Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Canadian Club]

It’s a low standard when Charlie Muzza is getting picked ahead of you

Props always take the longest to develop. Not to mention Kit has only played as a prop for just under two seasons. Its the most physically demanding position so it takes a while to get used to week in week out first grade.

Our two best props this year have been Terrell and Sione and both were NSW cup players until they were 22-23 years old. Fans are way to impatient when it comes to development.

 

[Moh]

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Been saying it for years to be honest

Sheeeeeesh, that is blunt.

 

[Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan]

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Been saying it for years to be honest

Brooks was one of our best on Sunday. Hasn't developed any new tricks since leaving so he's very easy to defend.

 

[Tom Shines]

I would say Davvy Moale, Braden Hamlin-Uele, Samuel Hughes and Liam Henry are all slightly better than what we can potentially field in our top 17, but none of them would be a massive improvement, so you would have to ask the question, could any of them provide value for money ?
As for the top 4, isn’t that what we should be aiming for within the next 1-2 years ?
We have now proven we have a team that can somewhat compete for the top 8, surely the next step is building a top 4 team ?
I don’t think we are far away from it at all, but there is no doubt a couple of positions within our team that need improvement to get to that level.

I would strongly argue against any of those players being better than our best 13 ..Im looking for at a minimum a player that can start at 13 or 10 which would mean beating out one of Sione/Twal…and both of them are playing well the past month or more

In regards to the Top 4… let’s get to the Top 8 first …haven’t done that in 15 years…gotta crawl before you can walk

 

[Flippedy]

Sheeeeeesh, that is blunt.

Finally seeing what WT fans have seen for years instead of pumping his tyres as a great player who will realise his potential away from the Tigers.

 

[Tom Shines]

Charlie Murray will do a job. Makes his tackles, does all the one-percenters at marker and A-defender, and is consistent with it. He's come from the Storm system, so it's drilled into him.

Although Kit Laulilii gives more with the pill under his arm, he still needs to work on his consistency and movements in defence. Need to remember he still is only 20. Not many props play first grade at that age.

Prop/mids are a still a weakness at the club. Reserve grade rotation is currently Laulilii, Taateo, Jack, Rahme, Aho, Hodges, Taupau-Moors. If Wests have a Manly-style injury crisis in their middles, then that's what you're taking up to NRL. They were comprehensively beaten by Canberra's reserves before the bye, and Souths reserves middles dominated them for much of the game too on the weekend, especially Salesi Ataata.

Charlie Murray would not be an NRL player at any other team apart from ours…

No one has argued harder than me for better middle forwards this past 12 months

 

[liltiger]

We've lacked a player like him in our backline for too long.

Hes a very much needed addition to our team.

That 1 to 5 has shaped up quite nicely and if Makasini is as good as we all think, things are looking great.

In only a little over 12 months. We have flipped the script on our roster, we finally have good backs with good depth, now need to bolster the guys up front and were set. Was the complete opposite only 2 - 3 years ago.

 

[Flippedy]

Charlie Murray would not be an NRL player at any other team apart from ours…

No one has argued harder than me for better middle forwards this past 12 months

I’m getting a little tired of this mantra that most of our players wouldn’t be in first grade at any other team. It’s BS, we’re 11th, we are not last anymore. I’m sure some of those bad performing teams below us wouldn’t mind having a Charlie Murray in their team right now. Even when we were running last, players who no one rated here were in the top 17 at other clubs, most notably 4 time premiers Penrith!!

 

[Tom Shines]

I’m getting a little tired of this mantra that most of our players wouldn’t be in first grade at any other team. It’s BS, we’re 11th, we are not last anymore. I’m sure some of those bad performing teams below us wouldn’t mind having a Charlie Murray in their team right now. Even when we were running last, players who no one rated here were in the top 17 at other clubs, most notably 4 time premiers Penrith!!

I’ve commented on Murray …how is that “most of the players “?

 

[liltiger]

Apparently he's focusing on his coaching.

I dare say too much public comment about fans, the inner workings of our club and how much he loves WT and the womens team doesn't help him in his coaching career, but now I'm just speculating.

Said last time something was cooking in the background he couldn't discuss, reckon he's either coming back as an assistant, or has nabbed a coaching role to take the Titans girls next year. Just my conspiracy, imo it's the Titans role, if he was coming here he would have remained tight lipped about the issues with the girls team and he wasn't shy.

 

[liltiger]

I find it hilarious that Manly are struggling with ex Tigers greats Simpkins, Brooks, Talau and Matt Lodge.

Hey, you will play better outside of the Tigers. Like Galvin right?

Tee hee.

Brooks has only played 1 finals game more than the Tigers, maybe the issues were not only with the Tigers, maybe he was and is just average.

 

[mtd#2]

Brooks was one of our best on Sunday. Hasn't developed any new tricks since leaving so he's very easy to defend.

I genuinely feel sorry for him.. I remember his debut vs the dragons at the SCG and thought he was going to be a superstar... He lost his flair when we forced him into the #7 role.. maybe he can find it again in the UK, could be a superstar over there.

 

[Tom Shines]

I genuinely feel sorry for him.. I remember his debut vs the dragons at the SCG and thought he was going to be a superstar... He lost his flair when we forced him into the #7 role.. maybe he can find it again in the UK, could be a superstar over there.

In relation to his debut game …it’s not too often a 200 plus game player has his best game in his debut outing ..

I actually heard a rumour about a month ago he was headed to Parramatta to play with his old mate Mitch …

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Charlie Murray will do a job. Makes his tackles, does all the one-percenters at marker and A-defender, and is consistent with it. He's come from the Storm system, so it's drilled into him.

Although Kit Laulilii gives more with the pill under his arm, he still needs to work on his consistency and movements in defence. Need to remember he still is only 20. Not many props play first grade at that age.

Prop/mids are a still a weakness at the club. Reserve grade rotation is currently Laulilii, Taateo, Jack, Rahme, Aho, Hodges, Taupau-Moors. If Wests have a Manly-style injury crisis in their middles, then that's what you're taking up to NRL. They were comprehensively beaten by Canberra's reserves before the bye, and Souths reserves middles dominated them for much of the game too on the weekend, especially Salesi Ataata.

You make a good point about our middles depth. Not much experience. If we lose a couple (Twal, Pole for example) or even Terrell May for an extended period, we are scraping.

Maybe an off-contract experienced type who can come in and do a job straight away will be a target. Someone who would be happy to start in NSW Cup and be determined to earn an NRL spot or be depth in case of injuries.

Four who could suit this are Bunty Afoa, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Wiremu Greig or Tom Ale.

 

[Vicious]

I would strongly argue against any of those players being better than our best 13 ..Im looking for at a minimum a player that can start at 13 or 10 which would mean beating out one of Sione/Twal…and both of them are playing well the past month or more

In regards to the Top 4… let’s get to the Top 8 first …haven’t done that in 15 years…gotta crawl before you can walk

I agree and that is the point I am making, there are virtually no middles available or becoming available anytime soon that would be automatic selections in our top 13.
This being the case, we still need another middle who can either be part of our top 17 or at the very least provide strong competition to be part of our top 17, however we might be better off looking at a high quality recruit in another position due to player availability.
If that means moving on someone within our team on to accommodate a potential upgrade in their position, than so be it.

 

[Tom Shines]

I agree and that is the point I am making, there are virtually no middles available or becoming available anytime soon that would be automatic selections in our too 13.
This being the case, we still need another middle who can either be part of our top 17 or at the very least provide string competition to be part of our top 17, however we might be better off looking at a high quality recruit in another position due to player availability.
If that means moving on someone's within our team on to accommodate a potential upgrade in their position, than so be it.

I understand your argument… I’m saying that better players will become available just like May last year … maybe not as good as him but better than Twal/Sione … I don’t know the clubs situation re salary cap … they might need to keep some decent money aside to pay for a decent middle player … so I don’t know how that affects recruitment for other players … im happy with the backs now to be honest …

 

[tigahhh]

I'd say they're struggling from not being able to select Paseka, Croker, Ola'kauatu, Jake T, Aloiai, and Brown. The Manly pack Wests played on Sunday is a shell of what it could be. All those guys played in the semi they beat Canterbury in last season.

Imagine Benji had Seibold's problem and couldn't select the equivalent - May, Koroisau, Pole, Sam Fainu, Sione Fainu, Twal? I think the score may be a tad worse than 26-12.

can only play what’s in front of you & manly’s issues are deeper than injuries.

 

[tigahhh]

Definitely need to look at the better teams in NSW Cup and see if there are gems there that could be prized away. I'd go for the younger ones though. Cronulla have a few, as do Warriors and Penrith. The older guys will have a price tag and only provide a season or two of football. Need to look longer term, especially as the club only has CTM and Laulilii as NRL 'potential' in the lower grades.

isn’t that what they’ve been doing with recruiting geyer & roberts?

 

[Vicious]

Discussing middles

Interestingly I wonder if either of them, particularly Geyer being the older player could transition from an edge forward to a middle ?
Size is not an issue and extra leg speed in the middle is much needed.

 

[Westoz]

isn’t that what they’ve been doing with recruiting geyer & roberts?

Roberts is a good signing but Geyer is only here for a year and off to the Perth bears the year after