Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Manase given a second shot by the tigers on a T&T for 27, assuming he still wants to play, is not beyond the realms of possibility. Do we rely on him or even factor him into our future plans....NO...that would be poor planning bordering on incompetence.

Having said that, maybe we have some scouts out a silverwater watching him light it up from dummy half in the prison comp and reporting back to Richo and Benji.
 
TheClaws said:
Manase given a second shot by the tigers on a T&T for 27, assuming he still wants to play, is not beyond the realms of possibility. Do we rely on him or even factor him into our future plans....NO...that would be poor planning bordering on incompetence.

Having said that, maybe we have some scouts out a silverwater watching him light it up from dummy half in the prison comp and reporting back to Richo and Benji.
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I feel like supporters have given up if they think that he’s the best we can do. And you know what, maybe he is.
 
mtd#2 said:
if what Ive heard is true, it isn't anything to do with Gus and he's simply capitalising on the opportunity... tigers haven't done anything wrong either mind you.
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You keep saying this without saying much.

If he wants to stay and the club want him to stay, what is it? It's not that we don't have the money.
 
GNR4LIFE said:
I feel like supporters have given up if they think that he’s the best we can do. And you know what, maybe he is.
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It's a bloody frustrating team to support so I get the jumping at shadows. I have gone from disgusted and disappointed over the last few years to frustrated and disappointed this year....I see potential and passion that I have not seen for years, however they are falling short in game after game, even those we win do not fill a person with confidence. I think we need to persist with Benji till at least mid 26, not just for him to prove himself, but also for the team to prove they can win playing for him and the club (us).
 
TheClaws said:
It's a bloody frustrating team to support so I get the jumping at shadows. I have gone from disgusted and disappointed over the last few years to frustrated and disappointed this year....I see potential and passion that I have not seen for years, however they are falling short in game after game, even those we win do not fill a person with confidence. I think we need to persist with Benji till at least mid 26, not just for him to prove himself, but also for the team to prove they can win playing for him and the club (us).
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Our spine at the start of the year, on paper was one of the best in the comp. You could argue that we still do. Yet, they cannot finish off games. That’s on the coaching staff.
 
tigahhh said:
2023 was two years ago 😬
there’s a reason he’s not playing fullback anymore and dragons are desperate to offload him
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Hahahaha....how good am I going? Talk about living in the past...

I don't want him as a fullback. He can fill in, in the case of injury.

I want him on the wing or at centre. Him & Taylan May. He reminds me of JAC. Maybe it's Temu JAC. But it's something we don't have.

I'd also look at Junior Tupou as a reserve. Same deal. Explosive athletes. We have plenty of good, solid guys. We just lack that ability to make teams worry. Ball in hand, guys like Sloan & May make defenders make fast decisions. Not always good ones.
 
The Chad said:
Hahahaha....how good am I going? Talk about living in the past...

I don't want him as a fullback. He can fill in, in the case of injury.

I want him on the wing or at centre. Him & Taylan May. He reminds me of JAC. Maybe it's Temu JAC. But it's something we don't have.

I'd also look at Junior Tupou as a reserve. Same deal. Explosive athletes. We have plenty of good, solid guys. We just lack that ability to make teams worry. Ball in hand, guys like Sloan & May make defenders make fast decisions. Not always good ones.
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Haha , depends what price i guess too he’s on a big wicket at the dragons
 
GNR4LIFE said:
Our spine at the start of the year, on paper was one of the best in the comp. You could argue that we still do. Yet, they cannot finish off games. That’s on the coaching staff.
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New spine and 5 or 6 different combinations so far this year....I think the issue is Luai and trying to fit a round peg in a square hole. Don't get me wrong, I love his commitment and passion, however he would be one hell of a frustrating player to attack with. He is unpredictable steps left right goes forward and back. Players around him must be completely bamboozled trying to figure out what he will do next. I get that they all train together, however I would argue most try's and line breaks are from opportunistic plays that you will only encounter in a live game. It will take time for them to get in sync with him in the heat of battle. He also needs a halves partner that runs straight and makes room for him out wide and hopefully he gets that for the first time with Latu.
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
How much better do the Eels look when Dylan Walker plays lock or when Bailey Hayward or Kurt Mann play lock. Is it coincidence the Knights form has turned around since Crossland went to lock? What about Kurt Donoghue at the Dolphins and their form in recent weeks? And us when Latu has gone there?

The modern day lock forward - solidly built halves who have that defensive steel & mongrel in them.

They open up the attack as first receiver allowing either half to play wider & deeper. Often don't need to do many carries with wingers & centres being used for yardage. However when they do, they offer something nippy with their leg speed. They add line speed to the defence too and most put in big effort plays in D.

I can understand the thought process for Latu as a lock but now if it's not going to be him, why do we not try Jack Bird as primary lock? Or is there someone else out there who fits this profile who is off contract or may want out?
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BWG, I actually think we will get away with having Latu almost play both.

I predict, if they keep him at half, he will have double the touches of Luai moving forward as he falls into more of that first receiver role, as opposed to simply left v right.

I think that allows us play three proppy- middles. I think it also allows Luai to play both sides, effectively what Galvin was doing and, it allows Luai to pick his moments better. Quality over quantity and all that.

I might be completely wrong, but I think when Latu played lock with us, he was kind of playing the 1st receiver role, which, while we see a lot of locks replicating these days, he looked to me to be playing more like a traditional seven; a lot of distribution, calling plays, kicking threat, etc.

Your original point about smaller locks being in vogue is on the money I think overall though. The game is going that way and I think it's outstanding. Love seeing little guys changing the game in the middle.

The giant meat-robot wrestling matches of 5-10 years ago grew awfully monotonous towards the end.
 
Kelce68 said:
BWG, I actually think we will get away with having Latu almost play both.

I predict, if they keep him at half, he will have double the touches of Luai moving forward as he falls into more of that first receiver role, as opposed to simply left v right.

I think that allows us play three proppy- middles. I think it also allows Luai to play both sides, effectively what Galvin was doing and, it allows Luai to pick his moments better. Quality over quantity and all that.

I might be completely wrong, but I think when Latu played lock with us, he was kind of playing the 1st receiver role, which, while we see a lot of locks replicating these days, he looked to me to be playing more like a traditional seven; a lot of distribution, calling plays, kicking threat, etc.

Your original point about smaller locks being in vogue is on the money I think overall though. The game is going that way and I think it's outstanding. Love seeing little guys changing the game in the middle.

The giant meat-robot wrestling matches of 5-10 years ago grew awfully monotonous towards the end.
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Taking your comments on board then @Kelce68 maybe the lock we are looking for is the absolute defensive workhorse who leads line speed, has good leg speed & lifts the team with effort areas.

The Josh Curran type or maybe this is where Kobe Hetherington re-enters the frame or possibly the moneyball value of an Adam Elliott.
 
Kelce68 said:
If you 'struggle to fathom' someone else's perspective on a matter, particularly when that perspective is at the very least plausible, then you have work to do on your ability to hold conversations with fellow adults.
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I've not happened across Adults discussing Unicorns or the Tooth Fairy and other such Fantasy...
But if I ever do,
I'll keep an ear out for the Discussions on Signing a bloke who hasn't played 1 game for the
best part of a decade and weigh up the rationale then.
 
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