Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Rock Hopper Steve said:
This talk of Kurt Mann is not getting me excited, am I the only one who wants 2 props to be signed before any other positions for depth at this point in time.

Don't care if they're NRL experienced already or on the fringe blocked and wanting an opportunity, this season has shown what injuries have done to our go forward when the deck chairs have to be shuffled when our back rowers went down.

No grunt up front forcing the opposition backwards means less time for our halves to be creative and less space for the backs to work some magic.
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We are spending a minimum of 900k on Terrell May.
He should be providing plenty of grunt and if he is not doing it we should get rid of him.
Currently we have Terrell May, Fonua Pole, Alex Twal, Sione Fainu, Royce Hunt and Alex Seyfarth all as props
Even if we continue to play Twal at 13 which does not work, it still leaves one of the above mentioned middles missing our top 17 when all players are fit and available to play.
So I would agree we definitely need one more prop to potentially start and another to add some genuine depth.
Not everyone will agree, but there is not much currently available or available anytime soon.
I think Samuel Hughes a big unit with decent mobility for a big man, plenty of NRL experience including some stand out games would be ideal at the right price.
He is coming off an injury riddled season which is not ideal, but the positive is his price tag would likely be a lot less because of it.
The other player I think would add good depth, plenty of size and decent mobility is Tuku Hau Tapuha currently at the Sharks.
 
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Vicious said:
it would appear our preferred left centre-wing combination will be Taylan May at left centre and Heamasi Makasini at left wing.
IF they are both injury free and at their best it would appear to be a very good combination, but we need some good quality back up in case they are injured or in Makasini’s case an insurance policy in case he is not playing as well as expected.
It would appear Junior Tupou has been recruited as the left wing option.
Is he a better option than someone like Christian Tuipulotu who appears to be available?
In addition to this we have supposedly signed our former star junior in Miley Nasser who I believe is more comfortable on the left. Not sure if he is on a top 30 or development contract, but he does have good potential being tallush, fast and athletic and coming off a Jersey Flegg season where he has been at the top of the charts for metres made.
As for left centre back up, hopefully Solo Saukuru shows some good signs tomorrow and stays with us, but if he goes we will need to find someone else.
On the right we appear to be pinning our hopes on Jake Averillo at right centre and Sunia Turuva at right wing.
Again it looks decent if they are both at or close to their best on a regular basis, but lack of size and lack of defensive physicality does look tj be a concern.
It appears we currently have Oatrick Hebert as our back up right centre and Tino Tavana as our back up right winger.
I don’t think they are near good enough to apply genuine pressure on Averillo and Turuva and we ideally need back up in these positions that can potentially do as good if not a better job.
I have mentioned his name many times, but James Schiller who is reportedly available for an early exit from the Knights is a player we really should be after as he is a tall, strong and fast tackle busting athlete that we really lack in our outside backs. He is a specialist right sided centre or winger who would be a genuine threat to being a regular NRL starting player with genuine attacking threat including very good aerial ability.
For the second right sided back up it would be nice to take a risk in recruiting an injured prone, but highly talented right centre in Rocco Berry, however there are rumours he will sign with Melbourne Storm as their starting right centre.
Other good options are players seeking better NRL opportunity such as Wilson De Courcey, Sione Finau and HazynnMelkars who I believe all have the potential tj become very good regular NRL players.
Whatever happens we cannot just sit back and be content with players such as Herbert and Tavana as our main back ups to apply pressure for NRL positions in the outside backs.
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Jaylen De Groot is improving. He looks like a really good mover. Physically not ready for NRL when he started in 25, but recently looks much more comfortable. He will peak in coming years and is quite slick. Can play centre wing and fullback. He would put genuine pressure on all our outside backs and possibly surpass a couple. Get him and Randall to come to Sydney together.
 
king_sirro said:
Someone of the size and speed of Maka on the wing is fine privided its balanced by a centre that has pace. Their are plenty of teams that have wingers of similar pace.

Thats the issue i have had with team selections and signings over the years. I feel like no thought is put into the balance of the team. It really is just throw guys into spots you think individually are the best option. The run on 13 needs balance in size, speed and skillsets across the park.
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I think we have a genuine lack of pace in the backs …but we are going to need to play Maka in first grade given his pay packet and probably wing is his place based on what we have seen this season… I think he will be outside Taylan right ? Defence will need to concentrate on him which hopefully will get Maka one on one close to the line …
 
Tom Shines said:
I think we have a genuine lack of pace in the backs …but we are going to need to play Maka in first grade given his pay packet and probably wing is his place based on what we have seen this season… I think he will be outside Taylan right ? Defence will need to concentrate on him which hopefully will get Maka one on one close to the line …
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This blows my mind....why do we need to play Maka in first grade because of his pay packet? Ive never understood why so many people say this. You might give him first crack, I get that, but if someone else is playing better then you pick the better player. Price shouldn't come into it. Just pick the best team. Simple
 
king_sirro said:
This blows my mind....why do we need to play Maka in first grade because of his pay packet? Ive never understood why so many people say this. You might give him first crack, I get that, but if someone else is playing better then you pick the better player. Price shouldn't come into it. Just pick the best team. Simple
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You are paying based on what you think he’ll become. Which I would have done too. You can’t then abandon that because he’s not the finished product. It’s counter productive. I think another pre-season and he’ll start to show up in the highlight reels.
 
EllisFan said:
You are paying based on what you think he’ll become. Which I would have done too. You can’t then abandon that because he’s not the finished product. It’s counter productive. I think another pre-season and he’ll start to show up in the highlight reels.
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The problem this season was that he showed up in the preseason highlights …not the regular season highlights
 
king_sirro said:
This blows my mind....why do we need to play Maka in first grade because of his pay packet? Ive never understood why so many people say this. You might give him first crack, I get that, but if someone else is playing better then you pick the better player. Price shouldn't come into it. Just pick the best team. Simple
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He will be picked in the team next year I predict … just my opinion ..I don’t get a say
 
Egan Butcher is a player who is best suited to playing 13, he very rarely gets that opportunity for the Roosters NRL team and I think he is so done who would benefit from a move away from the Roosters.
Currently contracted to the Roostrs until the end of 2027, but you would think they might be open to releasing him a year early to focus on upgrading and retaining other players.
I would sell him the opportunity of being our starting 13 providing his form earns it and try and lure him to us for 2027.
 
Vicious said:
Egan Butcher is a player who is best suited to playing 13, he very rarely gets that opportunity for the Roosters NRL team and I think he is so done who would benefit from a move away from the Roosters.
Currently contracted to the Roostrs until the end of 2027, but you would think they might be open to releasing him a year early to focus on upgrading and retaining other players.
I would sell him the opportunity of being our starting 13 providing his form earns it and try and lure him to us for 2027.
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Wouldn’t it just be easier to back Twaly to get back to his early season form?
 
EllisFan said:
You are paying based on what you think he’ll become. Which I would have done too. You can’t then abandon that because he’s not the finished product. It’s counter productive. I think another pre-season and he’ll start to show up in the highlight reels.
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Spending some time in reserve grade if someone else is playing better is not abandoning him. Its making him learn and earn
 
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