Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tom Shines]

well you should.

like it or not HBG are as tight as a fish's arse. the only way we can ensure we can compete with the likes of Canterbury and Parramatta is thru becoming a self sustainable entity that funnels funds directly into the Football Department.

so when Richo says that we've turned a profit, it's a big deal, because being a profitable enterprise is the only way we remain out of the cellar.

The part about HBG being tight is no doubt correct …but we aren’t competing with Penrith and Canterbury on an even playing field …because they are spending millions more a year than us on junior pathways and coaching and other expenses to improve the club off the field … their licensed clubs pick this tab up for them hem ….

Look ..it is what it is …I get it … but let’s not kid ourselves …it puts us behind the 8 ball…

 

[Needaname]

You don't think he does know that?

You think he has no idea?

Not no idea. No, I’m just disappointed it looks like the same 17 for the next two years. I’m not expecting miracles but I’m not convinced everyone whose remaining is key to this squad growing.

 

[jrtiger]

The part about HBG being tight is no doubt correct …but we aren’t competing with Penrith and Canterbury on an even playing field …because they are spending millions more a year than us on junior pathways and coaching and other expenses to improve the club off the field … their licensed clubs pick this tab up for them hem ….

Look ..it is what it is …I get it … but let’s not kid ourselves …it puts us behind the 8 ball…

for sure it does, which is why I say it shouldn’t be scoffed at when Richardson says we’ve turned a profit, because that money will be utilised to close the gap between us and the big clubs in the west.

it’s a sizeable gap, but if we can make up ground then it’s a win. HBG are useless. if you can’t get them to invest, you have to do it differently. Richo’s doing that.

 

[Needaname]

Loving the implication that randon internet guy knows fundamental truths about NRL roster construction that have to date passed Shane Richardson by. Like you could grab a coffee with him and he'd end up saying: "You know what, Needaname - I'd never realised that. Thanks so much for passing it on."

Point stands. I hope we are planning for this year next year and the following years after. Someone highlighted Penriths run in their dynasty and recently it’s been mentioned the Sharks are looking to build something similar. We escaped the bottom 4 this year not just missed out on the top 4. Lots, lots to change and do.

 

[innsaneink]

Given we've been about the most active club in the player market since this guy came in, incomings and exits, and most of the business he has done has been somewhere between pretty good and excellent, I'd have though he'd have earned the right not to have dribblers just assuming he hasn't got a clue what he's doing.

The point about the mid-season update directly contradicts your argument, incidentally. What Richardson said at the time was that the club knows where it wants to improve the roster and is picking off players who it believes can do that. Specifically, it was back row and centre... and here we are a couple of months later and we've added KPP and Taylan May. What about that doesn't look planned to you? Do you seriously think the idea of signing May was some sort of idle whim?

I think you can also probably assume that there isn't a massive amount of space in the salary cap for 2026. They can't spend money they don't have.

I think the message on the interview was extremely clear: Richardson has spent a lot of time and effort clearing out dead wood and getting the club on an even keel. From here, stability and consistency is going to deliver improvements more than additional chopping and changing does, as well as what I've been talking about for months: building depth through production of our own players and signing for value if and when it's available.

If youre content with the current roster/ coaching staff then keep on clapping happily.

Imo KPP has been a passenger at Newie and doesnt fill me with confidence, I hope he shows something different here but going off what weve all seen of him since his announcement its not much to get excited about

Taylan was an arsey pick up....he could be right now sitting in Silverwater thinking what if....thank his bro, Id say thats what tipped it in out favour.

Many would dispute you signing for value statement....Its been a constant topic of discussion all year players like Api, Luai Bird and Hunt

👏👏👏

 

[TheEnz]

Richo is spot on in his actions to generate profit, you need money to be successful. You can either get it from your owners, your supporters, the NRL or the sponsors, if you can get a sponsor that is willing to tip in a bit extra every now and then to help get a player over the line, it could be money, it could be connections, it could be advice, than that's a massive advantage.....The saddest thing is that Laundy is doing that for the dogs and he is originally a Balmain Tigers supporter and so was the Dogs previous sponsor, the owner of Jaycar. If you listen to Laundy his whole commitment to the dogs is around the challenge of making them a successful club, not any emotional connection...our previous management were asleep at the wheel. He signed on with the dogs when they were a bottom 4 team so you can't say he jumped on board when they were killing it. Perhaps Richo's infatuation with corporate boxes is to flush out these wealthy supporters, get them all into a room and sink his claws into them..

 

[supercoach]

Probably the main reason we have been so unsuccessful for so long is due lack of money. If we were competing in a competition that everyone else had the same budget we may have had some success.

Anyway without at least two more players of NRL standard we will not be troubling the eight once again next year

 

[Nadz4483]

Yea well I can throw a fastball at 90 mph if I train hard enough ……sorry I thought we were throwing around arbitrary statements with zero proof or evidence just shit talk …..

Pffft that's a weak fastball....

 

[tiger05premier]

Not no idea. No, I’m just disappointed it looks like the same 17 for the next two years. I’m not expecting miracles but I’m not convinced everyone whose remaining is key to this squad growing.

I'm not exactly over the moon with recruitment mate but I don't think it's lack of knowledge or ability from SR

I think is our reputation amongst players

We just need to sit tight and let BM and SR do their job

We sack them and who do we get?

They will face the same problems

Stay strong mate

 

[tiger05premier]

So another arsey lucky signing like Taylan...nothing targetted, nothing planned...that was my fear.
His talk mid year on James Grahams pod resulted kpp
Not good...cant see us moving much with the same.coaches and.players

You must be an insider?

Please tell all

 

[tiger05premier]

Given we've been about the most active club in the player market since this guy came in, incomings and exits, and most of the business he has done has been somewhere between pretty good and excellent, I'd have though he'd have earned the right not to have dribblers just assuming he hasn't got a clue what he's doing.

The point about the mid-season update directly contradicts your argument, incidentally. What Richardson said at the time was that the club knows where it wants to improve the roster and is picking off players who it believes can do that. Specifically, it was back row and centre... and here we are a couple of months later and we've added KPP and Taylan May. What about that doesn't look planned to you? Do you seriously think the idea of signing May was some sort of idle whim?

I think you can also probably assume that there isn't a massive amount of space in the salary cap for 2026. They can't spend money they don't have.

I think the message on the interview was extremely clear: Richardson has spent a lot of time and effort clearing out dead wood and getting the club on an even keel. From here, stability and consistency is going to deliver improvements more than additional chopping and changing does, as well as what I've been talking about for months: building depth through production of our own players and signing for value if and when it's available.

Some are hard to please mate

For some to assume we are doing nothing or have no idea is ridiculous

 

[weststigerman]

well you should.

like it or not HBG are as tight as a fish's arse. the only way we can ensure we can compete with the likes of Canterbury and Parramatta is thru becoming a self sustainable entity that funnels funds directly into the Football Department.

so when Richo says that we've turned a profit, it's a big deal, because being a profitable enterprise is the only way we remain out of the cellar.

Richo mentioned about $1M. Not sure if that was the profit, but we let go of Klemmer, Bateman, Galvin, TDS without replacing them. That’s close to $1M between them, not to mention taking home games away.

So in theory if we played with a top 30 like every other club we wouldn’t have turned a profit.

 

[innsaneink]

You must be an insider?

Please tell all

13th

Yep...hard to please...farkin oath im hard to please with 14 years of this shit

You keep clapping happily with old mate mr postcode

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Some are hard to please mate

For some to assume we are doing nothing or have no idea is ridiculous

I know right. 15 years of no finals. And some are upset. The nerve.

 

[tiger05premier]

13th

Yep...hard to please...farkin oath im hard to please with 14 years of this shit

You keep clapping happily with old mate mr postcode

Players don't want to come here

Not that hard to understand

Doesn't matter who we hire to change that

That face a fxxxxn uphill battle to change that

Anyone who doesn't understand needs help

Even you

 

[tiger05premier]

I know right. 15 years of no finals. And some are upset. The nerve.

Your another one that doesn't understand

But one day maybe

Just maybe

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Your another one that doesn't understand

But one day maybe

Just maybe

So it’s not understandable to be tired after 15 years? You must love losing.

 

[tiger05premier]

So it’s not understandable to be tired after 15 years? You must love losing.

It is understandable mate

I'm just saying that to fix it is near impossible

I hate it so much

But who do we hire to fix it?

We have tried everyone

I'm starting to doubt that even the great creator ( whoever that may be? God or nature?) Can do better than Shane Richardson

 

[tiger05premier]

So it’s not understandable to be tired after 15 years? You must love losing.

And honestly mate I love our game

But I don't even watch it anymore

I just look at results and watch a replay if I like the result

 

[2041]

If youre content with the current roster/ coaching staff then keep on clapping happily.

Imo KPP has been a passenger at Newie and doesnt fill me with confidence, I hope he shows something different here but going off what weve all seen of him since his announcement its not much to get excited about

Taylan was an arsey pick up....he could be right now sitting in Silverwater thinking what if....thank his bro, Id say thats what tipped it in out favour.

Many would dispute you signing for value statement....Its been a constant topic of discussion all year players like Api, Luai Bird and Hunt

👏👏👏

I agree that this team probably isn't going to win a premiership. But then I'm the one who has been saying for literally years that the only way this club is going to be competitive in the long term is by developing its own talent from within.

More to the point, we can't sign a bunch of players without getting rid of a bunch - that's how the cap works. So what are you actually asking them to do? Tear it all down and start again, again?

You very rarely get players for unders in free agency. It's a crap way to build a roster as the Titans show year after year. We had got so bad that we were able to go from diabolical to respectable just by bringing in some competent players, but no-one thinks that's the end of the job. Unfortunately, we can't go and drop another few million in the open market.

We have to build from within, doing things like making sure we don't have to sign any more Jack Bird type players because we have cheap young options on hand. That's the plan: start by not being a basket case, build a stable platform, focus on bringing in and developing talent.

There really is no other way to do it, however much we as fans might obsess over pricey free agent signings. How often do you see Penrith or Melbourne make big signings at the top of the market? And it's exactly what Richardson is talking about.