Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

You Know Who said:
Linebreaks and setting up tries?? He’s a second rower, you absolute moron.

You know who should be setting up tries and linebreaks? Your pet dwarf, Brooks, but you’re too thick to know what actually goes on in an NRL game.

Just sit down, be quiet and let the fully functioning adults talk league.
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Funny how the edge back rowers for every other NRL team, particularly the successful teams are a major part of their attack.
Regularly running onto the ball at speed making half breaks and offload or line breaks that lead to try scoring opportunities and tries.
Souths, Penrith and Parramatta in particular regularly create space with their edge forwards running hard lines which allow space outside them even when used as a decoy.
All the good teams don’t just leave it up to their halves to create something without their team mates, particular edge forwards being a major part of it.
Very rarely happens for Wests Tigers, so
before commenting watch other successful teams play and you might get the picture on part of the reason we are running last.
Only an imbecile would blame Brooks over the past 6-8 games in particular, funny how the team scored 66 points off the back of him causing the chaos for the Cowboys, we went well without him.
Maybe you are happy with your team running last.
 
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Vicious said:
Just stating facts that many are blinded by.
I’m sure many posting here are stuck back in the 1980’s with the belief that second rowers are just tackling machines and stat hunters with no real impact required.
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You are right and I accept Bateman isn't a rampaging back rower ala Luciano for instance but I still think he offers plenty. He just isn't that sort of player.
 
I'm hoping that the coaching staff know this year is another transition year in the roster and the aim is to recruit experience & depth in the halves, physicality in the forwards and game IQ & heart in all.

These are the guys off-contract likely to depart:
Daine Laurie, Tommy Talau, Tuki Simpkins, Lomi Saukuru

Off contract with a possible minimum 1-year contract:
Brandon Wakeham, Alex Seyfarth

Off-contract & good chance being retained for 2+ years:
Charlie Staines, Luke Brooks

On-contract for 1 more season with value to other clubs:
Jake Simpkin, AJ Kepaoa, Shawn Blore

On-contract for 2 more seasons reportedly being shopped:
David Nofoaluma

My early opinion on who won't be in our top 30 next season:
1 Daine Laurie
2 Tommy Talau
3 Tuki Simpkins
4 Lomi Saukuru (I'd retain him on a NSW Cup contract due with his family involvement in club & possible late bloomer like Aitasi James)
5 Jake Simpkin (with his value, I think he'll be used in exchange for an on contract player we desire. Plus I think we'll upgrade Tallyn Da Silva to top 30, have Ngatakuira for one more season & possibly recruit a #14 utility - hooker/half)
6 AJ Kepaoa or Shawn Blore (with their value, likely used as an exchange. I'm hoping its Kepaoa as his body language & poor defensive reads are not what we need moving forward)
7 David Nofoaluma ( I do think his papers are stamped especially if Staines is retained)

So with 7 to go out, we know Josh Feledy & Brandon Mansfield are being upgraded from the Development squad and I'd be confident in Tallyn Da Silva coming straight into top 30. So that leaves 4 to come in.

1 Halfback
2 Utility - halves/hooker experienced
3 Middle Forward - impact, line speed, experience
4 Outside back - depth, speed

Though if we're talking with Frizell, it may mean another player's papers have been stamped (i.e. Seyfarth).

Thoughts?
 
Vicious said:
Vicious said:
Funny how the edge back rowers for every other NRL team, particularly the successful teams are a major part of their attack.
Regularly running onto the ball at speed making half breaks and offload or line breaks that lead to try scoring opportunities and tries.
Souths, Penrith and Parramatta in particular regularly create space with their edge forwards running hard lines which allow space outside them even when used as a decoy.
All the good teams don’t just leave it up to their halves to create something without their team mates, particular edge forwards being a major part of it.
Very rarely happens for Wests Tigers, so
before commenting watch other successful teams play and you might get the picture on part of the reason we are running last.
Only an imbecile would blame Brooks over the past 6-8 games in particular, funny how the team scored 66 points off the back of him causing the chaos for the Cowboys, we went well without him.
Maybe you are happy with your team running last.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
On the weekend, in a losing game, our second rowers and lock did the following:

Papali'i - 192m, 1 line break, 6 tackle breaks, 41 tackles @ 91%
Blore - 151m, 2 line breaks, 4 tackle breaks, 34 tackles @ 94%
Bateman - 116m, 52 tackles @ 93%

You need to go for a HIA.
 
earl said:
Good write up but I figure Brooks is gone and we need to be focusing predominantly on halves especially stop gap measures that make sense and development players that could turn into quality players.
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Yeah if Brooks is gone that would be another half to come in & definitely one with experience, high IQ, long & short kicking game & game management.

If Staines signs elsewhere, Nofa is retained.
 
Vicious said:
Funny how the edge back rowers for every other NRL team, particularly the successful teams are a major part of their attack.
Regularly running onto the ball at speed making half breaks and offload or line breaks that lead to try scoring opportunities and tries.
Souths, Penrith and Parramatta in particular regularly create space with their edge forwards running hard lines which allow space outside them even when used as a decoy.
All the good teams don’t just leave it up to their halves to create something without their team mates, particular edge forwards being a major part of it.
Very rarely happens for Wests Tigers, so
before commenting watch other successful teams play and you might get the picture on part of the reason we are running last.
Only an imbecile would blame Brooks over the past 6-8 games in particular, funny how the team scored 66 points off the back of him causing the chaos for the Cowboys, we went well without him.
Maybe you are happy with your team running last.
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Brooks 🤓🤡
 
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18yo Latu Fainu could be a game changer for us not just with his ability & sublime skills and relationship with our 18yos from rep teams (Da Silva, Galvin, Saukuru, Mason etc) but the hope he would give the fanbase.

He has been earmarked as the future at Manly so I'm not sure how we get him from them even with Fulton.

What does everyone think Manly would accept for him (and they will want to save some face with their fanbase)? Is Blore & Simpkin enough??
 
crazycat said:
no no and NO.

We don't go for the "best halfback available?"

Long term son, Long term. Or longer term then "stop gap big pay halfback that will hide our development gaps". Sure if say a Johnson or a Pearce becomes available for 1 year and we have a vacancy, we can do it.

We need a PLAN. no more stop gaps.
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A pretty good plan is Hunt for 3 years and then our juniors will be ready for Grade but hey if you'd rather Pearce for one year have at it.
 
two weeks ago I could understand why Blore was potentially being shopped to rival clubs. now he should be well and truly off the table. he is beginning to repay the faith after all these years in the casualty ward. if we let him go we have completely lost the plot.
 
crazycat said:
no no and NO.

We don't go for the "best halfback available?"

Long term son, Long term. Or longer term then "stop gap big pay halfback that will hide our development gaps". Sure if say a Johnson or a Pearce becomes available for 1 year and we have a vacancy, we can do it.

We need a PLAN. no more stop gaps.
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But an elite halfback for 2-3 years would give our youngsters time to develop and not be rushed into first grade. It would most definitely be part of a plan.
 
Kelce68 said:
On the weekend, in a losing game, our second rowers and lock did the following:

Papali'i - 192m, 1 line break, 6 tackle breaks, 41 tackles @ 91%
Blore - 151m, 2 line breaks, 4 tackle breaks, 34 tackles @ 94%
Bateman - 116m, 52 tackles @ 93%

You need to go for a HIA.
Click to expand...
No problem with Papali’i. His stats have been good all season and he was undoubtedly our best player by a long margin on Saturday night.
All his ball carries are now starting to be with the same vigour as what they were while he was at the Eels.
Blore also showed glimpses of what he is capable of on Saturday night and I have never doubted his ability.
JB does well with his stats, but are his ball carries anywhere near as strong and does he threaten to break tackles or make line breaks anywhere near as often as the other two ?
He’s a tough nut and I was excited about him joining us based on his form when with the Raiders.
But was concerned with many reports saying his form when playing with Wigan was well below what he showed at the Raiders.
After 16 rounds, I don’t know how anyone can say his form is comparable to other NRL back rowers earning anywhere near what we are paying him, we are not getting value for money.
If we are the complete team minus our halves which many seem to believe, why are we not winning more games ?
Yes sub standard halves make it difficult, that didn’t stop the Roosters or Eels from winning on the weekend as all their team mates lifted and ensured the win with their halves keeping it very simple and not having to do anything special.
There are plenty of problem areas in any team with only 3 wins by round 16, not just the halves.
 
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If Hunt is desperate for an immediate release it’s not to go the tigers or other team in the bottom half of the ladder

It’s probably to Penrith for the rest of this year then another club from 2024 onwards .

Same thing happened with TPJ last year
 
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