Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

crazycat said:
Are we building culture or a team?

I think we are right to ask if Luai is a 7. He really does seem a 6. Sure he wants to be Batman, well Cam Munster is Batman at 6 for the Storm.

If your saying "lets punt Luai for a better halves pair in Pezet/Fainu" or whatever flash bang Halves come along. Please don't.

We have banked on Luai staying with us. 4 year deal, signed and delivered. Sure if he says he is leaving in 2027 or makes stupid noises... bye bye.
But a top tier player signs with us, we can't look flakey.


After the Shemozle that was Klemmer, Bateman and those signings. We look Super Flakey!
Really Flakey.
We offered Klem 1 year into his 4 year deal. We reneg'd on a bunch of players and I have no idea why Luai signed with us after that performance. If we get seen as that club that signs 4 year deals but breaks them after 6 months...
We look crap
Our culture looks crap!

Seriously not knocking Pezet, and he is a good player. But he is in an excellent team (Storm) with an excellent coach. That said, I would take Jerome Hugues ahead of Pezet because we need an experienced halfback that can deal with a crap team. Not a newbie halfback.

The Fainu's are family and I am glad to have them here. If Latu moves to Lock (or Luai), hey lets do it. If Latu is cool with being 14 and we need a gun halfback. BOOM, sign a 7.


We can't be a flight deck. We are building culture, we will ruin it if we treat players like objects.
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True and that is why we will keep Luai at all costs, even if he asks for a pay rise to stick with us after next season.
The million dollar question is will we get genuine star quality value out of him in 2026 and beyond ?
Time will tell, but the pressure is on him to step up to the plate and be in our top 3 players nearly every week, not just occasionally.
 
TheEnz said:
I didn't see Pezet set the world on fire last night, had some great kicks that dropped within 2m of the tryline. Other than that he never got a decent kick in to his wingers and there were many opportunities to do it. I also noticed massive gaps down the middle when they were attacking the dogs red zone and he went wide or took the wrong option. I thought the storm attack was well below par and they were lucky to get away with that one. It was basically a suicide run from wishart and a brain explosion from kikau that got them the win.
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Agree the accolades are a bit over the top. He was solid but their attack was dreadful for most of the game - lacked direction and organisation apart from the first try. Nothing like what they play like when Hughes is there. Kicked a great 40/20 when they needed it.
 
Vicious said:
You make some valid points, all I am saying is we need Luai to play with a bit more common sense and step up a level in 2026 if he is tk provide true value for money on his 1.25 million per season contract and if we are to be a realistic chance of making the top 8.
I have serious doubt Luai has the confidence and ability, particularly in his kicking game and 5th tackle options tj deliver this, but I hope I’m wrong.
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Agree he has to step up , what you say is correct. I would be working on making Latu, and maybe AD as a more dominant 7 and have a similar set up to the storm with Hughes and Munster. Luai is not best utilised getting us to points on the field and kicking us out of trouble. His skillset should be more focussed on attack, putting players into gaps and scoring points, playing off the cuff to scramble defensive lines, attacking kicks etc.. there is enough there that if he executes well he would deliver value. The whole idea of putting him at 7 or expecting him to be the game managing half is counter-productive and smothers his x factor.
 
As of 2027 I believe Jahream Bula via his honourable manager Isaac will be asking for 1 million per season to stay with us long term.
I know some of our supporters disagree and think it will be as easy as honouring his 800k or 900k deal, but the recent talk is re-signing him to a long term deal and I’m near certain they will be asking us to pay him 1 million per season starting ASAP if he is to extend with us.
If he is worth 1 million per season is very debatable as we certainly have nobody better within our current roster, BUT if we are trying to put together the best team possible would or should we consider Jaxon Purdue who is also currently available from 2027 ?
Is Purdue a better quality more explosive fullback option for what would likely be the same contract value ?
 
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JB9918 said:
Just throwing it out there, is there a world where we look at Jonah Pezet? Probably not given the $$$ he will command but what the team currently needs is an out & out 7. Besides us, Dragons for sure, Titans maybe pending Campbell, Knights have signed Brown & Smith. Souths probably but have too many halves on their books. Cowboys maybe as they need a partner for Dearden. You could say the same for the Eels & the Chooks but Moses & Walker are definitely a 7s.

It'll be interesting where he goes but for us it would make us a very versatile team.

Add him & Davy Moale it's a pretty good side.

Bula, Turuva, Toa, TayMay, Makasini, Luai, Pezet, Twal, Korosaui, TeMay, SaFainu, Pearce-Paul, Doueihi,

LaFainu, SiFainu, Pole, Moale

Skelton, Seyfarth, Hunt, Geyer
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Pezet will stay at the Storm. Munster will go to the Bears in 27’.
 
Vicious said:
True and that is why we will keep Luai at all costs, even if he asks for a pay rise to stick with us after next season.
The million dollar question is will we get genuine star quality value out of him in 2026 and beyond ?
Time will tell, but the pressure is on him to step up to the plate and be in our top 3 players nearly every week, not just occasionally.
Click to expand...
Thankfully you will be here to suggest multiple replacement options.
 
JB9918 said:
Just throwing it out there, is there a world where we look at Jonah Pezet? Probably not given the $$$ he will command but what the team currently needs is an out & out 7. Besides us, Dragons for sure, Titans maybe pending Campbell, Knights have signed Brown & Smith. Souths probably but have too many halves on their books. Cowboys maybe as they need a partner for Dearden. You could say the same for the Eels & the Chooks but Moses & Walker are definitely a 7s.

It'll be interesting where he goes but for us it would make us a very versatile team.

Add him & Davy Moale it's a pretty good side.

Bula, Turuva, Toa, TayMay, Makasini, Luai, Pezet, Twal, Korosaui, TeMay, SaFainu, Pearce-Paul, Doueihi,

LaFainu, SiFainu, Pole, Moale

Skelton, Seyfarth, Hunt, Geyer
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I think he signed a 4 year deal at storm
 
weststigerman said:
Definitely going extreme with the fantasy football suggestions this weekend.

Pezet is about as much of a chance of coming here as Nathan Cleary. Personally, I’d prefer Cleary if we’re going to dream.

Try and dream up some middles because we can’t play with 10 halves.
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Fantasy Football you reckon ?
What’s even more crazy is paying players well above the value they are capable of providing , continuing to have a slow, boring and predictable team that is zero chance of challenging for a premiership when there are top quality players available from 2027 that could replace them to provide the quality and x-factor required to become genuine premiership contenders.
When there are no middles available that are any better than what we already have, but there are high quality backs available, do you just sit on your hands and be content to be a team that might scrape into the top 8 if we are lucky, or do you make the hard recruitment and retention decisions to build a team that is capable of blowing any opposition team away ?
If we wanted to we could offer elite outside outside backs such as Farnworth, Nawaqanitawase and Purdue all 1 million dollars each per season and fit them all in our salary cap.

Ask yourself the question are we more chance of winning an NRL Premiership in 2027 or 2028 with our current t backline, or with a backline like this;

1. Jaxon Purdue
2 Mark Nawaqanitwase
3. Herbie Farnworth
4. Taylan May
5. Heanasi Makasini
6. Latu Fainu
7. Adam Doueihi
 
Vicious said:
Fantasy Football you reckon ?
What’s even more crazy is paying players well above the value they are capable of providing , continuing to have a slow, boring and predictable team that is zero chance of challenging for a premiership when there are top quality players available from 2027 that could replace them to provide the quality and x-factor required to become genuine premiership contenders.
When there are no middles available that are any better than what we already have, but there are high quality backs available, do you just sit on your hands and be content to be a team that might scrape into the top 8 if we are lucky, or do you make the hard recruitment and retention decisions to build a team that is capable of blowing any opposition team away ?
If we wanted to we could offer elite outside outside backs such as Farnworth, Nawaqanitawase and Purdue all 1 million dollars each per season and fit them all in our salary cap.

Ask yourself the question are we more chance of winning an NRL Premiership in 2027 or 2028 with our current t backline, or with a backline like this;

1. Jaxon Purdue
2 Mark Nawaqanitwase
3. Herbie Farnworth
4. Taylan May
5. Heanasi Makasini
6. Latu Fainu
7. Adam Doueihi
Click to expand...
I doubt those halves will win us a comp.
In fact I doubt that entire backline could.
 
Vicious said:
Fantasy Football you reckon ?
What’s even more crazy is paying players well above the value they are capable of providing , continuing to have a slow, boring and predictable team that is zero chance of challenging for a premiership when there are top quality players available from 2027 that could replace them to provide the quality and x-factor required to become genuine premiership contenders.
When there are no middles available that are any better than what we already have, but there are high quality backs available, do you just sit on your hands and be content to be a team that might scrape into the top 8 if we are lucky, or do you make the hard recruitment and retention decisions to build a team that is capable of blowing any opposition team away ?
If we wanted to we could offer elite outside outside backs such as Farnworth, Nawaqanitawase and Purdue all 1 million dollars each per season and fit them all in our salary cap.

Ask yourself the question are we more chance of winning an NRL Premiership in 2027 or 2028 with our current t backline, or with a backline like this;

1. Jaxon Purdue
2 Mark Nawaqanitwase
3. Herbie Farnworth
4. Taylan May
5. Heanasi Makasini
6. Latu Fainu
7. Adam Doueihi
Click to expand...
You will never win a comp with Doueihi in the halves, he’s to inconsistent
 
Vicious said:
Fantasy Football you reckon ?
What’s even more crazy is paying players well above the value they are capable of providing , continuing to have a slow, boring and predictable team that is zero chance of challenging for a premiership when there are top quality players available from 2027 that could replace them to provide the quality and x-factor required to become genuine premiership contenders.
When there are no middles available that are any better than what we already have, but there are high quality backs available, do you just sit on your hands and be content to be a team that might scrape into the top 8 if we are lucky, or do you make the hard recruitment and retention decisions to build a team that is capable of blowing any opposition team away ?
If we wanted to we could offer elite outside outside backs such as Farnworth, Nawaqanitawase and Purdue all 1 million dollars each per season and fit them all in our salary cap.

Ask yourself the question are we more chance of winning an NRL Premiership in 2027 or 2028 with our current t backline, or with a backline like this;

1. Jaxon Purdue
2 Mark Nawaqanitwase
3. Herbie Farnworth
4. Taylan May
5. Heanasi Makasini
6. Latu Fainu
7. Adam Doueihi
Click to expand...
Why did Purdue suddenly develop into a fullback? Is this a position he has played or just an idea of yours?
 
weststigerman said:
Definitely going extreme with the fantasy football suggestions this weekend.

Pezet is about as much of a chance of coming here as Nathan Cleary. Personally, I’d prefer Cleary if we’re going to dream.

Try and dream up some middles because we can’t play with 10 halves.
Click to expand...
Fantasy Football you reckon ?
What’s even more crazy is paying players well above the value they are capable of providing , continuing to have a slow, boring and predictable team that is zero chance of challenging for a premiership when there are top quality players available from 2027 that could replace them to provide the quality and x-factor required to become genuine premiership contenders.
When there are no middles available that are any better than what we already have, but there are high quality backs available, do you just sit on your hands and be content to be a team that might scrape into the top 8 if we are lucky, or do you make the hard tecryiandcregention decisions to build a team that is capable of blowing any opposition team away ?
If we wanted to we could offer elite outside outside backs such as Farnworth, Nawaqanitawase and Purdue all 1 million dollars each per season and fit them all in our salary cap.

What backline is more chance of winning us a premiership in 2027 or 2028, the one we currently have and want to stick with, or one of these two backlines listed below;

1. Jaxon Purdue
2. Sunia Turuva
3. Mark Nawaqanitawase or Herbie Farnworth
4. Taylan May
5. Heamasi Makasini
6. Jerome Luai
7. Latu Fainu

1. Jaxon Purdue
2. Mark Nawaqanitawase
3. Herbie Farnwort
4. Taylan May
5. Heamasi Makasini
6. Latu Fainu
7. Adam Doueihi
 
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