Season 2025

[Tiger Ted]

I've accepted this signing but we need to piss off some players prior to the pre-season starting.

I think Doueihi, Tumeth, Bateman, Sullivan, Feledy, Saukuru, Naden & Staines are on the chopping board.

I wonder if Doueihi is as bad a signing as Bird. I think Bird may be a better player and offer more than Doueihi does right now. Feledy, Naden and Staines can all offer the team something. Doueihi may even offer the team something. Bateman and Sullivan are just too expensive for what they offer and that makes it hard retaining the right talent.

We need at least two of those players out of the top 30. I can't see any of them getting the same dollar contracts elsewhere. Staines might jag a contract.

Problem for us is them not getting same $ elsewhere coz they r so damn shit is y we r stuck with them

 

[Tigerm]

Problem for us is them not getting same $ elsewhere coz they r so damn shit is y we r stuck with them

Some will be sellable though.

 

[Tiger05]

Problem for us is them not getting same $ elsewhere coz they r so damn shit is y we r stuck with them

Doueihi, Saukuru, Tumeth & Feledy wouldn't be on much but they take up a top 30 contract.

Naden & Staines would be on decent money but they can play first grade.

Bateman & Sullivan would be on top dollar and we'll have to chuck in a fortune.

I'd prefer to get rid of Bateman and Sullivan than all the others. I reckon Staines is a decent first grader but we have Turuva and Skelton coming in next season. I reckon Staines is our best back-up outside back and he may even make the top team. I think we should actually keep him but with the squad we have you have to let him go if someone offers him a better deal.

Doueihi is shit but he has potential and is on lower dollars. The other 3 guys are juniors and we have too many taking up spots when most probably won't make it.

I also remembered that Faataape is also unsigned. He was probably our best centre last season. I'm not stating he is great but he deserves a contract over a bunch of guys.

Our top 30 is a mess. I reckon the top team will be decent but can the coaching staff get them winning games.

 

[Nutz]

Doueihi, Saukuru, Tumeth & Feledy wouldn't be on much but they take up a top 30 contract.

Naden & Staines would be on decent money but they can play first grade.

Bateman & Sullivan would be on top dollar and we'll have to chuck in a fortune.

I'd prefer to get rid of Bateman and Sullivan than all the others. I reckon Staines is a decent first grader but we have Turuva and Skelton coming in next season. I reckon Staines is our best back-up outside back and he may even make the top team. I think we should actually keep him but with the squad we have you have to let him go if someone offers him a better deal.

Doueihi is shit but he has potential and is on lower dollars. The other 3 guys are juniors and we have too many taking up spots when most probably won't make it.

I also remembered that Faataape is also unsigned. He was probably our best centre last season. I'm not stating he is great but he deserves a contract over a bunch of guys.

Our top 30 is a mess. I reckon the top team will be decent but can the coaching staff get them winning games.

We have to stop handing out spots in top 30 willy nilly just because he is a nice bloke and trains hard. He has to give something that wins games.
I don't like the whole top 30, development and train and trial set up.
What it does is allow players to rest on their reputations and clock off once they make the top grade.
I don't really know what the answer is.
I think reserve grade should be a real competitive team made up off all the players bidding for a chance to play NRL but then again our stupid set up is Magpies koe and not WT .
If players miss out on the weekend selections then stiff bickies...go and play 2nd division.
This would and can not happen but this is how I feel.

 

[Nutz]

Benji asked Hunt whether he could play more minutes before inking the deal and he said he is up to the challenge.
He needs to have a huge off season if this comes to fruition.
Benji needs to bring him on at the right time to target tired defenders.

 

[Nutz]

If our run on side fwds have Bird and Bateman on the edges I feel it may be a weak area as they are small.
Apart from Hunt, who is only good for small stints, our middle is vulnerable again.
Pole is capable of stepping up but if we are relying on an aging Klem and Twal to shore up this area then it's going to be a long miserable season again.
We need an 80 min big fwd like Rudolf.
Please Benji and Shano, do something!

 

[Tiger05]

If our run on side fwds have Bird and Bateman on the edges I feel it may be a weak area as they are small.

Samuela Fainu is clearly our no 1 edge backrower. I think Bird may get the other edge spot ahead of Bateman.

I think our middle was vulnerable last season with Stef and IP. I think IP was actually pretty good in the middle but Stef was atrocious at times. I'm not that worried though because I think the guys there can do the job. Ideally we'd have a big impact forward like NAS but I think they can get the job done.

8. David Klemmer
10. Fonua Pole
13. Alex Seyfarth

16. Royce Hunt
17. Sione Fainu -- needs to be signed

Twal, Miller, Matamua, Kit Laulilii and Chris Faagutu as back-ups in the squad and Johannssen and Porter outside the squad to me isn't that bad depth either.

Put it this way I prefer our backs and halves with the pack maybe a little weaker.

 

[Nutz]

Samuela Fainu is clearly our no 1 edge backrower. I think Bird may get the other edge spot ahead of Bateman.

I think our middle was vulnerable last season with Stef and IP. I think IP was actually pretty good in the middle but Stef was atrocious at times. I'm not that worried though because I think the guys there can do the job. Ideally we'd have a big impact forward like NAS but I think they can get the job done.

8. David Klemmer
10. Fonua Pole
13. Alex Seyfarth

16. Royce Hunt
17. Sione Fainu -- needs to be signed

Twal, Miller, Matamua, Kit Laulilii and Chris Faagutu as back-ups in the squad and Johannssen and Porter outside the squad to me isn't that bad depth either.

Put it this way I prefer our backs and halves with the pack maybe a little weaker.

I like your optimism Tiger but I'm not convinced our pack is solid enough.
Defense is what wins matches and our pack has too many question marks.
I've said it too many times before but I'll say it again....you build a team around your pack, not the other way around.
Fainu is class a Pole is solid but the rest are questionable.
Bird is the only addition to a pack that got manipulated this year and he was a centre at first and now a utility. To me that's not a marquee fwd.

 

[Tiger Ted]

I like your optimism Tiger but I'm not convinced our pack is solid enough.
Defense is what wins matches and our pack has too many question marks.
I've said it too many times before but I'll say it again....you build a team around your pack, not the other way around.
Fainu is class a Pole is solid but the rest are questionable.
Bird is the only addition to a pack that got manipulated this year and he was a centre at first and now a utility. To me that's not a marquee fwd.

We r extremely vulnerable in the middle.As season progresses our decent spine will have a tough time optimising their ability.Luai is going from playing behind a world class pack to a mediocre one.The squad needs to spend the entire off season toughening up & becoming ferocious in defence.

 

[Nutz]

We r extremely vulnerable in the middle.As season progresses our decent spine will have a tough time optimising their ability.Luai is going from playing behind a world class pack to a mediocre one.The squad needs to spend the entire off season toughening up & becoming ferocious in defence.

My sentiments exactly Tiger

 

[Vic Mackey]

Bird on channel 9 news saying he wants to play lock. I still dont like the signing but if hes coming to play there I dont completely hate it. ONe of my biggest concerns was him at centre and the already lack of speed in our backline. Benji has been after a ball playing lock since he came in and Bird has the traits for that. IM not convinced he'll be a success there but like I said I prefer it to him in the backline.

 

[Perth Tiger]

Bird on channel 9 news saying he wants to play lock. I still dont like the signing but if hes coming to play there I dont completely hate it. ONe of my biggest concerns was him at centre and the already lack of speed in our backline. Benji has been after a ball playing lock since he came in and Bird has the traits for that. IM not convinced he'll be a success there but like I said I prefer it to him in the backline.

depends on fitness. If you could guarantee Bird will play 24 games I am confident he would be at worse a serviceable lock. Problem is I think we will be lucky to get 12 games out of him and every injury just means disruption to the whole forward pack and general link play if we are going to run with a ball playing lock

 

[Fordy20]

Having Skelton and Turuva to start our sets off will help with making metres, but we don't have enough grunt in the forwards to carry a ball playing lock. Our lock needs to be another prop.

 

[Tigerm]

I think if Birds good enough, he will find a spot in the 17.
I don’t think they brought him here to reserve grade.

 

[Wizardman]

I see Richo has pretty much given Bateman an ultimatum to shape up or ship out. Normally, I wouldn't like a CEO doing this in public....but with Bateman's recent comments about the Tigers here and there, this was deserved.
I'd say his extended holidays/shorter pre-season stints are over.

 

[Tigerm]

I see Richo has pretty much given Bateman an ultimatum to shape up or ship out. Normally, I wouldn't like a CEO doing this in public....but with Bateman's recent comments about the Tigers here and there, this was deserved.
I'd say his extended holidays/shorter pre-season stints are over.

Source for this?
Agree though.

 

[Wizardman]

Source for this?
Agree though.

Ex-Warrington Wolves man John Bateman issued warning ahead of return to Wests Tigers

FORMER Warrington Wolves man John Bateman has been issued a warning ahead of his return to Wests Tigers. The back-rower, who is currently still in the UK ahead of England’s autumn internation…

www.totalrl.com

 

[Wizardman]

There is no doubt the club want Bateman out. I also have no doubt that Bateman is not keen to come back. I just don't see a "Bateman digging in, coming out a hero" type story.
I see (a) a payout (b) termination of contract because of numerous breaches. Either scenario would not surprise me.

 

[Tiger Ted]

There is no doubt the club want Bateman out. I also have no doubt that Bateman is not keen to come back. I just don't see a "Bateman digging in, coming out a hero" type story.
I see (a) a payout (b) termination of contract because of numerous breaches. Either scenario would not surprise me.

The fact Isaac Moses is his manager puts us in a weak position.Bateman will b staying put & wont jeopardise his insane contract.Moses has the club over a barrel as Galvins manager & guarantee the nasty prick will move him elsewhere if Richo & Benji clash with Bateman

 

[Wizardman]

The fact Isaac Moses is his manager puts us in a weak position.Bateman will b staying put & wont jeopardise his insane contract.Moses has the club over a barrel as Galvins manager & guarantee the nasty prick will move him elsewhere if Richo & Benji clash with Bateman

It shouldn't be a factor. Im pretty sure Easts refuse to deal with Issac Moses. I think we should make the same move.