Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tom Shines]

I know.

All im saying is im super worried about him as a signing.

Like giving Jayden a 4 yr deal to be a 7 when he clearly wasn’t one. (Running 6 all day like brooks)

We have Hunt a 3 yr deal - and we expect him to double up.

Again - I hope everyone proves me wrong. I just think there’s a 75% chance he turns out to be a 12 min player without being a big defensive liability

We can’t see the future and if Hunt will work out … but it will have nothing to do with what happened with Sullivan …. Different player and position and a decision made by someone else …

Let’s give Hunt a chance … At least with May coming , they won’t be entirely dependent on Hunt from day 1

 

[Go_You_Good_Things]

Anyone worried about Hunt signing now?

I was at the start and now think we may of rushed for him.

Cant see why a prop with 12 mins in him is going to be worth it.

He looks huuuuuge in the pics.

Hope I’m wrong.

And yes - they’ll try and play him more minutes but if anyone watched him last year - he literally would take 1 hit up … yes 1… and then be super gassed.

And if Cronulla kicked down field he would be gassed by the time he chased the ball.

I watched him closely.

Him , along with AD Olam and Skelton - I think will be our biggest disappointments next year. Unfortunately.

I called it with sullivan before we signed him. And Bateman at 4 yrs. I have a feeling Hunt will play a bit of reserve grade unless he loses some weight and can get MUCH fitter.

In positive news - we are 1 middle, 1 second row, and 1 center away from being a top 8-4 side. And by 1 I mean classy.

I thought he looked to have trimmed down a little. Having said that, I didn't "fanboy" study his physique last year, but I remember him bigger than yesterday's pic . . .

 

[Lestronge]

The last 10 minutes of the first half is the worst period in the game for the Tigers … has been for years actually … but was particularly an issue last season …. I would be holding out to the 30 minute mark and bringing on Hunt ..

15 mins either side of halftime would be optimum . Go hard out there, have a 15 min break then do it again .
Every time I watched him come on for the sharks he shifted momentum , and you knew he was out there .
How often do we say that about our props . Sometimes guys vine on here and say “I didn’t even know he was playing “ . I don’t think you could come up with a bigger insult if you’re a middle .

 

[Tom Shines]

I thought he looked to have trimmed down a little. Having said that, I didn't "fanboy" study his physique last year, but I remember him bigger than yesterday's pic . . .

Yeah … I was the thinking the same thing …

Dunno if it’s wishful thinking and I’m seeing what I want to see though…

it’s a fine line to tread … you still want that size and impact

 

[Tigerwould]

May and Klemmer can hold the 1st 30mins, bring May/Pole on 10mins either side and momentum should swing most games and finish with May/Klemmer.

It’s a very different dynamic to what we have had before.

Agree, although I think you meant Hunt/Pole 10 mins either side of half time.

 

[jrtiger]

I’m in the minority but I’ve got Royce starting next to Terrell with Pole locking the scrum.

Terrell is a workhorse type. high minutes defensively minded middle forward that can ballplay and offload. you pair him with Twal or Klemmer and we’re back where we started.

Royce has come here to be a leader and an enforcer. he comes knowing Marshall wants him to build more minutes into his game, and from what I can see he actually looks more trim than what he did at Cronulla already.

long road ahead but I think it’s the best way to balance the starting pack.

 

[Jolls]

And yes - they’ll try and play him more minutes but if anyone watched him last year - he literally would take 1 hit up … yes 1… and then be super gassed.

And if Cronulla kicked down field he would be gassed by the time he chased the ball.

It is too early to make a call on Hunt being good, bad or indifferent. Sure his last year at Cronullas was typified by what you described; however, that is probably what they wanted from him. It could also be what we want from him 15 minutes on either side of half time. I'm not overly concerned with his signing now that we have landed May. Prior to that I thought we were missing a key element in our front row rotation.

I trust that Benji learnt a bit about what sort of forwards we need going forward as well. I thought our forwards had trimmed down too much last season and as a resutl struggled to with the contact. Hunt and Klemmer with a couple more kegs could be good rotation with and Pole and May.

What we have now is propbabaly workable if we sign Sione F. If we can jag another experienced FG second row/lock I think we will have a well balanced pack for 2025.

I do have a concern about Skelton's defence so we need to set him up for success by placing a strong defender on his inside Then all he has to do is follow the reads of the inside defender and take the next man in the chain. Our cover defence/scramble and the sideline will have to deal with any scraps. As long as he doesn't panic in defence and rush in he should be serviceable. I'm simply happy that we have a winger that will be able to do the hards yard on kick returns and can catch a ball.

As for Olam, it wasn't major surgery so I trust that his knee issues have been resolved. We just have to trust that the medical staff have got it right and he will have the full pre-season to get to peak fitness. If that is the case I don't see him as a liability; if not he is a candidate for medical retirement. This unknown risk is the only reason I would consider holding onto AD.

If the Olam risk is low then AD is first cab of the rank to be let go to another club for a contract to sign Sione F. If we need to keep him as cover then we will need to let go of a couple of short contract kids taking up top 30 spots.

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

Skelton is not proven, Bird is a bit of a risk. He’s the type of signing we have been making for years. Turuva is good, but I’m reserving judgement on him until he isn’t on the end of the backline of the best team in modern history. May could be anything, and Luai is Luai. Overall, it’s pretty good, but without Luai, it’s definitely not remarkable.

Let’s give credit where it’s due, this is one of the best recruiting runs we have had.

Right now recruitment wise we have an uplift of 5 NRL quality players & 1 we see in Skelton.

All the positions these recruits replace are improvements.

We can be skeptical all we like but we have 2x multi premimership players in their prime joining us, we have a big winger that the Bulldogs wanted to keep pick us, we have the most improved prop in the game this season in May off the back of a massive breakout season.

Hunt and Bird we know what we get but are NRL players.

The salaries aren’t terrible (Luai aside) & with the volume of roster spots in 26 vacant it’s an impressive outcome for a rookie coach, a team that is dead last and a CEO less than 12mths in the hot seat.

For the kids coming through hope they catch the bug and we see some extensions signed and performance uplifts.

If you said all these players would be in a Wests Tigers jersey 12mths back we would of been laughed at.

Well done Richo and Benji - now it’s results time.

 

[getagrip]

Its solid looking. Theres still shallow depth behind it and theres that pesky little concern around the defence.
I think this squad can finish 17-14. It needs more.

Lack of goal good kickers also a problem.

 

[swag_tiger]

Sorry for fan girling but the moment I see our full squad run out round 1 I am going to B-U-S-T

 

[JB9918]

I think the 14 jumper is critical as well with this pack.

I was of firm belief Latu gets it but now I am leaning towards TDS.

Api gets gassed every week.

I would suggest at the 25-30 minute mark. Pole, Hunt & TDS. Bend the line, quick play the balls & TDS out of acting half.

Twal needs to be on at this point as well to hold the central defence.

Start - May, Klemmer, Api & Seyfarth (he is the starting lock for me at the moment)

25-30 mins - Hunt, Pole, TDS & Twal

Second half - Api & May back on form TDS & Hunt round the 55-60 minute mark

Klemmer & Seyfarth for the last 10 minutes for effort.

That's 8 interchanges.

 

[Tiger_Yoshi]

To round off our pack for 2025, I'd like to see us retain Sione Fainu...I reckon he will really come on in 2025...He has good footwork and an offload...Surely Richo can payout Tumeth to free up a spot and sign Sione.

 

[Betterdays22]

I’m in the minority but I’ve got Royce starting next to Terrell with Pole locking the scrum.

Terrell is a workhorse type. high minutes defensively minded middle forward that can ballplay and offload. you pair him with Twal or Klemmer and we’re back where we started.

Royce has come here to be a leader and an enforcer. he comes knowing Marshall wants him to build more minutes into his game, and from what I can see he actually looks more trim than what he did at Cronulla already.

long road ahead but I think it’s the best way to balance the starting pack.

What does your rotation look like? .

Personally, I would love either TDS or Api coming off the bench with Hunt to wreak havok around the ruck after 20-25 minutes.

Regardless we are another top prop short. Hopefully that can come from within via Sione Fainu or Tim Johannsson.

 

[orange&black]

One of the best things about our recruitment is that we will have actual NRL players playing NRL, KOE players playing KOE cup ( and trying to make the NRL team), Flegg players playing Flegg, and Ball kids playing SGBall.
Hopefully all our players will be playing where they should be, at the right level to develop their games and put natural pressure and competition for spots on the squad above them.

 

[Demps]

I’m in the minority but I’ve got Royce starting next to Terrell with Pole locking the scrum.

Terrell is a workhorse type. high minutes defensively minded middle forward that can ballplay and offload. you pair him with Twal or Klemmer and we’re back where we started.

Royce has come here to be a leader and an enforcer. he comes knowing Marshall wants him to build more minutes into his game, and from what I can see he actually looks more trim than what he did at Cronulla already.

long road ahead but I think it’s the best way to balance the starting pack.

Klemmer, left right out and farewelled after 2025?

I like it.

 

[426Tlgerland]

One thing I’m sure will now work in favour of the Wests Tigers is we will now be 110% worth looking at for players looking to move clubs ,
Luai , May , Hunt , Bird , Turuva , Skelton , that is pretty tidy recruiting, I would think this may keep Pole and and Sione as well , we look pretty tidy on paper now and we will be better placed in 20125 than we have been for the past 5 years , top 8 is not out of the picture

 

[426Tlgerland]

Klemmer, left right out and farewelled after 2025?

I like it.

Not so sure , Klemmer has absolutely no help from props in 2024 , Steph was with out doubt our worst prop he was lazy , played 4 ok games the whole season , Klemmer now has 2 big props beside him in Hunt and May , I feel Klem will have a great year as he knows others are doing some hard work , sometimes it only takes a player or 2 added where badly needed and the rest all of a sudden become above where they were , they grow in confidence , Sam F was the only guy whole showed some aggressive running , Pole as well , Seyfarth was getting better as the year went on

 

[weststigerman]

I know it's an off season ritual, but I'm starting to be quite positive about next year.

You'd think at least 5 will be straight into our starting line up and 5 of the 6 have been playing finals. Add that to Galvin, Api, Bula and the likes of Fainu we're looking good.

I think now might be a good time to talk to Galvin again to see if he wants a pay rise and extension.

 

[Roar_Power]

I’m in the minority but I’ve got Royce starting next to Terrell with Pole locking the scrum.

Terrell is a workhorse type. high minutes defensively minded middle forward that can ballplay and offload. you pair him with Twal or Klemmer and we’re back where we started.

Royce has come here to be a leader and an enforcer. he comes knowing Marshall wants him to build more minutes into his game, and from what I can see he actually looks more trim than what he did at Cronulla already.

long road ahead but I think it’s the best way to balance the starting pack.
Click to expand...

Klemmer, left right out and farewelled after 2025?

I like it.

I agree Klem's last season with us should be 2025 due to dollars. I don't like the fact we are going to be in a position where we play him in less than 14 games next season so that the 2026 season isn't triggered in his favour. Potentially leaves us short a decent prop for half of 2025.

 

[426Tlgerland]

I know it's an off season ritual, but I'm starting to be quite positive about next year.

You'd think at least 5 will be straight into our starting line up and 5 of the 6 have been playing finals. Add that to Galvin, Api, Bula and the likes of Fainu we're looking good.

I think now might be a good time to talk to Galvin again to see if he wants a pay rise and extension.

Yep Galvin would be loving have watched the club sign Luai but adding Hunt and May , Bird , he will be happy as , I would 100% grab him again probably once Luai arrives and settles in , all Luai has to do is be positive around the kid and hel sign , nothing better than being part of a team coming from last and smashing its way to the finals