Rumours and Stuff

[King-Gutho94]

Nepotism in my view is only a small problem. Did the Arthurs get preferential treatment? Probably. They got access at very young age to high level training and first grade standards that others simply would never be able to get. This in itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing, maybe it could’ve been opened up to more juniors but then who do you choose and that again is preferential treatment (even if it’s not the kids father selecting them).
This lent itself to pushing both of them for junior rep selections, but people who want to deny they weren’t very good juniors are off chops or wilfully ignorant.
The way bigger issue, and one that predates Arthurs, probably all the way back to pre-Hagan is our inability to take the hundreds of good juniors we’ve had in that time and turn them into NRL players. I know it’s a TheRamism but clearly there’s something that can be dramatically improved there.

Our talent ID has been poor for 20 years at Junior level.

Are we victim of demographics you could possibly say so.

The more quantity of bigger Polynesian kids that have moved into the area has meant it's harder to judge talent coming through because at young ages they just steamroll over little Johnny. So that kills you on two fronts.

One the big Polynesian kid may dominate in under 6s up to under 14s purely due to size but once everyone gets a bit stronger and you make seniors they haven't really developed anything else in there game and they get found out in teenage rep sides once everyone has caught up strength wise.

And you have the other side of the coin where a lot kids haven't fully developed to handle these players younger and either get ignored or lost in the system and picked up elsewhere when they have fully developed.

The knock of Ryan Papenhuyzen was he was too small hence we didn't want him as a kid.

The Broncos did the same thing with Thurston.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

It's actually on par and potentially the best of any Matt side for that year (2018) in producing players that have played NRL....not sure many if any did better...

Yep. We had 4, manly had 3, penrith had 2 and knights had 0. They're the final 4 teams of that year.

This was also back when it was under 16's. Now that it's under 17's you'll probably find there's more making firsts from that grade.

 

[Gronk]

I agree with Gronk.

If the Tigers are all in with options on their biggest contracts, then I am all turned around on the subject - its obviously a failsafe way to do business!

Well done Gronk on pointing this out...we are definitely vindicated by the Tigers implementation of options and the security it gives to their roster management.

You'll go far with analyses like that.

 

[JokerEel]

Do the reasons matter? If it could be fixed, the weaker clubs would catch up.

Genuine question what makes it not a level playing field?

 

[JokerEel]

Did someone say that the Tigers don't have options ? Bula has both a MO and a PO, structured in an if/then scenario.

-----8<----

The Sydney Morning Herald, however, is reporting that Bula, who has broken out as a fullback at NRL level in recent times, could be the next star to join the agent's stable.

Bula recently left his manager, Liam Ayoub, after he picked up a role in the Canterbury Bulldogs' recruitment market.

Already an international representative for Fiji, Bula is off-contract at the end of 2026 but has a mutual option for 2027 worth a reported $900,000, and if the Tigers decide against that, Bula could take a player option at $800,000 per Sydney Morning Herald's report.

But Bula doesn't have to take either option, and he may not if Moses decides he wants to renegotiate with the club and earn the fees associated with doing so.

That could ultimately mean he ends up on the free agency market from November 1 next year, and if that happens, there will be plenty of clubs who come knocking for the young talent's services.

Bula likely to renegotiate contract as agent issue flares again for Tigers

A player agent is again at the centre of the Tigers’ biggest off-field issues.

www.zerotackle.com

Bula could be on 900k f**k off... No way is he worth that much!

You can see Moses negotiating a new contract though for that price so he gets his cut

 

[TheRam]

Wow. Nice!

Here is the source on his signing (as mentioned already by you guys)

This ex-Eel inspired a young Kurt Fisher. Now they're swapping Parra stories

His new home has an ex-longtime resident: his cousin.

www.northerndailyleader.com.au

Does anyone have access to this story pls? Much appreciated, if it can be posted here. Thank you.

 

[TheCrowe]

Does anyone have access to this story pls? Much appreciated, if it can be posted here. Thank you.

I copied and pasted a line from it that's on another eels site.
Not much to it.
Ben Smiths cousin. 20 years old
Tall, fast, plays centre or second row for Mackay Cutters.
Coming to Parra.
The rest is filler.

 

[Matty Bhoy]

Bula could be on 900k f**k off... No way is he worth that much!

You can see Moses negotiating a new contract though for that price so he gets his cut

I thought the same thing. 900k is ridiculous for Bula at present. Reece Walsh is on 500k next season. That’s ridiculous too but you catch my drift.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

Reece Walsh is on 500k next season.

Is he though? Other CEO's should be bursting a poofer valve if that's true.

 

[hineyrulz]

Is he though? Other CEO's should be bursting a poofer valve if that's true.

Imagine if the Broncos weren’t a tin pot club with no money or no resources they could be paying him even less!!

 

[84 Baby]

Our talent ID has been poor for 20 years at Junior level.

Are we victim of demographics you could possibly say so.

The more quantity of bigger Polynesian kids that have moved into the area has meant it's harder to judge talent coming through because at young ages they just steamroll over little Johnny. So that kills you on two fronts.

One the big Polynesian kid may dominate in under 6s up to under 14s purely due to size but once everyone gets a bit stronger and you make seniors they haven't really developed anything else in there game and they get found out in teenage rep sides once everyone has caught up strength wise.

And you have the other side of the coin where a lot kids haven't fully developed to handle these players younger and either get ignored or lost in the system and picked up elsewhere when they have fully developed.

The knock of Ryan Papenhuyzen was he was too small hence we didn't want him as a kid.

The Broncos did the same thing with Thurston.

I think it goes beyond demographics because we do get some good players through to older age comps who just don’t make the last step. Whatever happened to Anthony Layoun? And even some of the Poly demographic, what happened to Salese Faingaa or Fabian Goodall?
It isn’t even talking up our juniors. These players were genuinely good in those comps.

 

[King-Gutho94]

I thought the same thing. 900k is ridiculous for Bula at present. Reece Walsh is on 500k next season. That’s ridiculous too but you catch my drift.

Reece Walsh 500k next season is clearly on the Broncos currency not the Australian dollar currency 15 other clubs use.

 

[Snoochies]

Different sport but....Juan Soto just signed with the Mets for $765million over 15 years with a potential extra $5 million per year for the last 10 years to avoid his opt out clause.

 

[TheCrowe]

Reece Walsh 500k next season is clearly on the Broncos currency not the Australian dollar currency 15 other clubs use.

*13

 

[Incorrect]

Different sport but....Juan Soto just signed with the Mets for $765million over 15 years with a potential extra $5 million per year for the last 10 years to avoid his opt out clause.

Nice work @Soto

 

[Poupou Escobar]

His position in the squad may have been at the expense of someone better.

I don't think so. He had no trouble finding an equivalent position in another squad, and he is a strong performer in reserve grade, where backups should be performing strongly.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Why is the merkin even notable? For having a bald father?

*bad

 

[Poupou Escobar]

His not notable he has just had smoke blown up his arse since he was 8 years old

Judging by his form against grown men in NSW Cup this year, Matt Arthur is probably the best teenage hooker since Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Honestly would either of the untalented sprogs played first grade without daddy’s help??

They both earned their debuts with their form in reserve grade. And Matt wasn't given his debut by his dad.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

JA released from his eels contract to go to Manly where his dad's mate coaches...MA released from his eels contract to go to Newcastle where his dad's mate coaches...see a pattern?

Looks like trust might be a factor in NRL hiring, same as anywhere else.