Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tim Sheens]

Ex-NRL players make more than NRL minimum playing park footy. No way he'd sign minimum just to play reserve grade.

Huh, what, which park footy clubs are paying $140k plus a season for a player?

 

[Milky]

Until ratings start to drop and revenue falls as a result they won’t do it. With a larger number of kids in NSW and QLD playing AFL and soccer nowadays, you might find this becomes a problem for the NRL in about ten years time when these kids won’t be watching rugby league and some of the rusted ons have passed.

Yeah you’re probably right

I’m keen for this new league. I’m not a union fan but I can get my head around it if a lot of NRL talent goes there

 

[Spartan117]

No-way hands off.
I am still enjoying yelling Helta Skelta at the tv, can we at least wait till the novelty wears off.
Seriously though unless they were offering him a lot more $ I’d be keeping him. He is the minimum standard we need.

Big Skelton fan.

Still young and put his body on the line for the team.

Best is still to come

 

[426Tlgerland]

J Southwell to leave Newcastle nrlw and join broncos , rinse and reparation 2026 for the ladies , comp is cooked for 2 to 3 teams , nrl mas a major problem hear with the ladies , comp is stacked badly

 

[Tiger-ferret]

How do people still not know the names of the May brothers we have? lol

I def struggle. I refer to them as the forward May or the centre May.

 

[innsaneink]

I def struggle. I refer to them as the forward May or the centre May.

I had more trouble with Sione and Sam at first but im getting there now

 

[user118245]

I def struggle. I refer to them as the forward May or the centre May.

Taylan (tiny) plays in centres
Terrell plays prop
Tyrone is irrelevant and plays in England

Centres are smaller than props, so remember the centre as tiny

 

[innsaneink]

They weren’t what you sold call solid depth.

Id call Naden and Staines fairly solid with 80 nrl games each...for the most part they were reliable when called upon despite occasional off days.
Players next rung up our our top grade level....as long as theyre all replaced with better then thats fine but thats also long odds imo

 

[Buttface]

Big Skelton fan.

Still young and put his body on the line for the team.

Best is still to come

Yeah me too.
But I’m not throwing much more coin at him just yet, bcoz his value for money has a lot to do with my I like him,

 

[Tom Shines]

I thought when Izaac Tu’itupou played his one game of NRL on the wing he was every bit as good as Skelton in that game.
Don't know what he did to be banished, never to be spoken of again for a right-wing or centre spot. How's his form been in KOE?
Is 29 too old?

Skelton is way better

 

[Tom Shines]

J Southwell to leave Newcastle nrlw and join broncos , rinse and reparation 2026 for the ladies , comp is cooked for 2 to 3 teams , nrl mas a major problem hear with the ladies , comp is stacked badly

Be nice for the Tigers to get off the bottom though and get to mid field ,,… if there are only 2 good teams as you are implying…then this shouldn’t be difficult no.?

I would suggest the Tigers look for some size across the field …with a few exceptions they look like a team of kids playing adults ..

 

[supercoach]

Time the NRL gets rid of the salary cap and introduces a points system, our game is gona fall apart

Mate I have been pushing this idea for over a decade and every time I mention it I get smashed by non believers. You will not get an equal comp till everyone is playing on the same field. The cap has been more effective in the last couple of years bringing teams closer together but there is still a gap between a few clubs at the top and the rest of the pack.

 

[Buttface]

Id call Naden and Staines fairly solid with 80 nrl games each...for the most part they were reliable when called upon despite occasional off days.
Players next rung up our our top grade level....as long as theyre all replaced with better then thats fine but thats also long odds imo

I get what you’re saying but for me Naden has to go. There’s a footballer in there somewhere, but his errors, D, and discipline have made his top 30 spot untenable. If he wanted a Reggies only contract I’d consider it, but he should buy a house in Perth before all the good ones are taken, and go to England for a year he’s got Man of Steel written all over him, and then back to Perth to play NRL.
Staines I’d be keener, but again, he has had a fair crack at NRL and I don’t reckon he’s ever gunna be at the level, although I could see another team taking a punt on him one more time.
Staines is easily replaced, small fast winger, (fast? We don’t seem to do fast?), but it’s the experience in depth that will be leaving, and that’s nice to have but tbh I’d rather us spend our dollars on hungry youngsters than old experienced reggies that can cover NRL.

 

[TheEnz]

I get what you’re saying but for me Naden has to go. There’s a footballer in there somewhere, but his errors, D, and discipline have made his top 30 spot untenable. If he wanted a Reggies only contract I’d consider it, but he should buy a house in Perth before all the good ones are taken, and go to England for a year he’s got Man of Steel written all over him, and then back to Perth to play NRL.
Staines I’d be keener, but again, he has had a fair crack at NRL and I don’t reckon he’s ever gunna be at the level, although I could see another team taking a punt on him one more time.
Staines is easily replaced, small fast winger, (fast? We don’t seem to do fast?), but it’s the experience in depth that will be leaving, and that’s nice to have but tbh I’d rather us spend our dollars on hungry youngsters than old experienced reggies that can cover NRL.

The problem with Naden is that he can deliver a solid performance in a game and get the job done, but on the flip side, he’s capable of almost singlehandedly losing a game with poor decisions and terrible defense. His good moments are slightly above average, but his bad moments reach shocking levels of incompetence.

 

[Lestronge]

Who of the above would you have kept ????

Please factor in their salaries.

Without available spots or $$$, we cant move forward.

They’re all not good enough . Talented but untrustworthy - Naden, fast but not up to the everyday grind of nrl - Staines , or simply not good enough - everyone else. Most have left for better opportunities at a permanent position , and in Staines and Faatape I think they will be 5-8 year super league players . In Faatape , to be able to now have a professional career out of nrl , considering he was 23 when we signed him out of the QRL, there’s no doubt he would be looking at his time here as anything but a success .
Feledy is the big shame . Had the raw power , and size to have been something . But unfortunately , for him , the prototype centre changed from a BJ Leilua type to a Best/ May/ Staggs athletic specimen type . Of which he is not .

 

[426Tlgerland]

Il be happy with replacement that are an upgrade on Naden and Staines , I liked Staines but we just need better , guys like Guyer , panthers legend son not wanted , he may just prove a great addition with determination and will to show he dose have something ,same for Madden ,we have months now of waiting but I would also hope we just get on with signing players and get them all together asap for pre season ( back ups ) any first grader we dealing with well if it takes a bit of time so be it just get it done ready for time in the group

 

[Tom Shines]

Il be happy with replacement that are an upgrade on Naden and Staines , I liked Staines but we just need better , guys like Guyer , panthers legend son not wanted , he may just prove a great addition with determination and will to show he dose have something ,same for Madden ,we have months now of waiting but I would also hope we just get on with signing players and get them all together asap for pre season ( back ups ) any first grader we dealing with well if it takes a bit of time so be it just get it done ready for time in the group

In regard to 2026…We got three spots left if we don’t move on anyone else .

I think they are desperate for a 9 reserve as I don’t see Hope as the answer if Api goes down …

Leaves two… middle forward starter and some outside back depth is how I would play it ….although they might need to be a bit patient and need some luck on the middle….( like last year with May)

 

[Tom Shines]

Bird & Doueihi (utilities), Broederlow, Sione Fainu, Hunt, Kit Laulilii, Terrell May, Murray, Pole, Seyfarth, Taupau-Moors, and Twal. They could even look to turn Sukkar into a mid too. The regular NRL 5 or 6 can't do a consistent job, and the rest listed aren't even reserve grade standard. They're clogging up valuable roster spots.

Do you think that is a good enough list ?

Games are won and lost by the pigs in the middle …not by the 7th or 8th outside back

 

[cktiger]

Id call Naden and Staines fairly solid with 80 nrl games each...for the most part they were reliable when called upon despite occasional off days.
Players next rung up our our top grade level....as long as theyre all replaced with better then thats fine but thats also long odds imo

Yeah, suppose I was a bit hard on them ... but definItely were never being run on regulars again.
TBH, thought they might have kept Naden above the others as the blokes coming through seem to mention him as a big help.

 

[Betterdays22]

Thanks for the replies guys, but my point is the top 30 and supplementary roster for 2026 is unbalanced. Yes, those backs departed are not consistent NRL players, and a couple them aren't even NRL players at all, but all 5 of them were in the 36 and not one has been replaced in terms of like for like in these positions. There's not even one back in the supplementary list next year - Tapau-Moors, Godinet, Murray, Roberts, Broederlow, Haywood. Do we think Tu'itupou (at 29), and Mapapalangi (at 23) are going to want to stay on T&T making $1200 per week before tax?

From other posters counts, 3 positions are available in the top 36 for 2026, and it's agreed by many here that at least one has to be an NRL-ready prop. The team was dominated in this area in many games. And look at the middles in the roster at the moment (alphabetical order):
Bird & Doueihi (utilities), Broederlow, Sione Fainu, Hunt, Kit Laulilii, Terrell May, Murray, Pole, Seyfarth, Taupau-Moors, and Twal. They could even look to turn Sukkar into a mid too. The regular NRL 5 or 6 can't do a consistent job, and the rest listed aren't even reserve grade standard. They're clogging up valuable roster spots.

And like I wrote, not much depth in terms of quantity in the backs either. Do we really think the roster has improved?

Agreed we probably need another depth centre/winger. I think this is probably how the club sees it though:
- tui'tupou takes Staines spot.
- They will look to develop some of the Flegg backs in Cup this year, by all reports Tavana and Tatoua are two who could step up.
- They will expect Makasini and Luke Lauli'li to establish themselves as at least part time first graders.
- Doueihi can also fill in at centre at a pinch.