Rumoured and Confirmed Signings Part2

[franklin2323]

Lafai rumour is heating up.

Don't know if he's any better then we have now

 

[grifter]

I rate him, as long as he learns to setup the winger outside him I think he's a great pickup. Whare is a lock but if Blake doesn't fulfill his prophecy, and Gennings ends up becoming a winger over center - then we'll be thanking the lord for another zippy center with some footwork and strength.

 

[mxlegend99]

We have Robert Jennings and Will Smith competing with Waqa Blake for that centre spot. I think between them we should be sweet. Just need one of them to fire up. Then the others will need to wait for injury to try and prove themselves.

With the opportunity they received in 2015, I'm sure they will all be ready in 2016 when/if needed. Hell if we get lucky we could have Whare looking over his shoulder trying to keep his spot. That's a long way off if it happens. But those guys certainly have the potential for it to be possible.

 

[kinghippo]

lafai would be a great signing, there is a world of difference between an established first grader, and waiting for someone to reach their awesome potential. Waqa, jenningses and possibly smith are very close to first grade material and all will probably get a chance, but lafai has very good defence and was close to the best centre in the game 2 years ago. As long as the dogs are getting rid of him for salary cap and not undisclosed off field problems, chronic injury or laziness he would be a good buy.

 

[mxlegend99]

How are players going to establish themselves if we fill in all spots up for grabs with new recruits?

If we sign a Lafai, Walker or Hiku. That's just going to cost us Jennings and/or Blake. Why would they wait around behind a couple of young centres when their chances at jumping above them in the pecking order are almost non-existent.

I see those players as short term gains and nothing more. They would cost a lot more than what we have also. We have our established centre in Whare. We have our established wingers in Mansour and DWZ. I like a spot being up for grabs and having a few special talents fighting for it.if we sign Lafai the only possible spot that's up for grabs is the wing ifvDWZ goes to fullback and Moylan the halves. But by all reports so far that's not likely.

 

[ACTPanthers]

I'm on the fence RE the Lafai signing - But here's a question - If none of the young guys (Jennings x2, Blake, Smith etc) kick off next season and are shocking, who do we have?

 

[mxlegend99]

I'm on the fence RE the Lafai signing - But here's a question - If none of the young guys (Jennings x2, Blake, Smith etc) kick off next season and are shocking, who do we have?

The worst coach in the NRL. If he can't get atleast one of those guys to reach their potential there's something wrong.

It's not like we have all our eggs in one basket on needing a guy to deliver. We have 4 guys who are absolute standouts in reserve grade and clearly have that something special about them to be good first graders... possibly even great ones.

 

[Sime_11]

I think Lafai is fairly underrated, especially his strength, he uses it very well. a very handy pickup if we get him.

im just hoping the Jennings boys have an injury free season, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation if they did have so many injuries.

 

[kinghippo]

I would not like to loose waqa or jenningses but another thing to consider is we may loose whare at the end of the year, there are a lot of whispers around on zerotackle and sportal (not reliable I know), but where there is smoke there is often fire, eg Cleary. If it's happening lafai makes a lot of sense.

 

[Luke Bowden]

Apparently we've made Peta Hiku a 3yr deal. Not sure if it's true, but it's all over social media.

 

[kinghippo]

Surely that would rule out lafai

 

[mxlegend99]

I would not like to loose waqa or jenningses but another thing to consider is we may loose whare at the end of the year, there are a lot of whispers around on zerotackle and sportal (not reliable I know), but where there is smoke there is often fire, eg Cleary. If it's happening lafai makes a lot of sense.

I would be happy if it's to replace him and we can't convince him to stay. But signing a player to a 3 year deal now when we could possibly keep him still locks us into that combination. Unless Mansour leaves. Hiku on his wing wouldn't be bad.

 

[BxTom]

I agree with MX (don't fall over MX ) The Broncos model that we are supposedly aspiring to is to use as many local juniors bolstered by a few marquis signings. I think if we keep signing up at this rate, we are going to alienate a lot of juniors...


Tom.

 

[hindy111]

Tyrone could always play centre IMO.....

Wallace or Soward? Both play very similar but Wallace is a superior defender. Both in the same team limits your attack but if you have powerfull forwards and flashy back just having too steer them around and leaving it too Bryce and Moylan too ball play a bit more may work. In 90% of teams those two in the halves would not work but most teams do not have Bryce or Moylan - ( or peachey for that matter )

 

[Kilkenny]

Apparently we've made Peta Hiku a 3yr deal. Not sure if it's true, but it's all over social media.

There is no doubt the brains trust at Panthers know much more that I do but I can't help being of the opinion we should place our faith in the players we currently have at the club. Notwithstanding injury which is often unavoidable I still don't see any value in pursuing Hiku or Lafai given what we already have. If we do have funds available so be it, dont spend them and go into 2016 and have faith in our current playing group. I honestly believe Robert Jennings and Waqa Blake could be anything and bringing in someone else ultimately will inhibit there progress.

 

[Frankus]

True, but with the problems DWZ and Moylan had last year, we need cover and Hiku can play anywhere in the backline. Hope we haven't signed him to be honest but wouldn't be upset if we have. Would have preferred Lafai over Hiku in the centres.

 

[Kilkenny]

Tyrone could always play centre IMO.....

Wallace or Soward? Both play very similar but Wallace is a superior defender. Both in the same team limits your attack but if you have powerfull forwards and flashy back just having too steer them around and leaving it too Bryce and Moylan too ball play a bit more may work. In 90% of teams those two in the halves would not work but most teams do not have Bryce or Moylan - ( or peachey for that matter )

Tyrone is a super player but not a starting 5/8 or centre. He is best suited off the bench as impact in a number of positions.

 

[hindy111]

If you sign Hiku I hope parra come for G.Jennings-He is the younger one right? I think he looks special. IMO penrith will look at letting Mansour go perhaps at the end of the season.

Blake is a unit but needs to fix his hands. He could be the pick of the bunch. If Hiku is signed for me it says Moylan is moving into the halves and that opens a spot in the backline.

Out of curiosity how is the young PROP everyone raved on about in under 20s-Stepped into NSW cup this year.Saunders is it? Few people I heard said he was average and wont make it too NRL level.

 

[Randy81]

If you sign Hiku I hope parra come for G.Jennings-He is the younger one right? I think he looks special. IMO penrith will look at letting Mansour go perhaps at the end of the season.
.

Robert is the younger

 

[chrisD]

Lafai is genuinely very good. Hiku, not so much. We don't need either.