Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[BAGNF05]

Yep a guy like Tom Hazelton who just gets the job done

Hazelton would not improve our side. He scores opportunist tries when defenders are not set. We play all our footy against a set defense.

 

[rugbygoated]

The problem I’ve had is that there is literally nothing to connect him to Wests …. No rumours or media talk,,,nothing …

Do you think he might be in demand from other clubs ? If the answer is yes …then how will they get him to come here ? Let me guess … by paying him more money than he deserves over a longer contract than what you should give to a 29 yr old … I just don’t see Richo doing that .. and I wouldn’t want him too..

Besides …If I’m going to have a pipe dream about a prop with next to no chance of actually coming here than it’s going to be about AFB or Fisher Harris…

I don't think we should overpay him either, but I think he's a decent forward off contract with his best ahead of him. I think he's a late bloomer who's mostly been off the bench in his career looking for career progression and a challenge. Realistically, seeing he is a Perth boy he might go to the 18th team in 2027. How we play him and coach him is our responsibility, not his, if he comes here.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Hazelton would not improve our side. He scores opportunist tries when defenders are not set. We play all our footy against a set defense.

Hazelton would do well. An oppurtunist. Thats what out team is. Great fit...

 

[rugbygoated]

If I'm Royce Hunt and told by Benji that 'come here, we want you to lead our middles, on & off the field, instil the steel & aggression in the middle we need & take your game to the next level, we'll get your fitness up to play the first 20 mins & last 20 mins of matches', I'm fired up!

Royce is a beast, doesn't take a backward step, runs hard, scores off crash plays & hits hard. He's played in the RWC final for Samoa with Luai.

He's the victim of being one of many middles at the Sharks so his minutes do get limited but he has played 40+ mins in games/tests.

C'mon Shinesy, get on the Royce train toot toot

He was excellent for samoa in that world cup campaign. Hamlin-Uele got injured game 1 and throughout the tournament I thought Hunt was Samoa's 2nd best forward after Paulo. Including a pack of Paulo, Papali'i, Hunt, Taupau, Kaufusi, Aloiai

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

I don't think we should overpay him either, but I think he's a decent forward off contract with his best ahead of him. I think he's a late bloomer who's mostly been off the bench in his career looking for career progression and a challenge. Realistically, seeing he is a Perth boy he might go to the 18th team in 2027. How we play him and coach him is our responsibility, not his, if he comes here.

Over pay him??? He ain't coming brother.. what planet you from?

 

[innsaneink]

He was born in Liverpool, so technically he’s our junior and would be returning to his roots.

Born.... Is that all?
Junior clubs where?

Not that it means bugger all

 

[WestsTigers4VR]

I know we’re talking about trying to get experience in our side and all but if we are being honest it’s a lot of our older and experienced players letting us down.

It’s all the younger players putting in effort and trying their guts out, to great effect or not they are showing more fight and more willingness to chase the game than others and it’s quite embarrassing.

There is talk about younger players not having those “scars of losing” so in their mind everything is possible and it’s clear when we are on the front foot how much is played of the young blokes.

Outside looking in I’d say Stef needs to drop to the bench. Klemmer can stay cause regardless of what people expect or want of him he is not that type of player that AFB, Stef and Haas are. He does his job and he does it well: Make his tackles, take his hit ups and throw the occasional offload. He is consistent in that.

I know a few people on here don’t really like Bloke in Bar or Kemp's takes but I think he’s pretty spot on in the fact that Stef and Klem are way to big of a front row pairing to start the game off. Alex Twal is very agile for a forward and extremely strong defensively so we can sure up the middle and not have soft breaks like against the sharks.

 

[Needaname]

I know we’re talking about trying to get experience in our side and all but if we are being honest it’s a lot of our older and experienced players letting us down.

It’s all the younger players putting in effort and trying their guts out, to great effect or not they are showing more fight and more willingness to chase the game than others and it’s quite embarrassing.

There is talk about younger players not having those “scars of losing” so in their mind everything is possible and it’s clear when we are on the front foot how much is played of the young blokes.

Outside looking in I’d say Stef needs to drop to the bench. Klemmer can stay cause regardless of what people expect or want of him he is not that type of player that AFB, Stef and Haas are. He does his job and he does it well: Make his tackles, take his hit ups and throw the occasional offload. He is consistent in that.

I know a few people on here don’t really like Bloke in Bar or Kemp's takes but I think he’s pretty spot on in the fact that Stef and Klem are way to big of a front row pairing to start the game off. Alex Twal is very agile for a forward and extremely strong defensively so we can sure up the middle and not have soft breaks like against the sharks.

Said this since this pairing started last year. I feel they are too similar and lack mobility. They are both very upright runners. Half the reason why Newcastle improved pairing an unknown Thompson with Safiti after moving on Klemmer. Similar shapes in the forward pack don’t work.

 

[BAGNF05]

Said this since this pairing started last year. I feel they are too similar and lack mobility. They are both very upright runners. Half the reason why Newcastle improved pairing an unknown Thompson with Safiti after moving on Klemmer. Similar shapes in the forward pack don’t work.

Neither of them have great leg speed. Even Pole takes a while to wind up, his footwork is great though. It’s that wrecking ball type of forward that everyone on this forum is crying out for. Sadly, they don’t grow on trees.

 

[weststigerman]

Neither of them have great leg speed. Even Pole takes a while to wind up, his footwork is great though. It’s that wrecking ball type of forward that everyone on this forum is crying out for. Sadly, they don’t grow on trees.

I always hear this talk of a “wrecking ball” front rower. To me that just sounds like another way of saying an elite prop.

I’m curious to understand what you mean by that? JFH or Fonua-Blake? Or budget like Royce Hunt?

 

[Needaname]

Neither of them have great leg speed. Even Pole takes a while to wind up, his footwork is great though. It’s that wrecking ball type of forward that everyone on this forum is crying out for. Sadly, they don’t grow on trees.

Agree but not all teams have them at prop , but they do seem to have at least 1 of them in the pack.
Olakuatu for manly, Kicks for the dogs, Sua, Leulia the Dragons, Fifita Titans to name a few that aren’t props but are just as effective as a go to hit man.

 

[BAGNF05]

I always hear this talk of a “wrecking ball” front rower. To me that just sounds like another way of saying an elite prop.

I’m curious to understand what you mean by that? JFH or Fonua-Blake? Or budget like Royce Hunt?

I think quick leg speed players who are hard to tackle. Taumalolo in his prime the obvious example. AFB another. Junior P and Josh Pap in their early years but have slowed. Moses Leota also comes to mind.

 

[BAGNF05]

Agree but not all teams have them at prop , but they do seem to have at least 1 of them in the pack.
Olakuatu for manly, Kicks for the dogs, Sua, Leulia the Dragons, Fifita Titans to name a few that aren’t props but are just as effective as a go to hit man.

Yeah it just changes how you construct your sets but generally it’s easier to get downfield and they get you some cheap tries.

I’d like to think Samuela Fainu will be pretty hard to handle in a year or so.

 

[Needaname]

Yeah it just changes how you construct your sets but generally it’s easier to get downfield and they get you some cheap tries.

I’d like to think Samuela Fainu will be pretty hard to handle in a year or so.

Thinking the same. Oddly enough as he already is such a large forward in stature but he looks like he has a teenagers lanky build and could definitely put a fair bit more muscle on that frame.

 

[BAGNF05]

Thinking the same. Oddly enough as he already is such a large forward in stature but he looks like he has a teenagers lanky build and could definitely put a fair bit more muscle on that frame.

And already breaking tackles on the edge with regularity 🔥

 

[Needaname]

And already breaking tackles on the edge with regularity 🔥

Just checked his profile. He is apparently 109kg. You’ve got Olakuatu at 113kg and Kikau at 116kg. He is close and could easily add 4 or 5kg to his frame for physicality without losing speed or agility.

 

[BAGNF05]

Just checked his profile. He is apparently 109kg. You’ve got Olakuatu at 113kg and Kikau at 116kg. He is close and could easily add 4 or 5kg to his frame for physicality without losing speed or agility.

You have to think he’s even better next year. Galvin will improve. Pole is getting better. Bula is consistent. Luai isn’t coming to play with a pack of guys who are over the hill.

That’s the light at the end of the tunnel for me. Big job for the club and coach but not hopeless.

 

[Juice]

This gets said a lot but it doesn't really stand up to scrutiny. Most players who have left the Tigers have absolutely not set the world on fire. Going through the list: Aloiai is worse than he was here, Hastings is exactly the same, Peachey never came back to first grade and Daine Laurie hasn't done so far, Gildart vanished without trace, so did Maumalo, Madden is a nuffie, Liddle is no better than he was at the Tigers, Ofahengaue is a bench player at absolute best, Musgrove is out of the comp, Luciano Leilua has got worse, Matterson had one good season and is now chronically meh, Garner is a fringe first grader at best, Mbye carried on his downward trajectory, Marsters and Lolohea vanished without trace. Even Brooks is basically the same as he was at the Tigers just with DCE alongside him and on a smaller contract.

The problem isn't that players magically become better when they leave the Tigers; the problem is that we've had too many bad players in first grade.

I agree on some including Brooks is the same, a 5/8 forced to play out of position for a long time. I think Leilua has been good at the dragons, Garner in the 17 for the 3 time premiers almost every week, Ofahengaue & Aloia have also been solid this year. All of those players on current form would make this team easy. Hard to really judge Simpkin after only a month into a new system.

I get what you are saying tho, I guess it is a career graveyard if you come here. I wonder if it’s worth it to the players coming here for the overs knowing it will most likely be their careers over by the time they leave

 

[Flippedy]

This gets said a lot but it doesn't really stand up to scrutiny. Most players who have left the Tigers have absolutely not set the world on fire. Going through the list: Aloiai is worse than he was here, Hastings is exactly the same, Peachey never came back to first grade and Daine Laurie hasn't done so far, Gildart vanished without trace, so did Maumalo, Madden is a nuffie, Liddle is no better than he was at the Tigers, Ofahengaue is a bench player at absolute best, Musgrove is out of the comp, Luciano Leilua has got worse, Matterson had one good season and is now chronically meh, Garner is a fringe first grader at best, Mbye carried on his downward trajectory, Marsters and Lolohea vanished without trace. Even Brooks is basically the same as he was at the Tigers just with DCE alongside him and on a smaller contract.

The problem isn't that players magically become better when they leave the Tigers; the problem is that we've had too many bad players in first grade.

This gets said a lot but it doesn't really stand up to scrutiny. Most players who have left the Tigers have absolutely not set the world on fire. Going through the list: Aloiai is worse than he was here, Hastings is exactly the same, Peachey never came back to first grade and Daine Laurie hasn't done so far, Gildart vanished without trace, so did Maumalo, Madden is a nuffie, Liddle is no better than he was at the Tigers, Ofahengaue is a bench player at absolute best, Musgrove is out of the comp, Luciano Leilua has got worse, Matterson had one good season and is now chronically meh, Garner is a fringe first grader at best, Mbye carried on his downward trajectory, Marsters and Lolohea vanished without trace. Even Brooks is basically the same as he was at the Tigers just with DCE alongside him and on a smaller contract.

The problem isn't that players magically become better when they leave the Tigers; the problem is that we've had too many bad players in first grade.

Perspective 👍

My main concern isn’t the players who have moved on from us getting better at other clubs so much as it is the good players we’ve bought from other clubs turning to crap once they put the Tigers jersey on.

 

[Tigerdazz2]

Wayne Bennett has a keen eye, we saw what he did in the lead up to Dolphin's inaugeral