Tigers Talking To Young Union Star Deegan

[tig_prmz]

these were the signings that we needed. if we do what roosters/bulldogs etc. do and go with the flavour of the week signings- we wont be the WTs. i've always loved WT for the junior base we have. we have our own home grown talent like manly. all of our superstars benji, robbie, hodgo etc. became what they are coz of us and i like that about us.

 

[Tigersmurf]

I am not as disappointed with our new signings as others here appear to be. We have bought defensive based players, which was an area of obvious weakness. I don't think these should be thought of as "all we could get" signings, as I think these are players Potter targeted and wanted based on what was available.

They aren't flamboyant players, as we already have those coming through in our juniors. If you review the list of players still on the market there is plenty of talent there that we could have gone for but didn't.

In addition, I don't think the players we have signed would be costing any more than the guys we let go such as Reddy, Ayshford etc, but offer more in their said positions.

We are building and that takes time. The foundations are in place and with a bit of experience and improved defence I think we can start out climb up the ladder.

 

[2041]

Totally agree that any signing is a gamble , but these signings are even bigger than normal gambles

3 Blokes from the ESL retirement village ,one bloke who is a back to the future signing , and 2 blokes let go from their existing clubs

Our existing young guns are going to be our future no doubt , but if we can't get the right players around them to help develop them we will miss the boat

My hope is that what the club won't - can't - admit is that they don't think 2014 is the year to go for it. Sure you want to be competitive, and I'm sure the signings are designed to do that, but what you can't do is hurt your future to make your present a little bit better, unless the present includes a serious chance of winning.

I don't know how much bad money is still on the books but it will certainly take time to get out from under the dud contracts that got written in the early 2010s. With nuffies like Blair they have to make the best of it but there are others still chewing up cap space who'll be falling off the books soon enough.

Plus the kids need time to find their feet, especially defensively where TBF we were still crap for large chunks of 2013.

So overall I'm actually quite happy to see the club not pursuing 'marquee' signings this season. I reckon 2015-16 is the next realistic window and I'd rather see efforts focused on bringing in the right players to get them over the top then rather than just big names to keep the fans happy now.

 

[happy_tiger]

It is alright to say that these signings are going to help us , but where are these blokes going to help us

Are they better than the players they replace or will push back to the reggies

Please don't feel I'm deathriding this side ,I would love nothing better than these blokes shove my words back down my throat finish Top 6-8 and start our charge for the future

But I don't see it on either from a defensive or attacking point of view

 

[magpiecol]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml5qGAaH1b0

heres the full schoolboys game if anyone was interested

supposedly he's expected to sign this week but there's been a few late offers from sydney grade clubs

For someone you'd never heard of a week ago you are certainly pushing his barrow

What have you got against this Happy? It's a talented Rugby kid that we'll sign on a NYC contract. Hardly a huge gamble…

You've been a cranky tiger of late :slight_smile:

Pretty simple CB

I look at all our signings as gambles Richards , Lulia , Patterson ,Halatau , Austin and Taupau

Now we are looking at a Rugby Union schoolboy

I'm extremely unhappy at the direction our signings are heading and seeing in 2014 /2015 we will have a huge amount of money (around $1 million dollars) that will be able to be used to spend on potential signings

I am just concerned it will be wasted like the money used to sign the above players

The next 2-3 seasons will be critical to the clubs future with all the talent coming through and we need to get the mix right

So far in my opinion we have screwed it up

So sad sack, who would you have signed that would not have been a gamble?

 

[Jim_Nantz]

It is alright to say that these signings are going to help us , but where are these blokes going to help us

Are they better than the players they replace or will push back to the reggies

Please don't feel I'm deathriding this side ,I would love nothing better than these blokes shove my words back down my throat finish Top 6-8 and start our charge for the future

But I don't see it on either from a defensive or attacking point of view

You're kidding happy. Take your blinkers off and have a look at the big picture.

Pat Richards has done more than kill it over in the old dart. To win a man of steel award from the wing is both a true reflection of the blokes cut and his freakish ability to score points. He'll add plenty to the Tigers in terms of goal-kicking, leadership and finishing.

Dene Halatau is a depth signing, crucial when you look at what injuries did to us last season. He'll provide adequate back-up at 9 and lock should anything happen to the likes of Farah, Luani and Fulton, Sue.

Lulia and Patterson are zero gambles. Both would be on very modest deals. On top of that, both will be busting to prove they belong at this level. Any sort of signing that has the desire to prove a point - and I'm sure both of these players are - is smart by management. They're both polar opposite to the likes of Blair, who came here with little to prove and has come up with nothing.

Anyone who watched the tigers last year would know prop was an issue, well size more to the point. In that case the signing of Marty Taupau was excellent. He is big and strong and will take the ball forward. Any prop behind Tolman and Kasiano and Graham is going to be looking for an opportunity.

Austin won't be given a go behind Soward, not with the great Augustus blowing the former Dragons' 6's horn big time.

The big picture behind all of this is $$ for our juniors. It's no secret the Tigers have the best crop of young-guns coming through the ranks, and in order to keep them all the club needs $$ for the future. None of these blokes have come back to the club on big $$ deals, so to say they're big risk signings is ludicrous. As the juniors hopefully develop into star players, the above signings will have either proven themselves as keepers or will be able to be moved on so as to upgrade the likes of Brooks, Moses, Lovett, Brown and co contracts. It's astute management. I like each signing and believe we're headed in the right direction.

 

[Newtown]

I'll put this another way

What other clubs in the NRL would be excited by these signings bar Parra ??

The NRL improves every year and we just seem to get left further and further behind , by the look of it , these were the only players in the player market that were interested in coming to the Tigers

That's a scary thought

I recall that you were not very excited when SBW signed back to rugby league.

 

[happy_tiger]

I'll put this another way

What other clubs in the NRL would be excited by these signings bar Parra ??

The NRL improves every year and we just seem to get left further and further behind , by the look of it , these were the only players in the player market that were interested in coming to the Tigers

That's a scary thought

I recall that you were not very excited when SBW signed back to rugby league.

I was extremely wrong about SBW and I owned that in a thread recently (possibly the SBW thread , can't remember sorry Newtown)

 

[andrew 474]

i respect our signings and think they will be around for , see list

Patterson 2 / 3 years
Tapau 5 years
Lulia 2 / 3 years
Richards 2 years
Austin 3 / 5 years
Halatau 2 years

this will depend on injuries ect , but theses are not expensive posible flops , smart move i say

 

[magpiecol]

Just watched the Schoolboys final between Australia and New Zealand, which NZ won 17 - 16.

Different game altogether than League but Deegan was very very tough.

Reminded me of a young Tommy with his blonde hair and fearless defence. If he comes to the Weststigers he should go ok.

 

[Newtown]

Have West Tigers signed Deegan or are they waiting for a bank overdraft?

 

[happy_tiger]

Seems to have gone pretty quiet on this front

 

[Goose]

Rugby have apparently given up on keeping him, so, id say it has happened

 

[pHyR3]

any sources?

could facebook message him and ask haha, saw that we have 6 mutual friends!! he's pretty much gonna be my best man :laughing:

 

[happy_tiger]

This one's gone quiet

Has it happened or not ??

 

[pHyR3]

didnt seem to have a rock solid basis to begin with, did it?

 

[The_Great_Bagsby]

The deals been signed, but Deegan has been picked in the Aus Schools union team to tour europe through november and december, and the deal won't be announced until all his union commitments are finished. That's even if it is announced publicly, it is only an under 20s contract after all

 

[pHyR3]

awesome news.

can't wait to see how he goes in U20s.

anyone got any weight or height stats on him by the way?

 

[happy_tiger]

The deals been signed, but Deegan has been picked in the Aus Schools union team to tour europe through november and december, and the deal won't be announced until all his union commitments are finished. That's even if it is announced publicly, it is only an under 20s contract after all

Surprised that they would still take him on tour when he is switching codes

Welcome to the Tigers Deegan , despite my reservations I hope he turns out to be an astute signing and shoves my words back down my throat

 

[Goose]

The deals been signed, but Deegan has been picked in the Aus Schools union team to tour europe through november and december, and the deal won't be announced until all his union commitments are finished. That's even if it is announced publicly, it is only an under 20s contract after all

Surprised that they would still take him on tour when he is switching codes

Welcome to the Tigers Deegan , despite my reservations I hope he turns out to be an astute signing and shoves my words back down my throat

The Australian Schools program is independant of the senior program, there is at least 3 players I know of that are playing league next year.