Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion


NRL pre-season: New Tigers recruits Jack Bird, Royce Hunt ready to take revenge on former clubs in 2025

Fatima Kdouh, December 2, 2024 - 4:00PM

Revenge, redemption and a top eight berth are on the menu for Wests Tigers star recruits Jack Bird and Royce Hunt.

Bird agreed to join Wests Tigers on a two-year deal after St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan told him he was no longer wanted at the club.

Bird and Flanagan won a premiership together in 2016 at Cronulla and then reunited at the Dragons last season, but the 29-year old insisted there was no bad blood between the pair.

“What made me sign here? The Dragons didn’t want me, to start with,” Bird said.

“I understand it’s a business. There was no bad blood there. I still have close relationships at the Dragons, I played under Flanno (Flanagan) for a while but I’m not looking back.”

However, he does have one date in the future circled in his calendar – the first time he takes on his former side in 2025.

“Yeah, that’s Magic Round so I’m looking forward to that. I actually ran into Flanno a few weeks ago, I told him ‘you’re going to regret it’. Nah, that’s a gee up,” Bird laughed.

“But he reckons he’s going to make me make 80 tackles (in the middle). I’ll make 30 tackles and come off.”

Former Cronulla prop Hunt also has an eye on the round 8 clash with the Sharks, when at least one former teammate has already put a target on his back.

“The boys are already messaging me from the Sharks,” Hunt said.

“A couple of years ago, we were playing in NSW Cup and I ran over Brit Nikora, so he wants his redemption.

“He said he’ll cop six weeks for that redemption.”

After three straight wooden spoons, coach Benji Marshall has been unapologetic in laying down the law this pre-season. Marshall issued breach notices and warnings to five players, including Latu Fainu and Heath Mason, for failing to meet weight and fitness standards.

Wanting to help drive the new standards, Hunt cut his off-season break short and returned to training three weeks early.

Hunt revealed Marshall’s training sessions rivalled the gruelling summers he endured under Ricky Stuart at Canberra.

“I thought why not get in among the boys and try to set a standard for the boys,” Hunt said.

“We weren’t allowed to complain about the heat so I was asking for a jacket while we were out there.

“Canberra was pretty hard, but I’ll say this pre-season has been pretty tough too.

“There has been a good standard set by the young boys early on and it’s our job as the older boys to take that standards up a bit too. The boys are flying.”

Bird and Hunt are two of the six new faces set to line-up for round 1 in 2025 after a massive recruitment drive which also landed four-time premiership winner Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva, Jeral Skelton and Terrell May.

Bird believed the revamped roster was now good enough to challenge for a top-eight spot, which would be the first Tigers finals appearance since 2011.

“I couldn’t give two rats that they’ve won three wooden spoons,” Bird said.

“Our goal is to make the top eight. We haven’t been there for a while, it’s going to be tough ask but we have the team to do it.

“You look at the signings we have made at this club.

“I see a bright future at this club. I want to come here turn the culture around and try to make finals again, I think we can do that.

“I think we are going to surprise a lot of people.”
 
"I couldn't give a rats ass they got 3 wooden spoons"... But at the same time.. like Klem... and Bateman, Sullivan and co... it more than pays the bills.
 
I can sense a drastic improvement this year.
The weak links have been well recruited.

Potential team is not bad.
1. Bula
2. Skelton
3. Olam
4. Toa / Makasini
5. Turuva
6. Galvin
7. Luai
8. T May
9. Api
10. Pole
11. S Fainu
12. A Seyfarth/Bateman
13. Bird
14. Hunt
15. Twal
16. Sione Fainu
17. TDS

The squad is not strong defensively on the edges it’s our weakness however these forwards should be able to win the ruck helping out the edge defenders.
 
TYGA said:
I can sense a drastic improvement this year.
The weak links have been well recruited.

Potential team is not bad.
1. Bula
2. Skelton
3. Olam
4. Toa / Makasini
5. Turuva
6. Galvin
7. Luai
8. T May
9. Api
10. Pole
11. S Fainu
12. A Seyfarth/Bateman
13. Bird
14. Hunt
15. Twal
16. Sione Fainu
17. TDS

The squad is not strong defensively on the edges it’s our weakness however these forwards should be able to win the ruck helping out the edge defenders.
Click to expand...
Now you talking...... on any given Sunday. Sometimes the team is the family

 
Lestronge said:
That’s not true at all . When did that chase down happen ? Are you talking about the shoulder charge into touch from like 3 years ago ?
That player doesn’t exist anymore . And chasing someone down when you let the guy through in the first place , is the bare minimum standard allowed by any defensive metric .
And his weak defense , I’ve said before so I’ll say it again, I brought up numerous times in his first years here , and was told to STFU and jump off Luke Brooks’ penis . Litterally . As if they’re even remotely related .
So spare me with the poor AD stuff , because for many of us , who’ve been really cognisant of how and why our defense is shit ( I’ll give you hint , it’s mainly due to laziness and buy in, not ability) , someone like AD really pisses guys off . Because he’s massive and moves really well , and really should be one of the better defenders . But he’s the opposite . So it’s either 2 things . He doesn’t want to put his body in front of the man consistently , or he hasn’t worked out yet he’s a large human being, who should be putting his body in front of guys .

His lack of lateral movement due to his injuries , wouldn’t be an issue if he could actually use his size to whack guys out wide . Which is where he should be moving to . But no one in thier right mind thinks AD can make it as an edge back rower , even though his skill set screams edge back rower , because the guy can’t defend . Like his skill set in attack is soo suited to edge back rower id argue he has origin/ elite potential in that position .But his defence is soo bad no one wants him first grade . And he wants to play half for whatever reason …
Thats where his game is at. And it’s a real shame because defence is 80% attitude , and there’s a gaping hole screaming for someone like AD to step into on the right edge .
Click to expand...
On one hand you ask when it was, then on the other, remember it even better than I do. That, I believe, is the occasion I remember & am referring to.

From memory- it wasn't his pass that was intercepted. Might have been Jackson Hastings I think.

I'm not ready to put the fork in him. Let's see how he responds this season.
 
The Chad said:
On one hand you ask when it was, then on the other, remember it even better than I do. That, I believe, is the occasion I remember & am referring to.

From memory- it wasn't his pass that was intercepted. Might have been Jackson Hastings I think.

I'm not ready to put the fork in him. Let's see how he responds this season.
Click to expand...
Thank heavens you dont have 3 hands....
 
Vicious said:
So too has Olam, Jack Bird and Naden.
That’s 5 centres who all have question marks over them, but we have to play 2 of them.
Surely the whole 5 of them will not be injured and/or playing lazy at the same time.
Click to expand...
Olam 79 games in past 4 years, most definiltey not a lazy player
Bird 73 games
Toa 55
Doueihi 44
Naden 42

SO by that logic Olam and Bird are head and shoulders our best options. Turuva is untested, who knows how he'll go.

Toa, Doueihi and Naden should be released ASAP, they're not first grade standard. Sure we need to replace with them with other squaddies, but we just need to find players with some speed and skill with a good attitude. These 3 have none of these qualities.
 
TYGA said:
I can sense a drastic improvement this year.
The weak links have been well recruited.

Potential team is not bad.
1. Bula
2. Skelton
3. Olam
4. Toa / Makasini
5. Turuva
6. Galvin
7. Luai
8. T May
9. Api
10. Pole
11. S Fainu
12. A Seyfarth/Bateman
13. Bird
14. Hunt
15. Twal
16. Sione Fainu
17. TDS

The squad is not strong defensively on the edges it’s our weakness however these forwards should be able to win the ruck helping out the edge defenders.
Click to expand...
No Klemmer?
 
balmain boy said:
Olam 79 games in past 4 years, most definiltey not a lazy player
Bird 73 games
Toa 55
Doueihi 44
Naden 42

SO by that logic Olam and Bird are head and shoulders our best options. Turuva is untested, who knows how he'll go.

Toa, Doueihi and Naden should be released ASAP, they're not first grade standard. Sure we need to replace with them with other squaddies, but we just need to find players with some speed and skill with a good attitude. These 3 have none of these qualities.
Click to expand...
Dude... lets find our mojo first... how's that gonna work with Terrell May.wanting to be the next Kardashian? Jack Gibson is rolling in his grave.
 
ChilledChaos said:
Anyone watching T May’s vlogs! Bro is looking in real good shape. A real character, naturally funny which will be great for the team! Don’t get it twisted, this guy is a real competitor!
Click to expand...
Where??? Where??? Im missing out... are his muscles shiny???? Damn... we bought a celebrity. Will be good for membership.
 
TYGA said:
I can sense a drastic improvement this year.
The weak links have been well recruited.

Potential team is not bad.
1. Bula
2. Skelton
3. Olam
4. Toa / Makasini
5. Turuva
6. Galvin
7. Luai
8. T May
9. Api
10. Pole
11. S Fainu
12. A Seyfarth/Bateman
13. Bird
14. Hunt
15. Twal
16. Sione Fainu
17. TDS

The squad is not strong defensively on the edges it’s our weakness however these forwards should be able to win the ruck helping out the edge defenders.
Click to expand...
Turuva at Centre and Staines on the wing is better than having Toa. Latu Fainu instead of TDS allows you to cover way more bases than just giving Api a rest too. Plus Klemmer will be in the 17. Most likely starting with May
 
The Chad said:
On one hand you ask when it was, then on the other, remember it even better than I do. That, I believe, is the occasion I remember & am referring to.

From memory- it wasn't his pass that was intercepted. Might have been Jackson Hastings I think.

I'm not ready to put the fork in him. Let's see how he responds this season.
Click to expand...
No remember it , because he got sin binned for a shoulder charge / got suspended because , to prove my point , he wouldn’t hit and drive . I remember thinking at the time , why did he shoulder charge him ?
I’m not being critical , but I had a mate when we were kids , who used to shoulder charge because he was afraid to tackle properly . It’s probably unfair to AD to compare him to that , but that’s what I see .
 
crazycat said:
But speed isn't the be all and end all.

Take Klemmer, he is a big unit and actually can build some pace to him.
What he can't do is change direction as easily. He lacks the quick stepping of say Samuela Fainu.

Big guys can run, small guys run around them.
Click to expand...
No it’s not the be all, end all, unless you’re the quickest to the ball when the game is on the line?
Dude? Of course there’s more to the game but, Speed helps everyone at everything.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 297 (members: 15, guests: 282)
Back
Top