Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[user118245]

asked the same thing in the pre season thread, think it’s patrick Herbert from titans a centre??? must mean mapz is gone

Hope not cause he came out of retirement last year if I’m reading this correctly https://www.titans.com.au/news/2025...g-out-of-retirement-for-nines-premier-league/

 

[Vicious]

asked the same thing in the pre season thread, think it’s patrick Herbert from titans a centre??? must mean mapz is gone

Patrick Herbert is a much better. centre than K-Mapz and is a good depth addition if he’s with us for 2026.

 

[mtd#2]

Hope not cause he came out of retirement last year if I’m reading this correctly https://www.titans.com.au/news/2025...g-out-of-retirement-for-nines-premier-league/

Shibasaki 2024:
- 1 game for the Rabbitohs
- played the rest of the season for Townsville in Queensland cup

Shibasaki 2025:
- Starting centre for the Brisbane Broncos
- Starting centre for QLD in origin
- Starting centre for the kangaroos
- State of Origin winner
- NRL grand final winner

Theres no limit to how many players you can have on train and trials is there?

In that case, if we have 20 blokes competing for a spot trying to make their way into FG, there's nothing but upside...

 

[tigahhh]

Shibasaki 2024:
- 1 game for the Rabbitohs
- played the rest of the season for Townsville in Queensland cup

Shibasaki 2025:
- Starting centre for the Brisbane Broncos
- Starting centre for QLD in origin
- Starting centre for the kangaroos
- State of Origin winner
- NRL grand final winner

Theres no limit to how many players you can have on train and trials is there?

In that case, if we have 20 blokes competing for a spot trying to make their way into FG, there's nothing but upside...

goal kicker too apparently 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

[Fainu Brothers]

Could be a diamond in the rough type signing Herbert. Make Toa earn his spot

 

[innsaneink]

So after the Titans he went to ESL for 3 seasons?

 

[innsaneink]

They kept this one very quiet

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Shibasaki 2024:
- 1 game for the Rabbitohs
- played the rest of the season for Townsville in Queensland cup

Shibasaki 2025:
- Starting centre for the Brisbane Broncos
- Starting centre for QLD in origin
- Starting centre for the kangaroos
- State of Origin winner
- NRL grand final winner

Theres no limit to how many players you can have on train and trials is there?

In that case, if we have 20 blokes competing for a spot trying to make their way into FG, there's nothing but upside...

Bit different of an environment at the Broncos compared to here. Average players have a bigger chance of thriving at strong clubs.

 

[tigahhh]

didn’t we get Jahream from a T&T 😂

 

[Moh]

Herbert is a good signing. I like having these experienced guys as depth. Won't set the world on fire when called upon, but will do a decent job.

Prefer that than throwing youngsters to the wolves.

 

[Jimmy]

Herbert was pretty avg. for the Titans…blew their finals game with a rough pass that was almost a certain try. Does look a lot trimmer however and is a good squad replacement for a guy like faatape imo.

 

[mtd#2]

Bit different of an environment at the Broncos compared to here. Average players have a bigger chance of thriving at strong clubs.

He was in the Souths system last year, not the Broncos...

Half the time it isn't about the club, it's about the perception of the club.

And it's all beside the point. If someone on a train and trial can achieve a quarter of what Shibasaki has done, but at the tigers, it's a good investment - he is just the poster boy.

 

[Fainu Brothers]

He was in the Souths system last year, not the Broncos...

Half the time it isn't about the club, it's about the perception of the club.

And it's all beside the point. If someone on a train and trial can achieve a quarter of what Shibasaki has done, but at the tigers, it's a good investment - he is just the poster boy.

You can never please debbie downer

 

[Juice]

So after the Titans he went to ESL for 3 seasons?

Don’t think so, I had a quick look & it seems the deal he had with Catalans didn’t eventuate. Pretty sure he hasn’t played a professional game of Rugby League since 2022. Might have been a tough rehab from the ACL.
Good luck to him, hopefully he can come back & be remembered for something better than that blown try

 

[Odessa]

Don’t think so, I had a quick look & it seems the deal he had with Catalans didn’t eventuate. Pretty sure he hasn’t played a professional game of Rugby League since 2022.
Good luck to him, hopefully he can come back & be remembered for something better than that blown try

I remember him he was a good player quick and great defence but had heaps of injuries heaps

 

[Canadian Club]

Patrick Herbert is a much better. centre than K-Mapz and is a good depth addition if he’s with us for 2026.

Not he is not. Not even close

Herbert hasn’t played in a professional team in years. He never played in the super league. He was retired and playing park football I believe.

Mapalangi was one of our better players in cup last year.

I really hope this is a Ron Massey Cup signing.

 

[TigerTone]

Not he is not. Not even close

Herbert hasn’t played in a professional team in years. He never played in the super league. He was retired and playing park football I believe.

Mapalangi was one of our better players in cup last year.

I really hope this is a Ron Massey Cup signing.

You beat me to it , i was about to write the same thing.
Its so frustrating that we go after such a player.

It would be nice for him to prove us wrong.

 

[teddy23]

Could be a diamond in the rough type signing Herbert. Make Toa earn his spot

Herbert will only ever see NRL with us if we’re injury depleted if we’re just calling it as it is.

However on the To’a earning his spot part… I think he may struggle to keep it in 2026 if I was being honest.

1. Bula (untouchable)
2. Turuva (untouchable)
3. May (untouchable)
4. ?
5. ?

Skelton, Makasini and To’a fully fit one has to get dropped. Who you picking?

Are we transitioning Makasini as a winger on his preferred side or do we keep him at centre on the right side.

Side note: One thing I will say is I was at the awards night this year and Richo did give our right side defence a bit of a spray during his speech, calling them out on needing to be better and it not being acceptable.

Seyfarth and To’a both on that side. Seyfarth hooked for KPP. Do we give To’a a crack still.

It’s a very interesting discussion going into next year….. personally I’m running Skelton and Makasini.

 

[Vicious]

Not he is not. Not even close

Herbert hasn’t played in a professional team in years. He never played in the super league. He was retired and playing park football I believe.

Mapalangi was one of our better players in cup last year.

I really hope this is a Ron Massey Cup signing.

I’ve seen NRL games where Patrick Herbert was ripping in, playing extremely aggressively and physically dominant in attack and defence.
He’s not overly big, not tall and not real fast, but when on his game he’s highly aggressive and plays very physical.
No guarantees he will even play NRL, but on a Train & Trial deal he’s well worth having to see if he can get back to somewhere near his best.

 

[upthetigers]

Herbert will only ever see NRL with us if we’re injury depleted if we’re just calling it as it is.

However on the To’a earning his spot part… I think he may struggle to keep it in 2026 if I was being honest.

1. Bula (untouchable)
2. Turuva (untouchable)
3. May (untouchable)
4. ?
5. ?

Skelton, Makasini and To’a fully fit one has to get dropped. Who you picking?

Are we transitioning Makasini as a winger on his preferred side or do we keep him at centre on the right side.

Side note: One thing I will say is I was at the awards night this year and Richo did give our right side defence a bit of a spray during his speech, calling them out on needing to be better and it not being acceptable.

Seyfarth and To’a both on that side. Seyfarth hooked for KPP. Do we give To’a a crack still.

It’s a very interesting discussion going into next year….. personally I’m running Skelton and Makasini.

To'a is inconsistent. I would start the season with To'a and let Mak earn the spot.