Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[kade7]

Nearly 3 week ago....14th

hold your horses
still confident the deal is done

been wrong before and ill be wrong again
lots of rumblings from belmore that they want burton out

 

[balmain boy]

Like I said, he is a huge improvement on the financial side. Just about everything else was sub par….yes there were certain circumstances that didn’t help, but this guy crapped on about the “crocodile roll” and at the first opportunity he bailed. He is replaceable and we should give the new guy a chance.

He was sacked you moron

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Bula is still with us for 26 and can’t we still keep him on an option for 27
That said it seems all are keen to get a longer term deal done, I Moses won’t make it easy though
I’m not too down on Bula

Not sure of the option expiry date was mentioned on here a while back, anyone remember the month cheers.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

hold your horses
still confident the deal is done

been wrong before and ill be wrong again
lots of rumblings from belmore that they want burton out

Always thought Burton could play at lock but that's probably where the dogs are pushing him to play and he doesn't want to.

Could be the reason for the on the move rumours.

 

[batboy]

Who were these mystery players?

Galvin, Stefano - it’s no mystery…

 

[GNR4LIFE]

hold your horses
still confident the deal is done

been wrong before and ill be wrong again
lots of rumblings from belmore that they want burton out

I’m surprised he hasn’t already packed his bags.

 

[balmain boy]

I think this is such a one eyed view. They're not trouble makers, wannabes and bums elsewhere and they weren't before they left the club. Prior to leaving most were regarded as key retention targets.

They were all Overpaid underperforming players who weren't missed when they left

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Galvin, Stefano - it’s no mystery…

Thought Richo was on a hiding to nothing trying to retain them they had made up their minds to leave, he couldn't perform a miracle, sprinkle fairy dust.

 

[hammertime]

Always thought Burton could play at lock but that's probably where the dogs are pushing him to play and he doesn't want to.

Could be the reason for the on the move rumours.

He'd look good in toa's spot.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

He'd look good in toa's spot.

F yeah but get the feeling he wants to stay at 5/8 hence the Parra rumours during last season.

 

[batboy]

Thought Richo was on a hiding to nothing trying to retain them they had made up their minds to leave, he couldn't perform a miracle, sprinkle fairy dust.

true
- but he certainly wanted them here…
Col forgot Richo missed them - there’s probably others.

 

[JB9918]

hold your horses
still confident the deal is done

been wrong before and ill be wrong again
lots of rumblings from belmore that they want burton out

Woods is a genuine 7 & Galvin is a 6... Burton at $800k plus is not good value with Xerri on a budget deal for left centre.

Be interesting where he lands.

As some have said him at 13/14 would be gold for us. Also adds the kicking game we need, besides Doueihi no one can kick us out of trouble

Doubt he comes to us though. Dragons would probably pay overs for him or he heads to Perth

 

[Tucker]

Mate, what is with the condescending vitriol?? No you have not and no i will not, please miss me with the passive aggressive snark, IN my “opinion” the methods and motive and agenda behind Richos exit expose and identify bigger concerns for the Club in general, as well as dismissing an operator as experienced and capable as Richo as well. It’s not just that we lost him but why , and the why of it is the real story..

I’m answering your question with the same tone I thought you were asking it with.
You can suggest he was forced out. I personally think he was never in his own crocodile roll, and used the club for an easy payday until they got some dirt on him and he scurried away before it became common knowledge.

 

[Tucker]

He was sacked you moron

No he wasn’t you liar.
Don’t go throwing around insults when you clearly don’t have correct information.
What a pathetic attempt at muddying the waters.

 

[crazycat]

My point was Turuva would probably get the same output as Tracey. Both would be downgrades on Bula now, let alone in the future. I believe Bula is a must keep

Yes both Turuva and Tracey would be downgrades on Bula.
This would free up cap space while weakening our attack.

The only reason to do this is if we have a better option then Bula. Look, I rather liked Daine Laurie but Bula is clearly better.

I get Makasini is some new talent coming through... But we have no guarantee he is even close to Bula's level. Unless things go stupid, we should try to keep and hold onto Bula.

I get the arguments. Bula isn't in the top 10 fullbacks. He is a very good player when teams have Teddy's, Latrell's, Walsh's etc that are great players. I just don't see us replacing Bula with anyone better unless we can lure Paps and regraft his hamstrings or something.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Yes both Turuva and Tracey would be downgrades on Bula.
This would free up cap space while weakening our attack.

The only reason to do this is if we have a better option then Bula. Look, I rather liked Daine Laurie but Bula is clearly better.

I get Makasini is some new talent coming through... But we have no guarantee he is even close to Bula's level. Unless things go stupid, we should try to keep and hold onto Bula.

I get the arguments. Bula isn't in the top 10 fullbacks. He is a very good player when teams have Teddy's, Latrell's, Walsh's etc that are great players. I just don't see us replacing Bula with anyone better unless we can lure Paps and regraft his hamstrings or something.

There's no way I'd have that little turd Daine Laurie back if he was available, probably still wears his Panthers jersey in his spare time.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

It’s been 20 years since this club has produced a gun centre. TWENTY YEARS. Crazy suggesting the first potential gun after that length of time be moved to fullback. I’m sure he’ll start on the wing, which is fine. But he needs a chance to transition to centre and be the gun we need.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

It’s been 20 years since this club has produced a gun centre. TWENTY YEARS. Crazy suggesting the first potential gun after that length of time be moved to fullback. I’m sure he’ll start on the wing, which is fine. But he needs a chance to transition to centre and be the gun we need.

That was a spirited post G, that's not like you to be so passionate is you're blood pressure up lol.

 

[crazycat]

This club is a transit lounge for talent on and off the field.
You would have to have a short memory if you expected that Richardson alone was the answer, but he was a step in the right direction and gave us some credibility - just like Cleary and Maguire did when they took it on their coaching roles.

I honestly think everyone agrees with this.

This club has bigger problems than one man can possibly fix. Benji is next in line to cop the accountability stick if the team doesn't fire. And like those who failed before him he won't loose any credibility if he fails, because perception around the club is that those with the power are useless at their job and are the clubs biggest permanent problem.

The clubs administration does not measure up against any other club in the game. They prove it over and over again - they do not invest enough in any facet - and until that changes this club will continue to pay out contracts on the back of false hope while other clubs pick off anyone with talent who demands better.

Going to disagree here Telltails.

Well practically Benji isn't next in line to cop the accountability stick. That's why I am so Pissed off. We have Benji till 2029! (or 2030??)
We fail on the field, the board then has to fire either the CEO or various assistant coaches or heavy Benji to leave.

Benji is SAFE, too safe for a coach that came 13th. Not knocking Benji, I think what he is doing is working although a few blunders:
Benji's free style attack has not worked. Sheens and Benji seemed to believe fast footy and "feel" is the way for the team to proceed. We need more structure in our attack, we seem to float aimlessly and while we do this we need structure*.

The whole Bateman saga. I think we lost Stefano due to the whole Bateman crap going on. Benji needs to be able to manage senior players, even ones who are underperforming.

Still soft in the tackle.


All of the above are "footy" problems. I can think of more and they are all "footy" problems.



Our "administration" is only a problem in that it hasn't been thinking about Footy!
They should be ensuring the best support staff are around, that the Tigers have the best rehab and a fit side. They can't fix the coaching, but they can help development pathways and IMHO with the Titans giving up their jnr nursury to Brisbane, i think we can say were not the worst admin in the comp.

The only Admin problem we have is they are more concerned about "Magpies vs Balmain"**.
Not winning games or a comp or "the footy"

*look I get when you feel a try is on you follow that. But so many games in 2025 we saw our attack looking lost.
**I actually think the concern is Campbelltown, but I was proven wrong on one bit of funding.

 

[balmain boy]

Losing Bula would be a bad loss. We haven't seen the best of him yet.

That said, Will Kennedy or Connor Tracey, Attard or Turuva would do the job at fullback for the Tigers.

Not as well, and others would need to step up, but they are all capable first grade players- Tracey & Kennedy playing in far more successful teams than what we have put on the field of late.

As Tucker said- we are self labelled as a 'development club'. While that means we should promote a lot of our juniors it also comes with the risk of developing players for other clubs to pinch. Happens to a number of Premier League clubs (Southampton is a great example). What is important is that the production line of Bula's doesn't stop at....Bula. There needs to be someone else coming through again. Could be Attard.

Development clubs become successful clubs when the sheer volume of players coming through populate the squad in the way Penrith do now. You'll notice that despite staying premiership threats that the Panthers lose a number of junior players every year.

The faster we get to that, and the further we get away from the club that had to bring in James Tamou to build culture, the better. (Not a dig at Tamou- I actually thought he was better than given credit for). The good news is, despite the potential to lose Bula, we are still looking at Attard, Heywood, Godinet, Makasini etc coming through as well.

We are not a development club. Haven't developed more than 1-2 first graders in the past decade.