same could be said about Mitch Barrnett but he wasnt short of suiters.

 

[jrtiger]

That’s correct but who are the Dogs going to sign?

Bulldogs only have Addo-Carr, Kikau, Mahoney, TPJ, King, Schoupp and Kiraz signed for 2024. that means 23 spots up for grabs. they are going to be massive players in the market come November 1. TPJ will most likely head for the exits as well which will free up another $750k.

 

[tony soprano]

Has kade Dykes actually been signed?

Who knows.

Pom said agreed to terms for 23.

Not sure if that means official for 23.

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal]

Sorry mate I'm not buying this. They leave for chances and money.

If Miller has left it's because the Dolphins offered him a massive contract for his age. They've taken a punt on him. He isn't going to knock them back because the Tigers aren't referred to more often as "Wests Tigers".

It's professional sport.

Of course that’s not the primary reason.
All I’m saying is the tribal pull of playing for your local club, right through to the NRL level is not a factor when it comes to kids from the south west.
Years of Wests Tigers neglect has seen to that.

 

[hsvjones]

Who knows.

Pom said agreed to terms for 23.

Not sure if that means official for 23.

I think if signed they would be holding off to see if we could get early but.... Now that we have picked up Naden maybe this year is out with no spots left.. If that's the case it would be good for the club to announce to fans.. I feel they have been a bit slack with updating fans the last 12 months in general.

 

[Tigerstigerstigers]

I think if signed they would be holding off to see if we could get early but.... Now that we have picked up Naden maybe this year is out with no spots left.. If that's the case it would be good for the club to announce to fans.. I feel they have been a bit slack with updating fans the last 12 months in general.

they can find a spot

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal]

I don't want to turn this into a Tigers/Magpies thing, but most, if not all kids born after the year 2000 don't have any affinity to either Balmain or Wests.

You’re missing the point.
This isn’t a Wests - Balmain thing.
It’s an issue of identity
Playing a few games in the area every season isn't good enough to instil any local connection.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Fitzgibbon is very big on keeping his squad together according to what I have heard from Sharks' supporters I know. I don't believe there is any chance he would agree to release Dykes especially with the suspensions of Kennedy and the centre.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

You’re missing the point.
This isn’t a Wests - Balmain thing.
It’s an issue of identity
Playing a few games in the area every season isn't good enough to instil any local connection.

It is the same for the Inner West as well. Perhaps we may see up to 6 at each venue next year which is a big improvement.

 

[WT2K]

From The Mole
The Tigers have all but lost giant prop Thomas Mikaele to English club Warrington for next season.

Wolves officials were at Magic Round last weekend and held talks with Mikaele's management.

The 24-year-old is off contract at season's end and the Tigers are keen to keep him.

Mikaele made his NRL debut for the club in 2019 and his best football is clearly still ahead of him.

But the Tigers will find it hard to match the three-year deal that Warrington has put to the Kiwi-born forward.

Warrington has been desperate to bolster its small pack for next season and has already signed one of the biggest men in the game - massive former Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano from Catalan.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

I reckon Hethrington will head back to Canberra. He was pictured on raiders social media at the raiders 40 yr anniversary dinner last week and his dad was inducted into their hall of fame. I could never figure out why he wasn't at the raiders in the first place

He can replace Tapine

 

[SeanT]

Yeah

Who knows.

Pom said agreed to terms for 23.

Not sure if that means official for 23.

Yeah that the question. Word of mouth agreement isn't official

 

[Kelce68]

Yeah Wests Tigers junior. That's exactly the point. Distinctions between Balmain and Magpies juniors is pointless. They are either Wests Tigers, or Wests, or Tigers juniors whatever name you choose.

Being a Magpies junior means nothing if you don't go on to play first grade for Wests Tigers, or play FG for someone else.

I was simply correcting the fact that we was originally from the Campbelltown system rather than Balmain as was stated.

Your point is valid.

That being said, people can still be proud of their region within a catchment at large, so I don't agree that it means nothing. For example, I played for the Sawtell Panthers and we despised the Coffs Harbour Comets, but we all played for the Group 2 or Mid North Coast rep sides. It was an important point however, that I wasn't mistaken for a Comet.

Trivial as it might seem, that's simply the counter-perspective.

 

[SeanT]

Eh hasn't kick

From The Mole
The Tigers have all but lost giant prop Thomas Mikaele to English club Warrington for next season.

Wolves officials were at Magic Round last weekend and held talks with Mikaele's management.

The 24-year-old is off contract at season's end and the Tigers are keen to keep him.

Mikaele made his NRL debut for the club in 2019 and his best football is clearly still ahead of him.

But the Tigers will find it hard to match the three-year deal that Warrington has put to the Kiwi-born forward.

Warrington has been desperate to bolster its small pack for next season and has already signed one of the biggest men in the game - massive former Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano from Catalan.

Eh hasn't kicked on. Decent depth but that's it