Rumoured and Confirmed Signings Part2

[maple_69]

Gus has shown a tendency to go out and get what he thinks he needs for the team to win a title rather than wait for juniors to develop. That may be because we were such a rabble and have the luxury of waiting on juniors now but it's worth noting.

If we don't sign someone, and Blake/Rennings kick on as they should, we have the cap luxury of not having to go too hard to retain Mansour/Whare in the coming year.

I'm of the opinion that we are one quality half short of a premiership. Hopefully Martin/Moylan provide the answer but if they dont, we want to have as much cap space as possible to sign the half that can put a bow around this team.

 

[franklin2323]

I agree Maple. I wouldn't have Blake/RJennings in my round 1 side. No reason they won't be going well by round 26.

I'd have our backs as: Moylan. Mansour. Whare. DWZ. G.Jennings. Martin. Soward.

NSW Cup as: Heffernan. Naden. Blake. Jennings. Hall.Smith. Wallace.

We need a Joel Reddy type old head for NSW Cup apart from that we are fine.

 

[mxlegend99]

So apparently we are offering over $400k for Hiku plus a car. If true we're losing someone for sure. No way the jennings boys and Blake stay here to play reserve grade for the next 3 years

 

[betcats]

Hiku signing confirmed.

 

[abpanther]

So apparently we are offering over $400k for Hiku plus a car. If true we're losing someone for sure. No way the jennings boys and Blake stay here to play reserve grade for the next 3 years

Why?

Mansour is off contract after this season so there's one opening

If Moylan does potentially move to #6 that's another (or continues to have ankle issues and misses time)

Plus as much as everyone is sure DWZ is a lock, he's very much in the same boat as the Jennings boys and Blake, unproven potential.

I wonder if the signing of Hiku is an indication of Moylan's health? Hiku can cover FB also

 

[abpanther]

Panthers beat rivals to secure Peta Hiku on three-year deal

14 minutes ago
Christian Nicolussi
The Daily Telegraph


NEW Zealand international Peta Hiku has signed a three-year deal with Penrith.

Hiku was also being pursued by Parramatta and St George Illawarra, but opted to head to the foot of the mountains.

The 23-year-old will be a wonderful addition to the Panthers’ backline that also features Matt Moylan and fellow Kiwis Dean Whare and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

“The Panthers are delighted to secure the services of such a well-credentialed representative class player as Peta Hiku,” said Panthers General Manager Phil Gould.

“We are indeed fortunate that Peta became available at this stage of the year. He will perfectly complement the emerging young players we have here at Panthers.

“The fact that Peta, at a young age, has forced his way into that tremendous Manly backline and has performed so well on the international stage for the Kiwis is indicative of his tremendous ability.


“At 23 years of age he obviously has the best of his career in front of him and we are excited he is going to be a Panther for the next three years.”

The confirmation of Hiku to Penrith should also allow the Sea Eagles to confirm the signing of Dylan Walker.

Hiku is equally comfortable at fullback, centre and wing and even lined up at five-eighth for the Kiwis in their recent tour of England.

He’s expected to replace Jamal Idris at left centre.

The 23-year old came through the Under 20s ranks with the Warriors before switching to Manly, where he made his NRL debut in 2012.

He’s scored 28 tries in 63 NRL matches, including a career high 17 in 2014.

The finalisation of Hiku’s move will no doubt cause the Eels and Dragons to fight even harder for stud free agents Lafai and Roberts.

Penrith had reportedly been interested in Lafai before settling on Hiku.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-three-year-deal/story-fni3gfvk-1227639089906

 

[chrisD]

Oh well, hope he goes good. And doesn't get fat.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I like the Hiku signing , versatile player.

We saw what having to play guys out of position does with Blake last year.

 

[mxlegend99]

Why?

Mansour is off contract after this season so there's one opening

If Moylan does potentially move to #6 that's another (or continues to have ankle issues and misses time)

Plus as much as everyone is sure DWZ is a lock, he's very much in the same boat as the Jennings boys and Blake, unproven potential.

I wonder if the signing of Hiku is an indication of Moylan's health? Hiku can cover FB also

DWZ is yet to reach his potential. But he's already better than Hiku.

There's no spots left in our backline unless we let Mansour or Whare leave. Or when / if Moylan moves to the halves. Hiku will force someone out of the club. Would rather keep who we had and watch the boys fight for his spot.

We signed the worst centre on the market and paid a heap to do so.

 

[ACTPanthers]

As long as he doesn't hold anyone back if they're playing better, this isn't the worst signing - He's no world beater, and isn't winning us a premiership, but he can cover a few positions if injuries force it

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Hiku is a very shrewd signing and his versatility will come in handy.
I don't subscribe to the theory that it will prohibit the development of the Jennings bros or Blake.
Moylan, Mansour, Whare, Hiku and DWZ will be the starting 5 but it will very rare if the 5 of them will play every game next year.
It will be up the younger players to shine when they get their chances and force Griffen's hand.
Hiku's signing has created more competition for places which is a good thing.

 

[Devilous]

Can't say I'm overly excited by the Hiku signing but if he is as good as the last back line player we signed from Manly I won't be complaining.

 

[Sime_11]

Can't say I'm overly excited by the Hiku signing but if he is as good as the last back line player we signed from Manly I won't be complaining.

Bingo

I find Hiku very underrated IMO, a good signing.

 

[mxlegend99]

Underrated? He's a solid player who has played for New Zealand. Hes definitelly rated. I'd rank them:

Roberts
Walker
Lafai
Hiku

Hiku is a good player. But he's no Mansour or Whare. Yet we will either lose one of them or watch Jennings boys and Blake leave for clubs with a first grade spot available.

 

[betcats]

I don't mind the Hiku signing. He is a different sort of player but imo definitely in Mansours class.

 

[The yak]

Hiku is a good player. But he's no Mansour or Whare. Yet we will either lose one of them or watch Jennings boys and Blake leave for clubs with a first grade spot available.

I remember the uproar when Matthew Wright left all those years ago. Now who cares. Potential can only go so far.

What I saw of the Jennings bros and Blake this year I would hardly have them banging down the door to start in first grade next year.
They need time and development and they need to earn their spot in first grade. Competition for spots is good.
Our back line will be different again in 18 months time. Marks my words.

 

[mxlegend99]

I remember the uproar when Matthew Wright left all those years ago. Now who cares. Potential can only go so far.

What I saw of the Jennings bros and Blake this year I would hardly have them banging down the door to start in first grade next year.
They need time and development and they need to earn their spot in first grade. Competition for spots is good.
Our back line will be different again in 18 months time. Marks my words.

Yes our backline will be different in 18 months. We will have likely lost either Josh Mansour or Dean Whare, if not both of them.

If we're lucky the Jennings boys and Blake won't give up on cracking first grade with us. But until today we had 4 guys fighting for one spot, with those players knowing that if they truly impressed they could feature in first grade this year and make a spot their own. That's now impossible to do. If I was them, I would be looking for a new club already. That one spot would have been hard to have earned with the competition for it, now the only time they get a run is when we have injuries.

This will be our full strength backline in 2016:

1. Matt Moylan
2. Josh Mansour
3. Peta Hiku
4. Dean Whare
5. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

No amount of form or effort from our reserve grade boys is going to change that. Gus and Griffin are all but telling these guys that they have no faith in any of them.

The only chance they have is if Matt Moylan plays in the halves, but that's apparently not on for this year... and honestly if it's not happening now it's probably not happening at all. We've been hearing for a few years now that the move is on the cards, and Cleary kept putting it off even in an injury crisis. Griffin had a chance to come in and make the move straight away, but it looks like he is putting it off also.

I hope I am wrong. But I don't see a spot for any of our young guys in the team now. Not unless we lose Whare or Mansour, which would be even worse because they're both better players than Hiku. They could have probably been kept for even less than what Hiku got aswell.

Hiku is a player we didn't need and who was the worst of the centres available. We could have probably scored Dylan Walker for the same money. If we didn't take Hiku, the Sea Eagles don't have the money for Walker. Seriously it's such an average decision by the club. There's no chance that it doesn't come back to haunt us.

 

[Blues Riff]

No wonder we are taking games to Christchurch.

Go the Punk Pinthers

 

[Frankus]

Gus has shown a tendency to go out and get what he thinks he needs for the team to win a title rather than wait for juniors to develop. That may be because we were such a rabble and have the luxury of waiting on juniors now but it's worth noting.

If we don't sign someone, and Blake/Rennings kick on as they should, we have the cap luxury of not having to go too hard to retain Mansour/Whare in the coming year.

I'm of the opinion that we are one quality half short of a premiership. Hopefully Martin/Moylan provide the answer but if they dont, we want to have as much cap space as possible to sign the half that can put a bow around this team.

Well said. The only thing I could add is we are also short a quality prop.

 

[Frankus]

The value in Hiku is he can play anywhere in the backline. Look at it this way - Hiku was sought after by a number of clubs, but we got him. It weakens their side.

We didn't go near Roberts because we've been there, done that and he proved his off field antics are poor. Same can be said for Walker (who I think is horribly over-rated).

We want guys at the club who are as stable off the field as they are on the field. Lafai would have been my choice but Hiku's versatility proved to be the winner.