Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tucker]

He’s not . He’s advocating more white people . It’s basically the opposite .its the same logic as black men can’t be QBs.
Theres zero evidence that a team full of islanders can’t win the nrl . It’s simply a case of the reason it hasn’t happened before is because this is literally the first generation of islander players developed in key positions . Usually these kids have been moved years prior . Like many want to move Latu right now …Anyone who thinks a spine of luai , Ponga , Katoa and Api couldn’t win a premiership because they’re islanders needs to have a long look in the mirror . Because I’m sure swapping out Ponga for Meaney or Katoa for Sexton would be the missing ingredient …. Stupid .

I’ll take Katoa. Those other three are too hit and miss.
Pongo is injured too frequently. Api is on deaths door as a player. Luai may come good, but he needs incredible improvement over 2025 form. None of them are leaders.

 

[Tucker]

True B but how do you get decent players when all you're producing is spoons and a sub par ownership.

Really last season was the first year players started to come and it was only a slight improvement but it had a feel it was turning.

Rubbish.
Since Benji has been here we have seen Bateman, Klemmer, Koroisau, Papali’i, Staines, Toa, Pole, Bula, the 3 x Fainu’s, Galvin, Olam, Bird, the 2 x May’s, Turuva, Hunt, Luai, Skelton, and a host of good young talent all hit the team. Irrespective of how they turned out - which I suspect he had a big hand in - most came from successful clubs and a lot had experienced finals, SOO, and even Test footy.
He has had a charmed run with recruitment compared to those before him and produced nothing with it.

 

[Tucker]

Again, context, was there anything that completely disrupted the harmony of the team that was out of Benji's control?

You mean when his golden child player said he can’t coach?

 

[Tucker]

Alright you want a F argument bad don't you, who that we lost did we really miss considering the churn up to this point in time.

That is not the point.

 

[batboy]

Just seen a suggestion that the Storm May offer Parra Jack Howarth.

Probably suggested by a Parra forumer…
I’d be stunned, although - he’s always been on big money and hasn’t really made it until more recently.

Just To get an uncontracted player - dunno man, I don’t see it.

 

[batboy]

Alright you want a F argument bad don't you, who that we lost did we really miss considering the churn up to this point in time.

Not to pick sides mate - but I’d have had Blore and Papalii over Sukkar / Seyfarth or most of the others.
Stefano over all middles bar Terrell.
Talyn over Hope etc.

We’ve lost a few decent players that would make our squad better.
Not just that - we’ve kept some absolute duds over better players…
and that’s on these guys as well.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Rubbish.
Since Benji has been here we have seen Bateman, Klemmer, Koroisau, Papali’i, Staines, Toa, Pole, Bula, the 3 x Fainu’s, Galvin, Olam, Bird, the 2 x May’s, Turuva, Hunt, Luai, Skelton, and a host of good young talent all hit the team. Irrespective of how they turned out - which I suspect he had a big hand in - most came from successful clubs and a lot had experienced finals, SOO, and even Test footy.
He has had a charmed run with recruitment compared to those before him and produced nothing with it.

Come on there are a lot that turned out to be duds, how could they of helped us to make the eight, you said yourself if it wasn't for those 2 bad defensive games at the end last season and a couple being unlucky early we would of gone close.

Do you want to get rid of him now, do you not want to wait and see how this season goes or do you want to chuck a HBG decision at him.

FFS I wish you would show some positivity all you seem to do lately is complain, is it going to be like this all season, if it is it must be painful.

 

[gregjm87]

Again, context, was there anything that completely disrupted the harmony of the team that was out of Benji's control?

Context goes both ways.
In the first 10 weeks we only had one win against an eventual top 8 side (Sharks). That win happened to be right in the midst of the Galvin drama.
Wins against a Mosesless Eels, Dolphins still dealing with the aftermath of a cyclone and the eventual wooden spooners is not on the way to the 8.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Not to pick sides mate - but I’d have had Blore and Papalii over Sukkar / Seyfarth or most of the others.
Stefano over all middles bar Terrell.
Talyn over Hope etc.

We’ve lost a few decent players that would make our squad better.
Not just that - we’ve kept some absolute duds over better players…
and that’s on these guys as well.

You can't chain them to the railing at Concord if they don't want to stay mate, agree on Papi he was looking good at lock when he left, Blore was let go for Olam which hurt but I wouldn't swap him for what we have now.

Steff of last season yes, but his last year was pussy-cat stuff for us, TDS will see how this season goes to see if it comes back to bite us.

Man does it really help crying over spilt milk, I try to be positive before a season, if your not what's the point of even watching it.

 

[Tucker]

Come on there are a lot that turned out to be duds, how could they of helped us to make the eight, you said yourself if it wasn't for those 2 bad defensive games at the end last season and a couple being unlucky early we would of gone close.

Do you want to get rid of him now, do you not want to wait and see how this season goes or do you want to chuck a HBG decision at him.

FFS I wish you would show some positivity all you seem to do lately is complain, is it going to be like this all season, if it is it must be painful.

You have completely missed the point again.
You can’t say this bloke hasn’t had the cattle when he has been in charge of recruitment since mid 2022. He has been able to get a host of experienced players to join the club. He has built this team.
Making excuses for a coach who isn’t getting results isn’t being positive. Suggesting ways to strengthen this department isn’t complaining. This is a forum where ideas are exchanged. I think he desperately needs help.

 

[crazycat]

Come on there are a lot that turned out to be duds, how could they of helped us to make the eight, you said yourself if it wasn't for those 2 bad defensive games at the end last season and a couple being unlucky early we would of gone close.

Do you want to get rid of him now, do you not want to wait and see how this season goes or do you want to chuck a HBG decision at him.

FFS I wish you would show some positivity all you seem to do lately is complain, is it going to be like this all season, if it is it must be painful.

Honestly Rock Hopper Steve, if you are here for positivity. Your at the wrong place.

Thinking about duds. We had Papalii, Klemmer and Bateman.

Klemmer was a dud and I couldn't see it. Quickly punted from St George.

Papalii is playing finals footy with Penrith. Not a dud.


Bateman, bateman is weird. So at the Cowboys he has done a stack of Tackling and defensive work. Yet the cowboys defense is called out as their main weakness. I don't get it, you have a stack of big forward players and you add Bateman, yet their defense went backwards.

 

[cktiger]

You have completely missed the point again.
You can’t say this bloke hasn’t had the cattle when he has been in charge of recruitment since mid 2022. He has been able to get a host of experienced players to join the club. He has built this team.
Making excuses for a coach who isn’t getting results isn’t being positive. Suggesting ways to strengthen this department isn’t complaining. This is a forum where ideas are exchanged. I think he desperately needs help.

To be fair he started from a very poor place and it was only last year we had what even remotely looked like a decent team.
A lot of dead wood (cattle) and poor junior signings were gone and some decent signings were made.
No matter how you see it the Galvin fiasco did have a detrimental effect on the team.
And, yes, there were times we just didn’t turn up.
This year expectations should be considerably higher.
If not, and there are not multiple injuries to key players, I expect to see notable improvement.
If not then your condemnation of Marshall will be justified.

 

[Tucker]

You can't chain them to the railing at Concord if they don't want to stay mate, agree on Papi he was looking good at lock when he left, Blore was let go for Olam which hurt but I wouldn't swap him for what we have now.

Steff of last season yes, but his last year was pussy-cat stuff for us, TDS will see how this season goes to see if it comes back to bite us.

Man does it really help crying over spilt milk, I try to be positive before a season, if your not what's the point of even watching it.

Mate you can’t keep getting upset when people aren’t touting the same “positivity” that you think you are.

Last off season a few of us were concerned that we had lost so many forwards and hadn’t really replaced them. We were shouted down then as well. Those losses hurt us and even though T May stood tall and worked hard, we flogged him to death and he ended up ineffective by seasons end. The rest barely held their own if they even managed to do so at all. That pack remains a question mark ahead of the coming season. Our only hope is that guys like Pole, Hunt and Seyfarth can find a new gear because we are going to heavily rely on them again.

Api was at his most effective last year when being subbed with Tallyn. They were a winning partnership. Can Hope supply the same this year? Someone is going to need to as Api is not effective at all when playing big minutes. Based on the past couple of years, anything over 55 minutes will be too much. I didn’t like Galvin being the focus of our attack one bit, however the enthusiasm he plays with is contagious. He always has a go. Good coaching will see him thrive. These guys should still be in the squad this year. They haven’t been replaced.

It’s not crying over spilt milk to discuss the team you support. We need Luai to step up, need Bula to re-commit and someone has to own the 7 jersey. I think this squad can play finals just as I thought last years squad could have. The coaching and leadership in the team worry me and they will have to be a lot better than last year if we are to have a good year.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Rubbish.
Since Benji has been here we have seen Bateman, Klemmer, Koroisau, Papali’i, Staines, Toa, Pole, Bula, the 3 x Fainu’s, Galvin, Olam, Bird, the 2 x May’s, Turuva, Hunt, Luai, Skelton, and a host of good young talent all hit the team. Irrespective of how they turned out - which I suspect he had a big hand in - most came from successful clubs and a lot had experienced finals, SOO, and even Test footy.
He has had a charmed run with recruitment compared to those before him and produced nothing with it.

His presence at the club is a major factor in us recruiting so many quality players. It has nothing to do with a charmed run or luck.

 

[Tucker]

To be fair he started from a very poor place and it was only last year we had what even remotely looked like a decent team.
A lot of dead wood (cattle) and poor junior signings were gone and some decent signings were made.
No matter how you see it the Galvin fiasco did have a detrimental effect on the team.
And, yes, there were times we just didn’t turn up.
This year expectations should be considerably higher.
If not, and there are not multiple injuries to key players, I expect to see notable improvement.
If not then your condemnation of Marshall will be justified.

I don’t think he did start from a very poor place at all.
The coaches previous to him did. He started with a team that was being strengthened, had a hugely experienced coach over seeing him and after his first year a top administrator backing him.
He has had everything handed to him on a platter and is already well into his fourth year here. Management have also backed him all the way, gifting him a contract extension this pre season. A lot of the players back him.
His results don’t match all of this.

 

[Tucker]

His presence at the club is a major factor in us recruiting so many quality players. It has nothing to do with a charmed run or luck.

I said compared to those before him. He had Sheens and Richardson. The others did not. For a rookie coach he has had amazing support.

 

[mtd#2]

You mean when his golden child player said he can’t coach?

Yep.

 

[mtd#2]

I said compared to those before him. He had Sheens and Richardson. The others did not. For a rookie coach he has had amazing support.

Find us a a few coaches who won a comp in their 2nd season ever as a coach and let's have a fair comparison

He's doing well considering his lack of experience.

But really he should have never been an NRL coach considering his lack of experience.

I guess it comes back to the owners making stupid decisions... There's a theme here

 

[cktiger]

I don’t think he did start from a very poor place at all.
The coaches previous to him did. He started with a team that was being strengthened, had a hugely experienced coach over seeing him and after his first year a top administrator backing him.
He has had everything handed to him on a platter and is already well into his fourth year here. Management have also backed him all the way, gifting him a contract extension this pre season. A lot of the players back him.
His results don’t match all of this.

Not sure how your memory is but coming in after a wooden spoon is a good place?
He wasn’t even supposed to take over as head coach until last year but Sheens (your ‘hugely experienced coach’) abysmal performance leading us to another disastrous season put paid to that.
It’s plain to see you have it in for him but let’s see how we go this year before calling for his head before a game is played.

 

[twentyforty]

Mate you can’t keep getting upset when people aren’t touting the same “positivity” that you think you are.

Last off season a few of us were concerned that we had lost so many forwards and hadn’t really replaced them. We were shouted down then as well. Those losses hurt us and even though T May stood tall and worked hard, we flogged him to death and he ended up ineffective by seasons end. The rest barely held their own if they even managed to do so at all. That pack remains a question mark ahead of the coming season. Our only hope is that guys like Pole, Hunt and Seyfarth can find a new gear because we are going to heavily rely on them again.

Api was at his most effective last year when being subbed with Tallyn. They were a winning partnership. Can Hope supply the same this year? Someone is going to need to as Api is not effective at all when playing big minutes. Based on the past couple of years, anything over 55 minutes will be too much. I didn’t like Galvin being the focus of our attack one bit, however the enthusiasm he plays with is contagious. He always has a go. Good coaching will see him thrive. These guys should still be in the squad this year. They haven’t been replaced.

It’s not crying over spilt milk to discuss the team you support. We need Luai to step up, need Bula to re-commit and someone has to own the 7 jersey. I think this squad can play finals just as I thought last years squad could have. The coaching and leadership in the team worry me and they will have to be a lot better than last year if we are to have a good year.

We are also desperately in need of on field leadership, a clutch player who can grab the win in a tight game. Like AD has done a couple of times. The last few games of the season under BQM have seen us either lose 2 or 3, or have 50 or 60 points put on us.
Last seasons Titans game was there to be won.