Rumoured / Confirmed Signings

[Stake Removed]

The Ghostbuster would be a interesting signing

 

[fizman]

Where is Lachlan Ilias playing in 2025?

 

[Omnishark2]

Where is Lachlan Ilias playing in 2025?

Excellent question !

Souths were a lost cause before a ball was kicked this season because of the internal issues, primarily around Latrell's attitude infecting the whole team.
Ilias got dropped & was made the scapegoat before he got his injury - but it was all about Latrell, as subsequent events have shown.

Ilias has a respectable short & long kicking game, and is a great defender.
Critics will say he's too similar to Trindall ... but honestly I think Ilias has a higher ceiling.

We all fear that Nicho won't be able to rise to the occasion in the finals.
If it pans out that way, Fitzy will have to admit the Nicho halves experiment has failed for 3 years.
Nicho is a running player - he is not an organising half !!!
He played his best football at Melbourne at fullback.

So for 2025, I would like to see Fitz finally bite the bullet :
- Nicho at 1
- Trindall at 6 (I would love Dykes to come good, but unlikely with his repeat injuries)
- Recruit Ilias at 7, as our game manager
- Atkinson as utility at 14

It's harsh on WK because he's great out the back of shape, but his support play through the middle isn't great, and his defence is suspect. I like Will, but we ain't challenging for a title with him at 1 - time to make the hard call.

It's harsh on Atko because he has done well filling in, but he's not a great creative half that can unlock the best defences. His mindset is great under pressure though (if you could combine Atko's head with Nicho's body, you'd have a hell of a player !)

And it's harsh on Nicho, but the evidence doesn't lie.
If he's our marquee player, play him at fullback - otherwise sell him.
Nobody is more important than the club, and we can't risk Nicho's wobbles / brooding / popgun kicking game de-rail 2025 by playing him as our 7 again.

 

[PJ]

I still think Nicho can be a good 6, but he is no 7

 

[DJDL]

Excellent question !

Souths were a lost cause before a ball was kicked this season because of the internal issues, primarily around Latrell's attitude infecting the whole team.
Ilias got dropped & was made the scapegoat before he got his injury - but it was all about Latrell, as subsequent events have shown.

Ilias has a respectable short & long kicking game, and is a great defender.
Critics will say he's too similar to Trindall ... but honestly I think Ilias has a higher ceiling.

We all fear that Nicho won't be able to rise to the occasion in the finals.
If it pans out that way, Fitzy will have to admit the Nicho halves experiment has failed for 3 years.
Nicho is a running player - he is not an organising half !!!
He played his best football at Melbourne at fullback.

So for 2025, I would like to see Fitz finally bite the bullet :
- Nicho at 1
- Trindall at 6 (I would love Dykes to come good, but unlikely with his repeat injuries)
- Recruit Ilias at 7, as our game manager
- Atkinson as utility at 14

It's harsh on WK because he's great out the back of shape, but his support play through the middle isn't great, and his defence is suspect. I like Will, but we ain't challenging for a title with him at 1 - time to make the hard call.

It's harsh on Atko because he has done well filling in, but he's not a great creative half that can unlock the best defences. His mindset is great under pressure though (if you could combine Atko's head with Nicho's body, you'd have a hell of a player !)

And it's harsh on Nicho, but the evidence doesn't lie.
If he's our marquee player, play him at fullback - otherwise sell him.
Nobody is more important than the club, and we can't risk Nicho's wobbles / brooding / popgun kicking game de-rail 2025 by playing him as our 7 again.

A lot of sense spoken in there.
Not sure Nicho's a fullback anymore though.

Anyway, I said elsewhere I'll reserve judgement till the end of the year.
But the next 3-5 weeks will tell us plenty.

 

[Mako-Ver]

Hynes ------->>>>>> door. cannot game manage, cannot close out a game, cannot execute cluthc plays cannot kick.
Kennedy------->>>>>>. door. Cannot make the tackle that matters
williams------->>>>>>>> door. Always drops the ball when we least needed
Trindall-------->>>>>>>> door. or back patio at best. Just average back up half.

The common theme here is none are improving & all keep giving us same results
Cannot challenge for title with these 4 in the club. As nice as they all may be. Sorry to all the middle aged women out there with Hynes fantasies .

 

[bad boy bubby]

And we’re rumoured with Volkman ? Interesting

He's going to Manly apparently

 

[NotaJourno]

I still think Nicho can be a good 6, but he is no 7

Pollard will be the man to take the 7 from Hynes, sadly that's a few years away

 

[Tiger Shark]

Pollard will be the man to take the 7 from Hynes, sadly that's a few years away

Yeah can’t imagine he’d more than a cameo in 2026 at best but see how he progresses.

Hopefully a lot of NSW cup next year but if we are keeping Puru and after Volkman and have Dan on the books it’s likely not an immediate plan