Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[supercoach]

Musgrove makes sense with Madge’s appointment. He debuted under Madge, so Madge probably rates him. Before the hysterics, stop and think for a second. Would he be coming to be a starting prop? He’d be at best a bench prop, and we could do with another one of those with Grant gone and Sue gone. He won’t break the bank. You have rocks in your head if you think we could sign better players at this time of year. Plus, how many players who looked like depth signings at first turned out to be diamonds? Taupau, Austin, Thompson etc. Give them a chance. There’ll be plenty of time to stick the boot in later.

If we had half dozen spots to fill I would agree, but at this stage we have two positions to fill so we need real quality. Also I think this so called mystery signing was probably sourced before Madge came on the scene, so Iam not sure he would have had a lot of say in it

Also I would say we are zero chance of a player like Marty T, still think he may be from across the ditch or Canberra as rumoured a few weeks ago

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Musgrove makes sense with Madge’s appointment. He debuted under Madge, so Madge probably rates him. Before the hysterics, stop and think for a second. Would he be coming to be a starting prop? He’d be at best a bench prop, and we could do with another one of those with Grant gone and Sue gone. He won’t break the bank. You have rocks in your head if you think we could sign better players at this time of year. Plus, how many players who looked like depth signings at first turned out to be diamonds? Taupau, Austin, Thompson etc. Give them a chance. There’ll be plenty of time to stick the boot in later.

If we had half dozen spots to fill I would agree, but at this stage we have two positions to fill so we need real quality. Also I think this so called mystery signing was probably sourced before Madge came on the scene, so Iam not sure he would have had a lot of say in it

Also I would say we are zero chance of a player like Marty T, still think he may be from across the ditch or Canberra as rumoured a few weeks ago

Of course we need better quality, but who is there? You don’t know who the club has been talking to. Whether or not they have been in discussions with guys like Taupau. Just because they might end up with a Musgrove type player does not mean they didn’t have their sights set higher. That’s all you can ask.

 

[fibrodreaming]

Agree. Probably worth 750k to 800k. No more at this stage.

In your 80 years or so of supporting Balmain/ Wests/Wests Tigers have we ever had a great, and I emphasise great 1/2 back? Tommy R and G Freeman were good…... tough as nails, but Brooks has the ability to top them both by a long stretch. I think your figure is a starting figure, that needs to be increased substantially by year 3\. He could very well be NSW 7 in 2020 and beyond given his age and predicted improvement.

Keith Holman says hi

Pat Devery, Dave Bolton, Shaun Edwards, Laurie Fagan, Mick Neil, Greg Oliphant + a few more that also say Hi!

The original post spoke of (and I quote) "great, and I emphasise great 1/2 backs".

Bolton aside, none of the others were Holman's class as a great half. Although, it's a bit hard to comment on Devery, because while he played for Australia, he probably played his best footy in England.

If you want to include Devery, I would also throw in Darcy Henry and Denis Pittard - both Wests 5/8s who played for Australia (although Pittard, who was a Magpie junior, was poached by Souths ). But I wouldn't argue they were great halves.

 

[momo_amp_medo]

Musgrove makes sense with Madge’s appointment. He debuted under Madge, so Madge probably rates him. Before the hysterics, stop and think for a second. Would he be coming to be a starting prop? He’d be at best a bench prop, and we could do with another one of those with Grant gone and Sue gone. He won’t break the bank. You have rocks in your head if you think we could sign better players at this time of year. Plus, how many players who looked like depth signings at first turned out to be diamonds? Taupau, Austin, Thompson etc. Give them a chance. There’ll be plenty of time to stick the boot in later.

If we had half dozen spots to fill I would agree, but at this stage we have two positions to fill so we need real quality. Also I think this so called mystery signing was probably sourced before Madge came on the scene, so Iam not sure he would have had a lot of say in it

Also I would say we are zero chance of a player like Marty T, still think he may be from across the ditch or Canberra as rumoured a few weeks ago

Just because clubs announced contract players squads for pre season, does not mean that they require to stick to those players. And I believe if I was a new coach and had first chance to critically analyse such roster and player pre season training performance …... then I’d be pretty sure that by March next year there would be changes ..... no matter if there was is Contract in place or not.

And Madge is a type of coach that does not suffer fools lightly and will move people on if required and sign players according to our team requirements. So 28 now and only 2 openings now BUT stay tuned!

 

[NT_Tiger]

Musgrove makes sense with Madge’s appointment. He debuted under Madge, so Madge probably rates him. Before the hysterics, stop and think for a second. Would he be coming to be a starting prop? He’d be at best a bench prop, and we could do with another one of those with Grant gone and Sue gone. He won’t break the bank. You have rocks in your head if you think we could sign better players at this time of year. Plus, how many players who looked like depth signings at first turned out to be diamonds? Taupau, Austin, Thompson etc. Give them a chance. There’ll be plenty of time to stick the boot in later.

If we had half dozen spots to fill I would agree, but at this stage we have two positions to fill so we need real quality. Also I think this so called mystery signing was probably sourced before Madge came on the scene, so Iam not sure he would have had a lot of say in it

Also I would say we are zero chance of a player like Marty T, still think he may be from across the ditch or Canberra as rumoured a few weeks ago

Just because clubs announced contract players squads for pre season, does not mean that they require to stick to those players. And I believe if I was a new coach and had first chance to critically analyse such roster and player pre season training performance …... then I’d be pretty sure that by March next year there would be changes ..... no matter if there was is Contract in place or not.

And Madge is a type of coach that does not suffer fools lightly and will move people on if required and sign players according to our team requirements. So 28 now and only 2 openings now BUT stay tuned!

I think you might be right. It wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

[Pawsandclaws]

Musgrove makes sense with Madge’s appointment. He debuted under Madge, so Madge probably rates him. Before the hysterics, stop and think for a second. Would he be coming to be a starting prop? He’d be at best a bench prop, and we could do with another one of those with Grant gone and Sue gone. He won’t break the bank. You have rocks in your head if you think we could sign better players at this time of year. Plus, how many players who looked like depth signings at first turned out to be diamonds? Taupau, Austin, Thompson etc. Give them a chance. There’ll be plenty of time to stick the boot in later.

Makes sense how? His off field behaviour doesn't warrant us signing him, Nothing more needs to be written.

 

[Pawsandclaws]

Yeah I heard something similar about Teddy in late 2016.

Brooks seems to be a far different personality to Tedesco.

 

[Tigersmurf]

Cannot understand the hysteria regarding an article in the Telegraph!! Brooks was put on a fair contract at a time when we were trying to resign Woods and Tedesco. He was told to improve, which I think he has done.

**If there was a danger of him leaving, I doubt he would be on the website modelling the new jersey!!** I would like to think the club has learnt from these types of mistakes the last few years.

Totally irrelevant. Tedesco and Woods were front and centre for all the clubs marketing while they were off contract and long after they’d signed for other clubs. Don’t be naive and think that means anything.

Thats my point, once bitten twice shy.

 

[Furious1]

Agree. Probably worth 750k to 800k. No more at this stage.

In your 80 years or so of supporting Balmain/ Wests/Wests Tigers have we ever had a great, and I emphasise great 1/2 back? Tommy R and G Freeman were good…... tough as nails, but Brooks has the ability to top them both by a long stretch. I think your figure is a starting figure, that needs to be increased substantially by year 3\. He could very well be NSW 7 in 2020 and beyond given his age and predicted improvement.

Keith Holman says hi

Pat Devery, Dave Bolton, Shaun Edwards, Laurie Fagan, Mick Neil, Greg Oliphant + a few more that also say Hi!

All greats are they?

 

[tonza]

Agree. Probably worth 750k to 800k. No more at this stage.

In your 80 years or so of supporting Balmain/ Wests/Wests Tigers have we ever had a great, and I emphasise great 1/2 back? Tommy R and G Freeman were good…... tough as nails, but Brooks has the ability to top them both by a long stretch. I think your figure is a starting figure, that needs to be increased substantially by year 3\. He could very well be NSW 7 in 2020 and beyond given his age and predicted improvement.

Keith Holman says hi

Pat Devery, Dave Bolton, Shaun Edwards, Laurie Fagan, Mick Neil, Greg Oliphant + a few more that also say Hi!

Pat Devery? Dont remember him. You must be older than me Russell?

 

[bp_tiger]

new name on the signing ranks, vave the ex- sharks forward. not sure whats going on if we have both musgrave and vave or one or the other, been feed little bits, will try to get clarification.

 

[swag_tiger]

new name on the signing ranks, vave the ex- sharks forward. not sure whats going on if we have both musgrave and vave or one or the other, been feed little bits, will try to get clarification.

Doesn't he play for the Eels right not?

 

[yeti]

In your 80 years or so of supporting Balmain/ Wests/Wests Tigers have we ever had a great, and I emphasise great 1/2 back? Tommy R and G Freeman were good…... tough as nails, but Brooks has the ability to top them both by a long stretch. I think your figure is a starting figure, that needs to be increased substantially by year 3\. He could very well be NSW 7 in 2020 and beyond given his age and predicted improvement.

Keith Holman says hi

Pat Devery, Dave Bolton, Shaun Edwards, Laurie Fagan, Mick Neil, Greg Oliphant + a few more that also say Hi!

Pat Devery? Dont remember him. You must be older than me Russell?

Sheesh! Very few of those guys make the 'greats' list. Bolton and Holman maybe. The others - average to good.

 

[wonka]

new name on the signing ranks, vave the ex- sharks forward. not sure whats going on if we have both musgrave and vave or one or the other, been feed little bits, will try to get clarification.

Not Vave from the eels he is worse than Musgrave, The depth signings never stop :rant

 

[balmain boy]

new name on the signing ranks, vave the ex- sharks forward. not sure whats going on if we have both musgrave and vave or one or the other, been feed little bits, will try to get clarification.

Vave would be an ISP signing if anything. He's been at more clubs than a hooker in recent times. There's a reason why. He's not very good.

Musgrave is also not what we need. Someone to rival Clark? Anyone we sign from now on needs to be a walk up start to our 13\. We already have a dozen backup players. Regardless of how good they are, we don't have the space to sign more backups. Especially when we have truckloads of cash still to spend

 

[jadtiger]

We lost Sue and Grant from the props rotation( imo Sue the better of the 2)whoever we get needs to be better.Neither of the 2 potential signings is an improvement as far as i can tell

 

[Russell]

In your 80 years or so of supporting Balmain/ Wests/Wests Tigers have we ever had a great, and I emphasise great 1/2 back? Tommy R and G Freeman were good…... tough as nails, but Brooks has the ability to top them both by a long stretch. I think your figure is a starting figure, that needs to be increased substantially by year 3\. He could very well be NSW 7 in 2020 and beyond given his age and predicted improvement.

Keith Holman says hi

Pat Devery, Dave Bolton, Shaun Edwards, Laurie Fagan, Mick Neil, Greg Oliphant + a few more that also say Hi!

The original post spoke of (and I quote) "great, and I emphasise great 1/2 backs".

Bolton aside, none of the others were Holman's class as a great half. Although, it's a bit hard to comment on Devery, because while he played for Australia, he probably played his best footy in England.

If you want to include Devery, I would also throw in Darcy Henry and Denis Pittard - both Wests 5/8s who played for Australia (although Pittard, who was a Magpie junior, was poached by Souths ). But I wouldn't argue they were great halves.

I wasn't looking at former Western Suburbs players as I wasn't involved with that club - I also was not looking at 5/8's as we were talking about halves, otherwise I would have ventured into Tommy Burke and David Topliss territory.

 

[Russell]

In your 80 years or so of supporting Balmain/ Wests/Wests Tigers have we ever had a great, and I emphasise great 1/2 back? Tommy R and G Freeman were good…... tough as nails, but Brooks has the ability to top them both by a long stretch. I think your figure is a starting figure, that needs to be increased substantially by year 3\. He could very well be NSW 7 in 2020 and beyond given his age and predicted improvement.

Keith Holman says hi

Pat Devery, Dave Bolton, Shaun Edwards, Laurie Fagan, Mick Neil, Greg Oliphant + a few more that also say Hi!

All greats are they?

Just as good as the two you named. - were they greats?

 

[Furious1]

Keith Holman says hi

Pat Devery, Dave Bolton, Shaun Edwards, Laurie Fagan, Mick Neil, Greg Oliphant + a few more that also say Hi!

All greats are they?

Just as good as the two you named. - were they greats?

Did you read what I wrote? I said they were good and tough. I asked have we ever had a “great” halfback of which you threw out all those names.

 

[sideline_eye]

Luke Brooks is named in our NRL squad for next year, the number currently standing at 28.

Here is the exact wording from Wests Tigers "Currently, Wests Tigers have 28 players SIGNED in the Top 30 squad for season 2019, with the full squad to return to pre-season training on November 15."

Given that they say these players are SIGNED, I wouldn't worry too much. I'll just wait for Maguire to start for the announcement.