Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Lestronge said:
Mate I’m just repeating the rhetoric from those in the know . Also he has games where he has an “injury”…. But really he cbf playing that week . Huge… and I mean huge … motivation issues .
Source … check out the latest braith Anastasia podcast . Reni Matua goes into detail about it .
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Those two are very on the pulse, so if that’s what they are saying or insinuating I would definitely believe it.
Motivating and getting the best out of players is a very interesting topic as most coaches put it in the too hard basket and probably the reason why Wayne Bennett has been so successful over a long period of time. I reckon he would love coaching someone like Cobbo, but when the Rabbitohs have Campbell Graham and Jack Wighton in the centres, Latrell at fullback, I’d guess they don’t have much money to spend on another high profile outside back.
 
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Tom Shines said:
I have no doubt … but only because every player on the market is invariably linked here by someone … made up rumour or not …, along with plenty of others not on the market …

Only recent exception that hasn’t been linked to us is Josh Schuster
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Yeah because there is lazy players, then there are extremely LAZY players.
We got suckered in, myself included with Royce Hunt, once bitten twice shy they say.
 
Vicious said:
Yeah because there is lazy players, then there are extremely LAZY players.
We got suckered in, myself included with Royce Hunt, once bitten twice shy they say.
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I was always a bit dubious about Hunt…although I was hoping for the best I must admit

Clearly they shouldn’t have started him,,, he didn’t like that much …

I’d be surprised if he plays an NRL game again here ..looks like more dead money coming up because I don’t think anyone else is gunna pay much for a dude that plays 15 mins a game ( sometimes)
 
GNR4LIFE said:
So 4 clubs are currently sniffing around with more expected to enquire. Would Api get the same amount of attention? Pretty doubtful. Other clubs don’t prioritise players in their mid 30’s over 20 year olds. So why are we?
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Does anyone else remember what was happening when the "Big 4" talent decided to leave?
Anyone...? Let me refresh.

We were punting our club hooker. A player who was the soul of the club. A club junior...
The players realised it was all about money and gave up. Why would we do this again?

Api is a player who stayed with us through the Spoons. Several games, he was the only player with heart in the team. We loose TDS, meh Galvin ain't going to miss him. We loose Api and we loose an 80 minute worker (ok should be 60) and a player that has stuck with us for 3 spoons.

Lets not be Easts.
 
GNR4LIFE said:
Does lacking a heart for qualify for medical retirement? If so, we should have no trouble putting Hunt into retirement.
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If the NRL serious and serious about helping struggling clubs climb the ladder , there should be clauses surrounding performance as a reason why clubs can pay a player out without any salary cap implications.
 
JC99 said:
There is absolutely nothing this forum loves more than putting players who aren't lock, into lock
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Lock is one of the most varied positions on the field.

It lends itself to a variety of styles of lock, depending on the cattle around the and the game plan.

Lock is also a position that has evolved a lot in recent times and has many crossovers with an old school first receiver.

Seems pretty conducive to some positional thought experiments.
 
Tom Shines said:
I was always a bit dubious about Hunt…although I was hoping for the best I must admit

Clearly they shouldn’t have started him,,, he didn’t like that much …

I’d be surprised if he plays an NRL game again here ..looks like more dead money coming up because I don’t think anyone else is gunna pay much for a dude that plays 15 mins a game ( sometimes)
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So dumb question re Hunt.

Why not just put him back at 15 or 16 and use him like we did round 1?
It worked. If he needs to be flogged at the gym, flog him at the Gym.

Stats wise, I did not get the excitement for Hunt compared to May. May was clearly an insanely good forward. Hunt had real line impact and he brought it.

Then he just dropped from the radar. Our style isn't working with him. Bring him back to the bench like round 1 or swap him out.
 
After hearing Benji in his presser, this is how I feel it is playing out …

-Club happy to release TDS from 2026 given his salary is a reported $400k.

-Plan for Api to be #1 hooker until the end of 2028 with a transition to Jared Haywood.

-Part of TDS salary savings in ‘26 to frontload Api.

-Club would also sign a fulltime hooker into top 30 in ‘26, probably Tristan Hope on say $200k.

-Club would develop Heath Mason’s dummyhalf skills in pre-season to become our #14 and provide cover for Api.

-Club also sign Charlie Murray to a top 30 deal on $200k as purely a lock backup in NSW Cup who can also play dummyhalf.

-Chance that Josese Lanyon lands a dev or T&T contract so provides another dummyhalf option.
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
After hearing Benji in his presser, this is how I feel it is playing out …

-Club happy to release TDS from 2026 given his salary is a reported $400k.

-Plan for Api to be #1 hooker until the end of 2028 with a transition to Jared Haywood.

-Part of TDS salary savings in ‘26 to frontload Api.

-Club would also sign a fulltime hooker into top 30 in ‘26, probably Tristan Hope on say $200k.

-Club would develop Heath Mason’s dummyhalf skills in pre-season to become our #14 and provide cover for Api.

-Club also sign Charlie Murray to a top 30 deal on $200k as purely a lock backup in NSW Cup who can also play dummyhalf.

-Chance that Josese Lanyon lands a dev or T&T contract so provides another dummyhalf option.
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I hope that’s not true. I don’t see how that doesn’t weaken our squad.

If what you’re suggesting happens it might mean WT don’t have the cash to spend the salary cap. I can’t think of any other reason to do this.
 
crazycat said:
So dumb question re Hunt.

Why not just put him back at 15 or 16 and use him like we did round 1?
It worked. If he needs to be flogged at the gym, flog him at the Gym.

Stats wise, I did not get the excitement for Hunt compared to May. May was clearly an insanely good forward. Hunt had real line impact and he brought it.

Then he just dropped from the radar. Our style isn't working with him. Bring him back to the bench like round 1 or swap him out.
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Well ..the problem might be that he has to submit to the flogging and work his butt off… is he prepared to do so ?
 
weststigerman said:
I hope that’s not true. I don’t see how that doesn’t weaken our squad.

If what you’re suggesting happens it might mean WT don’t have the cash to spend the salary cap. I can’t think of any other reason to do this.
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Not at all. We’ll still have a war chest. But it’s strategic …

Hope would be happy to take a cheap 1 year deal & is an ok backup hooker. Then he is replaced in 27 in the top 30 by Haywood who we have to have a spot for as he has a guaranteed upgrade then.

Murray is the same. Then his spot is used for another guaranteed upgrade then - Taupau-Moors or Godinet.

By 2027 hopefully Josese Lanyon becomes another upgrade option as a lock/hooker utility.

And back to our war chest, hopefully a top notch lock and/or strike edge.
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
After hearing Benji in his presser, this is how I feel it is playing out …

-Club happy to release TDS from 2026 given his salary is a reported $400k.

-Plan for Api to be #1 hooker until the end of 2028 with a transition to Jared Haywood.

-Part of TDS salary savings in ‘26 to frontload Api.

-Club would also sign a fulltime hooker into top 30 in ‘26, probably Tristan Hope on say $200k.

-Club would develop Heath Mason’s dummyhalf skills in pre-season to become our #14 and provide cover for Api.

-Club also sign Charlie Murray to a top 30 deal on $200k as purely a lock backup in NSW Cup who can also play dummyhalf.

-Chance that Josese Lanyon lands a dev or T&T contract so provides another dummyhalf option.
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I reckon end of 2027, not 2028. Even then it will be Api sharing the role with another player.


Look we can see from a mile off what's going on.

TDS isn't all that. He has good step and good speed.

The NRL hooker he would be closest too IMHO is Issac Luke, and if he has a career anywhere near as good as Luke's he will be doing well.

Haywood has clearly impressed people at training, and we have gone lets skip someone to keep Api.
It's 100% the right decision. TDS could have pushed himself into our starting side. He did not.

Were better off with Api and we have cleared the way for Haywood to be his successor. That's 100% fine, I only wish we did the same with Ryan P and Teddy.
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
Not at all. We’ll still have a war chest. But it’s strategic …

Hope would be happy to take a cheap 1 year deal & is an ok backup hooker. Then he is replaced in 27 in the top 30 by Haywood who we have to have a spot for as he has a guaranteed upgrade then.

Murray is the same. Then his spot is used for another guaranteed upgrade then - Taupau-Moors or Godinet.

By 2027 hopefully Josese Lanyon becomes another upgrade option as a lock/hooker utility.

And back to our war chest, hopefully a top notch lock and/or strike edge.
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Ahhh the inevitable Wests Tigers war chest is back… great 🫠
 
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