Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[balmain boy]

We all knew we had a weak squad for 2024. But, we released Kepaoa and Simpkin mid season, and didn't replace them, the big losses are inevitable. In 2023 we released Ofahengaue and didn't replace him, big losses followed. An explanation as to why we only weaken poor squads, needs to be forthcoming by the Club.

We should only be releasing players when we're signing new players. The fact we didn't sign anyone midseason this year is beyond comprehension. It's just not possible that there wasn't a single player in the NRL, or NSW/Qld cup, currently blocked from first grade, willing to show their wares in the shop window for 6 months with the hope of an extension if they do well. Or get snapped up by another club

 

[boonboon]

What people seem to be missing is if everyone takes up their options we already have 30 players for next yr. We have no spots until we release players

 

[balmain boy]

His defence has always been iffy, to crap.................. AND IT WILL NEVER CHANGE.
He has had years to get it in order, and it has not progressed. Time to go!

If we were a professional club, we would have waited till he had played 6 matches before making a decision on his contract status.
So far, he has proven he's not an NRL player. He should not have been offered a contract. We don't have enough room to move in our top 30, now another spot is wasted on a loser with a toxic attitude who can't help us move forwards.
No other club would be as unprofessional as we are. It's why we'll get 3 spoons in a row.
The only way out is paying out a million dollars worth of players and bringing in cheap players with the right skill sets and attitude

 

[balmain boy]

They can sugar coat it all they like but he's definitely lost the players group, he needs to do the right thing for this club

The club should be rightfully back the coach in saying, this team is absolutely crap, the players are too bad, no one can coach them. Sack a dozen of them.
And he wouldn't be wrong.
He should have lost the backing of many of the players. The players should have been told you're free to leave asap. That's what any professional club would do. We need a complete gut

 

[balmain boy]

Rubbish.
It will go down like this.
Stef takes up his extension for 25.
Talks to Melbourne come November.
We agree to release him from his final year of contract paying some of the freight.
In return Melbourne give us NAS at FULL freight.

And frankly I couldn’t care. There’s no point trying scrap and save on cap space when you have NO ONE of worth to spend it on.

Might as well spend 1 mil on a Stef for NAS swap.

No chance

 

[balmain boy]

I'd like to see Benji tell douiehi that he's dropped to NSW cup, and he'll be playing lock. He needs to make at least 30 tackles a week, with a tackle efficiency of 90% and 100m+ every week for 3 weeks in a row before he can get another look in first grade.
See if he's actually a leader or just a loser

 

[BAGNF05]

The club should be rightfully back the coach in saying, this team is absolutely crap, the players are too bad, no one can coach them. Sack a dozen of them.
And he wouldn't be wrong.
He should have lost the backing of many of the players. The players should have been told you're free to leave asap. That's what any professional club would do. We need a complete gut

Yep. The guys who are just taking the piss are making everyone else look shit. The average punter can’t even tell what our problems truly are anymore.

Richo needs a ruthless cull with our backline to be ripped to shreds.

 

[426Tlgerland]

No chance

Won’t happen like that , he may stay for 25 but if Melb or any other team wants him in 26 he walks no cost to us as it’s his decision , there is a chance he stays in 25 but if he doesn’t take our upgrade and extension you play him in reserve grade as he is just using us until,other team is ready

 

[426Tlgerland]

What people seem to be missing is if everyone takes up their options we already have 30 players for next yr. We have no spots until we release players

And Richo and Benji are NOT doing their jobs if this hasn’t started yet , there should be at least 6/8 players looking for a new club or play reserve grade from now on , Naden is getting his dose now could be the first one to crack ,

 

[pawsandclaws1]

There simply aren't the players required in the market to undertake a slash and burn of our playing ranks. Until the NRL start to address the issue with the Roosters and the Storm, the problem will continue. Each club should be required as a condition of ongoing participation in the NRL to have a minimum of 50 junior clubs in its local area ie the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne. The Eastern Suburbs of Sydney has 8,800 people per square km while Melbourne will be Australia's most populated city by 2030. What has the Storm done to promote junior rugby league in Melbourne/Vic in over 25 years of its existence? How is the expansion of junior rugby league progressing in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney? Simply, increase participation of juniors in these areas to increase the talent pool. Victoria has wonderful female and male athletes the NRL should be encouraging to take up the game.

 

[Bellend]

Morning Paws
If you look at East they know look after the central coast and the Storm look after the Sunshine coast in Qld and they promote heavily in both regions, and this is there way of getting around the debate about Junior Clubs.

West Tigers are not anyone else's problem but are own, Balmain neglected there areas well before the merger and Western Suburbs butchered Campbelltown before the merger as well.

 

[rugbygoated]

Interesting to see richo was in NSW Blues camp during the week. No idea what he was doing there

 

[Bula]

Interesting to see richo was in NSW Blues camp during the week. No idea what he was doing there

Free buffet.

 

[hank37w]

Interesting to see richo was in NSW Blues camp during the week. No idea what he was doing there

Probably figured out that the only way we get off the bottom is for him to sign the entire Blues squad. 🤣 🤣 🤣

 

[Needaname]

I'd like to see Benji tell douiehi that he's dropped to NSW cup, and he'll be playing lock. He needs to make at least 30 tackles a week, with a tackle efficiency of 90% and 100m+ every week for 3 weeks in a row before he can get another look in first grade.
See if he's actually a leader or just a loser

Yes but as a wide running backrower.

 

[balmain boy]

Yes but as a wide running backrower.

I meant to say lock or back rower.

At lock he won't be isolated one on one in defence as much though and will have bigger guys rather than faster agile guys running at him

 

[Oldman]

We should only be releasing players when we're signing new players. The fact we didn't sign anyone midseason this year is beyond comprehension. It's just not possible that there wasn't a single player in the NRL, or NSW/Qld cup, currently blocked from first grade, willing to show their wares in the shop window for 6 months with the hope of an extension if they do well. Or get snapped up by another club

There would be plenty of players willing to come to our club, they just want more money than they are worth on a 3 or 5 year contract.
Sound familiar
Klemmer
Bateman
Olam
😭

 

[Needaname]

Won’t happen like that , he may stay for 25 but if Melb or any other team wants him in 26 he walks no cost to us as it’s his decision , there is a chance he stays in 25 but if he doesn’t take our upgrade and extension you play him in reserve grade as he is just using us until,other team is ready

I’d love it to happen that way, i just feel we may bend a little. That’s with Melbourne anyway. They aren’t going to pay Stef 800k it will be 600k max.
Look at their previous recent signings.
King, Katoa, Blore. All showed promise and a worker like mentality though wouldn’t have cost Melbourne more that 500k each to sign em up.
Steph is most similar to King. A decent junior prop debuting in Newcastles poor years though didn’t have a constant position in the side as Stef does with us. Though similar run meters tackle efficiency stat between the two in less overall game time for King similar amount of games played before leaving the club. The main difference is the profile that Stef has built up for some reason. He is a more known player probably has a similar reputation to what Katoa had at the Warriors.
Could be a Melbourne signing but not for 800k.
Dolphins however may sign him to replace Jesse on 800k. That could be a very likely deal.

 

[Needaname]

I meant to say lock or back rower.

At lock he won't be isolated one on one in defence as much though and will have bigger guys rather than faster agile guys running at him

Yeah I know, but his skill set is running out of traffic not in it.
The guy can work on his one on one defence in cup. If he has other people making his tackles at lock he ain’t going to improve on that area.

 

[Needaname]

St George Reserve grader Tuipolotu pperforming better with 3 tries in 45 minutes than our wingers collectively all year. Why didnt someone buy him instead of Staines, Lobb etc

I was thinking about this as well.
He wasn’t exactly available at the start of the season.
Though Flanno being part of the coaching staff last year might have had some insight to what his future was at Manly.
We have been jipped every time regarding Tuipolotu.
He was our target at the Roosters back when there was talk of making way some players for SBW instead the Roosters release Kepoa to us not willing to release Tuipolotu.
Yet next year he is released to Manly.
Makes my blood boil.