Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tom Shines]

Maybe, however Rugby Australia is a very different system. Generally their teams are matured through the GPS, ISA and CAS school system and then the Shute shield. (Go the Woodies!)

It's very elitist, and they generally only cherry pick the best of the best NRL players.

the ARU can only afford a few elite players now …most of the others want to stay in the NRL because they can go and play where they want ..but if you are some talented kid getting drafted to play in Perth and are getting paid like $200k , then you might prefer to sign a deal to play Super Rugby on the same money

 

[supercoach]

PVL has dug a massive hole for the NRL. Okay he negotiated a massive broadcasting deal for the game partly based on introducing two new franchises.

Now with PNG having the tax free incentives and a very shallow talent pool has made it basically impossible for Perth and some of the lower ladder teams to compete in the player market. Over the next few years blowouts will become more frequent as teams struggle to compete. Ratings will dive and the value of the game will decrease.

With PVL saying PNG have to pay market price, Iam not sure how legally he could enforce it as a player is free to go where he likes and it would be restraint of trade. Of course teams like the Chooks have been doing it for decades, paying unders on the books with top ups coming from other sources.

PVL ‘s rugby league for me is a massive turn off, but maybe Iam just old and not embracing the new world

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

They said last night on 360 if chiefs try and pay unders the nrl won’t lodge the contract so for Hudson they will need to match or beat Canberras 1.1m (market value) a season unless multiple other clubs come in offering less than 1.1m as that changes Hudson’s market value

strange as Stefano allegedly had an offer of 1 million from tigers and went to melbourne for 800k to be coached under Bellamy

I can't see why Hudson young can't say he wants to take 900k and go to png to be coached by Willie Peters

 

[TheEnz]

I agree that this is the rule ..but it seems to be rarely enforced previously …the likes of Reynolds at the Broncos and DCE this year at the Roosters are on way under market rates

This is where we see the manipulation, these guys never went to market so the clubs were not competing with true market value, rather a number based on their experience, age, injury history etc...Plus the Roosters and broncos have significant influence and therefore can get better outcomes than most other teams.

 

[Tom Shines]

PVL has dug a massive hole for the NRL. Okay he negotiated a massive broadcasting deal for the game partly based on introducing two new franchises.

Now with PNG having the tax free incentives and a very shallow talent pool has made it basically impossible for Perth and some of the lower ladder teams to compete in the player market. Over the next few years blowouts will become more frequent as teams struggle to compete. Ratings will dive and the value of the game will decrease.

With PVL saying PNG have to pay market price, Iam not sure how legally he could enforce it as a player is free to go where he likes and it would be restraint of trade. Of course teams like the Chooks have been doing it for decades, paying unders on the books with top ups coming from other sources.

PVL ‘s rugby league for me is a massive turn off, but maybe Iam just old and not embracing the new world

We’ll probably find that the ratings here for the PNG games will be through the roof …even if they are hated by everyone here ..( or maybe because of that)

 

[TheEnz]

PVL has dug a massive hole for the NRL. Okay he negotiated a massive broadcasting deal for the game partly based on introducing two new franchises.

Now with PNG having the tax free incentives and a very shallow talent pool has made it basically impossible for Perth and some of the lower ladder teams to compete in the player market. Over the next few years blowouts will become more frequent as teams struggle to compete. Ratings will dive and the value of the game will decrease.

With PVL saying PNG have to pay market price, Iam not sure how legally he could enforce it as a player is free to go where he likes and it would be restraint of trade. Of course teams like the Chooks have been doing it for decades, paying unders on the books with top ups coming from other sources.

PVL ‘s rugby league for me is a massive turn off, but maybe Iam just old and not embracing the new world

They dont have to pay the player market price, its just what they value the player under their cap. They could pay hudson 900k however they need to assign 1.1m to their cap.

 

[Tom Shines]

This is where we see the manipulation, these guys never went to market so the clubs were not competing with true market value, rather a number based on their experience, age, injury history etc...Plus the Roosters and broncos have significant influence and therefore can get better outcomes than most other teams.

There still should be an onus on the NRL to question/not allow the deal whether it goes to the market or not …DCE’s value halved in one year …it shouldn’t have been allowed

 

[TheEnz]

strange as Stefano allegedly had an offer of 1 million from tigers and went to melbourne for 800k to be coached under Bellamy

I can't see why Hudson young can't say he wants to take 900k and go to png to be coached by Willie Peters

Yet he was not really worth $1m at the time, we were paying overs to keep him at our club. the only time the value is locked in is a situation where Luai had an exit clause and we had $1.2m in his contract. When its not that black and white it becomes a argument between the club and the NRL as to a players true value. The NRL have agreed with Canberra and valued Hudson at $1.1m, PNG are trying to say he is only worth $900k.

 

[Wiz]

Young should be able to sign whatever contract he likes, if that is 900k tax free then so be it

Why was it OK for the storm to sign Stefano for $200k less than we offered but it’s not OK for the Chiefs to do it with Hudson Young?

 

[Leck]

the ARU can only afford a few elite players now …most of the others want to stay in the NRL because they can go and play where they want ..but if you are some talented kid getting drafted to play in Perth and are getting paid like $200k , then you might prefer to sign a deal to play Super Rugby on the same money

Yeah, that's possible if you've played both codes before. However, there are so many differences between the two games, from rolling mauls and gaining field advantage through kicking, to holding onto possession and releasing the ball in the ruck while you're being bashed.

But the major difference is that it can take 10–15 plays to roll over for a try, which is physically draining.

I'm interested to see how Lomax continues to handle it.

 

[Tom Shines]

Yeah, that's possible if you've played both codes before. However, there are so many differences between the two games, from rolling mauls and gaining field advantage through kicking, to holding onto possession and releasing the ball in the ruck while you're being bashed.

But the major difference is that it can take 10–15 plays to roll over for a try, which is physically draining.

I'm interested to see how Lomax handles it. At least he has a good kicking game.

A lot of these kids have played both sports growing up …regardless we are talking 18 yr olds that have just been drafted hypothetically speaking ..not NRL 100 game players …i assume these kids could go and play at an appropriate level in rugby to develop further like they would if they stayed in the NRL

 

[2041]

Gee we have been very quite on the signing front, i hope that our club don't think our juniors will get us up the ladder, we need to be active on the player signing and bring in 3-5 1st grade players in each and every year going forward or i feel we will be in the bottom 4 every year going forward.

It's actually the exact opposite of that. We will never be competitive if we try to build a full roster in free agency, in fact what we need is a production line of first grade talent - from fringe to superstar - coming through the juniors. The teams that are consistently good only sign free agents to answer specific questions or top up what they produce themselves. Crap clubs keep thinking the next two or three flashy, expensive signings are going to solve all their problems.

 

[Leck]

A lot of these kids have played both sports growing up …regardless we are talking 18 yr olds that have just been drafted hypothetically speaking ..not NRL 100 game players …i assume these kids could go and play at an appropriate level in rugby to develop further like they would if they stayed in the NRL

That's true and I'm sure their scouts are always on the hunt for up and coming young talent. However as I mentioned before, they generally look at the private, independent and catholic schools first for development contracts at the Australian Rugby Union Academy.

 

[Tom Shines]

That's true and I'm sure their scouts are always on the hunt for up and coming young talent. However as I mentioned before, they generally look at the private, independent and catholic schools first for development contracts at the Australian Rugby Union Academy.

Yes ..and as I mentioned before …that’s because the NRL kids stay in the NRL …they might not if they got drafted somewhere they didnt want to go

 

[jadtiger]

strange as Stefano allegedly had an offer of 1 million from tigers and went to melbourne for 800k to be coached under Bellamy

I can't see why Hudson young can't say he wants to take 900k and go to png to be coached by Willie Peters

Different rules and different interpretations for different clubs,just like it is for the referees/judiciary under Anusley.Equality as much as we would all like it is not a core value in the NRL

 

[Dr_Ice]

You're a couple of replies behind Ice. The Hawks and Cats have had a few lean years, they're now back in the winners circle.

Richmond won 3 premierships from 2016, and whilst they are rebuilding, they probably have the most exciting crop of young talent in the comp at the moment.

The whole point of a draft is to distribute talent fairly.

Last comments on AFL so I don’t bore the rest of us.

My point is AFL is not that even despite your talent distribution, so no perfect solutions.

Poor Geelong, in last 10 years missed the finals once and had seven top four finishes.

West Coast, bottom three five years in a row.

Bombers no finals in five years, only won 2 games all year

North Melbourne no finals for 10 years, 14th or below past seven seasons.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

One for the blackbook via Zerotackle ...

For those who don't watch the QLD Cup, the name Tane Kiriona might not be known to you. But after his season for the Central QLD Capras, he will become hot property for NRL clubs in very quick fashion.

Having arrived via a train-and-trial deal with the Dolphins in 2025, the young forward endured a tough first season in Central QLD. Having taken several lessons from a gruelling initiation in QLD football, the 23-year-old former QLD U19 representative has become the first picked on the team sheet and a consistent performer for the Dolphins affiliate club.

So much is his improvement, Kiriona was the recipient of The League Scene's prestigious Will Partridge Medal for the best player in the QLD Cup this season.

His performance for the Capras in clinching a top four finish was sensational on the weekend. The forward scored a try, ran for over 160 metres, busted seven tackles and made 32 without missing. More importantly, the Capras continued a five-game winning streak having lost twice since Round 13.


To put Kiriona's season into context, it's important to acknowledge his improvement year-on-year. Last season, he averaged 77 metres a game, had 30 tackle breaks and three offloads. This season, his numbers are off the charts, averaging 126 metres a game, busting 52 tackles and 21 offloads.

Given the glut of edge backrowers on the market, the improvement in the former Raiders second-rower will surely not go unrecognised as clubs look to add the final pieces to their 2027 rosters.

 

[tigertragic]

There still should be an onus on the NRL to question/not allow the deal whether it goes to the market or not …DCE’s value halved in one year …it shouldn’t have been allowed

That’s exactly right
But it’s been stated multiple times that the Roosters (and others) sign multiple players for ‘unders’ because they are ‘attractive’ clubs.

You can see just in the current crop of NRL commentators how many have been ‘looked after’ having played for the roosters and how many ‘assistant’ coaches they employ after their playing days.