Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tom Shines]

100% correct.

People seem to forget that there is a certain lure connected to the mighty dollar, the Parrasites offered him stupid money that we were not willing to compete with for him to stay and be our second string hooker..

Yeah, like many, I wanted him to stay but not for those kinds of dollars, but having said that, I can't believe we haven't done a terrible lot about coming up with something viable to give Api a spell and God forbid if Api gets injured or is suspended.

I hope Richo and Benji have something lined up to cover this.

Cmon Hank..

He wanted to stay and be the No 1 hooker longer term …but they preferred to keep Api and they told him he was free to go elsewhere in the meantime

If that didn’t happen then he dosnt even get the chance to get an offer from Parramatta in the first place

 

[tigahhh]

Cmon Hank..

He wanted to stay and be the No 1 hooker longer term …but they preferred to keep Api and they told him he was free to go elsewhere in the meantime

If that didn’t happen then he dosnt even get the chance to get an offer from Parramatta ,,

no one wanted to see him go mate. but if you’re putting that ultimatum to the club who’s already paying you well above ur worth, you’d wanna be a ready-to-go 80 minute origin class hooker to replace api. and he just wasn’t

 

[Vicious]

We do, but he’s always getting injured. He hasn’t had time without interruptions and injury to show it yet, but the kid is special - if only he could stay on the field.

Obviously referring to Latu Fainu.
I rate him highly also, but he’s predominantly a ball runner, he’s not comfortable and doesn’t have the voice to be an on the ball game controlling 7.
If we are wanting or trying to make him a 7, the best we could hope for is him becoming somewhat similar to Jerome Hughes and that’s certainly not a bad thing.

 

[Tom Shines]

no one wanted to see him go mate. but if you’re putting that ultimatum to the club who’s already paying you well above ur worth, you’d wanna be a ready-to-go 80 minute origin class hooker to replace api. and he just wasn’t

The club had a tough choice to make and they made it … time will tell if it was the right decision

My issue is with all the rewriting of history that goes on just a few months later …I mean all of us regulars were here at the time living the story every day for months …we should remember what happened …

it’s sadly a reflection of the wider society we live in these days ..

 

[Juice]

no one wanted to see him go mate. but if you’re putting that ultimatum to the club who’s already paying you well above ur worth, you’d wanna be a ready-to-go 80 minute origin class hooker to replace api. and he just wasn’t

If no one wanted to see him go then why did they advice against him taking a loan deal & encouraged a permanent deal away instead?

 

[innsaneink]

Yep it was obvious to all and sundry that he didn’t want to be here, especially once Galvin was gone. The body language and eye contact of both of them to each other in the dressing rooms prior to Galvin leaving screamed ‘how can we get out of here’! Neither of them were onboard with Benji’s, Luai’s, Api’s etc culture or vision for the future so it was better for us, and them, to let them walk.

I’d wished we kept TDS, but he looks very happy at Parra with his new hairdo and teammates. He’s content to sit behind an even younger hooker than Api so to me that means he just wanted out of the Tigers and wasn’t really pushing for a starting spot. It’s no good keeping players who don’t want to be here, so good luck to him.

How do you know hes content?
He doesnt have a choice

 

[tigahhh]

If no one wanted to see him go then why did they advice against him taking a loan deal & encouraged a permanent deal away instead?

i’m talking abt us supporters. no idea what the clubs inner talk was

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

The club had a tough choice to make and they made it … time will tell if it was the right decision

My issue is with all the rewriting of history that goes on just a few months later …I mean all of us regulars were here at the time living the story every day for months …we should remember what happened …

it’s sadly a reflection of the wider society we live in these days ..

From my memory it was reported a clear ultimatum that if Api is extended, he would be looking elsewhere, not prepared to bide his time and learn his craft from one of the best.

Then sprouted how much he loves the club and wanted to stay BS to smooth it over that we all seen through.

It looks to me the club made the decision to keep Api and hope that young Haywood delivers the hype for him to progress to 1st grade.

Will it come back to bite us on the arse possibly, these things have a habit of doing so.
But there's one thing for sure there's no way I would pay 650k for where he is at the moment, a part time hooker.

 

[upthetigers]

Obviously referring to Latu Fainu.
I rate him highly also, but he’s predominantly a ball runner, he’s not comfortable and doesn’t have the voice to be an on the ball game controlling 7.
If we are wanting or trying to make him a 7, the best we could hope for is him becoming somewhat similar to Jerome Hughes and that’s certainly not a bad thing.

Can you elaborate V?

 

[Wezt]

you gotta feel for Ryley Smith he’s on min wage playing most of the hooker minutes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he agitates for a release

 

[tigahhh]

you gotta feel for Ryley Smith he’s on min wage playing most of the hooker minutes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he agitates for a release

good player.

 

[gregjm87]

From my memory it was reported a clear ultimatum that if Api is extended, he would be looking elsewhere, not prepared to bide his time and learn his craft from one of the best.

Then sprouted how much he loves the club and wanted to stay BS to smooth it over that we all seen through.

It looks to me the club made the decision to keep Api and hope that young Haywood delivers the hype for him to progress to 1st grade.

Will it come back to bite us on the arse possibly, these things have a habit of doing so.
But there's one thing for sure there's no way I would pay 650k for where he is at the moment, a part time hooker.

I agree with all this but do believe this is viewed with a club bias and that there are likely additional considerations.

Firstly being he had/was biding his time. What is he going to learn off Api in 2027 that he had not already learnt, or would have already learnt by the end of 26?

Were promises made when he signed his last contract that he would get the starting role as of 27?

Was there any plan in place to further develop his game if the club felt he wasnt going to be ready in time?

Certainly he is not worth 650k now to us (or Eels in my opinion) but a) that was not what we would currently be paying b) what will his future worth be?

I have no issues with the kid puting the ultimatum forth. He needs to secure his future and he believes he should be a starting 9 in a couple years. We were no longer offering that. Also no issues with him leaving and getting paid elsewhere, even if I don't think he is currently worth his reported salary.

 

[Tom Shines]

From my memory it was reported a clear ultimatum that if Api is extended, he would be looking elsewhere, not prepared to bide his time and learn his craft from one of the best.

Then sprouted how much he loves the club and wanted to stay BS to smooth it over that we all seen through.

It looks to me the club made the decision to keep Api and hope that young Haywood delivers the hype for him to progress to 1st grade.

Will it come back to bite us on the arse possibly, these things have a habit of doing so.
But there's one thing for sure there's no way I would pay 650k for where he is at the moment, a part time hooker.

They never had him at $650..they had him signed another two years at 400-450k… what Parra paid him when the Tigers said see you later is irrelevant…

it’s his career .,he is entitled to do what he wants… if he wanted to move on in two years because he wasn’t the No 1 then so be it …players make those kinds of decisions all the time…very few want to continue to “bide their time” after being an understudy for 4 years …maybe be is a quick learner and he thought Api showed him all he needed in that time ..

I’m interested to see how things play out with the fan base if he goes onto be a good player … Im betting the reality that the Tigers decided to keep Api and let him go morphs into that he never wanted to stay and forced his way out ..

 

[gregjm87]

you gotta feel for Ryley Smith he’s on min wage playing most of the hooker minutes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he agitates for a release

Thought he got upgraded. If he is a min wagers we should offer double to see if he wants to be Apis understudy.

 

[Tiger_claws]

I actually read the article.

I saw no reason for Galvin's name to be brought up. It looked sour and unnecessary. Talk about the players we have, not about those who left. It's enough to say that Bula loves the club and wants to be here, bringing up Galvin shows he's still not over it and allows these sorts of headlines. Richo knows the media, he knows what mentioning Galvin does. Why does he want to remind everyone that one of our highly prized players walked out on the club because he didn't think he could succeed here. Why does that help us to bring that up? It makes us look even sillier that we're still talking about him rather than focused on our team. Just makes us look like a small club that still feels jilted.

I agree regarding the Galvin comment. I love Richo & I am really happy with what he has done so far. I even back him in his comments regarding Perth but the Galvin comment was petty.

 

[Lestronge]

Unfortunately mate GNR doesn't like Benji for some reason, maybe his dog continuously keeps getting out and crapping on his lawn.

Mate he’s just yucking the forums yam … he does it on just about every issue .. the dudes a contrarian … it is what it is

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

They never had him at $650..they had him signed another two years at 400-450k… what Parra paid him when the Tigers said see you later is irrelevant…

it’s his career .,he is entitled to do what he wants… if he wanted to move on in two years because he wasn’t the No 1 then so be it …players make those kinds of decisions all the time…very few want to continue to “bide their time” after being an understudy for 4 years …maybe be is a quick learner and he thought Api showed him all he needed in that time ..

I’m interested to see how things play out with the fan base if he goes onto be a good player … Im betting the reality that the Tigers decided to keep Api and let him go morphs into that he never wanted to stay and forced his way out ..

He didn't have 2 years left on his contract it was up end of 26 so true, one year left at 400k but what did he want 27 onwards, he obviously wanted a lot more than that and is probably another reason the club balked.

That was the 650k I was referring to was probably what he was asking for to stay 27 onwards, as it turns out now at Parra he's getting that money, is he worth that I'll leave that to personal forum opinions.

The glimpses we've seen from him suggest there's a player there, but it could take years to become a long minutes hooker to justify good money.

But really who cares we are one eyed Tigers supporters and he left, we are allowed to be browned off that he didn't want to stay, just like all 17 clubs that lose a player with potential.

 

[TigerSkins05]

Reuben Porter has been fairwelled from the club .. not on our books for 2026. He played a few games for us in 24 as Train and Trial member.. but didnt play in top grade in 25. I hope he finds another club somewhere.

 

[Holman Barnes #1 Fan]

good player.

Better than TDS, whose contract looks ludicrously overpriced at this stage.

 

[Groundup]

Interesting no one has accused Coby Black of throwing the toys out the cot the same way they did TDS

We just don’t give a rats