Rumours and Stuff

[85 Baby]

Isn't Meaney going to Perth Bears?

Not confirmed from what I can find

 

[Stagger eel]

We signed a dozen new players last year. We aren’t the Roosters ffs, who sign players on massive unders and then mysteriously free up $800k when they leave. Drown announced he was leaving before round two. After that we bought Walker and TDS and activated JAC’s option. Lane’s 2026 component was mutual, so his side of the MO wouldn’t have been huge. It could have easily been spent on JDB, a player who played better footy in 2025 than Lane has for three years.

the money that was freed up was from December 1 wasn't it? whats that got to do with players we signed last year which I might add were taking up Guth and Reg's money combined.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

the money that was freed up was from December 1 wasn't it? whats that got to do with players we signed last year which I might add were taking up Guth and Reg's money combined.

All the players we signed would cost a lot more than just Gutherson and RCG. Given we needed to have 30 players and 97.5% of the salary cap filled by June, some of the mid season signings would have been backended into 2026 and beyond, meaning we are paying more for them now than we did last year. You can’t just look at the players we let go and ignore all the ones we brought in. That’s how fans jokingly describe the math going on at the Roosters.

We finished 2025 in above average form, because we had an above average squad. Even with the replacement of Drown and Lomax with Pezet and Kelly, we still have an average squad. That means we should be expected to have spent nearly all of the cap by now. We have room for two signings and unlikely to get more first graders this close to round one, much less rivals releasing stars to play for us. The Storm don’t want to let anyone go to sign Lomax; they want to add him to their existing team.

 

[85 Baby]

All the players we signed would cost a lot more than just Gutherson and RCG. Given we needed to have 30 players and 97.5% of the salary cap filled by June, some of the mid season signings would have been backended into 2026 and beyond, meaning we are paying more for them now than we did last year. You can’t just look at the players we let go and ignore all the ones we brought in. That’s how fans jokingly describe the math going on at the Roosters.

We finished 2025 in above average form, because we had an above average squad. Even with the replacement of Drown and Lomax with Pezet and Kelly, we still have an average squad. That means we should be expected to have spent nearly all of the cap by now. We have room for two signings and unlikely to get more first graders this close to round one, much less rivals releasing stars to play for us. The Storm don’t want to let anyone go to sign Lomax; they want to add him to their existing team.

So we have an average squad so can’t fit anyone else in. Are you saying Scum have below average squad so they can fit Lomax in then?

 

[hindy111]

We have gotten rid of him and signed two top 17 players with his money.

So what. We are weaker.

 

[85 Baby]

So what. We are weaker.

Even with 1 year Pezet, I think we’re more committed as a team though.
Even someone like Russell, I trust him to give everything this year even though he’s out the door.

 

[emjaycee]

List management in the NRL is hard. Too many people to keep happy.

 

[hindy111]

Even with 1 year Pezet, I think we’re more committed as a team though.
Even someone like Russell, I trust him to give everything this year even though he’s out the door.

I meant in regards to Lomax. We are weaker having Kelly over Lomax. Kelly will fight with Simmonson for a spot most likely or Russel. He doesn't improve our top 17 at all. Lomax on other hand is top 3 winger in comp.
Our backline woukd be bottom 3 in comp. Maybe even the worse tbh

 

[Gary Gutful]

I meant in regards to Lomax. We are weaker having Kelly over Lomax. Kelly will fight with Simmonson for a spot most likely or Russel. He doesn't improve our top 17 at all. Lomax on other hand is top 3 winger in comp.
Our backline woukd be bottom 3 in comp. Maybe even the worse tbh

If we play with the same attacking prowess that we did in the second half of the year with nice backline shifts then we just need someone half decent to finish off those opportunities.

Where we will miss Lomax most is his metres early in sets, but Moses arguably has the best long kicking game in the comp which helps enormously. Just don’t want to rely on it for long periods of games.

 

[Jake the snake]

I meant in regards to Lomax. We are weaker having Kelly over Lomax. Kelly will fight with Simmonson for a spot most likely or Russel. He doesn't improve our top 17 at all. Lomax on other hand is top 3 winger in comp.
Our backline woukd be bottom 3 in comp. Maybe even the worse tbh

it’s a damn shame that we have the best Halfbacks in the comp and can’t support him with decent outside backs. (Apart from JAC)

 

[85 Baby]

I meant in regards to Lomax. We are weaker having Kelly over Lomax. Kelly will fight with Simmonson for a spot most likely or Russel. He doesn't improve our top 17 at all. Lomax on other hand is top 3 winger in comp.
Our backline woukd be bottom 3 in comp. Maybe even the worse tbh

Yeah you can have the absolute best players but if they don’t give a toss then you may as well run out a Flegg side

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Lomax is awesome player and won't be easy to replace.

But Simonsson's ability is being underrated.

Lomax last year averaged 23 runs for 198 metres with 3.9 tackle breaks.

Simonson played 6 games last year, 4 of those on the wing. His stats for those 4 games are 19 runs for 179 metres, with 6.5 tackle breaks.

If he produced something near that form (assuming he is the replacement but he may not be), it wouId help with covering the loss of Lomax.

Simonsson is also very quick. Last year we showed we were willing to shift the ball to JAC side coming out of our half. Simonsson would give us the option to shift to both sides, also helping with our rucking out.

Additionally replacing Lomax's output doesn't have to be down to one player, it can be spread across several. For example Penisini (our strongest running back) could take more early set hit ups. Iongi will get better with experience and his kick returns may improve.

 

[hindy111]

If we play with the same attacking prowess that we did in the second half of the year with nice backline shifts then we just need someone half decent to finish off those opportunities.

Where we will miss Lomax most is his metres early in sets, but Moses arguably has the best long kicking game in the comp which helps enormously. Just don’t want to rely on it for long periods of games.

You need power. We have little in backs bar Will. I think if we get pinned inside our 15 we will get hammered.

Time will tell and hope.I am wrong

 

[hindy111]

Lomax is awesome player and won't be easy to replace.

But Simonsson's ability is being underrated.

Lomax last year averaged 23 runs for 198 metres with 3.9 tackle breaks.

Simonson played 6 games last year, 4 of those on the wing. His stats for those 4 games are 19 runs for 179 metres, with 6.5 tackle breaks.

If he produced something near that form (assuming he is the replacement but he may not be), it wouId help with covering the loss of Lomax.

Simonsson is also very quick. Last year we showed we were willing to shift the ball to JAC side coming out of our half. Simonsson would give us the option to shift to both sides, also helping with our rucking out.

Additionally replacing Lomax's output doesn't have to be down to one player, it can be spread across several. For example Penisini (our strongest running back) could take more early set hit ups. Iongi will get better with experience and his kick returns may improve.

Simmonsons will be 28 when season kicks off and hasn't established himself as an NRL player. He is ok but thats borderline brain dead stuff comparing him to a top 3 winger in game.

 

[Delboy]

List management in the NRL is hard. Too many people to keep happy.

The idea behind list management is to maintain the level of players

If anyone believes we are at the same level as 2021/2022 when the team lost the following players at possibly close to the best form of their careers.

The Eels have lost. Gutho, Sivo, Dylbro, RCG, Lane, Papali’i, Mahoney, Nikore, Kaufusi and Nrown and haven’t gone close to that level since and still spending the cap.That’s the issue, and we are weaker than we possibly were in 2025 currently. List management isn’t about pleasing fans, it’s about doing a job to retain players, fill holes with decent signings and maintain competitiveness. Things are slightly on the improve due to coaching upskiilling, not to recruitment. Just a reality check.

Pou, please don’t respond, you give an aspro a headache.

 

[TheCrowe]

Simmonsons will be 28 when season kicks off and hasn't established himself as an NRL player. He is ok but thats borderline brain dead stuff comparing him to a top 3 winger in game.

Im not a Simmo fan but have to admit the few times he played for us last year he went ok. Lomax is quality no doubt but he is far from the complete package. Many Melbourne fans on seem to prefer to keep Howarth over gaining Lomax. Will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

 

[Soto]

Lomax is awesome player and won't be easy to replace.

But Simonsson's ability is being underrated.

Lomax last year averaged 23 runs for 198 metres with 3.9 tackle breaks.

Simonson played 6 games last year, 4 of those on the wing. His stats for those 4 games are 19 runs for 179 metres, with 6.5 tackle breaks.

If he produced something near that form (assuming he is the replacement but he may not be), it wouId help with covering the loss of Lomax.

Simonsson is also very quick. Last year we showed we were willing to shift the ball to JAC side coming out of our half. Simonsson would give us the option to shift to both sides, also helping with our rucking out.

Additionally replacing Lomax's output doesn't have to be down to one player, it can be spread across several. For example Penisini (our strongest running back) could take more early set hit ups. Iongi will get better with experience and his kick returns may improve.

This...team effort. Plus many times in games i saw slomax just get real lazy in defence..turns like a truck.
I dont see the fuss...we wont miss him 1 bit.
There was also a lot of stats padding hitups too...

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So we have an average squad so can’t fit anyone else in. Are you saying Scum have below average squad so they can fit Lomax in then?

I'm saying the Storm always have a squad that is at least above average, because they are 'well run' and only got caught once.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So what. We are weaker.

We're better off without some merkin who doesn't want to be here.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Simmonsons will be 28 when season kicks off and hasn't established himself as an NRL player. He is ok but thats borderline brain dead stuff comparing him to a top 3 winger in game.

Simonsson has played in two grand finals ffs. He's a first grader. If he's not it's because injury has hampered him, not because he hasn't established himself.