@tony-soprano said in [Signing Suggestions & Rumours](/post/1061203) said:
How many players do we have signed for next year?
25 + 3 development players in Kane Bradley, Henry Lealuga-Puhotau, Jock Madden. Brings us to 28 if they move into the top 30 next season (can't remember how development contracts work with top 30)
So far we have 3 development players for 2020 in Reece Hoffman, Henry Lealuga-Puhotau and Jake Simpkin. We are allowed 2 more development players.
According to his profile page on the WT site, Kane Bradley "is signed through at Wests Tigers until the end of the 2021 season." What that entails is vague. I'm assuming he will be upgraded to the top 30 for 2020-2021.
Jock Madden is off contract, from what I can tell. He turns 20 next year so it seems a bit too early to give up on him. Dunno what they'll do there as those five development spots are invaluable and should be used in an effort to secure the best, young talent as early as possible.
How do these "development" contracts work? I know that the players can play NRL after June 30, but do they have to be upgraded to the top 30 within some set time period? We have spots in our top 30 now being taken up by Smith, McIntyre and Seyfarth who are unlikely to play NRL in the next 2 years. Why did we upgrade them, particularly on multi year deals when they have shown nothing to suggest that they are close to NRl standard?