Tallyn Da Silva #270

We weren’t able to convince TDS to chill and are now resigned to losing him.

It’s not catastrophic, as he will be replaced.

I don’t see a future for Api beyond the next few years and we aren’t performing to a level where we will hit our stride this year and probably next year.
 
No ideas about any other clubs and or discussions.
Nah, I was kind of saying that with manly and their pride jersey stance and all but who cares .. I think talyn is a teriffic young man that will choose to stay.. I’m hoping that these issues will be resolved because he has grown up wanting to play for the tigers
 
Makes it sound like he was promised more playing time by Richo but Benji doesn't want to take the risk during games. He did for a few games and then turns around to Richo and says "see, it didn't work out".

And the whole line on Friday that he wanted to play Api because that's who gave him the best chance of winning...you still lost! How would you know what TDS would have done/ wouldn't have if you don't play him.
1750553401955.pngOur record using Api and Tallyn is 6 and 6
Our record using Api for the full 80 is 5 and 22
Its clear so far that we win more games when they are used in tandom. That is extra frustrating as our past 4 games were all winnable and we went Api the full 80 in all of them rather than use the pairing that has a 50% win record.
 
Nothing is clear i reckon...

Is this, "I want 600k and a starting role over one of the best hookers in the game" even real?

I think a lot of KIDS were made promises under Sheens and MacD. Now they're gone and the promises went with them.... which has upset a few people.
I've read this article from the SMH this morning with Richardson advising the swap with the Knights is not a goer. This is what he said -

“We thought the idea of swapping Tallyn just for this season was a good one that would give him exposure this season, and we would get Kai Pearce-Paul,” Richardson said.

“That’s changed and now we’ll see what happens.

“But just because you give permission to negotiate doesn’t mean you have to accept it. We’re trying to do everything we can to keep Tallyn in our system, but obviously he wants to play first grade and we don’t blame him. We’ll see how it unfolds.”

 
Nah, I was kind of saying that with manly and their pride jersey stance and all but who cares .. I think talyn is a teriffic young man that will choose to stay.. I’m hoping that these issues will be resolved because he has grown up wanting to play for the tigers
Yeah, he’s a promising youngster and we have looked after him in terms of acclimatising him to fg.

Spirited and club first countenance.

He’s great.
 
As good as Api is, we really can't be counting on him as a full-time player in 2027. He'll be 34 turning 35.

It's a real possibility that Da Silva will be as good as Api some time in 2026, let alone 2027.

If the club is lower of Da Silva then everyone others in footy, so be it. But if we do think of him as a great prospect, then it's just stupidity to prioritise Api.

Latu Fainu, Galvin and Da Silva could've potentially been our Munster, Hughes and Grant. Instead, we bullied one on the way out of the club, tried to sign a busted 35 year old to play halfback alongside a 5/8th we overpaid for and are going to lose the other because we want to keep a 34 year old hooker showing signs of slowing down.

Like what are we doing here? Are we trying to build for the future or win now?
Yep, thats the concerning part. All this BS about 5 year plans is so transparent.
 
Without knowing the full extent of the situation, I’m guessing that Talyn was reasonably satisfied when he was getting around 30mins of NRL game time earlier in the season.
He was coming on making a positive impact and we were winning our fair share of games.
That has since stopped and now even when Talyn is on our NRL bench he either gets very minimal or no game time and we have lost every game.
This being the case, can we blame Talyn for feeling disappointed ?
Can we blame him from thinking if Api re-signs for 2027 and beyond he could likely be stuck in the same situation for another 2-3 years ?
There is a simple solution to this problem, go back to tve same formula where we were winning at least 50% of our games earlier this season, give Talyn his fair share of NRL game time, which will in turn give him much more optimism about his future as a Wests Tigers player.
There is more than meets the eye about this kid, he’s a player that will put his heart & soul into our club if we show a bit of faith in him.
 
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This is how it’s looking isn’t it.
Sucks though as a Wests Tigers fan especially when youth/development club was the statement motto Richo/Benji paraded around 12ths back
It wasnt that long ago that we were all in heavy discussions on here as how to best fit TDS, Galvin, Luai, Latu, Large, Bula and Makasini into the run on side in the future.
Now I wonder how many of these names will still be on our roster in 12 months time....
 
It wasnt that long ago that we were all in heavy discussions on here as how to best fit TDS, Galvin, Luai, Latu, Large, Bula and Makasini into the run on side in the future.
Now I wonder how many of these names will still be on our roster in 12 months time....
Losing Large because we wanted to keep Galvin then he jumps ship gives you a deja vu feeling of the Papenhuyzen/Teddy horror story in the past.
 
Well it better not be the coaching.
We have lost a lot of players recently over that.

Alot of players recently?

The concern is lack of pathway planning and not banking on commitments.

Large going because we chose Galvin.
Galvin going which was always happening was bad strategic management.

Godinet, Makasini, Mason and Moors all have extended so will be interesting especially for Makasini who is a massive talent how things get managed.
 
Personally, I am a little bemused by this situation. We love Api and what he brings to the team in terms of skill, dedication and leadership.
We really like Talyn as being one of our gun juniors and he appears to be cut from a different cloth than some others from the junior ranks.
Here is the thing - from a strictly dummy half point of view, and taking into account they are both adequate defenders, they are two totally different players.
Api is your skilful, deceptive dummy half with a bagful of tricks that directs much of our attack.
Talyn appears to be your fast dummy half that can exploit retreating defences and uses his passing game to get forwards over the advantage line. He doesn’t have API’s arsenal of options but is more a threat when defences don’t control the ruck and teams are aware of his run threat.
The question for me is not who we want as hooker but what style of play we want from our hooker?
My feeling is that given our style of attack - we want Api 2.0
 
Well it better not be the coaching.
We have lost a lot of players recently over that.
def not coaching related.

I have heard a mixed bag of stories about certain players. Not so much about the quality of coaching, more the personality clashes and or delivery.

I have only heard positive things first hand about the coaching plans etc.

It’s a new world we live in, where no ones feelings are allowed to be hurt 🙈.
 
As @Tucker points out so clearly in the win/loss stats, it just doesn't make sense what Benji is doing with Api and our hooker situation. The only reason you may play TDS in lower grades is for his development in getting him 80 minutes a game here and there rather than his 30 I first grade.

But, early in the year it clearly added spark when he came on and it clearly improved Api's play over the entirety of the game.

The Galvin decision and moving away from the Api/TDS combination has really stuffed us. It's not even looking at the win/loss record, just Api always plays tired, despite his still spirited play and we just don't get the relief of TDS's darting runs out of dummy half which were so valuable to us early in the year. And instead we get bench players with little impact and few minutes. Ahhh, it's very frustrating and so poor.
 
Surely Richo or his son know someone on the parole board that can get him out by November 1 this year. 🤣
The incident occurred in 2019...and he was sentenced to a minimum of 4 years 3 months in Dec 2022
Spent time in prison prior to sentencing, which he will probably get some credit for
He mite not be all that far away,which explains Richos nonchalant attitude towards TDS putting us over a barrel
If he hasnt been to Haines buffet,hes a much more capable 9 than a 20 yo 83 kg rookie
Cld be the optimal solution for WTs
 
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Alot of players recently?
What was the reason given for Tupou not staying? He went to the Phins to play reserve grade?
Utoikamanu wasnt interested in staying.
Papali'i, Simpkin, Bateman, Klemmer and Galvin have all gone before their contracts concluded.
TDS looks likely to join them.
Our roster management is going to mud
 
It's very easy to get worked up over losing players, particularly junior players.

Perspective is key.

Losing Galvin = bad look. Potentially generational talent etc, blah blah.

However- signed Latu Fainu from Manly. Potentially generational talent etc blah blah.

Losing Galvin who was exposed to 1st grade, Da Silva the same, guys like Large that never had a chance to show etc...

Replaced with all the Fainu's...Seyfarth...took Twal as a kid, Doueihi..To'a was undeveloped..

And with the likes of Bula, Mason, the Lualili'i's, Pole, Sukkar...and with guys like Saukuru, Godinet, Tapau-Moors, Tannous, Broederlow, Haywood...still coming through...all from our junior paths...

It is easy to focus on the ones you lose.

Don't lose track of how many get developed & become part of the club. It's not as if teams have 100% turnover in playing personnel each season. There are only so many Top 30 spots to go around- you WILL lose players..because not many spots open up every year on the roster.

I don't want to lose Da Silva.

But if we do, it's not any more a slight on Benji's coaching than it is on any coach that loses players. And EVERY coach loses players. Ivan Cleary, on that theory, is probably the worst coach in the NRL. Imagine losing Katoa & Luai & Burton. What a terrible recruitment record!

Tigers want to build something from the mess we have had. Api, regardless of age, is a huge part of that. Probably responsible for Luai & Turuva. Who are probably responsible for May & May.

What has Da Silva's development brought into the club?
 
Yeah, correct mate.

I heard it a few weeks ago, just before he was dropped to Reggie’s and I was uncertain how it would all play out.

TBC, it would be a mix of both wanting to start, coupled with the background stuff that has made it a lot messier.

Either way, it’s a shame to lose him imo. Plenty of talent and will have a long first grade career.

There’s just a lot more to it, then a simple pick me over api if that makes sense.
The bit that pisses me off is they put him on the bench.............and don't use him............. at the detriment of Wests Tigers moving away from the Spoon. A pour 3 man bench . Well done Tigers!
Isn't winning a game and the "Team First " the aim? That is culture building.
 
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