Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[old_man_tiger]

Bullemore fits our high effort style better than Nanai imo but Nanai would still be a good get.

 

[hank37w]

Talaki really close to Royce i beleive.

Close in size. 🤣

 

[crazycat]

I don't think Feledy is at the level brilliant junior, but can't bust the line at first grade level.

Feledy SUCKS!

But I will keep him around if keeps TDS/Latu/Galvin/etc. Talking min wage/min contract though.

He may take a few seasons to mature as a first grader, like AD has now.

A few players I think we need to focus on ASAP moving forward:

Bula - He is a bigger must then Galvin IMO as he is getting better by the game and his attaching and creating numbers are improving. He is very solid in defence, catches high balls and just looks effectless. He is contracted unit 2026 with a MO 2027. We need to extend him and even an increase with the salary cap going up.

AD - People are always on his back but he can cover multiply positions, kick goals and clearly loves the club and wants to be here. I would have no problems offering him 2 years at 500-600k.

TDS - If we have identified him as our long term 9 and it looks that way we need to look to upgrade and extend him for 4 years before the vultures are out. He looks like a guy willing to learn his trade and work hard.

Skelton - This guy in 3 games has clearly shown me he is worth more the 230k so would extend him before Nov 1.

At the end of the year there are 2 players I would look to upgrade and extend even though they have 2 more years under contract. T May (must) and Samual F. This would be a reward for how great they have worked and just shows them the club cares and wants them upgraded and extended before other club's circle.

Galvin - Look tbh I believe we will and should offer him and upgrade and extension but I would not break the bank and offer crazy money like media are reporting. I would have no problems with 800k -1m with the cap rising but if he cannot see the club is set up for success, I don't know what will.

We will add external players as needed but overall these are the main focuses I see.

I agree with this big call

Bula, except for injuries... is a higher priority then Galvin.
Adding injuries in, ok Galvin > Bula.

I see what Bula adds to the team at the back and he adds a lot.

Skelton is the other priority. OMG did we really buy him for 230K! What a bargain.
Upgrade him now, offer 5 years at 450k!


.. Then the hard decisions start....

AD, damnit finally he finds his groove. But we have paid him and stuck buy him for over 3 seasons. Yes, he deserves an upgrade but I except some loyality. Happy to offer a 2 year contract for 500k...

I say that because we need a kicker.


TDS... Is disposable. We are seeing a lot of 9's coming from different teams and we can pick them up.
Don't get me wrong, I love TDS and we should offer him an extra 50k for the Eyebrows alone...
But if we lost him, would it really matter that much?
We have Api, we have Robbie Farah around to coach/do tips. We have Love who seems to be forming as a good junior. If TDS starts asking for stupid money we can let him leave.

Likewise Toa/Naden... I am proud that Naden is a Tiger, but not going to break 300k keeping him.

If Galvin is getting a 1M deal, then hard decisions have to be taken.
Bula can probably ask around the 800k mark easily, if not 900k. Luai is on 1.2...

^1/3rd of our cap gone on three players!
Hard decisions people.

 

[crazycat]

Talaki really close to Royce i beleive.

Thank GOD NRL doesn't have fan fiction!

 

[TYGA]

The only forwards off contract that fit the title from the winless or one win teams in 2026 free to negotiate November 1st. Junior Paulo, Griffin Neame, David Fifita, Shaun Lane, Ryan Matterson. Nanai signed a 4 year extension two seasons ago locked up until 2027.

 

[user118245]

Sorry if I’ve double sent stuff, been having issues on here all day

 

[Tiger_Yoshi]

Wouldn’t be shocked if Nanai and Tigers links start soon - a lot of connections between Cowboys and Tigers.

Keep an eye out.

As long as he doesn’t come with Bateman…

 

[Lestronge]

You'd think it may be a Cowboys player. Nanai has started really poorly. Taumalolo on big money up there too but he was injured I think until this week

It’s either nanai or Fifita . Both have been underwhelming for a while , and earn near the mil mark . I’d take either in a heartbeat .

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Nanai is on an estimated 900k a year at the cows

I’d take him if cows chip in half

If we could get him 650k with help from the cows good deal he was one of those players that exploded onto the scene and demanded crazy money. He would be sensational on the right side and agree him and Taylan would be outstanding additions.

 

[Fish88]

Bullemore fits our high effort style better than Nanai imo but Nanai would still be a good get.

Been keen on him for ages. He is way too good to be playing from the bench.

 

[jrtiger]

Wouldn’t be shocked if Nanai and Tigers links start soon - a lot of connections between Cowboys and Tigers.

Keep an eye out.

Teddy I’ve nearly had a heart attack.

 

[Vicious]

If we could get him 650k with help from the cows good deal he was one of those players that exploded onto the scene and demanded crazy money. He would be sensational on the right side and agree him and Taylan would be outstanding additions.

Nanai with the right coach who will work with him is the best edge back rower in the game.
Unfortunately for us common sense tells us the Cowboys will get rid of Payten before they have any thoughts of getting rid of Nanai.

 

[crazycat]

If we could get him 650k with help from the cows good deal he was one of those players that exploded onto the scene and demanded crazy money. He would be sensational on the right side and agree him and Taylan would be outstanding additions.

I doubt were going to get the cows to chip in 300k.

This honestly seems like Todd Payten dropping people to get better performance out of them. It worked with Taumalolo but it's going to brown people off.

The question is not "Do we want Nanai for 650k for a year or two instead of 950k/his current contract".
The question should be "Do we want Jeremiah Nanai?"

He would suit that 2RF gap we have.

 

[The-moP]

From Buzz latest article:

Which million-dollar forward (it’s not hard to guess who) is fighting to save his career at an NRL club after a sluggish start to the season? He is free to negotiate with rival clubs from November but will be offered an early release unless his form picks up.

Bateman? Paulo? Matterson?

It is Fifita .. Desi is not a fan of his on and off field attitude .. Fifita himself doesn't believe he's a bench player .. (as far as i can remember there are 17 players in a team.. doesnt matter if you are player 14 to 17 you are still part of the team). I think Fifita is contracted till the end of 26 (??)

In regards to the Cows .. Payten's job is on the line, he's getting pressure from above .. started with a decision to purchase a certain player who Payten didn't want. Nani is collateral damage but will soon be in there run on side .. at least they picked him on the bench last weekend. I reckon Todd Payten will be the 1st coach sacked this season .. especially if they don't start winning a few games .. they have the Faiders, Pamfers, Bunnies then the bye coming up.

We have the Wahs at Campbelltown .. then the Donkeys at Suncorp (yikes 😳) .. then back against Newie at Newie .. and Slimies and CommBank .. I'll be happy if we get 3 out 4 wins here .. 🙂

 

[AdelaideTiger]

Anyone else notice the distinct lack of chest thumping or even any kind of media presence from Richo since the season proper has started.
What a lovely change to have a professional in the building.
If the previous administration was still in charge you can bet it would be a very different story.

 

[rihannafan1]

Anyone else notice the distinct lack of chest thumping or even any kind of media presence from Richo since the season proper has started.
What a lovely change to have a professional in the building.
If the previous administration was still in charge you can bet it would be a very different story.

The team is doing all the talking 😄

 

[Betterdays22]

Anyone else notice the distinct lack of chest thumping or even any kind of media presence from Richo since the season proper has started.
What a lovely change to have a professional in the building.
If the previous administration was still in charge you can bet it would be a very different story.

Yep there was a real media flurry around Jan. Daily articles and fluff pieces which had me worried. Since then the club has kept a low profile. Winning helps

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Nanai with the right coach who will work with him is the best edge back rower in the game.
Unfortunately for us common sense tells us the Cowboys will get rid of Payten before they have any thoughts of getting rid of Nanai.

Mate I was just responding to a rumour we all know they hardly ever eventuate wasn't taking it as gospel.

 

[Tiger_Yoshi]

Bullemore fits our high effort style better than Nanai imo but Nanai would still be a good get.

Bullemore is a machine.....would be perfect fit for the Tigers

 

[2041]

I'd be very wary of assuming the 2022 Nanai is just waiting for a change of scenery to appear again, and I certainly wouldn't be contemplating taking his whole contract. This is from a pretty decent Cowboys season preview:

I almost dedicated a bonus newsletter last week to the dropping of Jeremiah Nanai, a player skating by on reputation for the better part of the last two seasons. Nanai had a tremendous rookie season in first grade, capped with a Kangaroos call up for the delayed World Cup, and then proceeded to hit the pause button on any progress since.

Bursting on to the scene as an enterprising back rower with a flair for the spectacular aerial contest, Nanai quickly built a reputation as one of the premier attacking edge forwards in the competition, but teams figure out pretty quickly whether your quiver is full of bows or sticks, and Nanai’s was several twigs short of a fire.

Tortured and laboured metaphor aside, Nanai is the classic example of a young player whose reputation outgrows his output to the point of overcorrection. That overcorrection in the public eye is beginning to sharpen as people cotton on to his…lets call it stagnation, as a player recently. I won’t go so far as to say he’s got a limited skillset because I think that’s patently untrue, but I do think it’s fair to say the scope of Nanai’s career thus far is an accurate microcosm of Todd Payten’s men the last two seasons.

Take 2022 for instance. Nanai burst onto the scene after a handful of first grade games the year prior, taking home Rookie of the Year honours in a season where he scored a blistering 17 tries from 23 games. Impact of the new quicker ruleset aside, that’s still seriously impressive...

Back to Nanai, the vessel for this long-winded metaphor about the Cowboys as a whole, but for someone with all the talent in the world and a rare blend of physical gifts to accompany it, he goes wherever the wind takes him far too often.

To be fair to him, it can be hard to impact the game as an edge forward at times, but that’s the territory that comes with the accolades he’s racked up and the countless coaches he’s fooled along the way.

Last year I wrote about how David Fifita’s reputation was miscast in my mind, and a lot of that is due to Nanai’s inverse unearned goodwill. The two have been pitted against each other at representative level, Nanai beating out Fifita for Queensland berths due to Fifita’s “lack of work rate”, ignoring that Nanai got beaten cold for what proved to be the eventual game winner in the decider last year when Jarome Luai danced around him to set up Bradman Best in the corner...

The dropping of Nanai by Todd Payten was a refreshing dose of stark reality to a player resting on his laurels and relying on talent alone in a league that finds out pretty quickly what you’re made of. People that don’t watch the Cowboys regularly (and I don’t blame you) might have been surprised to see such a rein pulled so quickly, but it had been in the works for the better part of 18 months.

The problem was it may have been Payten’s only rein, designed to shock and scare an underperforming team into action, instead they wilted in their own backyard as Cronulla waltzed in and promptly downed them by 24 without really breaking out of a canter...

As for Nanai, I do think it would’ve been more beneficial for him to stay out for a few weeks. His defensive issues won’t be fixed after one game at the lower level, and they’re coming up against a smarting Broncos side desperate for a bounce back after being stormed in the nation’s capital.