Season 2025

[Tigerm]

Thinking ahead atm, but:
A backline with
Bula
Skelton
Olam
Tito
Staines/Lobb
Galvin
Luia

Is not too shabby.

 

[Tiger05]

Thinking ahead atm, but:
A backline with
Bula
Skelton
Olam
Tito
Staines/Lobb
Galvin
Luia

Is not too shabby.

It's a good backline. In my opinion Staines is miles above Lobb. I can't see Lobb being a consistent first grader and I wasn't considering him as a back-up.

Look at our back-up outside backs as well:- Feledy, Faataape, To’a & Laulilii. I'm also hoping Naden is let go and Doueihi is only considered as a reserve grade edge backrower.

I don't see any excuses for the club or Benji in relation to the roster next season unless we get a terrible run of injuries.

 

[Tigerm]

It's a good backline. In my opinion Staines is miles above Lobb. I can't see Lobb being a consistent first grader and I wasn't considering him as a back-up.

Look at our back-up outside backs as well:- Feledy, Faataape, To’a & Laulilii. I'm also hoping Naden is let go and Doueihi is only considered as a reserve grade edge backrower.

I don't see any excuses for the club or Benji in relation to the roster next season unless we get a terrible run of injuries.

I put Lobb there, because of his size (196cm & 101 kg) and he is a GK.
I’ll stand corrected, but this is his first year playing at the NRL, so he can only get better.
Certainly Staines has retained his place for now.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Thinking ahead atm, but:
A backline with
Bula
Skelton
Olam
Tito
Staines/Lobb
Galvin
Luia

Is not too shabby.

Or;
Tito
Skelton
Olam
Bula
Staines/Lobb
Galvin
Luia

 

[Nutz]

It's a good backline. In my opinion Staines is miles above Lobb. I can't see Lobb being a consistent first grader and I wasn't considering him as a back-up.

Look at our back-up outside backs as well:- Feledy, Faataape, To’a & Laulilii. I'm also hoping Naden is let go and Doueihi is only considered as a reserve grade edge backrower.

I don't see any excuses for the club or Benji in relation to the roster next season unless we get a terrible run of injuries.

Agree.
Lobb is good under high ball and a depth player but that's about it.
I'm hoping young Luke Lauliiiiiii will get more games and develop into a first grader.
To'a has had a crap year with injuries.
Agree that Naden should go but I'm sitting on the fence with AD as he's already signed for next year and the club loves him. He could be our best back, who knows.
We'll just have to see how it pans out.

 

[Tiger05]

Agree.
Lobb is good under high ball and a depth player but that's about it.
I'm hoping young Luke Lauliiiiiii will get more games and develop into a furst grader.
To'a has had a crap year with injuries.
Agree that Naden should go but I'm sitting on the fence with AD as he's already signed for next year and the club loves him. He could be our best back, who knows.
We'll just have to see how it pans out.

I reckon Laulilii is a chance of displacing Staines but at this point I think he needs more time. That could change though. To'a has the ability to push his way back into that side and he can play on a wing and in the centres. There will also be injuries.

I can't believe the club resigned AD. The guy has an awesome upside but I think players like him are why we are so crap. He has been paid big dollars, kills it every so often and then plays like a piece of shit most of the time. He could be an okay signing if we didn't have a surplus of players we are trying to get rid of.

It will be interesting how it pans out. If AD can fix his defense and I have seen moments where he does defend well he might make it in the centres but I'm so sick of the guy because he gets your hopes up and then plays like shite. Can you remember when he came back this season. I stated the guy can be awesome and someone said when. I was proved right his first game back. He looked great. Since that one game he has been awful.

 

[Nutz]

I reckon Laulilii is a chance of displacing Staines but at this point I think he needs more time. That could change though. To'a has the ability to push his way back into that side and he can play on a wing and in the centres. There will also be injuries.

I can't believe the club resigned AD. The guy has an awesome upside but I think players like him are why we are so crap. He has been paid big dollars, kills it every so often and then plays like a piece of shit most of the time. He could be an okay signing if we didn't have a surplus of players we are trying to get rid of.

It will be interesting how it pans out. If AD can fix his defense and I have seen moments where he does defend well he might make it in the centres but I'm so sick of the guy because he gets your hopes up and then plays like shite. Can you remember when he came back this season. I stated the guy can be awesome and someone said when. I was proved right his first game back. He looked great. Since that one game he has been awful.

Yeh that sound about right Tiger.
My take on AD is since he returned to the Tigers from Souths he's played in a crap team or should I say very unbalanced teams.
AD came as a bit of a savior and he tried to act like that.
However, his willingness often stifles attack by not passing. His defense is sus too and needs to be a tad faster.
The upside is next year the roster is a better one. If we recruit a first class middle then I think AD will hopefully fit into a backline that will hold their own.
He should be doing a lot more straightening the attack and draw and pass rather than trying to beat the opposition on the outside (too slow).
The club signed him on a budget contract to see if he can fit into the new system and also stay fit.

 

[Nutz]

I put Lobb there, because of his size (196cm & 101 kg) and he is a GK.
I’ll stand corrected, but this is his first year playing at the NRL, so he can only get better.
Certainly Staines has retained his place for now.

Next year, unless there are changes, we'll have a plethora of halves and wingers. We'll be fine in the 9's
Lauliiiiiiiiii
Staines
Skelton
Taruva
Lobb
To'a
Jimmy Ngutlik (I still believe he's goodin)
Luai
Galvin
Fainu
Sullivan
Sezer (maybe)

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Or;
Tito
Skelton
Olam
Bula
Staines/Lobb
Galvin
Luia

Or
Mason
Skelton
Bula
Olam
Staines
Galvin
Luia

 

[Nutz]

Or
Mason
Skelton
Bula
Olam
Staines
Galvin
Luia

Olam's a centre, Bula a fullback.
It's the plethora of halves, also to a lesser degree the wingers, that are the conundrum.
Sullivan has only featured eight times in first grade this season, while Fainu has battled a hamstring injury and has been limited to only seven games with only one starting appearance.
Benji said in the Souths' post game presser that he would have preferred to give Lachlan a rest which would have pricked the ears up from clubs needing a half/five eight.
Sullivan is digging his heels in, stating he's going no where and Latu, now that he has his brothers at the club, will want to stay also
My gut feeling is it's him that will go first as he looks better on paper. Not ideal though.
I like the Fainu brothers as they're building a club culture and I want all three to stay on long contracts.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Just spit balling here, but anyone think there might be a slight chance we get Latrell? Has a relationship with Richo and Benji. Imagine this backline

1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. Mitchell
4. Olam
5. Skelton
6. Galvin
7. Luai

 

[Tigerm]

Just spit balling here, but anyone think there might be a slight chance we get Latrell? Has a relationship with Richo and Benji. Imagine this backline

1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. Mitchell
4. Olam
5. Skelton
6. Galvin
7. Luai

Not a fan, on his day, he’s certainly a match winner, but he does come with a lot of baggage imo.

 

[Nutz]

Not a fan, on his day, he’s certainly a match winner, but he does come with a lot of baggage imo.

If he can sort his shite out he would be a killer in our backline. He'd be better in our backline compared to Souths, with or without Bennett.
Would we chase him and would he come here....I doubt it.
Remember we were chasing him and he dipped out, probably because we were a club in turmoil. Even though we are on the mend, he would still remember this.
On the other hand if he was sacked he might get his back up and try to prove them wrong by signing with us.

 

[Tigerm]

If he can sort his shite out he would be a killer in our backline. He'd be better in our backline compared to Souths, with or without Bennett.
Would we chase him and would he come here....I doubt it.
Remember we were chasing him and he dipped out, probably because we were a club in turmoil. Even though we are on the mend, he would still remember this.
On the other hand if he was sacked he might get his back up and try to prove them wrong by signing with us.

I think he would cost us a forward?

 

[Nutz]

I think he would cost us a forward?

So true. I've been harping on a bit about the need for an aggressive metre eater well before the Stefano gate. If we got that sort of player then I would certainly entertain Latrell's signing.
Latrell would probably come with all sorts of silly clauses but I think Richo wouldn't stoop to that.

 

[Nutz]

Just spit balling here, but anyone think there might be a slight chance we get Latrell? Has a relationship with Richo and Benji. Imagine this backline

1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. Mitchell
4. Olam
5. Skelton
6. Galvin
7. Luai

The thing I like about that backline is the physicality of them. Big, strong and uncompromising.

 

[Tiger05]

Just spit balling here, but anyone think there might be a slight chance we get Latrell? Has a relationship with Richo and Benji. Imagine this backline

1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. Mitchell
4. Olam
5. Skelton
6. Galvin
7. Luai

He is on 1.2 million dollars. If you could get him for 600k and he decided to really give it his best shot that backline would be awesome.

If he came here and kept up his partying ways and dumb plays on the field he would be too disruptive and that is even on 600k.

 

[Tiger05]

If he can sort his shite out he would be a killer in our backline.

This is the issue.

I do hate reading about people getting busted snorting cocaine though. I've never taken it and I don't want too but geez it's clearly everywhere and Australia spends a shit load on it.

I don't think it's my business and I have no interest in stopping people taking it if they can do it safely.

 

[Nutz]

He is on 1.2 million dollars

That's a lot of coca~cola

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Olam's a centre, Bula a fullback.

Nutz, I have just placed Bula in my backlines above because I think he could make a go of it. He was a centre in his school & junior days with that Walsh fella at fullback. Turuva's preferred position is fullback.

So it's a pre-season where even more players are pulling their fingers out to impress the coach.

Fullback - Bula, Tito & Mason
Wing - Skelton, Staines, Laulilii, Tito, Lobb, Alaimalo and anyone else,
Centre - Olam, Faataape, To'a, Saukuru, and anyone else

We need forwards.