Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Demps]

Outside backs need to be a priority.

Don't really rate anything we've got.
Except Young Tupou.

 

[PabloX]

There’s a difference between going to a club because you have mates and them “getting in their ear” and telling the player how they should come to the club. And it shouldn’t happen either. Can you imagine the fit if an opposition player got in Bula’s ear?

Isn't that exactly how we acquired Bula?

 

[CornerPost]

Toa is a depth player only. Anyone thinking he is consistent first grade material isn't shooting high enough.

Thinking he was the better of an average bunch.. Tass and another quality centre would be ideal

 

[PabloX]

I like the idea been run lately put large and Galvin at centre and with Feledy in the mix. Old flipper tupou can also be there if he gets his hands write?!
It’s good to have a player like large or Galvin cut their teeth in first grade without to much pressure. Once they establish themselves in first grade if their skills are up to it they can move to the halves. I like large but in lower grades if u have any vision they put u in the halves, doesn’t make u an automatic first grade half though!

Large hasn't turned 16 yet...

 

[earl]

We’ve often had decent juniors. The main issue is not our inability to keep them. It’s being able to properly develop/progress them.

I disagree. If they have the talent and are willing to work hard they will make it.

A better way to look at this is to provide a list of our juniors who are superstars and didn't look like becoming that here. I can't think of a single player who meets that criteria.

The question to me is are Galvin, Fainu's, Laulilii's etc good enough to become NRL stars. Then we have to keep them.

 

[PabloX]

Why don't we chase Marika Koroibete for a swan song

 

[earl]

Why don't we chase Marika Koroibete for a swan song

It's be awesome but I bet he could earn a lot more elsewhere.

 

[PabloX]

It's be awesome but I bet he could earn a lot more elsewhere.

So true. Hard to compete with the money on offer in Japan

 

[Kelce68]

I don’t partake in fantasy crap.
I’ll leave that to you guys.

😂

Oh dear.

 

[CornerPost]

It's be awesome but I bet he could earn a lot more elsewhere.

Hes got a Lucrative Japanese contract apparently

 

[Newtown]

Very well said.
If we are looking at a player approaching the prime of their career with the size, height and speed to be a potential match winner that we need, we would likely be looking at Tass or possibly Reims Smith from that list.
I believe we might be better off head hunting another young up and comer with the potential to be an elite outside back, Samuel Stonestreet from the Sharks.
Currently contracted until the end of 2025, but I’d say it would be a minimal contract that under sells his ability and also he is currently blocked for a regular NRL starting spot at the Sharks.
6”4 winger/centres who run the ball hard and have plenty of speed don’t grow on trees.

 

[Newtown]

"It’s difficult to predict the future, but Samuel Stonestreet has had a promising start to his NRL career. He has made 16 appearances and scored 13 tries in the 2023 season 1. Stonestreet is known for his impressive try-scoring exploits, strong work rate, and sizable frame 1. He was named the 2021 Junior Rep Player of the Year and has completed three pre-seasons with the first-grade squad before landing an NRL contract in 2023 1. He is considered a player to watch in the coming years" .

 

[2041]

😂

Oh dear.

The irony.
Fantasy = discussing signing players who are, or at least may be, on the market.
Reality = imagining different players are on the market, not knowing who any of them might be but still getting angry not only that we aren't signing them but that we haven't already signed them.
Loopers like that lad are one of the many, many reasons why I'm delighted I don't have to run a football club. Imagine having to converse with that at a club function.

 

[Needaname]

"It’s difficult to predict the future, but Samuel Stonestreet has had a promising start to his NRL career. He has made 16 appearances and scored 13 tries in the 2023 season 1. Stonestreet is known for his impressive try-scoring exploits, strong work rate, and sizable frame 1. He was named the 2021 Junior Rep Player of the Year and has completed three pre-seasons with the first-grade squad before landing an NRL contract in 2023 1. He is considered a player to watch in the coming years" .

Off contract?

 

[jojo]

View attachment 7007
Congrats to Onitoni Large (c) & Makasini making Waratahs U16.

Not surprisingly both were named in the Super Rugby team of the week.

 

[gregjm87]

Once more, as it stands right now, whenever someone is asked, 'OK, who should we go after and what would you offer them?', there is never a list of targets. It's far easier to speak in generalities than to be specific when it comes to bemoaning the current predicament of the squad.

For example, there is zero star power on the market for next year. That ship has sailed. And it was a relatively barren ship at that.

The only two names worth mentioning were Farnsworth (who has only continued to grow AFTER signing with the Dolphins) and Crichton. What exactly would it have taken to get Farnsworth to the Wests Tigers to play centre? And Crichton. Going to the dogs to play fullback, on $1 million-odd under his former coach and with several of his former tight-knit team mates. What exactly would it take to have got him here instead? 1.2? 1.4? Most definitely the fullback jersey, despite him being an out and out centre and which is now Bula's to keep.

Are these realistic targets? And even if they were, were we ever an option for them?

So, onto 2025 and (possibly) agitate for an early release, which is not the norm..

Firstly, Nov 1 is not for a month, so nothing official or otherwise should be happenning as of yet. Who's on that list that we must be chasing?

Unfortunately, again, there's not bucket loads.

At centre I've got Best, Taylan May and Isaiah Tass. On the wing Kiraz, Cotric and Reimis Smith.

In outside backs, the market doesn't exactly scream 'flush with freely available options'.

So, again, who exactly are these gigantic upgrades that we can target for the next couple of years? What will they cost and are they even a legitimate chance of entertaining Wests as a destination?

It may be, just perhaps, the reason the club has gone all in on junior development. Unequivocally the correct move, given the market scarcity, the rise in the salary cap and the current appeal of this club.

But, as always, there needs to be balance there in external recruitment, just not pie in the sky superstar chasing, especially when no one can name a legitimate target moving forward.

I agree with the premise of this post but Crichton is not on anywhere near a mil a season at Dogs and he has not been promised the fullback role. He has been told if he wins it in preseason he will get it. And for his part Crichton has always said he will do what is best for the team. Whether he is just repeating the old cliche or truly means it can be debated but everything reported about Crichton is that he has a team first mentality.

 

[Kelce68]

The irony.
Fantasy = discussing signing players who are, or at least may be, on the market.
Reality = imagining different players are on the market, not knowing who any of them might be but still getting angry not only that we aren't signing them but that we haven't already signed them.
Loopers like that lad are one of the many, many reasons why I'm delighted I don't have to run a football club. Imagine having to converse with that at a club function.

The combination of cognitive dissonance and misplaced anger at people trying to have a constructive conversation is as baffling as it is hilarious.

 

[Kelce68]

I agree with the premise of this post but Crichton is not on anywhere near a mil a season at Dogs and he has not been promised the fullback role. He has been told if he wins it in preseason he will get it. And for his part Crichton has always said he will do what is best for the team. Whether he is just repeating the old cliche or truly means it can be debated but everything reported about Crichton is that he has a team first mentality.

The reported value of his contract was quoted as 'in excess of 3.3 million over 4 years' which is in excess of 825k a year, so, likely a greater nominal value than 825k a year on average, which is at the very least approaching the million dollar mark in my eyes, but I take your point and can change it to 'a bit under a million'.

From what was reported, he will walk into that fullback jersey and his pay packet certainly supports that, but if what you've said about his attitude to fullback is true, then good on him. It's a shame more players in the modern game aren't as team first.

That's good to hear.

 

[gregjm87]

You’d think a solid first grade player like Taas isn’t gonna be happy to play Reggie’s next year + with Munro coming through doubt he would get extended, solid first grader that prob wouldn’t be on much coin… I could see him asking for a release

I personally don't really see Tass as a solid first grader. Outside of Rabbitohs i reckon he would look a fringie. Left centre at Rabbotohs is probably the easiest position in the game, Walker and Mitchell inside you and Johnston outside. You'd have to be proper shit to not look competent.
I too could see him asking for a release (if he does in fact lose his spot) but I'm far from convinced he would be an upgrade.

 

[gregjm87]

The reported value of his contract was quoted as 'in excess of 3.3 million over 4 years' which is in excess of 825k a year, so, likely a greater nominal value than 825k a year on average, which is at the very least approaching the million dollar mark in my eyes, but I take your point and can change it to 'a bit under a million'.

From what was reported, he will walk into that fullback jersey and his pay packet certainly supports that, but if what you've said about his attitude to fullback is true, then good on him. It's a shame more players in the modern game aren't as team first.

That's good to hear.

I'd have at least 150k a little more than a bit under a mil but its semantics really, and like I said largely agree with the you original post.
It was reported at the time that he would be fullback but as I said all the talk out of the dogs is that may not be the case.
Since his signing the dogs have let both their centres go (Alamoti, Averello) and signed a reserve grade premiership winning fullback who has had a bit of NRL experience (Taafe). Additionally, he has previously played left centre outside of their left backrow.
Whilst it wouldn't shock me to see him end up at fullback, I believe it is looking more likely he ends up at left centre at this stage.