Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tiger_Yoshi]

I'm not looking for words of comfort from forum members but I can't recall being at a lower ebb in terms of how I feel about this football club. I've followed Wests and Wests Tigers since 1960 and have seen plenty of lows and the odd high. I recall feeling quite low just prior to the merger but getting a boost from the thought of two old clubs with great histories and similar cultures coming together to form a new club that would take the best from both clubs. The truth is WT are nothing like either the old Balmain or Wests.
Fast forward to 2023 and things have never been worse. We are headed towards the second successive spoon. We find it very difficult to sign quality players. Our administration and leadership is woeful and appears to be locked in place. Our ownership seems totally disinterested in bringing about the type of change we need to get us out of this rut.
The only plus is we have a few juniors coming through who show huge potential. But I've seen two things happen to quality juniors over the years - either they don't go on with it, which happens quite a lot, or they get poached by the bigger and stronger clubs, which we have seen happen to us so many times.
We need change and we need it now.

Not only do we need a change at the top, we also need a wealthy benefactor like Laundy and Politis are to the Dogs and Roosters

 

[Tiger_Yoshi]

I think you have…

The decision to get rid of Hastings and go with Brooks as 7 ( which is not his best position) and pretty much now have to rely on Wakeham at 7 as our depth sucks has not turned out well…

Blind Freddy could see Hastings is a pure half, Brooks a running 5/8 and Doueihi is a centre or lock… Benji and Farah surely should have realised playing with Brooks he isn’t a halfback…. But no the coaches were deadset on a brooks and doueihi halves combo and thus pushed Hastings out… I am certain we would’ve had more than 3 wins with a Hastings/Brooks halves and Doueihi in the centres combination… I blame sheens for this

 

[bptiger 0]

Not only do we need a change at the top, we also need a wealthy benefactor like Laundy and Politis are to the Dogs and Roosters

Well laundry was a die in heart a tigers supporter but from stories going around we never hit him up as a sponsor, so another black mark for our management

 

[jadtiger]

Not only do we need a change at the top, we also need a wealthy benefactor like Laundy and Politis are to the Dogs and Roosters

The really sad part of all of this is the fact that Laundy should be backing us not the dogs because he is a Tigers supporter from way back.I am not sure why this has not eventuated but i certainly have my suspicions

 

[jadtiger]

Well laundry was a die in heart a tigers supporter but from stories going around we never hit him up as a sponsor, so another black mark for our management

You beat me to it

 

[tigertuff]

Our kids are so far of 1st grade that must of us will never see finals again . Our biggest problem is we let players leave without having anyone else to replace them , there is so many young gun players sitting behind players who will be there for years , so all I can see we aren’t trying to get these players to jump ship

Alot of our kids are already playing first grade ie Pole, Toupu, Talyn, Bula. There is another batch coming through behind them. We all just need to be patient with them.

 

[tiger05premier]

Well laundry was a die in heart a tigers supporter but from stories going around we never hit him up as a sponsor, so another black mark for our management

He probably offered but got knocked back by the club

We are dumb enough to do that

 

[king_sirro]

Alot of our kids are already playing first grade ie Pole, Toupu, Talyn, Bula. There is another batch coming through behind them. We all just need to be patient with them.

We need to get TDS, Bula, Galvin, Kit Laulilii and Large all in a room together. Sit them down and convince them that they are the future spine of the club that can turn us around long term if they stick together at the Tigers.

We can't lose those 4.

 

[jrtiger]

We need to get TDS, Bula, Galvin, Kit Laulilii and Large all in a room together. Sit them down and convince them that they are the future spine of the club that can turn us around long term if they stick together at the Tigers.

We can't lose those 4.

there is a general consensus amongst the Wests boys that they want to "do a Penrith," implying that they want to stay together and build a premiership winning side. couple that with the fact that the large majority of the guns (including the players you mentioned) have been locked up long term, and that will certainly help us into the future.

they can't do it on their own though. we need experienced, toughened first graders who can show them the way and assist them in showing them how to win and play consistent week to week footy. this is why an experienced half is so important for these next couple of years.

also, Galvin will be a backrower. club has identified him as such and that will be where he ends up. there is a chance he may do a Wade Graham or a Matterson, who starts off at 6 and then shifts to an edge, but that is the plan. that may slow his path to first grade further as he's 80 kilos wringing wet.

Onitoni could easily play halfback or 5/8, he's genuinely that good, but I think Alex Conti is the most natural halfback in the pathways and moving Onitoni outside him will be of a benefit to both of them, pending of course they remain on their current trajectories. Alex definitely has some growing to do, hopeful he's doing a preseason later this year.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

there is a general consensus amongst the Wests boys that they want to "do a Penrith," implying that they want to stay together and build a premiership winning side. couple that with the fact that the large majority of the guns (including the players you mentioned) have been locked up long term, and that will certainly help us into the future.

they can't do it on their own though. we need experienced, toughened first graders who can show them the way and assist them in showing them how to win and play consistent week to week footy. this is why an experienced half is so important for these next couple of years.

also, Galvin will be a backrower. club has identified him as such and that will be where he ends up. there is a chance he may do a Wade Graham or a Matterson, who starts off at 6 and then shifts to an edge, but that is the plan. that may slow his path to first grade further as he's 80 kilos wringing wet.

Onitoni could easily play halfback or 5/8, he's genuinely that good, but I think Alex Conti is the most natural halfback in the pathways and moving Onitoni outside him will be of a benefit to both of them, pending of course they remain on their current trajectories. Alex definitely has some growing to do, hopeful he's doing a preseason later this year.

I just hope they haven't pigeonholed Galvin as a backrower because his height. He has great football instincts and I would like to see him given every chance to succeed in his natural position being both a ball player & runner able to roam.

 

[Canberratiger]

there is a general consensus amongst the Wests boys that they want to "do a Penrith," implying that they want to stay together and build a premiership winning side. couple that with the fact that the large majority of the guns (including the players you mentioned) have been locked up long term, and that will certainly help us into the future.

they can't do it on their own though. we need experienced, toughened first graders who can show them the way and assist them in showing them how to win and play consistent week to week footy. this is why an experienced half is so important for these next couple of years.

also, Galvin will be a backrower. club has identified him as such and that will be where he ends up. there is a chance he may do a Wade Graham or a Matterson, who starts off at 6 and then shifts to an edge, but that is the plan. that may slow his path to first grade further as he's 80 kilos wringing wet.

Onitoni could easily play halfback or 5/8, he's genuinely that good, but I think Alex Conti is the most natural halfback in the pathways and moving Onitoni outside him will be of a benefit to both of them, pending of course they remain on their current trajectories. Alex definitely has some growing to do, hopeful he's doing a preseason later this year.

What year/s do you reckon we will see them coming through to first grade?

 

[twentyforty]

Well laundry was a die in heart a tigers supporter but from stories going around we never hit him up as a sponsor, so another black mark for our management

He was and probably still is a good pal of Sheens. But we sacked Sheens and dismantled the pathways program.

 

[liltiger]

Pretty sure it was Biden, they found them in Pascos garage. 😄

 

[liltiger]

Well laundry was a die in heart a tigers supporter but from stories going around we never hit him up as a sponsor, so another black mark for our management

This boggles my mind, if I was wealthy and the Tigers never hit me up for a sponsorship I still wouldn't do bugger all for any of the other teams. How could I call myself a Wests Tigers supporter yet pump massive resources into other teams. Like Lee, he is our chair and major sponsor, but also is a minor sponsor for other clubs aswell. All that cash should be left with us not helping other teams.

 

[tigertragic]

Alot of our kids are already playing first grade ie Pole, Toupu, Talyn, Bula. There is another batch coming through behind them. We all just need to be patient with them.

Will they be patient with the tigers is the question

 

[Le Tiger]

We need to get TDS, Bula, Galvin, Kit Laulilii and Large all in a room together. Sit them down and convince them that they are the future spine of the club that can turn us around long term if they stick together at the Tigers.

We can't lose those 4.

We need to do a Penrith really.

They brought in Wallace and Soward who were both unwanted by their clubs but had experience.

We should be focusing on low cost half options with experience and then building the backs and forwards with the extra cap space while we develop our kids.

Personally not a fan of Fainu as he will be 2-3 years away from a consistent first grader. If we believe we have the future spine in the pathways let's commit to them, not sign another rookie half when we really need experienced 2-3 year stop gaps.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Croft is as good a 7 as Brooks

lol haha too funny

 

[jrtiger]

I just hope they haven't pigeonholed Galvin as a backrower because his height. He has great football instincts and I would like to see him given every chance to succeed in his natural position being both a ball player & runner able to roam.

nothing will change too much in terms of his skillset if he moves to the back row. he'll still be able to kick and pass, but will also be able to play as a decoy up on the ad line or hit holes at pace. his most underrated attribute is his attacking kick chase, he is like Nanai in that regard. always in the frame.

in a team coached by Tim Sheens and Benji Marshall, they will play to his strengths. yes it may park him on an edge, but could you imagine a left edge in a few years of Large, Galvin, Makasini and Tupou with Bula sweeping around the back? that's enough to make me salivate.