Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tucker]

Part 1
Our likely starting 17 for 2027 at full strength;

1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. Averillo
4. Taylan May
5. Makasini
6. Doueihi
7. Latu Fainu
8. Terrell May
9. Korisau
10. Pole
11. Pearce-Paul
12. Samuela Fainu
13. Twal

14. Brailey
15. Sione Fainu
16. Seyfarth
17. Hunt

** Is that strong enough to be a top 8 team and beat the best teams in the NRL?
** I would say there is a chance that is a top 8 team at full strength, but there is still a big question mark surrounding some of these players being at or near their best for anywhere close to a full season and that is if they stay mainly injury free.
** So realistically our only hope is building strong enough depth so barely any of the above listed players are irreplaceable if not playing up to standard or injured.
** Being this close to the 2027 season there is obviously not much available in way of potential signings and doing basic guesstimates of each players salary factoring in likely upgrades to some players we re-signed this season and others such as Samuela Fainu who we are hoping to re-sign, there is no way possible we have enough space in our 2027 Salary Cap to sign anyone on big money (Above 500k) even if someone of interest suddenly becomes available.
** So our only chance is looking to make a few shrewd signings out of who is still available including some players supposedly being allowed to leave despite being contracted by their current clubs.

There’s no chance that’s a top 8 team.
It is middle of the pack before lineup disruptions.
There’s no organiser, no strike, no intimidation and no leader.
That’s a 8 -10 game winning team if it stays fit.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

There’s no chance that’s a top 8 team.
It is middle of the pack before lineup disruptions.
There’s no organiser, no strike, no intimidation and no leader.
That’s a 8 -10 game winning team if it stays fit.

It’s a couple injuries away from a bottom 4 team.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I know people hate him, and they are totally justified. But we are screwed if AD leaves. I know that’s not a popular opinion, and I’d get it if we had a replacement, but we don’t. And if we do, it’s going to be a fringe first grader like O’Sullivan. Andrews/Latu pairing isn’t the answer. Andrews has played one game and Latu, don’t even get me started. AD is a necessity at this stage.

 

[Vicious]

There’s no chance that’s a top 8 team.
It is middle of the pack before lineup disruptions.
There’s no organiser, no strike, no intimidation and no leader.
That’s a 8 -10 game winning team if it stays fit.

You could be right and if that is the case we would need to make some very hard decisions about moving on some of the higher paid players to allow us the cap space to headhunt players who do fit the description of what we are lacking.
I would be making 2027 the last chance saloon for some of our higher paid players to prove their value to us, contracted beyond 2027 or not.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

You could be right and if that is the case we would need to make some very hard decisions about moving on sons of the higher paid players to allow us the cap space to headhunt players who do fit the description of what we are lacking.
I would be making 2027 the last chance saloon for some of our higher paid players to prove their value to us, contracted beyond 2027 or not.

Which higher paid players? Most of them have been re-signed for 4 years.

 

[Vicious]

It’s a couple injuries away from a bottom 4 team.

Which is exactly what happened this season.
So making a big improvement with our depth is essential and as I keep saying, any recruits cannot just be depth players, they need to be good enough to take a spot on our top 17 at full strength if they play to the best of their ability.
I know Herbert played a few good games late this season and I know Tavana is curious only outside back who has any idea how to contest and look like winning an attacking high ball, but if they are our best depth back up players in the outside backs, we will again struggle badly as soon as we get injuries.
If they are slightly further down the pecking order, that is fine and would not be a problem.

 

[Vicious]

Which higher paid players? Most of them have been re-signed for 4 years.

Well our highest paid players which are Bula and Terrell, closely followed by Samuela if he re-signs, closely followed by Taylan and Api and then Averillo and KPP.
We probably will also need to upgrade Pole if we want to keep him beyond 2027.
Am I correctly assuming we are possibly getting a 300k cap discount from Api and Twal due to the long serving player discounts, so 600k discounted from our cap in what we are paying those 2 players?

 

[Tom Shines]

I know people hate him, and they are totally justified. But we are screwed if AD leaves. I know that’s not a popular opinion, and I’d get it if we had a replacement, but we don’t. And if we do, it’s going to be a fringe first grader like O’Sullivan. Andrews/Latu pairing isn’t the answer. Andrews has played one game and Latu, don’t even get me started. AD is a necessity at this stage.

So if AD plays every game in the halves next year ….where do you think they will finish ? I still think it will be in the bottom 4 …

Keep AD another 12 months and see how he looks at 13/14…

 

[magpies forever]

If the club has money to spend and with the stronger clubs wanting to clear players well-past their prime, obviously WTs will be linked to them. Astute or smart are not words to be associated with signing players well-past their prime.

Have to agree and we'd need to be very cautious. Let's also face it, they're getting older, aches and pains increase and the rigour of a full season and training will start to make any person lessen effort and desire.

 

[Tucker]

You could be right and if that is the case we would need to make some very hard decisions about moving on some of the higher paid players to allow us the cap space to headhunt players who do fit the description of what we are lacking.
I would be making 2027 the last chance saloon for some of our higher paid players to prove their value to us, contracted beyond 2027 or not.

I agree.
If Latu cannot get his body right, he has to go. Same goes for Taylan May. We can’t keep carrying these injury prone players.
If Bula has another year like he did this season, he has got to go.
Terrell May - stand up and own the forward leader role. Run straight and hard…offloads are optional.
Doueihi must be a ball player at 6 and use his outside men. Anything else and he can go.
I can’t see Api making it past 2027. Brailey and the kid need to be prepared properly.
Makasini had an absolute shitshow of a year. His stupid salary means he is also in the firing line.

 

[Tom Shines]

Doueihi must be a ball player at 6 and use his outside men. Anything else and he can go.

When will he learn to pass the ball? He is a hog

 

[Vicious]

I agree.
If Latu cannot get his body right, he has to go. Same goes for Taylan May. We can’t keep carrying these injury prone players.
If Bula has another year like he did this season, he has got to go.
Terrell May - stand up and own the forward leader role. Run straight and hard…offloads are optional.
Doueihi must be a ball player at 6 and use his outside men. Anything else and he can go.
I can’t see Api making it past 2027. Brailey and the kid need to be prepared properly.
Makasini had an absolute shitshow of a year. His stupid salary means he is also in the firing line.

Harsh but true

 

[Tucker]

When will he learn to pass the ball? He is a hog

He can do it, it’s just his natural instinct is to run.
Our wingers should be scoring our tries rather than our halves. Use the outside men.

 

[Tom Shines]

He can do it, it’s just his natural instinct is to run.
Our wingers should be scoring our tries rather than our halves. Use the outside men.

He has to if he wants to play in the halves…I can’t recall him doing it to date though and he has around a long time …hopefully he can change his ways, but I’ll have to see it to believe it

 

[Tucker]

He has to if he wants to play in the halves…I can’t recall him doing it to date though and he has around a long time …hopefully he can change his ways, but I’ll have to see it to believe it

A couple of years ago he was ballplaying quite well. He overuses the cutout face ball but when he engages the line and pops it off the hip there is usually space for a Bula type to run through.
Our whole approach to backline ball movement sucks and requires severe attention.

 

[Telltails]

We are a bottom 4 club - that is the teams biggest barrier

 

[mtd#2]

Part 2
Players we should at least consider trying to recruit for 2027 and reason why;

Joash Papali’i - Rumoured to be unwanted despite being contracted to the Eels for 2027.
I am guessing he would only be on a very minimal contract value, but the question is would he offer any more than our own Jack Attard who we have big hopes for? I am unsure if Attard is still on a Development Deal or top 30 in 2027, but if he is still on a Development Deal I would take a chance on Joash Papali’i as a player who has already played a couple of very good NRL games and although very small, has shown he is definitely tough enough and has better footwork and x-factor than anyone currently in our squad. He would be a great back up option at fullback and is also capable of providing x-factor or impact at 5/8 if required.

James Schiller - I have mentioned him a lot as he is supposedly free to get out of his Newcastle Knights contract early.
He is a player with plenty of height, strength, speed, athleticism and ability who has not even scratched the surface on what he is capable of at NRL level.
Like most signings he would be a risk as he has had an injury riddled season and I get the feeling he is a bit of a head case who coaches struggle to get the best out of on a regular basis, but at his best is a superior right sided attacking centre or winger to either Averillo or Turuva.
I’m guessing his contract value is no more than 200-250k so would not be a high cost risk.

Sebastian Kris - Another player who is supposedly free to find a new club for 2027. His contract value is likely more expensive, I am guessing somewhere around 400k.
I know some good judges of player talent such as @king_sirro dont believe he is any better than Starford To’a who we just offloaded.
I disagree and think Sebastian Kris is bigger, stronger, faster, more aggressive and an all round much better proven try scoring NRL quality centre or winger than what To’a is.
He is another one who seems to do his coaches head in from lack of consistency, but I strongly believe we need some very good attacking weapons who are superior to the likes of Patrick Herbert and Tino Tavana to apply genuine pressure to our NRL starters and be good enough to command a regular starting position if they play at or near their best on a regular basis.

Toby Rudolph - Yet another player who is an enigma, a much better player than what he shows on a regular basis and another who has had an injury riddled season in 2026, so would be a risk at what I’m guessing would be an asking price of around 400k.
We clearly need an extra middle ideally with a bit of size, experience and mongrel, Rudolph has all those qualities and would command a spot in our top 17 when at or anywhere near his best.
- IF we signed the ageing Tyson Frizell and we could guarantee he would play at the same standard he has for the Knights this season, he would probably be just as good an option as what Rudolph would be for the 2027 season. I am not confident Frizell can be at the same level in 2027 at 35 years of age, but he does keep himself very fit, so you never know it might be possible.

I cant take you seriously when suggesting someone like Sebastian Kris.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I cant take you seriously when suggesting someone like Sebastian Kris.

Does that mean you can’t take the club seriously? Because if @kade7 is to be believed, we were keen.

 

[Tiger_claws]

Would it he worthwhile having a crack at Mitchell Woods come Nov.1? Havent seen much of him this year. Ciro seems all in on Galvin at 7. Can you imagine the blowup at the Dogs if we got him over...

I don’t see Woods making it in the Nrl. I think he is massively overrated.

 

[Vicious]

He can do it, it’s just his natural instinct is to run.
Our wingers should be scoring our tries rather than our halves. Use the outside men.

In his defence, at times this season mannequins would have offered more attacking threat than our outside backs.