Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[JD Tiger]

i think u are sell fonua, a little short, i think he will prove to be a great buy. but where u are right is we need forwards, one prop and 2 back rowers would settle for one , but we need big brutes, or all these signings are for nothing.

You have to take a punt to get ahead.

This is where Nathan Brown and hopefully Ivan are good, Craig Bellamy is the expert. You look at a player that is borderline first grade at a borderline price, see what they are doing wrong and shape them. This is thrifty as we need to save our available cap.

Fonua matches this perfectly. Can perform at first grade, coming at a slightly cheaper price. Definitely potential, can make it at first grade. If we pick well, then we get a $200k winger for $120k. If we pick poorly we dump him and try again. We do this really badly we end up with a team of no hopers with potential and no performance. We do this good we get ourselves back into the top 8.

I've always thought Bellamy is so good at it because he has a few players of very high quality around these 'diamonds in the rough' players. Guys like Smith and Cronk improve each player's quality. Bellamy is still a great coach though, I am certainly not knocking him.

Players keep going there and becoming rep players though, Glasby, Harris, McLean (like at the Broncos). Like they say you need money to make money, I think success breeds success.

 

[cktiger]

Lachlan Fitzgibbon (angry ant from Newcastle) is available for 2018+…good signing if we went for him?

The bloke is a penalty machine. Go over to the Knights forum, and you'll see that most over there don't rate him either.

His old man is CEO of their major sponsor NIB….. say no more. :laughing:

 

[Spud_Murphy]

There is still some quality on the market

Ofahengaue, Gallen, Lewis, Tagatese, Paasi, B Lawrence, Hoffman, Vete, Akauola,

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-market-watch-parramatta-signing-spree-newcastle-cult-heros-huge-sacrifice/news-story/0ab6febf2133ef0cb7e8ef9a0886f045

Gallen & Lewis won't leave Cronulla, Hoffman will go to ESL - so that brings it down a bit.

Of the rest, I would target Tagatese and Ofenhague - both are stuck behind other players at their current clubs and I reckon they would relish a permanent first grade position if they could get it. Both are big bodies, which we desperately need, and they can play either front or second row if need be. Wouldn't cost the earth either. Come on Wests Tigers, sign these 2 plus Curtis Rona and I will be a very happy chappy :smiley:

 

[tigerbenji]

Morgan Boyle would be very handy.

 

[Geo]

3 Morgan Boyle's even better…

 

[WestsBenTigers]

There is still some quality on the market

Ofahengaue, Gallen, Lewis, Tagatese, Paasi, B Lawrence, Hoffman, Vete, Akauola,

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-market-watch-parramatta-signing-spree-newcastle-cult-heros-huge-sacrifice/news-story/0ab6febf2133ef0cb7e8ef9a0886f045

Gallen & Lewis won't leave Cronulla, Hoffman will go to ESL - so that brings it down a bit.

Of the rest, I would target Tagatese and Ofenhague - both are stuck behind other players at their current clubs and I reckon they would relish a permanent first grade position if they could get it. Both are big bodies, which we desperately need, and they can play either front or second row if need be. Wouldn't cost the earth either. Come on Wests Tigers, sign these 2 plus Curtis Rona and I will be a very happy chappy 😀

I don't think Gallen would leave Cronulla but he said that he would consider leaving if another club offered him a significantly better and longer contract. We have the cash so I think we should take a shot a getting Gallen. Then for the rest we could get dirt cheap e.g. Ofenhague, Tagatese, Vete, Paasi.

I would like to get Lewis but other posters have said that Cleary was the one who axed him, so I doubt he would come here. He is looking for a 2-year offer but if the Sharks don't find the money, it is between Manly, Rorters and Us. Manly are under salary cap investigations so they are out of the race. Rorters have let go 3 players (not including Watson) and gained Teddy, re-signed Gordon, Tupou and a few others. Surely they wouldn't have the money to beat us and if they did, it would be TPA money.
I think Lewis and Gallen would want to stay at Cronulla but if a better offer comes they won't reject it.

 

[Pawsandclaws]

Seriously we need forwards all the backs in the world wont help if we dont have the muscle up front

You don't think Alex Twal and Matt Eisenhuth are good enough to be our back up props ?? Yes they are both young and roar .. but by crikey they both run good lines, they both make good yards after first contact, and they can both off load in a tackle. Being so young they will only get bigger and stronger after a full pre season with us.

8\. Matulino
9\. McIlwrick
10\. Packer
11\. McQueen
12\. Aloiai
13\. Taylor

14\. Twal
15\. Eisenhuth
16\. Sue
17\. C. Lawrence

Great post. Our prop rotation next year will be the envy of many clubs. Twal and Eisenhuth will be very good for us in the future. I would also like Boyle in the s/row with his mobility which we have not had since the loss of Simon Dwyer.

 

[Seantice]

Eisenhuth and Twal will go well. But i still want another Prop thats aggressive. Assuming wel have 3 props off the bench id have.

Twal
Eisenhuth
Ofengauie/Paasi/Vete

It also depends on weather we get another impact 2nd rower ie Boyle/ Lewis.

If we dont then we can move Elijah to 2nd row and put Twal or Eisenhuth at lock. Looking at Twals numbers in the last few games hes got the motor to play at lock quite easily.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Eisenhuth and Twal will go well. But i still want another Prop thats aggressive. Assuming wel have 3 props off the bench id have.

Twal
Eisenhuth
Ofengauie/Paasi/Vete

It also depends on weather we get another impact 2nd rower ie Boyle/ Lewis.

If we dont then we can move Elijah to 2nd row and put Twal or Eisenhuth at lock. Looking at Twals numbers in the last few games hes got the motor to play at lock quite easily.

You don't need 3 props on the bench. I don't know any team that plays 3 props off the bench.

Let Twal find his feet in first grade. Why burn him out playing big minutes at lock.

 

[Seantice]

Because he plays big minutes already. Hes got games to go and a offseason to bulk up abit more.

Im still not happy with our forward pack. Its nearly there. Our back row is too ordinary.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Because he plays big minutes already. Hes got games to go and a offseason to bulk up abit more.

Im still not happy with our forward pack. Its nearly there. Our back row is too ordinary.

Big minutes in NYC. Bit different to NRL.

 

[Seantice]

Agreed…Still. Give him a year or two.

 

[earl]

We need to win the battle up the middle and start rolling forward. If that takes 3 props off the bench then that is what we have to do.

If we change to a 3 prop rotation where the lock is basically a prop as per most other teams then this is what we currently have.

Starting props:- Packer/Matulino
Starting lock:- Eisenhuth (this is far from a sure thing but who else is there).
Replacement props:- Sue/Twal
Replacement locks:- Aloiai

I think that is pretty good if they all fire but what happens when we get injuries or a player loses form. Also all of those players excluding Packer & Matulino aren't sure things. Still I think we have the players to do the job if Cleary picks a lock forward who is basically a prop.

Taylor/Lawrence/McQueen and potentially Marsters/Chee-Kam on the edges means we have enough players there but are they the right players ?

To add to that will Grant and ET resign for next year.

There is heaps unknown about our pack next year and I'd really love to see a forward come or two come into the squad that have some impact when they come on.

 

[Seantice]

We need to win the battle up the middle and start rolling forward. If that takes 3 props off the bench then that is what we have to do.

If we change to a 3 prop rotation where the lock is basically a prop as per most other teams then this is what we currently have.

Starting props:- Packer/Matulino
Starting lock:- Eisenhuth (this is far from a sure thing but who else is there).
Replacement props:- Sue/Twal
Replacement locks:- Aloiai

I think that is pretty good if they all fire but what happens when we get injuries or a player loses form. Also all of those players excluding Packer & Matulino aren't sure things. Still I think we have the players to do the job if Cleary picks a lock forward who is basically a prop.

Taylor/Lawrence/McQueen and potentially Marsters/Chee-Kam on the edges means we have enough players there but are they the right players ?

To add to that will Grant and ET resign for next year.

There is heaps unknown about our pack next year and I'd really love to see a forward come or two come into the squad that have some impact when they come on.

× 2

Im sick of our team not getting any go forward thats why I wanted 3 props. We have enough players to fill the spots now. But like you said if there not all at the top of there game we will struggle in some areas. Aloiai, Sue,Grant have all struggled at different times.

Im happy with Eisenhuth at lock if we dont get a decent 2nd rower.

 

[Tacky]

What's with this Morgan Boyle bloke? Everyone seems to really rate him but, I've never heard of him. What's all the hype about?

 

[cqtiger]

Morgan Boyle would be very handy.

Yes Boyle would be very, very, very handy indeed!

 

[Fade_To_Black]

What's with this Morgan Boyle bloke? Everyone seems to really rate him but, I've never heard of him. What's all the hype about?

Pretty sure it is his size that people are gushing over more than any extraordinary skill shown to this point.

 

[Pawsandclaws]

What's with this Morgan Boyle bloke? Everyone seems to really rate him but, I've never heard of him. What's all the hype about?

Pretty sure it is his size that people are gushing over more than any extraordinary skill shown to this point.

Size, mobility, NRL experience and both his father and uncle were fine footballers.

 

[Fade_To_Black]

How much NRL experience? It would only be a dozen games if that wouldn't it?
Can't remember his Dad the Canberra back being much chop TBH. Who is his uncle, David from the Rabbitohs?

 

[Pawsandclaws]

How much NRL experience? It would only be a dozen games if that wouldn't it?
Can't remember his Dad the Canberra back being much chop TBH. Who is his uncle, David from the Rabbitohs?

His father was a good solid centre from the Far South Coast with good strength and mobiity. His uncle, Jason Croker, was a very good utility back/lock from Crookwell. Both were very strong players and current Raiders half Lachlan Croker (from Crookwell) is a relation of Jason.