Rumoured/Confirmed Signings 2011/2012

[Stagger eel]

What are the odds that Joel ends up with a premiership ring next year......

at this stage he'd be as much chance as Chris Sandow except for the fact that Sandow would contribute more to his premiership ring than joel would..

 

[oldmancraigy]

And just being able to learn under Tim Sheens, who is an established coach

I think the journo forgot part of the sentence, should read:

And just being able to learn under Tim Sheens, who is an established coach who has a 40% win rate while at the Tigers.

 

[Gordy]

at this stage he'd be as much chance as Chris Sandow except for the fact that Sandow would contribute more to his premiership ring than joel would..

:lol: I didn't say he'd earn it! :lol:

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Considering the players the Tigers have let go to sign Blair I would guess no. Their depth wll be tested next year and it even looks like Simon Dwyer may well be forced to retire. They have some good youngsters in their Undr 20's side but they are letting go youngsters they have spent the past two or three years developing.

I think in some ways, depth is a false god when it comes to winning premierships.

Tim Sheens (and Craig Bellamy now he's abiding by the salary cap) seem to favour having most of their salary cap locked up in a few key positions, rather than spreading it relatively evenly across the 25 man squad (as Wayne Bennett has done at St George).

Obviously, the former model leaves a team more vulnerable to injury, and reduces the club's chances of making the finals. But on grand final day, assuming your whole squad is available, extra depth isn't going to help you. It could actually could hurt your chances of competing, since that's a whole chunk of your salary cap sitting in the stands watching (I refer to anyone outside the top 17).

Sheens does seem to be favouring stars over depth but he is an experienced coach and he has won a few premierships, including 2005. I thought the Tigers were the only team that could have challenged the Dragons in last year's finals and as we saw, they only ended up losing by a point.

 

[The Colonel]

I think in some ways, depth is a false god when it comes to winning premierships.

Tim Sheens (and Craig Bellamy now he's abiding by the salary cap) seem to favour having most of their salary cap locked up in a few key positions, rather than spreading it relatively evenly across the 25 man squad (as Wayne Bennett has done at St George).

They are looking to spending big in key positions but the rumoured $500,000+ a season they are paying Blair has cost them Gibbs, Fifita, Payten, Moltzen and McKinnon and as was suggested to me on the weekend, Heighnington and Beau Ryan. Add to that they are allegedly set to lose Lui as well to Brisbane and they are having to blood new players in key positions to start with on top of having some players available to back them up.

The possibility of losing Dwyer would be a worry as well.

Depth may not be the important thing it once was but it still needs to be there to compete on a regular basis. The Tigers have a talented NYC side but not all those players make the transition quickly or easily.

 

[Kornstar]

I think the journo forgot part of the sentence, should read:

And just being able to learn under Tim Sheens, who is an established coach who has a 40% win rate while at the Tigers.

Give me the premiership they won in 2005 for that % any day!

 

[Captain BF]

Rumour of the day from the 'other' site. Willie Tonga to England and Will Hopoate to Parra instead of a mormon mission.

 

[Kornstar]

Rumour of the day from the 'other' site. Willie Tonga to England and Will Hopoate to Parra instead of a mormon mission.

What is wrong with people? Why would they start such bullshit?

I had a chuckle reading that.......

 

[Poupou Escobar]

They are looking to spending big in key positions but the rumoured $500,000+ a season they are paying Blair has cost them Gibbs, Fifita, Payten, Moltzen and McKinnon and as was suggested to me on the weekend, Heighnington and Beau Ryan.

I suspect they're cleaning out a lot of players based on attitude rather than being forced to sell. The reason I say this is because they're still in the market for new players, and they're still looking at locking up their youngsters. I think a lot of the guys leaving are on more than they're worth due to many of them being premiership winners.

I don't think this is as much of a panic sale as people are trying to make out.

Add to that they are allegedly set to lose Lui as well to Brisbane

Who told you that rubbish? Why would they lose Lui to Brisbane when he's still under contract? The fact they've let Moltzen go indicates they're sticking with Robert Lui.

 

[Eels Dude]

They are looking to spending big in key positions but the rumoured $500,000+ a season they are paying Blair has cost them Gibbs, Fifita, Payten, Moltzen and McKinnon and as was suggested to me on the weekend, Heighnington and Beau Ryan. Add to that they are allegedly set to lose Lui as well to Brisbane and they are having to blood new players in key positions to start with on top of having some players available to back them up.

The possibility of losing Dwyer would be a worry as well.

Depth may not be the important thing it once was but it still needs to be there to compete on a regular basis. The Tigers have a talented NYC side but not all those players make the transition quickly or easily.

I agree. The Tigers are really playing with fire for their recruitment for next year. Is it really worth it releasing so many player early just to get Adam Blair? It seems crazy to me. He's a handy player but nowhere near worth 500k and an offloading of contracted players.

 

[Avenger]

The Tonga returning home to Parra has a similar smell to Lyon returning before he eventually went to Manly.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The Tonga returning home to Parra has a similar smell to Lyon returning before he eventually went to Manly.

I don't care if we miss out on Willie Tonga. Honestly, he's still in his prime but for how long?

He could be on the decline already with the injuries he's had this year.

 

[Avenger]

I don't care if we miss out on Willie Tonga. Honestly, he's still in his prime but for how long?

He could be on the decline already with the injuries he's had this year.

One thing is certain he has lost some pace.

 

[Eels Dude]

Tonga is past his best no doubt. He still is better than any of our current centres contracted for 2011 though. I don't think we should be overly excited about him joining us next year if he does. It he were still still 25 maybe but at 29 he could be another Tahu.

 

[CrazyEel]

Tonga is past his best no doubt. He still is better than any of our current centres contracted for 2011 though. I don't think we should be overly excited about him joining us next year if he does. It he were still still 25 maybe but at 29 he could be another Tahu.

If I'm not mistaken he is 27 not 29.

 

[The Colonel]

I suspect they're cleaning out a lot of players based on attitude rather than being forced to sell.

I don't think this is as much of a panic sale as people are trying to make out.

I think it has as much to do with cleaning out as it is to do with salary cap pressures.

Who told you that rubbish? Why would they lose Lui to Brisbane when he's still under contract? The fact they've let Moltzen go indicates they're sticking with Robert Lui.

I think you might find that a contract now days is worth no more than the paper it is printed on and the Tigers are looking at banking on Curtis Sironen as their future halves partner for Marshall. Am I 100% certain? No, but then I wouldn't have thought they would be looking to offload the likes of Heighnington or Fifita either.

 

[Eels Dude]

If I'm not mistaken he is 27 not 29.

He'll turn 29 mid next year, if/when he joins us.

 

[CrazyEel]

He'll turn 29 mid next year, if/when he joins us.

And he'll be 30 the year after too but right now he is 27 not 29.

 

[Eels Dude]

And he'll be 30 the year after too but right now he is 27 not 29.

What's relevent is how old he will be when he's at Parramatta, which will be 29+ when he arrives (if he does). Still young enough to have an impact, but more than likely well past his prime.

 

[CrazyEel]

What's relevent is how old he will be when he's at Parramatta, which will be 29+ when he arrives (if he does). Still young enough to have an impact, but more than likely well past his prime.

Mate he won't be 29+ when he arrives at all. He'll be 28 on the 8th August so will be 28 when he arrives.