Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Snidest 0]

Yeah there was one game early this year.. I think. Rd 3 Raiders.. We didn't turn up we actually wasn't there that first set was a disgraceful embarrasmemt

The first two or three hit ups in any set will determine geney how the next passage of play will go

It's always been that way - that the initial sustained collective effort plays set the tone for the game's momentum for the next 20 minutes at least.

And noone knows it better than Benji!

In his halcyon days with the Tigers when he was maturing - he would make a make a hard yards run or aggressive rushing defensive play in the first set to demonstrate to his team-mates (and fans) that he was 100% on for the game.

He acknowledged that it was a lesson he had learnt in interviews - as a means to get into a game from the start - after struggling to find attacking rhythm in more dour defensive games earlier in his career.

Too many of our players have not taken that basic lesson on board yet...

 

[Snidest 0]

Funny you should say that. I reckon there’s a huge correlation with our first hit up (how hard steff runs it up) and how we are gonna go for the game.

If we want a consistent hard run on our first or any hit-up - just give it to Pole!

Stef can be a pillow by comparison - epecially given his much larger frame!

He can go like a steam engine when he warms up (plays motivated) - but it too often takes him until far too late in the game before the engine fires and the dominant figure emerges

 

[Needaname]

Are we underbaked talent wise of course.
But we never play to our attacking strengths.
Our backs catch colds. We don’t run with options and we often sit back and count. The instincts have dried up for us.

We intentionally lack speed & certain types of bash barge players which is a coaching choice that feeds the roster, development and tactics.

I also know our attacking formations and structures activities in the offseason from an ex player that left recently was not even 50% of the duration of another clubs that he joined.

How would the player know what his new club were doing in the offseason if he left and joined recently?

 

[Todd Packer]

Fantastic game between Leeds and Leigh just then.
Rob Burrow tribute night with a packed house. Leeds have been rubbish all year, sacked their coach 2 days ago but lifted to win against a Leigh team on the rise.
Brody Croft was bawling after the game at the MOM presentation.
Really inspirational stuff.

 

[lathami]

That's pretty much every game... Some games we lose it in the first set
We stay in games with scrambling defence which is not controlled and not sustainable for 80
Once you're on the back foot it's extremely diffict to wrestle that back.. Teams like Penrith melb etc... Tough teams with Patience can bide their time and slowly gain control again

Teams like us that can't hold on need to resort to infringing... Holding in the tackle, offside, stupid strips = penaltys and 6 to goes = equals more defense for us which we have no structure = fatigue and ultimately points against

It's as plain as the nose on your face what Mighty_Tiger is saying it that evident watching our games
I'd rather watch women's origin

I agree with most of your comments. But I don’t believe we infringe in the ruck enough. It’s just we get penalised more due to our low position in the comp, it’s just as Todd Payton quoted the bottom of the comp gets treated differently by the refs!
If u watch say a Melbourne side they just go it smarter. They start infringing from the start and consistently at the ruck so it becomes the norm in the pea brained refs mind. We on the other hand do it infrequently which the pea brains notice more often. It’s all a bluff game that the good teams play in the ref to good effect.

 

[supercoach]

I agree with most of your comments. But I don’t believe we infringe in the ruck enough. It’s just we get penalised more due to our low position in the comp, it’s just as Todd Payton quoted the bottom of the comp gets treated differently by the refs!
If u watch say a Melbourne side they just go it smarter. They start infringing from the start and consistently at the ruck so it becomes the norm in the pea brained refs mind. We on the other hand do it infrequently which the pea brains notice more often. It’s all a bluff game that the good teams play in the ref to good effect.

I agree with you that the refs tend to subconsciously ride the bottom teams, but I also think some of the better teams infringe because the reward is greater than the punishment. The Chooks are a heavily penalised team because they continually push the boundaries but they probably only get pinged for 10% of their infringements and they have the firepower to recover from a penalty, unlike us

 

[lathami]

I agree with you that the refs tend to subconsciously ride the bottom teams, but I also think some of the better teams infringe because the reward is greater than the punishment. The Chooks are a heavily penalised team because they continually push the boundaries but they probably only get pinged for 10% of their infringements and they have the firepower to recover from a penalty, unlike us

The cocks have a heap of meatheads that love themselves in their team that’s why they’re more penalised. The drizzle hardly get penalised and infringe probably more the the cocks do. Chicken wing, crusher tackle, etc, etc. They are just better coached in the way they get away with it. If u infringe constantly it becomes the new norm!!

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

That may or may not be true, but take into account our last 7 coaches have had no idea how to coach our team to attack well on a consistent basis and amongst them was Ivan Cleary who clearly does know with the right players at his disposal.
Noticeably our left sided attack has looked much better since moving a genuine tackle buster in Sam Fainu to the left edge.
That is another obvious pointer that getting the right players in the crucial attacking positions is of vital importance.

Thats why I said coaching.
Madge, Sheens and Benji have focused alot on structure and style of play over building a game plan that works to the roster’s strengths.

Cleary strength is he focuses on structure and style but he works to players strengths. That’s why the kids who step in work. He doesn’t get them to change their game style he works those into his game plan setup. Sure their is coaching weekly on how they want to play but it’s all built around the skills of the players he has. Bellemy, Stuart and Bennett are the same.

If we look at the last 12mths Toa (who you like) has some attacking flair but how often is he on the correct side and given the ball early to use his strengths instead all we see is how bad defending he is. People say we can’t get him the ball etc but that is BS we can shift it 4-6 times a game we just don’t play that style.

Olam and Fainu worked well in first games with Galvin and then we see crickets for 10 weeks - Sezer shifts and uses him and we look dangerous.

Api to Galvin inside to Bula started to form middle of park and it’s gone dead.

Most this season our halves have looked lost or frustrated. Bula gets the ball late or on the side and we Ipap runs into a brickwall. We just look like a team counting plays and numbers rather than using our player’s strengths & trusting those players in positions outside of Api to make calls.

 

[Buttface]

If we want a consistent hard run on our first or any hit-up - just give it to Pole!

Stef can be a pillow by comparison - epecially given his much larger frame!

He can go like a steam engine when he warms up (plays motivated) - but it too often takes him until far too late in the game before the engine fires and the dominant figure emerges

Exactly what I was thinking. He’s the hardest runner in the team. It’s a shame he’s not 6inches taller.

 

[Kelce68]

You seem to realise that 400k is MASSIVE money, much more than average. Any player on that much should be starting every week.

The 2024 salary cap is $11,250,000, meaning that the mean salary for everyone in the Top 30 is $375k.

So it's a smidgen over average. Not 'massive' by any means.

That being said, Taupau is not only a terrible signing, it's a terrible suggestion.

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

I agree with most of your comments. But I don’t believe we infringe in the ruck enough. It’s just we get penalised more due to our low position in the comp, it’s just as Todd Payton quoted the bottom of the comp gets treated differently by the refs!
If u watch say a Melbourne side they just go it smarter. They start infringing from the start and consistently at the ruck so it becomes the norm in the pea brained refs mind. We on the other hand do it infrequently which the pea brains notice more often. It’s all a bluff game that the good teams play in the ref to good effect.

Storm practice the crap out of line speed, getting 2-3 bodies each contact and holding down appearing they are being held/tackled. Even hands on ball - they intentionally practice instead of the hand on ball placement of the bicep to wrist on the ball. This slows things down whilst also forces drop balls because of the arm pressure appearing as a tackle not rake motion. It’s all about perception into the ref judgement.
They watch not just their games but all games and have very detailed ref profiles (including line & bunker). Very very smart behind the scenes.

 

[851]

mate was born and bred in Oberon, absolute champion team back than

My dad was born in Oberon

 

[Betterdays22]

The 2024 salary cap is $11,250,000, meaning that the mean salary for everyone in the Top 30 is $375k.

So it's a smidgen over average. Not 'massive' by any means.

That being said, Taupau is not only a terrible signing, it's a terrible suggestion.

This point has been made so many times on this forum but people still insist on criticising wages in the context of a salary cap from 10 years ago, it has nearly doubled since then. The best way to look at wages is as a % of the cap. People are blown away by million dollar contracts, which were about the equivalent of 600k 10 years ago, 850k 5 years ago. They will become more of the norm for teams over the coming years

Yes, Tapau would be a Matt Ballin bad signing

 

[lathami]

Storm practice the crap out of line speed, getting 2-3 bodies each contact and holding down appearing they are being held/tackled. Even hands on ball - they intentionally practice instead of the hand on ball placement of the bicep to wrist on the ball. This slows things down whilst also forces drop balls because of the arm pressure appearing as a tackle not rake motion. It’s all about perception into the ref judgement.
They watch not just their games but all games and have very detailed ref profiles (including line & bunker). Very very smart behind the scenes.

100% and this is where we need to improve to control the ruck. I also don’t think it helps ti have api as the captain, he is too tired from all his defence. We need a half as a captain to have better dialogue with the ref, hopefully Luai will be the captain next season.

 

[Masterton]

Cory Paterson, Curtis Rona are the only couple I can think of - think chance Peni lower grader we had for a time was also from over there?

Shaun Devine. IIRC.

 

[Tigers_Wests]

I've mentioned it before....but Jeral Skelton is the type of player we should be going after. Stuck behind a few at Dogs when everyone is fit. Off contract at the end of the year. Metre eater. Powerful, yet still has some speed and x-factor. Would definitely be an improvement on our backline each week.

 

[Wiz]

I've mentioned it before....but Jeral Skelton is the type of player we should be going after. Stuck behind a few at Dogs when everyone is fit. Off contract at the end of the year. Metre eater. Powerful, yet still has some speed and x-factor. Would definitely be an improvement on our backline each week.

I’ll take him and Grant Atkinson from the Storm as well. Instant upgrades to starting our sets. Neither would cost a bomb.

 

[Demps]

I’ll take him and Grant Atkinson from the Storm as well. Instant upgrades to starting our sets. Neither would cost a bomb.

Grant Anderson

Looks decent hey

 

[rugbygoated]

I've been saying it for a while but we should be chasing Sitili Tupouniua. That chase he just did on a winger was outstanding for a forward in the rain. He's played well this game. Think his best his ahead of him, after a few injury-riddled and inconsistent years

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

I've mentioned it before....but Jeral Skelton is the type of player we should be going after. Stuck behind a few at Dogs when everyone is fit. Off contract at the end of the year. Metre eater. Powerful, yet still has some speed and x-factor. Would definitely be an improvement on our backline each week.

Looks alright but he's 25 not that, that is old but the fact he's 25 and hasn't played very much top grade stuff at what was a poor dogs team up until this year. Is he just a KOE cup hero or can he comfortably play NRL week in week out, deffo has the size we are lacking on the flanks though.