Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

I have confidence in our recruitment team and firmly believe that our roster will start to show improvement come next offseason.
Non an easy job but doable.

What does concern me is the continuing lack of quality of our lower grades coaching. For me that’s been a constant negative particularly at our second-reserve grade level.

Our roster second 15 must gain motivation and experience by being exposed to a winning environment and not the train wreck scoreboard, that we see from them week in week out.
 
KCTiger2 said:
Some of yous need to calm down

A few months ago the forum went into melt down cause we didn’t sign James Schiller and were “sitting around waiting not pursuing options” then guess what happened we signed Sunia Turuva who on his worst day is still miles clear of Schiller

Right now cap space is not the issue it’s more the fact that we have no roster spots for next year

Richo is trying to move people on but it hard when they are tied to long term deals by previous management

If people in the forum seriously think that our recruitment team are sitting around waiting and not looking at all available options then your just stupid
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So who have we signed to fill out our three remaining spots in our roster then?
 
momo_amp_medo said:
I have confidence in our recruitment team and firmly believe that our roster will start to show improvement come next offseason.
Non an easy job but doable.

What does concern me is the continuing lack of quality of our lower grades coaching. For me that’s been a constant negative particularly at our second-reserve grade level.

Our roster second 15 must gain motivation and experience by being exposed to a winning environment and not the train wreck scoreboard, that we see from them week in week out.
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While it’s hard to see through the disappointment, our roster improvement started a while ago. Not so long ago we had no real spine quality and our best players were guys called Aloiai, Matterson and Luciano.

Now we have a spine for the future and a real quality edge forward. Questions clearly remain over our props, depth and outside backs but there’s good signs that Richo & Benji know this and I think they can get it right given time.

I don’t think it’s imperative we have winning teams in the lower grades as long as they keep producing first graders.

I’m encouraged by Benji’s ruthlessness in his selections of late and very keen to see who he can move on and bring in this off-season.
 
davey_farrell said:
good points there, but Benji was part of these players extended...with Adam extended how many spots do we actually have for next year?
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Benji Did have part but it was also with Sheens and with a different recruitment team and things change all the time

If we knew Luai would become available we wouldn’t have signed Sullivan

At the time Naden was signed up he was our best outside back

As for roster spots we have 26/30 filled for next year but we also have 4 options for next year and if all of them are taken up that means 30/30 spots filled

Those options are
Justin Matamua
Stefano Utoikamanu
Brandon Tumeth
Aiden Sezer
 
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BAGNF05 said:
While it’s hard to see through the disappointment, our roster improvement started a while ago. Not so long ago we had no real spine quality and our best players were guys called Aloiai, Matterson and Luciano.

Now we have a spine for the future and a real quality edge forward. Questions clearly remain over our props, depth and outside backs but there’s good signs that Richo & Benji know this and I think they can get it right given time.

I don’t think it’s imperative we have winning teams in the lower grades as long as they keep producing first graders.

I’m encouraged by Benji’s ruthlessness in his selections of late and very keen to see who he can move on and bring in this off-season.
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Benji giving the kids a crack is all well and good but we loose shit loads more games than we win , yep bring in the kids but you can’t win games consistently with fringe first grade players , we have to many
 
king_sirro said:
Benji needs sit Klemmer down and say "you have to put on at least 5kg this off season, and I'm playing you 15 minutes either side of half time. In that 30 minutes you just run and tackle as hard as you can".
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Want to ask you a question you know alot more about rugby league then me

In your opinion how much is Stef worth and will he be a big loss?
 
426Tlgerland said:
Benji giving the kids a crack is all well and good but we loose shit loads more games than we win , yep bring in the kids but you can’t win games consistently with fringe first grade players , we have to many
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Outside of games against Canberra, Brisbane, Saints and Roosters those kids have given a good account of themselves.

Next year the kids will have 30-50 games under their belt and we welcome Luai and Turuva and hopefully a few others.

The losses are hard to take but there’s better times ahead.
 
KCTiger2 said:
Benji Did have part but it was also with Sheens and with a different recruitment team and things change all the time

If we knew Luai would become available we wouldn’t have signed Sullivan

At the time Naden was signed up he was our best outside back

As for roster spots we have 26/30 filled for next year but we also have 4 options for next year and if all of them are taken up that means 30/30 spots filled

Those options are
Justin Matamua
Stefano Utoikamanu
Brandon Tumeth
Aiden Sezer
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Tumeth & Matamua will be paid out I think. Stef if he goes, no need to pay out. I'd like Sezer to stay. Also move on another 2 or 3 more.

I would think 5 new names will be likely.

Royce Hunt is the option I like on the market at the moment. Impact bench forward.

We loose Stef then upgrade Pole straight away. Sign Hunt.

Then a back rower & outside back done for the moment with ideally 2 spare spots.

Obvious by this week's selections Naden being pushed out because he should be on the wing over Faataape.

Sullivan will be Cup all year unless injuries & same next year.
 
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Inevitably, we will see releases over the off season.

Ideally, we release a few ourselves.

With Doueihi playing reasonably well in attack, it probably pushes Turuva to a wing for the time being. Not a bad thing because we are short there.

Right now, we need another winger, lock, back rower and a prop. If Stef leaves, make that 2 props.

That's 4 to 5 players, but not much on the market and not many of our guys off contract. 2025 we have 11 off contract and other teams also have some decent players coming off too. If we can sign 1 or 2 good players in the off season, then 2025 will be the time to complete the squad and fill any gaps if no one has stepped up. Forwards need to be a priority.
 
weststigers said:
Inevitably, we will see releases over the off season.

Ideally, we release a few ourselves.

With Doueihi playing reasonably well in attack, it probably pushes Turuva to a wing for the time being. Not a bad thing because we are short there.

Right now, we need another winger, lock, back rower and a prop. If Stef leaves, make that 2 props.

That's 4 to 5 players, but not much on the market and not many of our guys off contract. 2025 we have 11 off contract and other teams also have some decent players coming off too. If we can sign 1 or 2 good players in the off season, then 2025 will be the time to complete the squad and fill any gaps if no one has stepped up. Forwards need to be a priority.
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At least now we have something to sell to an outside back. Any centre/winger should be enticed by the prospect of playing on an edge with Luai and Sam Fainu.
 
Tom Shines said:
So the Knights are way overs on the salary cap next year …. Need to let three players go totalling $2m…. But apparently are still trying to recruit Blaize Talagi next year ?😑

Someone help me understand
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Why would we not be trying to get Blaize Talagi ?
Have watched him play 5/8,centre,wing & fullback this year excelling in all positions and he is coming off contract.
Seriously meets all the requirements we are looking for in our backline.
 
Oldman said:
Why would we not be trying to get Blaize Talagi ?
Have watched him play 5/8,centre,wing & fullback this year excelling in all positions and he is coming off contract.
Seriously meets all the requirements we are looking for in our backline.
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Cost I would imagine and also probably don’t want to block the path of some kids that are pretty highly touted.
 
Todd Packer said:
Townsend is apparently going to the Roosters for250k.
Where does the salary cap bullshit end?
He's on 750 now but he's willing to play the last year or 2 for rookie money.
That would be due to the current oversupply of halves I guess.
Just scrap the cap. It's a farce.
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Back in Sydney
Playing for Uncle Nic and then like
Freddy
Braith
Cronk
A career in TV media,
Townsend has his head screwed on and knows it’s not the money at the roosters he is after it’s the life after he is looking to secure.
 
JB9918 said:
Tumeth & Matamua will be paid out I think. Stef if he goes, no need to pay out. I'd like Sezer to stay. Also move on another 2 or 3 more.

I would think 5 new names will be likely.

Royce Hunt is the option I like on the market at the moment. Impact bench forward.

We loose Stef then upgrade Pole straight away. Sign Hunt.

Then a back rower & outside back done for the moment with ideally 2 spare spots.

Obvious by this week's selections Naden being pushed out because he should be on the wing over Faataape.

Sullivan will be Cup all year unless injuries & same next year.
Click to expand...
If Tumeth and Matamua are paid out and let go that is a couple more highly prized juniors who haven’t kicked on. Is that a failure in identification or development, or both?

To me, Tumeth was never going to make it. He was a small framed back rower at a time when back rowers were getting bigger and more dynamic. I’d put that down to a failure of identification.

Matamua on the other hand was a highly prized young player who hasn’t kicked on. Development? Maybe it’s the player. I still think he has some potential as he’s only 20 I think and has transitioned from five eighth to lock. But so far I’d have to put this down to a development failure.

If they are released, I suppose we have to put these two down on the list of other highly touted juniors who never did anything at our club (Groat, Cini, Talau, Madden, etc). I worry the Kit and Luke will be added to this list soon. They are both too small for their respective positions in the modern game.
 
Wiz said:
If Tumeth and Matamua are paid out and let go that is a couple more highly prized juniors who haven’t kicked on. Is that a failure in identification or development, or both?

To me, Tumeth was never going to make it. He was a small framed back rower at a time when back rowers were getting bigger and more dynamic. I’d put that down to a failure of identification.

Matamua on the other hand was a highly prized young player who hasn’t kicked on. Development? Maybe it’s the player. I still think he has some potential as he’s only 20 I think and has transitioned from five eighth to lock. But so far I’d have to put this down to a development failure.

If they are released, I suppose we have to put these two down on the list of other highly touted juniors who never did anything at our club (Groat, Cini, Talau, Madden, etc). I worry the Kit and Luke will be added to this list soon. They are both too small for their respective positions in the modern game.
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I think they have futures but Kit might be better as a front rower. Nuggety build like Sam Moa
 
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