Always maintained Laurie should be in the side and you have to ask if the blokes we have bought to play in a position that he can fill offer anything better. He has been managed poorly by the club this year and the playing group must be shaking their heads - why now?
Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion
- Thread starter MacDougall
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I think he would only be on a minimum wage at Penrith as he would be seen as a depth signing.
Happy once it becomes official.
hammertime
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Yeah, they signed him for 1 year only from memory. We could potentially keep him if we lock in for 2025, then neg with Penrith.
Coastie_Tiger
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I hope we're not trying to move Blore he's shown enough for me this season that he's worth persisting with, im not suggesting we run out and extend him immediately. I'd like to see him carry on his good showing until the end of the season and then into preseason, he's still under contract no rush on him i wouldnt imagine.
Seyfarth is a more difficult one for me to wrap my head around, we have lots of nothing players filling the top 30 next season, if we could shift some of them on i wouldnt be opposed to keeping him providing we dont have any better in the pipeline. He doesnt have a spot in the top 30 atm and its difficult to see where he fits right now.
Seyfarth is a more difficult one for me to wrap my head around, we have lots of nothing players filling the top 30 next season, if we could shift some of them on i wouldnt be opposed to keeping him providing we dont have any better in the pipeline. He doesnt have a spot in the top 30 atm and its difficult to see where he fits right now.
Fallen Angel
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Are we just ignoring all the losing this year?
pawsandclaws1
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The top 30 squeeze is unfortunate but the predatory clubs will poach the best juniors if the club does not do something . Also with the juniors you need to have a progression to the NR. I'm sure similar decisions are being made at others clubs and we will find out in time.
426Tlgerland
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He is up for grabs November 1 , and I feel he will get offers from others , get it done he is great of the bench and he was the one breaking the line yesterday , Edge or Prop he can do both
The Chad
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Agreed. The key is- don't lose the REALLY good ones. Some of the juniors probably will be brought along faster than ideal, but that's the realities of a Top 30 squad.
Feledy, Da Silva, Fa'agutu, Tumeth, Laulili'i x 2, Fainu x 2- would not be surprised if we see all of these guys in the game day team at some point.
Really need the likes of Matamua, Naden, Reilly, Blore, Kepaoa & possibly Rua to offer some genuine game-day selection options. Justification of their top 30 spot is essential, as the club needs to 'carry' a large portion of guys who are probably not quite ready. I can see the team losing both Aitasi James & Seyfarth due to roster spot availability. The onus SHOULDN'T be on the young guys up from Flegg etc, but on the carry-over Top 30 guys to step it up.
He gets death-ridden in here, but Doueihi's return could ease some of the outside back issues. Nofa, Staines, Tupou, Kepaoa & the babies need to give solid wing play. It's not like they CAN'T do it, but we need their investment. I think having halves creating a bit more might energise the squad as well. Hard to be 'up' when the tactic is generally 'break your face on their defensive line'.
Rua at #14 could be one of the more important developmental tasks. If we can get a guy on the bench who does MORE than back up Api, we get greater versatility & impact from the group. As it is, we play a 3 man rotation with 1 guy as a designated hitter (for baseball enthusiasts). Simpkin offers nothing except time waiting for Api to be fresh enough to come back on. He doesn't cover a back-row position, a middle position, outside back... Rua can play #13, which eases the 'need' to carry a Seyfarth/Matamua along with 2 middles & no wide running impact forwards. Having Samuela Fainu on the bench to run wide & create a little havoc for 10-15 minutes a game... far more impact than what we have seen this season.
jirskyr
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Laurie was injured for a decent period.
Sheens trained with Laurie in the halves during the pre-season, he kept mentioning it and I don't know how everyone has forgotten. You don't train a bloke all preseason if you have no intention of using him in that position.
When we signed Wakeham late, he was given first opportunity as the backup half, and Wakeham is a legitimate halfback, just not a very good one. Sheens gave Wakeham a decent shot and the first few weeks were alright (including the Penrith win) and then when it looked sensible to drop Wakeham, Laurie was not available.
weststigerman
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Sheens was quoted multiple times saying who he wanted as his halves. Laurie wasn’t mentioned. In fact, as soon as Staines got injured they moved Laurie back to fullback in NSW Cup which says it all.
For someone who’s only played 5/8 three or four times over the past 3 years, Laurie has been outstanding.
Penrith will be licking their lips knowing they have him back on a very low wage and likely they have him lined up to replace Luai as their starting NRL 5/8 in 2025 while some club likely to be us will pay Luai 1 million per season for a player no better than Laurie 🤷♂️
Penrith will be licking their lips knowing they have him back on a very low wage and likely they have him lined up to replace Luai as their starting NRL 5/8 in 2025 while some club likely to be us will pay Luai 1 million per season for a player no better than Laurie 🤷♂️
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hank37w
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I laugh at all these clowns that keep telling you that money can't buy happiness, but gee it could certainly provide a better standard of misery.And isn't it amazing how often people that have lots of $$$$$$$ say $$ aren't important.
Conversely, there's people like me that have very few $$ 🙁 and say $$$$$$$ are bloody important.
Luai no better than Laurie ? Really
Really.
There is no chance the Panthers will be willing to pay big money for Luai when they can have Laurie for a fraction of the price and allow them to keep more of their big name players.
Put Laurie at 5/8 in the current Panthers side and he looks as good if not better than Luai or Cody Walker.
If we confirm Sezer & Sullivan plus resign Staines. That's 30 of 30 spots taken.
We must release at least 3 players if not 4. Gotta be Simpkin, Ngatikaura, Mansfield & Nofoaluma.
Surely Simpkin & Ngatikaura get snapped up, there is a hooker shortage in the NRL & ESL.
Justin Olam should be a target & tall, athletic winger*.
2 x backs is all we need. Galvin fills the 4th half spot plus apparently Hawkins (Souths NSW Cup) has signed a train & trial with us.
Squad will be complete IMO.
1. Bula
2. Staines
3. Olam/To'a
4. Tupou (gets the other centre spot for me)
5. * (as above)/Naden
6. Sullivan
7. Sezer
8. Utoiukamanu
9. Korosaui
10. Klemmer
11. Papalii
12. Blore
13. Bateman
14. L. Fainu/Matamua
15. Twal
16. Pole
17. S. Fainu
18. Galvin/Kepaoa/Doueihi (when fit)
Tom Shines
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I dont see him being a good choice here … he has got limited pace… I would like to see him going the other way into the forwards… but doubt he has the toughness…
Most likely option next year… depth… or break glass in case of emergency if both the young halves aren’t coming along…
