Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Kelce68 said:
Yeh, there's a number of options I guess. Willet and Naden (even Alaimalo if he works out) could be a tall timber approach.

Or, like you said, Luke and Tito could form almost a Panthers 2.0 wing setup, with Luke having mini-To'o vibes.

The good thing is that there are options available not only to see who's best, but also dependent on the style we want to play.
Click to expand...
having small wingers isn't a massive issue for the most part its just when you come up against a guy like Xavier Coates or Dom Young, but even then there are ways to counteract.

Galvin and Laulili'i have a quasi-telepathic combination, while Luai's always had small wingers on his edge, so that won't be much of an issue. it's just defending the inevitable aerial assaults. Laulili'i is going to cop a peppering when he comes into grade, that is for sure.
 
jrtiger said:
having small wingers isn't a massive issue for the most part its just when you come up against a guy like Xavier Coates or Dom Young, but even then there are ways to counteract.

Galvin and Laulili'i have a quasi-telepathic combination, while Luai's always had small wingers on his edge, so that won't be much of an issue. it's just defending the inevitable aerial assaults. Laulili'i is going to cop a peppering when he comes into grade, that is for sure.
Click to expand...
Yeh, no doubt.

High ball protection will need to be a focus if that's the plan we go with.
 
Tom Shines said:
Gday … are you able to clarify how many players are under contract for 2025 including juniors being upgraded to the Top 30 at the end of this season? You seem the man here that tracks this the closest…
Click to expand...
So far we have 27 of our 30 filled for next year. Lobb, Mason and Craig are on development next year. No info yet from our juniors who’s getting promoted to 30 apart from Luke Laulili as the rest of our development squad this year apart from Lobb is getting promoted to top 30 next year.
 
Glenji95 said:
So far we have 27 of our 30 filled for next year. Lobb, Mason and Craig are on development next year. No info yet from our juniors who’s getting promoted to 30 apart from Luke Laulili as the rest of our development squad this year apart from Lobb is getting promoted to top 30 next year.
Click to expand...

According to the roster breakdown thread here …. the 2025 team is at 27 already… not including Lobb,,
 
Glenji95 said:
Yeah signing Turuva took us to 27. We still need to re-sign Stefano to make it 28. So only 2 spots left if we can keep Stef.
Click to expand...

And you would think they might be looking to hang onto Faataape who seems higher up the depth chart than several other guys here ..so not a lot of room left …
 
Coastie_Tiger said:
He's followed everywhere so far its not a long bow to draw, anyway thats my opinion you're entitled to yours.
Click to expand...
He moved clubs ONCE.... when Manly released him so they could buy Brooks...

That is NOT a pattern!

Scott Fulton is a myth - you reckon wherever he goes (if he ends up anywhere) is going to throw a bucket of cash at Schuster as he tried to convince us to do??

Latu and Samuela are more loyal and level-headed than you realise - and Scott never had any real involvement in their day to day life as footballers at either club. He was just a conduit to their manager!

He is a decent talent scout - but NOT a recruitment manager or football manager!

Thinking he has anywhere near the influence you are suggesting is just plain wrong!
 
Snidest 0 said:
He moved clubs ONCE.... when Manly released him so they could buy Brooks...

That is NOT a pattern!

Scott Fulton is a myth - you reckon wherever he goes (if he ends up anywhere) is going to throw a bucket of cash at Schuster as he tried to convince us to do??

Latu and Samuela are more loyal and level-headed than you realise - and Scott never had any real involvement in their day to day life as footballers at either club. He was just a conduit to their manager!

He is a decent talent scout - but NOT a recruitment manager or football manager!

Thinking he has anywhere near the influence you are suggesting is just plain wrong!
Click to expand...

Alright mate i get it you don't agree, thats fine you are entitled to not agree.
 
Buttface said:
Our back four missed 16 tackles to 4, I think it was. That’s part of the issue to go with the grunt work. Our forwards have to work harder than others to get back on side and then to take the run, every set. Then be fresh enough to dominate the other pack.
But Stef had 3 runs at halftime, that’s unacceptable, but unusual. 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
I think I no why stef has gone of the boil, if he keeps playing well he will get selected for State of origin , and that would stop him from joining the panthers , just my take on it 😳
 
Tom Shines said:
apparently they have another 3-4 guys from within who will move to Top 30 spots at the end of this year

Richo has said they aren’t a recruitment club and I believe him … at least for the next year until they can free up some space on the squad …
Click to expand...
I’m surprised by him saying we are done in the recruiting, we are still not a first grade team who goes well each week , we need probably 2 more , I note the panthers signing he noted centre next year so we need a big prop with strong go forward carries and a speedy big winger , prop will let Pole play back row , the other thing is our second grade team shows not much in the players who can meet first grade we need to unload half of them and get firing first graders from other clubs who are behind top class players
 
Looking at who’s available there really isn’t much available who can really improve the squad for next year. There are a couple players who you might be willing to take a chance on, but not a whole lot that you know will improve the squad. Probably why Richo said we will be promoting from within for the rest of the squad.
 
jrtiger said:
it really depends on how the kids currently in and around the top two grades develop, namely the Laulili'i's, Matamua, Miller, Da Silva, Faagutu, Mason, Sukkar and Willett. even Kepaoa as a backrower. all of them have shown promise at one point or another but need to develop thru the remainder of this year and 2025 preseason to become genuine depth options to supplement first grade.

it's not like we have a choice either, all of them are on full time contracts next year. if the majority of them can develop in the way we hope they will, there will be less of a need to go to market.

we do need a right winger though, that is for damn sure.
Click to expand...
Matamua just doesn’t look like a 1st grade player , miller is just a large lump , watched him on the weekend, didn’t impress .
Looking forward to see faagutu, he really impressed in state of origin last year
Mason has that I will be a 1st grade player writing all over him always on the ball has good pace and is a good defender, not sure what would be his best position
As for the rest it doesn’t look good
 
bptiger 0 said:
I think I no why stef has gone of the boil, if he keeps playing well he will get selected for State of origin , and that would stop him from joining the panthers , just my take on it 😳
Click to expand...
That made feel a little sick inside.
Nothing would surprise me, human nature can sometimes make me feel a little sick inside too.
 
bptiger 0 said:
Matamua just doesn’t look like a 1st grade player , miller is just a large lump , watched him on the weekend, didn’t impress .
Looking forward to see faagutu, he really impressed in state of origin last year
Mason has that I will be a 1st grade player writing all over him always on the ball has good pace and is a good defender, not sure what would be his best position
As for the rest it doesn’t look good
Click to expand...
I'm not really sure what more Matamua could've done. a try, try assist, made over 30 tackles and only missed a couple and found the right balance between running and passing. he's probably been our best in Cup all year.

Miller is lacking conditioning but he certainly doesn't lack impact. not sure what game you were watching. carts it up hard off the back fence, makes plenty of post contact metres and throws his weight around defensively. his biggest issue is conditioning. an increase to his workload week-to-week and into a big preseason and I feel he'll be banging down the door for selection.

Faagutu has gone to Ron Massey as they want him playing against men. he's a work in progress but he possesses a lot of talent. hoping to see him really excel in Cup by the end of the year. Mason looks great yes, but Luke Laulili'i has the higher ceiling. both great players in their own right and will both play their fair share of first grade.

Da Silva is our long term 9. he is still finding his feet in Cup but I've watched plenty of him to know his quality.

Sukkar has been up and down, similar with Kit. unsure where their ceilings are at the minute. Kepaoa looks to have found his spot at back row but now needs time and reps. Willett is nowhere to be seen but I've been impressed by what I've seen.

I really wouldn't be surprised to see the Magpies come home strong in Cup providing there isn't any injuries and they can continue to develop. a lot of the youngsters are still getting used to playing against men week-to-week, but by year's end we might see things begin to change.
 
bptiger 0 said:
Matamua just doesn’t look like a 1st grade player , miller is just a large lump , watched him on the weekend, didn’t impress .
Looking forward to see faagutu, he really impressed in state of origin last year
Mason has that I will be a 1st grade player writing all over him always on the ball has good pace and is a good defender, not sure what would be his best position
As for the rest it doesn’t look good
Click to expand...
I’d be surprised if Da Silva doesn’t become an NRL regular, just not sure what’s going on with him at the moment.
 
jrtiger said:
I'm not really sure what more Matamua could've done. a try, try assist, made over 30 tackles and only missed a couple and found the right balance between running and passing. he's probably been our best in Cup all year.

Miller is lacking conditioning but he certainly doesn't lack impact. not sure what game you were watching. carts it up hard off the back fence, makes plenty of post contact metres and throws his weight around defensively. his biggest issue is conditioning. an increase to his workload week-to-week and into a big preseason and I feel he'll be banging down the door for selection.

Faagutu has gone to Ron Massey as they want him playing against men. he's a work in progress but he possesses a lot of talent. hoping to see him really excel in Cup by the end of the year. Mason looks great yes, but Luke Laulili'i has the higher ceiling. both great players in their own right and will both play their fair share of first grade.

Da Silva is our long term 9. he is still finding his feet in Cup but I've watched plenty of him to know his quality.

Sukkar has been up and down, similar with Kit. unsure where their ceilings are at the minute. Kepaoa looks to have found his spot at back row but now needs time and reps. Willett is nowhere to be seen but I've been impressed by what I've seen.

I really wouldn't be surprised to see the Magpies come home strong in Cup providing there isn't any injuries and they can continue to develop. a lot of the youngsters are still getting used to playing against men week-to-week, but by year's end we might see things begin to change.
Click to expand...
I agree Matamua has tried hard this season and consistently one of our best in NSW Cup.
He’s shown he looks ready to step back up to NRL and not let us down, but I’m not seeing anything to say he could come back in and be a standout. His carries are good without being great and likewise his ball playing is good without being great.
I think our NRL team ideally needs a 13 with good leg speed to really get our opposition on the back foot when they run the ball, just not sure we have that player internally.
 
KingRobbie said:
Yep, this is right.

Lobb doesn’t have a Top 30 deal in his contract, just two years of Development.
Click to expand...
We have 30 players under contract for next season if Uto, Sezer & Tumeth's options are exercised. Here is a little depth chart I have put together just on our top 30 contracted for next season.

Untitled.jpg

So to recruit, re-sign or promote any more players mean we have to release some.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 201 (members: 4, guests: 197)
Forever online: Tigergran, Geo
Back
Top