What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Rumoured & Confirmed Signings - Part 5

Smug Panther

First Grade
Messages
7,004
Only a player or so over the half way point to filling a roster.

Have a way to go, the losing Gf side from 2021 will bear little resemblance to the side we field in 2023.

The salary cap works in mysterious ways.
Everyone important bar Api will be there. It's the way you stay successful
 

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,148
Yep it really is no brainer.

Spend the cap in key positions 1st. Fill the squad out with the rest
You and Smug keep on deluding yourselves.

Yep bring in squad fillers and all will be fine and dandy.

Seriously at some point in time shedding quality match winners catches up with the dynamics of a successful team.

It was suggested the club were confident of retaining both Api and Viliame we have lost both.

Anyone who honestly believes Luke Garner is a like for like or adequate replacement for Kikau is seriously delusional.
 

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,148
A 115kg backrower who will earn more than our SOO 5/8th or the best player in the comp Yeo.

Which one would you rather lose?
Neither. The Roosters with there roster are bringing in Brandon Smith and you yourself are spouting they have signed or going to sign Payne Haas. They are bringing in massive marquee signings and we are unable to retain what we already have. Am I missing something here. We have been paying Kikau $750k this season but could not stretch to $800k. I agree I wouldn’t have risked a 4 year deal at that money but let’s not delude ourselves that we can easily cover his @absence that is just silly.
 

Aliceinwonderland

First Grade
Messages
7,585
Or Kilkenny you go down the Bulldogs road.

Pay out huge money for a back rower, a winger. Using most of your cap on such players.

The spine is where it all happens, that's where the money needs to be spent.
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
17,000
You and Smug keep on deluding yourselves.

Yep bring in squad fillers and all will be fine and dandy.

Seriously at some point in time shedding quality match winners catches up with the dynamics of a successful team.

It was suggested the club were confident of retaining both Api and Viliame we have lost both.

Anyone who honestly believes Luke Garner is a like for like or adequate replacement for Kikau is seriously delusional.

$10m salary cap

Cleary $1.1m
Luai $750k
Yeo $750k
Crichton $600k
To'o $500k
Martin $600k

Are all Origin players in key roles

JFH $700k for the best prop in the game

That is $4m gone on 7 players

Leaves an average of $260k per player.

So it isn't finding a like for like replacement for Kikau. It is finding a 2nd rower that can do the job for that price
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
17,000
Neither. The Roosters with there roster are bringing in Brandon Smith and you yourself are spouting they have signed or going to sign Payne Haas. They are bringing in massive marquee signings and we are unable to retain what we already have. Am I missing something here. We have been paying Kikau $750k this season but could not stretch to $800k. I agree I wouldn’t have risked a 4 year deal at that money but let’s not delude ourselves that we can easily cover his @absence that is just silly.

How many Origin players do they have?

JWH
Takeiohu
And Crichton won't be there next year
 

Smug Panther

First Grade
Messages
7,004
You and Smug keep on deluding yourselves.

Yep bring in squad fillers and all will be fine and dandy.

Seriously at some point in time shedding quality match winners catches up with the dynamics of a successful team.

It was suggested the club were confident of retaining both Api and Viliame we have lost both.

Anyone who honestly believes Luke Garner is a like for like or adequate replacement for Kikau is seriously delusional.
You simply dont understand the cap.
 
Last edited:

soc123_au

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
18,459
You and Smug keep on deluding yourselves.

Yep bring in squad fillers and all will be fine and dandy.

Seriously at some point in time shedding quality match winners catches up with the dynamics of a successful team.

It was suggested the club were confident of retaining both Api and Viliame we have lost both.

Anyone who honestly believes Luke Garner is a like for like or adequate replacement for Kikau is seriously delusional.
No one here has ever said Garner is an adequate Kikau replacement. More of a Capewell replacement, just a year late. Kikau isn't replaceable, sadly he is a luxury player that we cant afford. We will just need to evolve without him.
 

Aliceinwonderland

First Grade
Messages
7,585
No one here has ever said Garner is an adequate Kikau replacement. More of a Capewell replacement, just a year late. Kikau isn't replaceable, sadly he is a luxury player that we cant afford. We will just need to evolve without him.

If MG's boy keeps coming through well. In about 18 months he will be our Kiks replacement.

Your right Kiks is like expensive wrapping paper. Lovely to look at and enjoy. But not essential.

This is where I believe the dogs have made HUGE mistakes. They've gone out and bought pretty expensive little add ons, without securing a decent spine or a solid working pack of pigs.

Ado car this year has almost caught cold on the wing. And Kiks will burn out being used as a battering ram.
 

GowersDallyM

Juniors
Messages
268
If MG's boy keeps coming through well. In about 18 months he will be our Kiks replacement.

Your right Kiks is like expensive wrapping paper. Lovely to look at and enjoy. But not essential.

This is where I believe the dogs have made HUGE mistakes. They've gone out and bought pretty expensive little add ons, without securing a decent spine or a solid working pack of pigs.

Ado car this year has almost caught cold on the wing. And Kiks will burn out being used as a battering ram.
I dunno the dogs will have a pretty solid team next year..all they need is a good coach which they haven't had in over a decade.

Reed is probably top 5 best hookers, Kikau is probably also top 5 second rower add Ado Carr also top 5 winger and Burton top 5 5/8 and it's pretty decent. All they have to do is buy a structured halfback like a Townsend or like a Reynolds for the Broncos and they'll be a top 8 team. They have great forwards but no hooker atm that can move the markers around but Reed is good enough at that. If Dogs can get Flano and he gets his son firing at halfback they be a top 8 team.
 

Girds89

Bench
Messages
2,855
You simply dont understand the cap.

Hmm, well no one at panthers must either....

Because the club was vocal and confident last year about keeping api and kikau.... even to an extent capewell they thought they might jag.

Either the club was full of shit and we could never afford them or they have stuffed up somewhere and havent left enough cash for players theyll need to..

Because luai, nath (already signed but extention not done), fish, critta etc... all those deals were done before the club said they were confident wed keep kiks and api...so they obviously knew where they stood finacially..

We had to go harder for one of them. I dont care which but to lose both is a massive loss..

Kiks has been back to his best this year which is the best 2md rower in the game and up there as best forward.. api has been the best 9...

I think after we lost one we simply had to retaim the other. Especially if it meant only an extra 50k as was reported for kiks.

Garner is coming from the worst team or 2nd worst team in the comp over the last 5 years.

Put whatever spin on it you like,its not really a red hot signing... not when they were confident of keeping kiks.

For example if we lost kiks cause he left for 800k and we got Nikora for 500k thatd have been reasonable buisness.

The money was obviously there....
 

GowersDallyM

Juniors
Messages
268
Hmm, well no one at panthers must either....

Because the club was vocal and confident last year about keeping api and kikau.... even to an extent capewell they thought they might jag.

Either the club was full of shit and we could never afford them or they have stuffed up somewhere and havent left enough cash for players theyll need to..

Because luai, nath (already signed but extention not done), fish, critta etc... all those deals were done before the club said they were confident wed keep kiks and api...so they obviously knew where they stood finacially..

We had to go harder for one of them. I dont care which but to lose both is a massive loss..

Kiks has been back to his best this year which is the best 2md rower in the game and up there as best forward.. api has been the best 9...

I think after we lost one we simply had to retaim the other. Especially if it meant only an extra 50k as was reported for kiks.

Garner is coming from the worst team or 2nd worst team in the comp over the last 5 years.

Put whatever spin on it you like,its not really a red hot signing... not when they were confident of keeping kiks.

For example if we lost kiks cause he left for 800k and we got Nikora for 500k thatd have been reasonable buisness.

The money was obviously there....
Yeah I do agree with what you're saying. We let go of Burton, Capewell now Kiks and Api aswell as afew others like Hopegood, Jennings etc and have only picked up Garner? Where is all the money going? Surely not paying overs for Critter? Tago just signed on again but surely around the 300k a year for a rookie center. We did top up Nathan but even he is taking unders to stay and I'd assume afew others have signed on for less than market value.
If we have money to spend either buy a good hooker or a gun second rower we can't go into 2023 with neither.
 

Original Name

Juniors
Messages
1,286
Liam Henry.
I mean he's pretty tall, he'll fill out. A prop replacement. But not really that agile, workhorse, leg speed type of prop like Sorenson/Hopgood. More a Lindsay Smith type of build.
Yeah I do agree with what you're saying. We let go of Burton, Capewell now Kiks and Api aswell as afew others like Hopegood, Jennings etc and have only picked up Garner? Where is all the money going? Surely not paying overs for Critter? Tago just signed on again but surely around the 300k a year for a rookie center. We did top up Nathan but even he is taking unders to stay and I'd assume afew others have signed on for less than market value.
If we have money to spend either buy a good hooker or a gun second rower we can't go into 2023 with neither.
Martin, Cleary, Yeo, To'o, JFH, Luai. That's 5 Origin (6 counting Crichton if he plays) and one first tier internationals in JFH's case and half of them should play for Australia with the other half playing for Somoa.

Any team keeping that many rep players will not do it cheaply.
 
Last edited:

Smug Panther

First Grade
Messages
7,004
Hmm, well no one at panthers must either....

Because the club was vocal and confident last year about keeping api and kikau.... even to an extent capewell they thought they might jag.

Either the club was full of shit and we could never afford them or they have stuffed up somewhere and havent left enough cash for players theyll need to..

Because luai, nath (already signed but extention not done), fish, critta etc... all those deals were done before the club said they were confident wed keep kiks and api...so they obviously knew where they stood finacially..

We had to go harder for one of them. I dont care which but to lose both is a massive loss..

Kiks has been back to his best this year which is the best 2md rower in the game and up there as best forward.. api has been the best 9...

I think after we lost one we simply had to retaim the other. Especially if it meant only an extra 50k as was reported for kiks.

Garner is coming from the worst team or 2nd worst team in the comp over the last 5 years.

Put whatever spin on it you like,its not really a red hot signing... not when they were confident of keeping kiks.

For example if we lost kiks cause he left for 800k and we got Nikora for 500k thatd have been reasonable buisness.

The money was obviously there....
The problem was offering Kikau anything at all I believe. I'd have kept Api and Capewell but what's done is done. Next year we'll slide a bit but we'll still be top 6 and in with a chance to win it all if fit but I really think some fans fail to see what Api brings to the side.
 
Top