Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Roar_Power said:
Mooney, Stonestreet, Tevaga, Butcher would be nice additions. I wouldn't want Cotric anywhere near the starting line-up. He has had his day.
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I think Cotric is definitely an improvement on what we currently have, but I can see where you're coming from. at 25 he needs a fresh start and a new coach, similar to DWZ at the Warriors.
 
Vicious said:
James Schiller is definite NRL standard, crazy to think he’s still playing NSW Cup.
We will definitely need a big bodied winger to replace Tupou.
jrtiger mentioned Edward Kosi who wouldn’t be a bad option. Others are Semi Valemai, Jeral Skelton and although contracted Tony Francis from the Titans.
None of them are currently playing NRL, all are well over 6ft tall, weigh over 100kgs, are reasonably fast for their size, are generally good under the high ball and score plenty of tries. Grab any two of those 4 and we would have competition for our big bodied winger position.
Matt Doorey and Billy Burns are both stuck playing NSW Cup. Both are big bodied mobile edge forwards who make plenty of line breaks and score their fair share of tries.
If we are adamant Kepaoa won’t work as an edge forward, then we need a decent replacement. These two would add plenty of depth to our squad, Doorey in particular looks NRL ready and could become a regular on our bench or even push for a starting spot.
Mat Croker currently not in the Knights top 17 and off contract at the end of 2024. I believe we are short on quality props if we get any injuries, signing both Trey Mooney and Mat Croker would fix that problem.
They would add good size and mobility to our middle forward stocks and the added incentive that at least one of them should be a regular part of our top 17 each week.
Aaron Schoup is a young aggressive ball runner with good speed and line breaking ability. He already has plenty of NRL experience, but not currently a part of the Titans top 17, so could be ripe for the picking. He’s a solid build weighing in at over 100kgs and although predominantly a centre, he had a few standout games playing as an edge forward in Qld Cup last season and I think his versatility would be very valuable, particularly if Kepaoa departs at the end of this season.
Ben Condon a big tall and mobile prop or edge forward from North Qld who has been with Manly for the past 2 seasons.
He’s played a couple of NRL games and didn’t look out of place, but now stuck playing NSW Cup. He’d be another forward who could add good size and mobility to our forward pack.
All these players would come at the lower and of the wage scale and would add plenty of depth to our top 30.
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Schiller's one I absolutely should've put on there. we will be doing ourselves a massive disservice if we aren't asking questions there. I'm not saying he's better than Lomax, but if you want a value for money option with massive upside I think he'd be a wonderful addition at right centre.

Pompey, Kosi and Leiataua at the Warriors I feel would all improve us and are all stuck behind this current backline. Valemei will be hard to prise away from NQ, and while I really like Skelton I think he's a little too inconsistent for first grade at a time when we need polished OBs. Francis is a good'un as well.

not a fan of Burns but I do like Doorey, he's decent depth and cover. I can't see Croker leaving Newcastle for anyone or anything, he bleeds for that club. Schoupp had his chance at the Titans and squandered it. Condon's solid albeit unspectacular, in a similar mould to Seyfarth.
 
jrtiger said:
I think Cotric is definitely an improvement on what we currently have, but I can see where you're coming from. at 25 he needs a fresh start and a new coach, similar to DWZ at the Warriors.
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Absolute insanity that Cotric is just 25, being the arm chair expert that I am, he just looks too big (not fat). I think if he got a bit leaner and a bit quicker he'd benefit.
 
AdelaideTiger said:
Absolute insanity that Cotric is just 25, being the arm chair expert that I am, he just looks too big (not fat). I think if he got a bit leaner and a bit quicker he'd benefit.
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He was one of the hottest properties in the game 3 or 4 years ago. Ever since he went back to the Raiders, he’s been friendless.
 
jrtiger said:
I think Cotric is definitely an improvement on what we currently have, but I can see where you're coming from. at 25 he needs a fresh start and a new coach, similar to DWZ at the Warriors.
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He's had 2 'fresh starts' in the last couple years....
His game is a slight evolution with a bigger body than the nofoaluma type game....
It's passed, The athleticism of the Wingers these days is next level.

Montoya has been fun to watch of late, He's a big quick monster.....
 
Vicious said:
Back on topic in regards to potential recruitment options.
When you consider we have made it pretty clear young Simpkin is not really in our long term plans, we can’t just let him go without a suitable replacement who could be a tough tackling NRL dummy half if Api misses any games.
Da Silva is a special talent, but is not ready to play 80 minutes at NRL level yet.
I believe Jazz Tavaga is on the outter at the Warriors and at age 28 still potentially has a couple of good NRL seasons left in him.
A player like him who doesn’t take a backward step and would also be a 13 option would be ideal for our bench when we are full strength. I think he’d be interested in coming now if we showed interest.
Mat Croker and Trey Mooney are young, mobile props with their best years ahead of them, both off contract at the end of 2024 and would add much needed competition to our front row stocks.
We need a solid edge back row back up option. Matt Doorey currently at the Eels played a few solid games for them at NRL last season, but he’s now well down their pecking order. It is likely he’d jump at the chance to move now with a much better chance of getting on the bench on a more regular basis.
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I'd love if we could get Tavaga or Mooney. Unfortunately all the noise around Tevaga in the past is he does not want to leave NZ.
Mooney looks achievable but there would be plenty of competition for his signature.
Croker would be a handy signing but not at all good enough to change our results.
No way I'd want Doorey. There's at least a dozen better backrowers on reserve grade contracts.
 
TigerSJ said:
This issue of our poor attack in the red zone…there’s a pretty simple solution to it. Start actually running some shape for the set of tackles, guys moving off the ball, running angles and decoys. Make the opposition defenders make decisions.
We are so predictable and obvious, we throw up absolutely nothing.
I don’t get it - are we not fit enough such that most of the players are standing there watching the guy with the ball run one out??? What do we practice at training??
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Agree with all this but a forward that can win thr contact and get a quick play the ball is also needed. But the 2 go hand in hand. Can't win the contact running one out into multiple defenders.
 
batboy said:
He's had 2 'fresh starts' in the last couple years....
His game is a slight evolution with a bigger body than the nofoaluma type game....
It's passed, The athleticism of the Wingers these days is next level.

Montoya has been fun to watch of late, He's a big quick monster.....
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Brian To'o: 182cm, 97kg
Jamayne Isaako: 180cm, 95kg
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak: 186cm, 97kg
Nick Cotric: 185cm, 98kg
Greg Marzhew: 177cm, 104kg

now I know there's guys like Coates, Mulitalo, Sivo, Young, Montoya etc who are all tall and bend the line, but there's still absolutely a place for guys like Cotric. I don't think the game's passed him at all. I think he probably needs better conditioning and would benefit from dropping a few kilos, but he still has something to give.
 
jrtiger said:
Brian To'o: 182cm, 97kg
Jamayne Isaako: 180cm, 95kg
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak: 186cm, 97kg
Nick Cotric: 185cm, 98kg
Greg Marzhew: 177cm, 104kg

now I know there's guys like Coates, Mulitalo, Sivo, Young, Montoya etc who are all tall and bend the line, but there's still absolutely a place for guys like Cotric. I don't think the game's passed him at all. I think he probably needs better conditioning and would benefit from dropping a few kilos, but he still has something to give.
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DWZ is the only winger in that list that wouldn't struggle in our side....
But then again, He struggled at the Dogs before now didn't he.....

You say you don't think the games past him, And that may be the case.....
But think about it - it's been a long, long time since he's played well enough to be a point of discussion,
even back then, he wasn't elite.
 
batboy said:
DWZ is the only winger in that list that wouldn't struggle in our side....
But then again, He struggled at the Dogs before now didn't he.....

You say you don't think the games past him, And that may be the case.....
But think about it - it's been a long, long time since he's played well enough to be a point of discussion,
even back then, he wasn't elite.
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so you think that Brian To'o would struggle at WT? come on, BB.

I've never said Cotric was elite, just that he is an improvement on what we have by a distance. if you want elite it's going to take a long time to recruit and/or develop, imo.
 
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batboy said:
DWZ is the only winger in that list that wouldn't struggle in our side....
But then again, He struggled at the Dogs before now didn't he.....

You say you don't think the games past him, And that may be the case.....
But think about it - it's been a long, long time since he's played well enough to be a point of discussion,
even back then, he wasn't elite.
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What do we want a winger to do ?
I’m my opinion it’s perfect to have a combination of one lighting fast winger who can score long range tries, turn half chances into tries with their speed, be good under the high ball, a decent defender and also be decent with their hit ups out of the danger zone.
The other being a much bigger bulkier winger who can get the team on the front foot with powerful hit ups out of the danger zone, but also be a solid defender, good under the high ball and a good try scorer when give the opportunity.
At around 90% of his ability or better, Cotric definitely meets this criteria.
 
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TigerSJ said:
This issue of our poor attack in the red zone…there’s a pretty simple solution to it. Start actually running some shape for the set of tackles, guys moving off the ball, running angles and decoys. Make the opposition defenders make decisions.
We are so predictable and obvious, we throw up absolutely nothing.
I don’t get it - are we not fit enough such that most of the players are standing there watching the guy with the ball run one out??? What do we practice at training??
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It's been encouraging to see Gareth Ellis around recently. Next off season I would be inviting him back to run a master class with Benji for Luai/Bud/Galvin/Latu (and Sezer if he's around) and the backrowers about running aggressive slant lines in the red zone from behind the line to catch defences unaware. My goodness, the Bonstonker highlight reel of Ellis is ready to go...show it in the masterclass!
 
tigerballs said:
It appears we only attempt an organised play on the fourth tackle, and like you said, from the middle. We can't organise anything from there. It's like we're trying to fool them into thinking we're going one way, then we go the other way but they never fall for it. DOH!
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We’re setting up for Twal’s 5th tackle hit up.
 
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