But you gotta have depth and think of the future, I don’t believe you can have too many, as not everyone will see the distance.
Yepm I can see the logic in that.
The quandary is....are any of these halves including Luai capable of getting us into the finals with the current squad of backs?
If we stay the same for the next year or so waiting for Feledy and Triston Reilly to come good I believe it's going to be tough. I know you like Reilly but I'm not sold.... not yet anyway.
His strengths are positional plays and support and he beats opposition with sustained speed running, not electric off the mark.
We need someone better like a Walsh. Someone who jinks and has change-ups and sidesteps. If we had one of these type of players then Triston and Josh would be a good support player and it would help Bula as well.
A good compromise atm would be to get someone like Solomon Alaimalo who wouldn't break the bank.
You guys know I'm a big fan of Manu and I'd love him to come to us for 2 years with a further 1 year mutual offer. Saints are offering $1m+ over 4 years and that's too long. The guy is getting older and picking up some injuries so I'd rather a short impact stint where he could help develop players like Reilly and Feledy. He would be looking for a longer contract though and I don't want to wait.
Bradman Best would make a good partner for To'a.
So here is a fantasy...
Bula
Charlie Staines/Noffa
Junior Topou
Solomon Alaimalo/Best
Starford To'a
Jayden Sullivan
Luai*/Sezer
Pole
John Bateman
Isaiah Papali'i
David Klemmer
Apisai Koroisau (c)
Stefano Utoikamanu
Samuela Fainu
Blore/Seyfarth
Twal
Tallyn Da Silva
I like Jake Simpkin but I think Tayllyn offers more in attack.
Noffa replaces Staines if Charlie leaves us and until and we find a top winger to replace Noffa, who fast approaching a use by date.
Asu Kepaoa is getting better but he frustrates me. I think he is destined to be an edge forward but maybe not for us...what do you think?
Samuela Fainu may not be ready for NRL but what I saw in his barnstorming runs in this year's U19 SOO was really impressive and he's going to be a clone of Manly's Haumole Olakau'atu...a tall rangy and solid player who has good post contact metres and an offload.
New signing ½ Latu Fainu is our future but I don't think he'll get a run until the development players also get a run. We have to nurture this guy and not ruin his career.
I threw in another development player,
Kit Laulilii. In his little cameo this year against a powerful Manly pack he really impressed me with his body height and power through the hips when he took the ball forward.
He played 35mins and had 11 solid runs.
He's 100% homegrown as he came through our pathways system.
I've got a really good gut feeling about this lad.
He may come into the NRL in rd 11 and play thru into 2025 and beyond.
Justin Matamua and Brandon Tumth... I am not totally sold on these guys however like a lot of our players, they might do better after a full preseason with the NRL squad.
Unsure what's going to happen with AD but if he goes, his 600k a year will be needed to go towards signing a marquee back.
This could be the indicator that we might hold off and try to sign a marquee back for 2025 and onwards.
I'm hoping one of you guys can give your opinions on
Solomone Saukura and
Tony Sukkar. Do you think they'll play NRL?
Also what will happen with Sione Fainu, Lachlan Galvin, Brandon Mansfild, Jordan Miller, Brent Naden.
We are hoping we get some more great signings which means someone has to go...who.
, were the same big ones that we acknowledge other member's posts.
