Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Bus 2 Terrigal said:
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.
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the Roosters don't have juniors neither do Melbourne doesn't stop good young players wanting to play for them out of local area
Southwest will still have 4 or 6 games a year and hopefully the junior academy based at campbletown too
The club can cement inner west and kill off the dogs footprint and still keep Southwest
 
Demps said:
Talks of Kikau backslapping?

Only signed with the dogs cos his Penrith mates were there and wanted to be coached by Baz...

Got some mates at the Tigers now.

Would the big cat look good in a Tigers jersey?
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Based on his form so far this yr Id say yes. Kiks and Paps would be a big, mobile back row
 
WT2K said:
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.
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Not making our Top 17 regularly and his performances when he gets a chance are ok only. A player that I don't think we will be going out of our way to retain. Showed a lot of promise early, but haven't seen enough since.
 
Kelce68 said:
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.
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I didn't say he was from Balmain. I think everyone knows very well that Nofo is from the Magpies system. What I said "all-Tigers junior", and that encompasses both feeder districts. Adam Doueihi is as equally an all-Wests junior, if that's the word you choose.

Also I didn't say local pride means nothing. I said that the concept of a kid aspiring to play for the "local first grade side" is mostly dead. I definitely agree to your point that parochialism can be significant, and arguably more so in country towns, i.e. local derbies.

But I believe that pride in the local district, if it exists to some degree, is almost entirely independent of specific loyalty to a first-grade club for a boy in his teenage years. They will be loyal to whomever pays them well and offers opportunity and an enjoyable workplace condition.
 
jirskyr said:
I didn't say he was from Balmain. I think everyone knows very well that Nofo is from the Magpies system. What I said "all-Tigers junior", and that encompasses both feeder districts. Adam Doueihi is as equally an all-Wests junior, if that's the word you choose.

Also I didn't say local pride means nothing. I said that the concept of a kid aspiring to play for the "local first grade side" is mostly dead. I definitely agree to your point that parochialism can be significant, and arguably more so in country towns, i.e. local derbies.

But I believe that pride in the local district, if it exists to some degree, is almost entirely independent of specific loyalty to a first-grade club for a boy in his teenage years. They will be loyal to whomever pays them well and offers opportunity and an enjoyable workplace condition.
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Ah, I've misinterpreted that then, sorry mate.

They will be loyal to whomever pays them well and offers opportunity and an enjoyable workplace condition.

Hard to argue with that, definitely.
 
Bus 2 Terrigal said:
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.
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Like I said, I don't believe "local connections" to first-grade clubs are common any more. That's an out-dated concept for a modern teenager.

It's got nothing to do with specific Tigers neglect (or not - let's not open up an argument about whether or not Tigers are actually neglecting the area).

It's very easy to prove this just by a quick survey of clubs.

Who is the Bulldog's most prominent current player? Well he's from Dubbo via Penrith. Who is the Roosters #1 player? He's a Magpies junior. Melbourne's Top 3 players, no matter how you dice it, are not from Melbourne. Titan's biggest-name signings are from Brisbane (Fifita) and Orange (Fa'asuamaleaui).

Tiger's best player is Stefano (from Parramatta) and the guy currently turning everything around (Hastings) is from Wollongong. You would have a point if you identified Doueihi as Tigers' best - an actual local junior.

Shark's star imports in 2022 are from Central Coast (Hynes) and Bega (Finucane). The Dragon's #1 paid player is from Queensland. Warrior's dynamic young fullback is also from Queensland. So is the Raiders' #1 representative prop. Jack Wighton is from Orange. Cody Walker was born in Nowra and went to school in QLD. Payne Haas is from NSW and the Broncos are experiencing a resurgence under a former Rabbitoh halfback. The Knights star fullback is a Kiwi via Townsville. The Eels halfback is a Balmain junior and their fullback is a Manly junior. The Cowboys million-dollar lock is a Tongan/Kiwi.

I can only really think about 2 current examples of truly localised players / groups. First is Manly and the Turbo brothers - legitimate family local dynasty. Though, I would argue if any other club picked up Tom and Jake as a young pair, they would be equally as wedded to that club.

Second example is Penrith. You can fairly argue that they are a very local very tribal group. However in my opinion that is somewhat separate from a specific loyalty to the Panthers and arguably unique amongst NRL clubs. My opinion is also that guys like Nathan Cleary are more loyal to their mates before the club, and Penrith have the fortune of having a boom group of juniors all presenting and playing together at the same time, not being picked apart by other clubs.

Even still - Nathan Cleary began playing rugby league in New Zealand at the age of 13 and might not still be at the club if Panthers didn't bring his Dad back. Their star backrower is a Fijian brought into the NRL via North Queensland. Their #1 prop is a Kiwi. Their representative lock is from Dubbo and the son of a former Tigers/Bears player. Api Koroisau is a Berala Bear originally signed by the Rabbits.
 
given the changes made to loading I wouldn't mind us looking at Hetherington. isn't as much of a risk to spend time off the field and we need an enforcer. comes down to financials and whether he fits in the roster, but I reckon he'd kill it under Madge.
 
GCfan said:
Gus often talks up Brooksy and says things like “maybe the Wests Tigers is the wrong club for Luke right now”. Who knows it might be a Burton for Brooks swap??
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It's an interesting one.
Issue would be salary, Brooks for this/next year is on alot more than Burton.
 
Wests Tigers are considering making a massive play for Sydney Roosters and NSW State of Origin forward Angus Crichton.
The Daily Telegraph understands Crichton and Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire have a close friendship from their days together at South Sydney.

Off contract after this year, Crichton has agreed to a two-year extension at the Sydney Roosters but the contract hasn’t yet been signed or registered with the NRL.

From the daily telegraph
 
TigerSkins said:
Ummm .. if I was Thomas Mikaele .. i'd be asking myself where would i like to live .. ?? Ferkin cold Warrington .. or sunny warm Redcliffe .. ??
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He's only 24, might be good to get out and see some of the world, plus I reckon he'll be looking at more coin and longer term from Warrington than he'd get from Redcliffe. Anyway, good luck to him if he goes. I had hoped and thought he would kick on more than he has so far based on his early performances.
 
DALLAS68 said:
Wests Tigers are considering making a massive play for Sydney Roosters and NSW State of Origin forward Angus Crichton.
The Daily Telegraph understands Crichton and Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire have a close friendship from their days together at South Sydney.

Off contract after this year, Crichton has agreed to a two-year extension at the Sydney Roosters but the contract hasn’t yet been signed or registered with the NRL.

From the daily telegraph
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took em long enough. afternoon Telegraph staff writers, nice of you to join us.
 
Wests Tigers are considering making a massive play for Sydney Roosters and NSW State of Origin forward Angus Crichton.

The Daily Telegraph understands Crichton and Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire have a close friendship from their days together at South Sydney.

Off contract after this year, Crichton has agreed to a two-year extension at the Sydney Roosters but the contract hasn’t yet been signed or registered with the NRL.

Wests Tigers have spoken internally about approaching Crichton, although no offer has yet been lodged. Other cashed-up NRL clubs are also interested in Crichton.

Should he sign at Concord, Crichton would join Parramatta’s Isaiah Papali’i in a dynamic Wests Tigers’ back-row with Penrith’s Api Koroisau at dummy half.

It is anticipated Crichton could attract a three-year deal worth between $2.1 million and $2.4 million.

There appears little doubt Wests Tigers will pursue Crichton with vigour, although sources close to the club are denying any formal contact has yet been made.

The Tigers are in desperate need of some heavy-hitting forwards after losing Kelma Tuilagi to Manly, Luke Garner to Penrith and Luciano Leilua to North Queensland for 2023.

Wests Tigers have the money to go after Crichton, who has represented NSW over the past four State of Origin series. The club privately fears being out-bid by rivals for Crichton.

Maguire has a history with Crichton, luring him back from rugby union to Souths in late 2014 and then giving the star forward his NRL debut in 2016.

The Tigers coach also has a strong bond with the Crichton family.

There was a suggestion the Roosters offer involved a chunky pay cut to free up some salary cap cash to sign Storm star Brandon Smith.

Crichton, 26, has endured a largely inconsistent season but there are few more damaging edge forwards in rugby league when he’s firing.

Wests Tigers are privately saying they need to be chasing players of Crichton’s ability and big-match experience.

One former NRL coach said: “Angus would be just the player a club like Wests Tigers need. They need a player of his calibre — that’s the next step for Wests Tigers.

“The club has plenty of rising young players coming through but, for them to step up to the next level, they need players that have played at the highest level, players that have played rep footy. Imagine a Wests Tigers back-row of Crichton and Papali’i.”

Crichton has been linked to a return to rugby union – the code he played when a student at Scots College, Sydney. He is a former Australian Schoolboy rugby union player.

Speaking recently with The Sunday Telegraph, Crichton’s manager David Rawlings was coy about his client’s future, only saying: “We don’t do business and play it out in the media.”

Crichton will play a key role for the Roosters on Saturday night’s big match against Penrith at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
 
Coastie_Tiger said:
Mikaele has hands like feet and is an extremely frustrating player, never kicked on wasted roster spot imo no loss.
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His hands have improved in a large way over the off season & now has a very low error rate.

In saying that for a unit his size he should be running with more power/direct = larger post contact meters. I have never understood this from him, it's like he is worried about the body contact/playing injured alot.

Think he could dominate over in the ESL and really grow as a player over there.
Shame as he has some talent.
 
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