Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Merlot]

Tyran only played for about a dozen clubs during his career so Im surprised at these shenanigans

cried under payed as a player,would pick up a pen and correct the world (manage),didnt start well,had a stint with Rose(George n co) promotions ,way back

 

[Snidest 0]

Papalii is a definitely a good player, but struggled last season. Would gladly swap him for AFB, especially if Olakau'atu signed up.

I have no inside info, but think there could be something brewing with Olakau'atu. It seems very strange that he was offered a 7 year, 850k a season deal by Manly and he still hasnt accepted it. That type of money is life changing for anyone, let alone a kid who grew up poor in Western Sydney.

The offer was tendered to Haumole's manager while he is in the UK.....

A bit like the Tigers to Junior Tupou....

Nothing to see here until they return from tour!

 

[Snidest 0]

No WT players on the company website

Yep - we only get his development players at best

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

We signed him a year ago. Probably a centre, maybe a year or two off NRL.

Yeah recall that signed him but let him stay home to complete his schooling and play grade from wherever he was from. Smart move from us which at the time was surprising.

 

[Lachlan Galvin's #1 Fan]

How nice is it that for once it is not one of our star players agitating for a release? Say what you want about Benji's coaching so far, he certainly knows how to bring the boys together. There seems to be a good vibe going on. And we managed to somehow go the entire season without having a player tank for a release.

 

[Merlot]

Problem is AFB is a done deal at whatever club he will be released to!

Last time they played this crap at Manly - he was announced for the Warriors on a record amount within 24 hours of the release!

This is already a done deal - and Pascoe is out of town on his quarterly holiday so it is not with us!!

surely there's no doubt justin can headhunt in silence

 

[Snidest 0]

cried under payed as a player,would pick up a pen and correct the world (manage),didnt start well,had a stint with Rose(George n co) promotions ,way back

He is married to Anthony Mundine's sister Kellie - so the underpaid/undervalued mentality is strong with this one...

 

[tony soprano]

Yeah recall that signed him but let him stay home to complete his schooling and play grade from wherever he was from. Smart move from us which at the time was surprising.

In SG wests squad next swason

 

[Merlot]

He is married to Anthony Mundine's sister Kellie - so the underpaid/undervalued mentality is strong with this one...

his old man was an original WT player wasnt he?Jason Lowrie?

 

[craigtob]

Dragons sacked AFB, way back.

Wonder if he'd bother with them...
Not a club on the rise, imo.

Even with the addition of him, they still don't look that good.

Have heard that Souths will be putting in a very strong offer to get AFB.

 

[jmello]

Have heard that Souths will be putting in a very strong offer to get AFB.

Is it for $700k, registered as a centre and a pinky promise that he will play in that position for the 2024 season?

 

[AdelaideTiger]

How nice is it that for once it is not one of our star players agitating for a release? Say what you want about Benji's coaching so far, he certainly knows how to bring the boys together. There seems to be a good vibe going on. And we managed to somehow go the entire season without having a player tank for a release.

Remains to be seen, if Tupou re-signs without much drama, and we are able to get a decent centre without selling the farm, then I'll be a bit more optimistic

 

[Buttface]

Fullback/centre/five-eighth.

He’s 19 next year, so he’ll probably start in SG Ball.

So KR, if he hits the ground running and tears it up, how long into next season before we can pick him in first grade with a full house of 30? It’s about 10 games in for reserve grade, is fleg and ball the same?

 

[KingRobbie]

So KR, if he hits the ground running and tears it up, how long into next season before we can pick him in first grade with a full house of 30? It’s about 10 games in for reserve grade, is fleg and ball the same?

Yep, I think it's after Round 11 for anyone who's not NRL or Development.

 

[crazycat]

I am focusing here on your response re Kepaoa. “ But hasn’t got the basics right”.
He’s a bloody first grader , he should have had the basics right ten or more years ago !
Benji will go mental if he’s got players who don’t know or can’t complete, the basics.

I'm agreeing with you.

Even more so, when did Melbourne or Easts blood a new recruit that did not have "the basics right"?

Sam Turner, for his faults could steer a team at Halfback.
Jahrome Hugues got control of the team and lead them right.

Yet with the WT, We can't even get Wingers with first grade defense standards.
I get it, players have to learn and improve. I am fine with a rookie making some small mistakes.

We just can't blood people well for first grade.
We have to stop picking on "potential" or picking an entire team on Potential.

 

[2041]

Thanks @2041 - I do disagree with the analysis though (with full acknowledgement that you are not the author/analyst)

There are intangibles that are not reflected in "output" statistics that reflect the value of the $600K contract - especially when setting standards for a very young playing group.

Despite not being at his best and having a slow start to the season - I believe we are getting value for money with Isaiah!

Fair enough, though I should note that it's at least interesting that when people disagree with attempts to do objective analysis of players it always comes down to "intangibles" and the like - things that can't be objectively measured and thus can't be argued against. My personal view is that while I have no reason to think Papali'i isn't a great guy and a model professional, (a) it's pretty obvious that he didn't deliver much by way of outcomes on the field, (b) the fact that he plays in a secondary position and isn't an absolute freak physical impact machine like David Fifita means he didn't really have much chance of delivering a great deal, and (c) whatever the benefit of these leadership abilities it has to be mentioned that they weren't sufficient to raise anyone else's game to the extent that we didn't finish dead last again.

As I say, my point here isn't to bag Papali'i. It's just to note that we're one year into a three year deal for a guy who we signed as an 8/10 player but didn't give much opportunity to be anything more than a 5/10 player. That's not his fault, but it's also not money well spent - so far.

 

[2041]

I'm agreeing with you.

Even more so, when did Melbourne or Easts blood a new recruit that did not have "the basics right"?

Sam Turner, for his faults could steer a team at Halfback.
Jahrome Hugues got control of the team and lead them right.

Yet with the WT, We can't even get Wingers with first grade defense standards.
I get it, players have to learn and improve. I am fine with a rookie making some small mistakes.

We just can't blood people well for first grade.
We have to stop picking on "potential" or picking an entire team on Potential.

You mean Sam Walker. More to the point, you've picked more or less the worst example possible given the Roosters dropped Walker for an extended period largely because his defence was so terrible they thought he was more or less unplayable.

I don't fundamentally disagree with you, though. The difference is that when Melbourne have a player who is deficient in one area of the game they either learn to do it better or stop getting picked. Nofoaluma has played 198 games and still can't defend his position. If I could pick a single thing that the Tigers do worse than every other team in the comp it's improving players after they come into first grade. The amount of players we've had over the years who haven't "kicked on" is shameful - I don't know if it's because we are hopeless at identifying talent or at working with it, but either way until it gets fixed we're going nowhere.

In fact, just for a laugh I'll do a full team. These are players who either debuted with the Tigers or came to the club young enough that they might have been expected to have more development in them, then were either a flash in the pan, never did anything of any consequence, stagnated or fell well short of expectations.

1. Lolohea
2. Nofoaluma
3. Marsters
4. Talau
5. Kepaoa
6. Doueihi (or Laurie if you want to blame Doueihi's woes on injuries)
7. Brooks
8. Utoikamanu*
9. Liddle (or Simpkin)
10. Mikaele
11. Garner
12. Sironen
13. Tuilagi
* Not giving up on him yet, TBF.

 

[Canadian Club]

You mean Sam Walker. More to the point, you've picked more or less the worst example possible given the Roosters dropped Walker for an extended period largely because his defence was so terrible they thought he was more or less unplayable.

I don't fundamentally disagree with you, though. The difference is that when Melbourne have a player who is deficient in one area of the game they either learn to do it better or stop getting picked. Nofoaluma has played 198 games and still can't defend his position. If I could pick a single thing that the Tigers do worse than every other team in the comp it's improving players after they come into first grade. The amount of players we've had over the years who haven't "kicked on" is shameful - I don't know if it's because we are hopeless at identifying talent or at working with it, but either way until it gets fixed we're going nowhere.

In fact, just for a laugh I'll do a full team. These are players who either debuted with the Tigers or came to the club young enough that they might have been expected to have more development in them, then were either a flash in the pan, never did anything of any consequence, stagnated or fell well short of expectations.

1. Lolohea
2. Nofoaluma
3. Marsters
4. Talau
5. Kepaoa
6. Doueihi (or Laurie if you want to blame Doueihi's woes on injuries)
7. Brooks
8. Utoikamanu*
9. Liddle (or Simpkin)
10. Mikaele
11. Garner
12. Sironen
13. Tuilagi
* Not giving up on him yet, TBF.

I would agree on most of these, but would have to strongly disagree on a few of these.

Nofoaluma - As bad as he has been recently, he had 5-6 very solid years where he improved each year and was a highly regarded winger. He has just aged poorly due to his own attitude and personality. His downfall is on him and him only imo.

Liddle - Is a solid first grader and was among the dragons best this year. He showed promise here too, but he couldn't string enough games together without getting injured. Have to give him a pass given his horrible run of injuries.

Sironen - Was never good... In fact you talk to people who played in around the juniors with him, he wasn't even a top 10 junior in his own age group. The only reason he ever touched first grade was because of his last name and his size. Rugby League nepotism personified. So i agree that he was a disappointment, but he should never have been there in the first place to even be a disappointment.

Garner - Nothing was ever expected of him. He was a Manly junior who didnt make it there, went to the Roosters lower grade and didn't make it there either. He was never touted as a young talent or ever expected to be a first grader. In fact, the Tigers were the club that developed him from a non-first graded into a first grader. His performances were just as good from his first game with is to his last. He should be regarded as a development W not a disappointment.

Tuilagi - Similar to Garner, was never thought of as a first grader even at the Storm, a club renowed for making first graders out of fringe players. Tuilagi has played for the Storm, Tigers and Manly and played his best football for the Tigers out of those clubs. That says it all really. Most fans were disappointed when they heard he was leaving. Bet none are disappointed now.

 

[2041]

I would agree on most of these, but would have to strongly disagree on a few of these.

Nofoaluma - As bad as he has been recently, he had 5-6 very solid years where he improved each year and was a highly regarded winger. He has just aged poorly due to his own attitude and personality. His downfall is on him and him only imo.

Liddle - Is a solid first grader and was among the dragons best this year. He showed promise here too, but he couldn't string enough games together without getting injured. Have to give him a pass given his horrible run of injuries.

Sironen - Was never good... In fact you talk to people who played in around the juniors with him, he wasn't even a top 10 junior in his own age group. The only reason he ever touched first grade was because of his last name and his size. Rugby League nepotism personified. So i agree that he was a disappointment, but he should never have been there in the first place to even be a disappointment.

Garner - Nothing was ever expected of him. He was a Manly junior who didnt make it there, went to the Roosters lower grade and didn't make it there either. He was never touted as a young talent or ever expected to be a first grader. In fact, the Tigers were the club that developed him from a non-first graded into a first grader. His performances were just as good from his first game with is to his last. He should be regarded as a development W not a disappointment.

Tuilagi - Similar to Garner, was never thought of as a first grader even at the Storm, a club renowed for making first graders out of fringe players. Tuilagi has played for the Storm, Tigers and Manly and played his best football for the Tigers out of those clubs. That says it all really. Most fans were disappointed when they heard he was leaving. Bet none are disappointed now.

So Sironen and Tuilagi fall into the category of players we shouldn't have been wasting our time with to start with, which is one of the things I mentioned: not picking the right players to work with in the first place. Nofoaluma never added to the skills he came into first grade with, it's just that those skills were sufficient to offset his deficiencies for a while. That's literally what I'm talking about. Liddell had terrible luck with injuries, which is why I offered Simpkin as an alternate.

Garner I'll give you.

Anyway, the point isn't to arbitrarily have 13 guys who fit the mold - it's to say that this is a persistent problem that needs to be fixed if we're ever going to get out of the sewer. Imagine if half these players had gone on to be most of what we thought/were told they might be.

 

[dribble1963]

Who identified him?

McDonnell.