Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

KingRobbie said:
It’s a tough one mate.

Missing out on Moses really hurt.

Our best halfback prospect coming through looks to be Alex Conti and he’s still years away (if he ever makes it).

I think we have to go for a highly touted junior like O’Neill, Sanders etc. or push for a NRL (or Super League) contracted player to get a release.

Isn’t much available on the market at all unfortunately.
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Doesn't Conti prefer union to league?
No guarantees there hey.

Not too many talented junior halves around.
That Karl kid that came down to the dogs looks way off becoming a first grade star.
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
Can see the announcement now, week after the NRL GF, Wests Tigers sign Mitchell Pearce for 2024 alongside future star (one of Ethan Sanders/Joseph O'Neill/Oliver Lawry as a roughie) in top 30. Pearce then to move into a halves coaching role in 25. Brandon Wakeham extended for one season as depth.

PS. Hopefully the club gets to see Oliver Lawry in Flegg this season. I believe he sustained a shoulder injury in about Rd 2/3 of Ball.
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2024 halves announcent would be better sooner rather than later
 
KingRobbie said:
In the NRL games I’ve seen him play, he hasn’t impressed.

It’s also very rare that a 24-year-old who’s barely played NRL becomes a quality first-grade player.

Like I said, I think he’s at the Wakeham level of quality.
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Players such as Cody Walker and Jerome Hughes didn’t start playing NRL until age 24 or later, so I don’t think being around 24, even 25 or 26 and haven’t yet played any/or much NRL is a major concern, BUT the ones such as Cody and Jerome always showed individual brilliance and were regularly starring at Qld Cup level.
I’ve seen a bit of Joseph O’Neill play over the past few years, he looked like being a superstar a few seasons back, but has since stalled a little. He seems a more structured halfback, than he is individually brilliant. The good halves now really need some type of individual brilliance to threaten to make line breaks themselves, otherwise you end up with players such as Kyle Flanagan, Hastings and I think Joseph O’Neill, Dean Hawkins and Kurt Falls are others who fall into that same criteria.
Then you have others who are quick off the mark and strong, but not a lot of creativity aside from those strengths such as Dylan Brown. I believe Ethan Sanders and Ronald Volkman fit into that bracket. Very handy players if you have a dominant creative halve in the team alongside of them.
In Wests Tigers case we obviously need halves who are the full package with plenty of X-Factor to come with it.
Two players not currently being selected in their clubs NRL sides are Jayden Sulllivan and Braydon Trindall who are by far the best attacking halves anywhere outside of the NRL. No NRL team would have trouble scoring points and making line breaks with these 2 as their halves. I realise both are contracted to their current clubs for the next couple of seasons, but both have seemingly re-signed hastily and I doubt either of them would be on any more than 200k tops, where they could both now potentially earn double that, possibly more on the open market with the lack of quality halves.
 
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supercoach said:
Been on the road touring Europe for over 5 weeks with a couple more to go. In that time we have not won a game, we had a lucky win against the bye and have not been linked or signed a soul. Except a ageing no9 on a reserve grade contract.

We are a spineless club minus API so nothing is ever going to change till this is rectified. Ok young Bulla looks to have a future but with no 6 or 7 to help him, he will be doing tuff.

I guess I am lucky being over here..keep the banter going I enjoy the read
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Safe travels champion @supercoach.
We'll keep on our local Tigers journey too - lots of learnings and passion still in play.
 
BalmainJnr said:
He gives me Jake Mullaney vibes.
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Taafe and Connor Tracey are 2 who play with extreme high energy, always give 100% and both would be valuable to a struggling team such as Wests Tigers, but both have little to no idea on playing with structure, so not much good to us as a 7, it would be similar to how Brooks plays.
Both could be very good for us as a 6 or a 1 ONLY if we find a good structured type of 7.
 
king_sirro said:
The 13 is a big issue isn't? We looked great last year when we had a ball playing 13. I'm confused why Sheens has gone away from this plan. If Hastings stayed, that's what he would have done, so why change the approach?
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In fairness Hastings wasn't interested in this role. That said we could easily put Api Koroisau there and switch between him and Simpkin.
king_sirro said:
A 3rd front rower just doesn't work for our halves, so IMO it's a no brainer to get in a 13 that helps them.
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Totally agreed. We have gone a muscle bench and it's not working. Yes we need to defend but we don't have the backline speed to play sheensball.
king_sirro said:
Seyfarth is used completely wrong by Sheens. He is a good ball player, has a really nice ability to engage the line and link with other forwards or out the back to the halves. He isn't a big go forward type, he is a ball player who will play tough, massive motor and will tackle everything. He and Matamua are the obvious "link man" type to throw in.
The other other option is to start with Bateman at lock. He won't play that traditional link role, he plays high energy unpredictable footy that opens up space to play off for our halves.

It's interesting that we seem to attack better once Bateman moves into the middle, but for some reason Sheens can't see this and waits 30 minutes before making the move.
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totally agreed.
 
I think if we were somehow able to secure Connor Tracey to play five eighth it would be an excellent get. As others have said, he plays with energy, self belief and commitment and possesses a fair bit of flair. Finding a genuine, organising halfback is more difficult. I can only recall snippets of Trindall and Volkmann. Can someone enlighten me on what they possess or could bring? Anyone would be better than Brooks and, is therefore, worth giving a shot. Of course, besides finding a suitable player, who is moveable, we have to find someone who wants to come to our shambolic organisation.
 
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rusted-on said:
They had people on that spoke some nonsense, no different to any other network, and they settled because they didn't want their talent to have to testify in court. There is a 2 tiered justice system in the US, anyone looking at it objectively can see that. Sorry to talk BS politics, you did bring it up though 😉
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Correct. Those that pay Clarence Thomas and those that don’t.
 
One real downside of our continuing lack of success is that we stand a good chance of losing Api Korisau after 2024 when, as I understand it, any continuation of his deal relies on him exercising a mutual option. No one could blame him if he just walked away. Even in his early 30's there'll be a conga line of clubs at his agents door as soon as they can make him an offer and until we start winning a few, I can't see him even talking about any extension of his current deal. This is one guy we can't afford to lose.
 
Curaeus said:
One real downside of our continuing lack of success is that we stand a good chance of losing Api Korisau after 2024 when, as I understand it, any continuation of his deal relies on him exercising a mutual option. No one could blame him if he just walked away. Even in his early 30's there'll be a conga line of clubs at his agents door as soon as they can make him an offer and until we start winning a few, I can't see him even talking about any extension of his current deal. This is one guy we can't afford to lose.
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Except he is the club captain so may feel a sense of duty & obligation especially if we are on the upward trend by then (which we should be).
 
Demps said:
Doesn't Conti prefer union to league?
No guarantees there hey.

Not too many talented junior halves around.
That Karl kid that came down to the dogs looks way off becoming a first grade star.
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Nope - plays both but Union is through school only. Grew up playing league. He is junior rep level for both.

He has very good match awareness, kicking game and fairly mature management skills.
 
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