Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[crazycat]

Maybe Dylan Walker

...
That happened quickly!

I suspect Webster is feeling pretty confident. Lets make him regret that.

 

[crazycat]

Bateman is on the small side for an edge back rower, but that’s not the problem when you consider the best edge back rower on the competition currently is Briton Nikora who is barely 95kgs.
Hudson Young is also under 100kgs but is one of the Raiders best every week, so sometimes we get too carried away with size and not focus on the core skills that are running the ball hard, tackling hard and playing with energy.
The energy levels of our NRL team have improved dramatically with the inclusion of our new recruits who all play with high energy.
I can’t the same about our back up players which is my big concern, however Faatape who is supposedly filling in for Skelton tomorrow does always play with high energy, so I cannot begrudge him being called up,

But look where Bateman played good.
In a Canberra pack with Papalii and a bunch of others.

Nikora is playing for the Sharks who have been able to train their props hard.

Hudson Young is back at Canberra, where you have Papalii and a bunch of other big props, Tapine, Horsbrough... etc.

Put a small mobile prop in a group of bigger props and it works great.
Put them in the sides we had in 2022-4, forget it. Oh yea we did, and it is most forgettable.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Hmm bargain dollar? Maybe. I was never a fan of Taylan May, I can only say that I believe the output of his brother has tempered my opinion a little bit.

The thought of both playing for the tigers would have a lot on here more open to his signing.

 

[TurnStyle]

Always exceptions to the rule V but Johnny was past it for mine when he signed, hope your right about Faataape mate pretty sure he had a stinker on the wing last season.

I'm tipping Faataape to blitz due to still experiencing the effects of euphoria (unrivalled by any drug known to man) after today's sharks v dogs game:

He is now officially no longer the holder of the title of 'worst play the ball to an imaginary dummy half in NRL history'.

 

[Tigerwould]

But look where Bateman played good.
In a Canberra pack with Papalii and a bunch of others.

Nikora is playing for the Sharks who have been able to train their props hard.

Hudson Young is back at Canberra, where you have Papalii and a bunch of other big props, Tapine, Horsbrough... etc.

Put a small mobile prop in a group of bigger props and it works great.
Put them in the sides we had in 2022-4, forget it. Oh yea we did, and it is most forgettable.

Yep Canberra have size in the pack to carry a smaller more mobile 2nd rower.
Our pack is pretty mobile. Even Twal looks to be moving more laterally this season. The starting props could both be locks.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

I'm tipping Faataape to blitz due to still experiencing the effects of euphoria (unrivalled by any drug known to man) after today's sharks v dogs game:

He is now officially no longer the holder of the title of 'worst play the ball to an imaginary dummy half in NRL history'.

Hope he grows a foot taller before gametime, really worried about his arial ability.

 

[upthetigers]

With Parra struggling I'd be happy to jag Hopgood if he sees an opportunity here

 

[Buttface]

With Parra struggling I'd be happy to jag Hopgood if he sees an opportunity here

I wanted him when he signed for pawa, nothing has changed.

 

[user118245]

Suggestion: Staines to UK, faatape to turkey, latu to the 17, naden and skeleton to Rome holy bath, on report half of the squad to Saul Goodman and Taylan May to officeworks to get a pen to sign that contract

 

[Tom Shines]

They need a couple of new forwards pronto … I don’t think Taylan is going to make much difference in the short term … sign him to train and trial and get him in the NSW Cup team for 2 months …

 

[supercoach]

Like every other year, as the grind kicks in and the injuries start we struggle. Our very best 17 with a good crack at the 50/50 calls will compete with most sides. One or two injuries and a few dusty calls and we fold like a pack of cards.

Our forward strength is terrible, we basically have no quality back rowers given Fainu is a middle and big Red is bench player at best. We are short in the frontrow.

Got a terrible feeling we could hit the wall big time as we come against the better sides.

 

[clontarfkid]

Since last season ended,weve let go of Stefano,Papali,Klemmer(all 110kgs +_)...and Bateman..replaced by May(who is outperforming all of them)and Hunt(who is playing 35 mins)
But thats a lot of size and experience to lose,particularly against big packs like the Warriors Another to come next week
Still wanna see more minutes out of Royce,and less out of May,or were gonna burn him
And whilst they dont grow on trees ,we need a Klemmer sized replacement asap...and May in the backline. .hes a class above Toa/Faaatape.Naden and Douhi,and in tight games like today and Knights too,that difference really shows
We have 3 slots available..lots of $$.ets act before this season slides away with injuries
Were not going to save our way into the top 8!!!!!

 

[Tom Shines]

Like every other year, as the grind kicks in and the injuries start we struggle. Our very best 17 with a good crack at the 50/50 calls will compete with most sides. One or two injuries and a few dusty calls and we fold like a pack of cards.

Our forward strength is terrible, we basically have no quality back rowers given Fainu is a middle and big Red is bench player at best. We are short in the frontrow.

Got a terrible feeling we could hit the wall big time as we come against the better sides.

It’s hard to argue man … I shudder to think where they would be if May never fell in their laps…and even Pole re-signing has been a massive thing going our way

 

[The-moP]

They need a couple of new forwards pronto … I don’t think Taylan is going to make much difference in the short term … sign him to train and trial and get him in the NSW Cup team for 2 months …

Taylan .. is an impressive centre .. he has more "grunt" in him than any other centre we have (besides Olam). Taylan is a smaller version of big brother Terrell. A bit like Turuva with all that determination of crossing the line with every run. I would see Taylan coming straight into our run on side the moment he signs with us.

And yes we are missing another prop .. and or a 2nd row forward who has little more mongrel than our current back rowers.

 

[jrtiger]

if Newcastle need to clear cap space to fit Dylan Brown in immediately I'd be looking to take Frizell off their hands. the need for a backrower has reached desperate levels.

 

[colinbh]

Like every other year, as the grind kicks in and the injuries start we struggle. Our very best 17 with a good crack at the 50/50 calls will compete with most sides. One or two injuries and a few dusty calls and we fold like a pack of cards.

Our forward strength is terrible, we basically have no quality back rowers given Fainu is a middle and big Red is bench player at best. We are short in the frontrow.

Got a terrible feeling we could hit the wall big time as we come against the better sides.

"Fold like a pack of cards, " your delusional.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

if Newcastle need to clear cap space to fit Dylan Brown in immediately I'd be looking to take Frizell off their hands. the need for a backrower has reached desperate levels.

They would never let him go but Dylan Lucas would be an excellent addition, can only dream unfortunately.

 

[Tom Shines]

Taylan .. is an impressive centre .. he has more "grunt" in him than any other centre we have (besides Olam). Taylan is a smaller version of big brother Terrell. A bit like Turuva with all that determination of crossing the line with every run. I would see Taylan coming straight into our run on side the moment he signs with us.

He hasn’t played in a couple of years ..I don’t see it

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

You know what he's getting at.

Kit Laulilii is the next middle up. Porter is playing poorly in reserve grade. Matamua is in Ron Massey Cup. Tumeth is 18th man every week in reserve grade. All the middles in reserve grade are part-timers - Aho, Johannssen, Rahme, Murray, Tanner, Hodges, etc. Sukkar is sitting on the pine as 18th man for NRL once there's an injury in the club's top 17.

It is wishful to think there wouldn't be any injuries or suspensions any given week.

The depth is not there. May & Hunt needed to be an addition to the likes of Stef and Klemmer, not straight swaps. Sione Fainu, Twal and Seyfarth should be fringe players in an NRL squad, not locks in the team every week.

It's true unfortunately, we churn the pack without making it better, now that the team is showing more fight hopefully forwards we need will stay and we replace the deadwood with better prospects.

 

[2041]

You know what he's getting at.

Kit Laulilii is the next middle up. Porter is playing poorly in reserve grade. Matamua is in Ron Massey Cup. Tumeth is 18th man every week in reserve grade. All the middles in reserve grade are part-timers - Aho, Johannssen, Rahme, Murray, Tanner, Hodges, etc. Sukkar is sitting on the pine as 18th man for NRL once there's an injury in the club's top 17.

It is wishful to think there wouldn't be any injuries or suspensions any given week.

The depth is not there. May & Hunt needed to be an addition to the likes of Stef and Klemmer, not straight swaps. Sione Fainu, Twal and Seyfarth should be fringe players in an NRL squad, not locks in the team every week.

This is because going from being the worst team in the comp three years running to a finals contender doesn't happen overnight. I doubt anyone involved in running the club thought they'd have a finalised contender of a roster by the start of the 2025 season - these things take time.