Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[InBenjiWeTrust]

We shall swap Twal and Seyfarth for 2-3 hard running props, as one pillow "look, I always gain negative meters" prop that never offloads is too many for our team!

 

[weststigerman]

Way too early to write Mason on or off. Let him develop in NSW Cup and see where he ends up at the end of the season.

 

[Vicious]

Reminded me of the broken version of Ken Maumalo

Maumalo is at least fairly committed and safe under the high ball.
Alaimalo just looked scared to run hard, scared to tackle and scared to contest high balls.
You can only hope he improves as he has all the physical attributes required to be a very good outside back.

 

[supercoach]

Todays game is based on power, speed, skill, athleticism and experience. We just don’t have the right mix to be able to mix it with most teams. It would not matter who was coach if they had the present roster at their disposal.

It’s certainly not all gloom, because there are the likes of Bula, Galvin,TDS, Steff and the Finau’s. We need to be very smart in our recruitment and target areas we are poor in , like big young athletic backrowers and powerful outside backs.

Its a very long and slow process to climb off the floor to near the top

 

[Telltails]

Agree re being realistic.

But our biggest issue is we lack intent & purpose.
We are a robotic team. We go through the motions & that’s it.

When we make an error and can’t defend right after it is about our defensive mindset intent which is stay on the line, conserve energy, ball watch & arm grab rather than move up aggressively & attack the players in our tackles.

We are a very unfit team mostly made of pillows that would prefer to jump on beds than tackle on the footy field.

I don't know if they are unfit, but if you are challenged for size and speed before you run on then you almost have to play mistake free footy to compete. All teams show signs of fatigue when they are doing more defending than the opposition but find energy when there is a momentum shift. Unfortunately for us the momentum is rarely with us.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I'd be shocked if Galvin didn't have 3 times the involvements as Tupou....
Don't know I've seen a player as disengaged in the game as Tupou, he looks like he'd rather be anywhere else...

In SuperCoach, he averages 10-15 points a game. I know SC stats are meaningless in regards to performance, but to score 10-15 points over 80 mins shows you have had virtually no involvement.

 

[Tom Shines]

Galvin looked miles ahead of the rest of the squad and it was his debut. He made a few errors but tried his guts out, apart from api he seems to be the only player we have that can play with some vision.

it is a major concern when you got an 18 yr old making his debut who plays with more confidence then more than half the team

 

[das tigers]

it is a major concern when you got an 18 yr old making his debut who plays with more confidence then more than half the team

Give him time and it'll be knocked out of him soon

Poor kid,watching him run across field looking for someone to hit a gap, to realise no one was
willing and get smashed. Incredible.

He can hold his head high.

 

[Tom Shines]

Give him time and it'll be knocked out of him soon

Poor kid,watching him run across field looking for someone to hit a gap, to realise no one was
willing and get smashed. Incredible.

He can hold his head high.

he will probably keep up his hope until Luia arrives next year …

Jarome is going to need to be a mix of Superman and Jesus Christ though to make much difference …. No pressure mate

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

Todays game is based on power, speed, skill, athleticism and experience. We just don’t have the right mix to be able to mix it with most teams. It would not matter who was coach if they had the present roster at their disposal.

It’s certainly not all gloom, because there are the likes of Bula, Galvin,TDS, Steff and the Finau’s. We need to be very smart in our recruitment and target areas we are poor in , like big young athletic backrowers and powerful outside backs.

Its a very long and slow process to climb off the floor to near the top

Koroisau and Pole say hi

 

[king_sirro]

it is a major concern when you got an 18 yr old making his debut who plays with more confidence then more than half the team

I agree mate, but let's look at the positive of that. For years I have argued the best way off the bottom is to just back kids. These days experience doesn't mean as much as it used to. Obviously a highly talented experienced player is great, but having experience just for the sake of it is a lost cause. Klemmer perfect case in point.

Throw arrogant kids in and I'm confident we will improve. Up and down, but certainly improve.

Once Latu and Sione are fit and have at least one game in KOE cup I would throw all 3 brothers in. I bet it gives the group a huge boost.

3 Fainu's, Galvin, Bula, Pole, Faataapu, TDS and even Willett. Faagatu some time off the bench here and there.

Throw em all in I say. Stuff these experienced try hards. The rest of the 17 will be filled out with more then enough experience.

 

[supercoach]

I agree mate, but let's look at the positive of that. For years I have argued the best way off the bottom is to just back kids. These days experience doesn't mean as much as it used to. Obviously a highly talented experienced player is great, but having experience just for the sake of it is a lost cause. Klemmer perfect case in point.

Throw arrogant kids in and I'm confident we will improve. Up and down, but certainly improve.

Once Latu and Sione are fit and have at least one game in KOE cup I would throw all 3 brothers in. I bet it gives the group a huge boost.

3 Fainu's, Galvin, Bula, Pole, Faataapu, TDS and even Willett. Faagatu some time off the bench here and there.

Throw em all in I say. Stuff these experienced try hards. The rest of the 17 will be filled out with more then enough experience.

Only way to go, we have tried most other ways ad come up empty

 

[Vicious]

Todays game is based on power, speed, skill, athleticism and experience. We just don’t have the right mix to be able to mix it with most teams. It would not matter who was coach if they had the present roster at their disposal.

It’s certainly not all gloom, because there are the likes of Bula, Galvin,TDS, Steff and the Finau’s. We need to be very smart in our recruitment and target areas we are poor in , like big young athletic backrowers and powerful outside backs.

Its a very long and slow process to climb off the floor to near the top

It doesn’t have to be a long slow process.
Obviously we need to watch and see who steps up over the next few weeks and who doesn’t, but if as expected we continue to lose games we should be going on a heavy recruitment drive for next season quickly before the available players head elsewhere.
Plenty of talent available that fit the big, strong and fast criteria if we move fast enough, also the possibility of strengthening up this season by recruiting players who could be looking for a change of clubs early this season due to lack of opportunity where they currently are.
I’ve mentioned Angus Crichton before and I know it’s rumoured he could be going to overseas rugby union, but if a deal has not already been done, it’s every chance it won’t be happening.
Sone mentioned they thought his illness from last year is still effecting him, well he featured highly in the highlights and looked to be doing plenty of good things in attack and defence based on his recent NSW Cup game.
He cannot possibly be happy playing NSW Cup and Richo surely has a connection with him, I’m certain he’d add some size, power, aggression and mobility on the edge that we are currently lacking.

 

[bptiger 0]

Way too early to write Mason on or off. Let him develop in NSW Cup and see where he ends up at the end of the season.

Think he could be a good 1/2 or 5/8 has speed and attacks the line his defence is good one of our better kids , then there’s not a lot to crow 🐦‍⬛ about after there 1st game

 

[Todd Packer]

Way too early to write Mason on or off. Let him develop in NSW Cup and see where he ends up at the end of the season.

NSW Cup is where our talent goes to die. Playing at that level only drags players down.
Name the last player that got better playing NSW Cup for us.

 

[The Chad]

NSW Cup is where our talent goes to die. Playing at that level only drags players down.
Name the last player that got better playing NSW Cup for us.

Pretty much agree.

At this stage, if the player excels in the pathways, move them into the 1st grade squad & demote those guys that are not performing. Coming up through the reserves is not a thing anymore.

Kit Lualili'i on the KOE bench is not teaching him how to be a 1st grader.

 

[Odessa]

I get up some mornings full of hope and happiness then I venture over to the forum 😁

 

[BUGSY MALONE]

Apart from Api Koroisau, Jahream Bula and Lachlan Galvin the cupboard is bare for talent. My measurement of a teams player quality is what other clubs would try and sign them? Maybe add Fonua Pole and Isaiah Papali'i, Stefano Utoikamanu and yet to see Latu Fainu, (though the first four names have been underwhelming for sometime). The opportunity for the Tigers to sign a GREAT Coach in the NRL e.g. Bennett or Bellamy has been lost to nurture the young talent. Wests Tigers need to approach BENJI MARSHALL and see if he could work with Wayne Bennett for the next couple of years (would he leave QLD) and maybe a chance to play finals footy. Benji needs coaching assistance and it can't be Robbie Farah, Chris Heinington or John Morris.

 

[Tom Shines]

It doesn’t have to be a long slow process.
Obviously we need to watch and see who steps up over the next few weeks and who doesn’t, but if as expected we continue to lose games we should be going on a heavy recruitment drive for next season quickly before the available players head elsewhere.
Plenty of talent available that fit the big, strong and fast criteria if we move fast enough, also the possibility of strengthening up this season by recruiting players who could be looking for a change of clubs early this season due to lack of opportunity where they currently are.
I’ve mentioned Angus Crichton before and I know it’s rumoured he could be going to overseas rugby union, but if a deal has not already been done, it’s every chance it won’t be happening.
Sone mentioned they thought his illness from last year is still effecting him, well he featured highly in the highlights and looked to be doing plenty of good things in attack and defence based on his recent NSW Cup game.
He cannot possibly be happy playing NSW Cup and Richo surely has a connection with him, I’m certain he’d add some size, power, aggression and mobility on the edge that we are currently lacking.

It doesn’t have to be a long slow process .. but it most likely will be … if it was easy they would have done it by now ..

Crichton has some well reported issues ..I wish him all the best … but he would be another risky call for the tigers … they have a few of these in tow at the moment already.. not sure he is the best choice at this time…

Also .. scouring the NSW cup teams each week trying to identity guys that are better than Toa or Seyfarth doesn’t really help as much as you might believe …I think we can both see that this is a very low bar to step over … but replacing these guys with other reserve graders won’t move the needle much .. signings like this need to be the exception rather than the rule

Richo has mentioned a 5-6 times since he took over in January that he is going to ride the juniors/ pathways home … the best group he has seen apparently… right or wrong .. time will tell… but that’s the direction they are headed in

 

[Vicious]

NSW Cup is where our talent goes to die. Playing at that level only drags players down.
Name the last player that got better playing NSW Cup for us.

Tristan Reilly then we told him to go,