Rumours and Stuff

[Angry_eel]

Is Lorenzo good? Seems like a tiny player. I get that halves don't need big bodies but damn.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The bloke "ahead of him", is a midget. You could argue Joash is marginally better at the moment, but his long term potential is substantially lower than Apa's.

Apa also has the frame to be successful anywhere in the backline, from 1-6. Where Joash is only playable at fullback, and maybe five-eighth in a pinch.

Twidle’s not a good defender. Can it be fixed, opening up his versatility? I guess we’ll find out. But right now he isn’t even a realistic halves option. He’s a fullback, and not good enough to start for us.

 

[85 Baby]

Is anyone worth extending that's off contract though atm. I am not getting fooled by one good win when i saw 6 weeks of complete crap.

The ones you highlighted

Mataele gets a chance to prove himself over the next 4-5 weeks with our injury toll maybe his been stuck in reggies too long and stalled as a player.

Playing first grade and getting a decent crack at it he might be able to improve his ceiling and become a decent first grader.

Paulo needs to do more then show up once every 7 weeks to justify any extension imo.

Like the side don't be fooled by Sunday just yet his first 6 weeks were average.

Volkman well that was his best game in FG i guess we will see if he can play like that consistently now. I think his worth keeping anyway as depth/backup.

Dylan Walker a yes but i wouldn't lose sleep if he left.

The rest whoever are left should be out the door ASAP.

But seriously:
Mataele if he were going to make the jump would’ve already done so. Be ok on minimum wage but we’re probably better freeing that spot up for the next junior.

Matterson has already left, signing him again would just be giving cash to him for nothing.

Junior is the first of similar vibes on this list. He showed on Sunday what he can do, but he’s also showed in other games what he does more consistently. He would need to do Sunday a lot more to warrant resigning, given his age, and even then, it should be at greatly reduced value (and does that affect his motivation to do more of Sunday?)

Renisini is the new Kaysa. He is never going to be uninjured enough to become a NRL player.

Wenisini is similar to Paulo without the age. Needs to do a lot more of Sunday performance. However he also will probably have more suitors. He may just naturally get priced out of what we’re willing to pay. Then again who knows if he’s actually off contract.

Tago has been passed by Nanva & Samrani. Be very suspicious if he finds another NRL contract. He would’ve been on minimum though so highly likely he just frees a roster spot for Nanva.

Tuilagi similar to Paulo as well except his game was the Broncos one, and I think what we’ve seen is what he’ll always be. Good for a backup, even in the 19, but think first choice is a stretch.

Volkman is going to be in a tough spot. Right now have to say he’s our starting 5/8th in 2027 if he resigns, but he would have to show that in his opportunity now to confirm it and even then there’s downward pressure on his salary because of the other halves coming through plus Papalii being contracted. Will he be happy as backup with high chance 3-4 kids go past him during the length of his contract?

Walker again similar to Paulo. In his ideal role off the bench he’s still one of the best in game, but does it create a roster imbalance for us? Definitely be fine resigning him, especially because our track record of replacing NRL players has been gash.

JDB if we get to his option date and all the good alternatives are gone then sure one more year being injury backup is ok, assuming the option isn’t for a heap.

 

[Parrapat]

Twidle’s not a good defender. Can it be fixed, opening up his versatility? I guess we’ll find out. But right now he isn’t even a realistic halves option. He’s a fullback, and not good enough to start for us.

Blaize wasn't a good defender with us either. See, there's these people called coaches...

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Maybe it's time for a new thread, current NRL top 13 we let go because we had better options:

Fullback - Twidle
Centre - Russell
5/8 - Talagi
1/2 - Sanders
Prop - Utoikamanu
2nd Row - Olakau'atu

We didn’t let Russell go because we had better options, we just didn’t want to match the Bears offer. As for Olakau’atu, he was never contracted to our club. He wasn’t involved with any NRL club until Jersey Flegg.

 

[EppingEel]

Twidle’s not a good defender. Can it be fixed, opening up his versatility? I guess we’ll find out. But right now he isn’t even a realistic halves option. He’s a fullback, and not good enough to start for us.

With zero due respect, I have more trust in Gus Gould to tell the truth than I do in your footy opinions.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

You keep mentioning the 20 minute sample size. You do realise I have been watching him since SG Ball.

I genuinely dont understand what you people see in Joash. He constantly forces passes in attack that rarely ever work, he isn't as quick and athletic as he should be as a small bloke, and just never seems a chance to break the line.

Papali’i is a backup. That means defence and versatility are more important than whether he can make a difference in attack. Let the stars run the ball.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

With zero due respect, I have more trust in Gus Gould to tell the truth than I do in your footy opinions.

Well I’m the one who understands the decisions made by the clubs. You’re the one who doesn’t understand them.

 

[Parrapat]

We didn’t let Russell go because we had better options, we just didn’t want to match the Bears offer. As for Olakau’atu, he was never contracted to our club. He wasn’t involved with any NRL club until Jersey Flegg.

It's easy to just put someone's name into Google, mate. Here, let me do it for you:

"Olakau'atu played junior rugby league with Berala Bears and Wentworthville Magpies after having grown up playing union. He later tried out for the Parramatta SG Ball and Harold Matthews sides but was unsuccessful. Olakau'atu then was signed by Manly and played for the club in their 2017 Holden Cup premiership winning side against Parramatta.[3]"

I'm referring to players we've "let slip" through our grasp.

What's our better options than Russell?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I'm upset that we only ever offered him a developmental contract.

How much is he worth, in your opinion?

 

[hineyrulz]

One missed tackle doesn’t leak 29 points.

Having missing tackle can cause a leak though.

 

[Parrapat]

Papali’i is a backup. That means defence and versatility are more important than whether he can make a difference in attack. Let the stars run the ball.

Ethan Sanders, Blaize Talagi, Apa Twidle and Stefano Utoikamanu were all backups.

Pezet's a backup too. Cost us a lot of coin that could have gone to Twidle or others.

This is a debacle no matter how much you guys want to polish the turd.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Onya apa i hour tree for a good pay increase

I'm more worried about Sam. If i was the bears, I'd offer him a mozza

Yep he’s the concern. Even if we keep him we’re could end up paying through the nose for a kid who, let’s face it, hasn’t proved anything yet.

 

[Avenger]

Better to pay for washed up has beens or extend players that are past it. It hasn’t worked for 40 f**king years yet surprise surprise when it did work we invested in our juniors and signed more than just f**king back ups.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Kitione Kautoga missed the last 8 games last year at the same time we found our form and won 5 games where our defence really improved.

Now it could be a coincidence but our edge defence looked good on both sides last week when he wasn't there again.

So the question is do we move him back to cup when he returns and look for other options there.

We are 6 wins from 9 when he isn't there

7 wins from 21 when he is defending on the edge

 

[Avenger]

Kitione Kautoga missed the last 8 games last year at the same time we found our form and won 5 games where our defence really improved.

Now it could be a coincidence but our edge defence looked good on both sides last week when he wasn't there again.

So the question is do we move him back to cup when he returns and look for other options there.

We are 6 wins from 9 when he isn't there

7 wins from 21 when he is defending on the edge

When Su’A arrives next year I can’t see him starting. Williams should be on the other edge.

 

[hindy111]

I think Maloney didn’t get a crack because of the now disgraced convicted pedophile

And you he fair the Storm also passed on him. He spent a few years in cup for them didnt he?

 

[EppingEel]

Kitione Kautoga missed the last 8 games last year at the same time we found our form and won 5 games where our defence really improved.

Now it could be a coincidence but our edge defence looked good on both sides last week when he wasn't there again.

So the question is do we move him back to cup when he returns and look for other options there.

We are 6 wins from 9 when he isn't there

7 wins from 21 when he is defending on the edge

Pezet and Kautoga were getting terrorised on that edge

 

[Avenger]

And you he fair the Storm also passed on him. He spent a few years in cup for them didnt he?

They passed on him because they had a generational talent coming through.

 

[hindy111]

Is Lorenzo good? Seems like a tiny player. I get that halves don't need big bodies but damn.

YES. I rate him . Plays very fast. Most LBAs in cup and TAs. And 3rd in line engaged.Also average 1 forced from out a game.
Negatives he does average 3 missed tackles a games onfar this year in cup. But Twiddle has averaged 5 missed a game in his 3 games and 7 errors.