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Squad succession

Chipmunk

Coach
Messages
16,148
There is 25, with Tuipulotu included, already signed up for next season according to the NRL site. https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/01/27...r-official-rosters-for-all-17-nrl-clubs/#eels

Didn't I read somewhere Tuipulotu is also moving on?

Interesting to see who the other 4 or 5 players we sign between now and 1 March are. We're losing 6 players genuinely considered NRL level (lets call it 'inside the Top 20'). At this stage we have only replaced two of them (Hodgson for Mahoney, Hopgood for Niukore/Kaufusi/Stone). The bloke from the Knights you can't really classify as a similar level to Niukore/Kaufusi/Stone. We could really do with a strong edge forward to replace Papali'i, but ultimately we really need to get Nrown back in some sort of form.

A better centre or winger for Opacic would also be nice. Although you would think we have a fair opinion of Dunster given the length of his deal (probably a good reason to punt Blake at the end of 2023 and sign a gun centre instead). I'm not sure Simonnson will ever amount to much. Russell has showed potential in his limited opportunities
 

lucablight

First Grade
Messages
6,062
So what’s the go with Papali’i? Have we dun goof’d by lowballing him? I don’t understand how we didn’t have money to re-sign him before but it magically appeared out of nowhere later on in the season.
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
73,536
There is 25, with Tuipulotu included, already signed up for next season according to the NRL site. https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/01/27...r-official-rosters-for-all-17-nrl-clubs/#eels

Didn't I read somewhere Tuipulotu is also moving on?

Interesting to see who the other 4 or 5 players we sign between now and 1 March are. We're losing 6 players genuinely considered NRL level (lets call it 'inside the Top 20'). At this stage we have only replaced two of them (Hodgson for Mahoney, Hopgood for Niukore/Kaufusi/Stone). The bloke from the Knights you can't really classify as a similar level to Niukore/Kaufusi/Stone. We could really do with a strong edge forward to replace Papali'i, but ultimately we really need to get Nrown back in some sort of form.

A better centre or winger for Opacic would also be nice. Although you would think we have a fair opinion of Dunster given the length of his deal (probably a good reason to punt Blake at the end of 2023 and sign a gun centre instead). I'm not sure Simonnson will ever amount to much. Russell has showed potential in his limited opportunities
I posted the ^^^^ instagram post from Josh Tuipulotu that he was stepping away from footy. Maybe we convinced him to stick around.
 

King-Gutho94

Coach
Messages
11,077
So what’s the go with Papali’i? Have we dun goof’d by lowballing him? I don’t understand how we didn’t have money to re-sign him before but it magically appeared out of nowhere later on in the season.
We probably have the money it's down to if the Tigers wanted to release him.

Tim Sheens is refusing the budge.
 
Messages
42,876
Yes but why didn’t we just re-sign him at the time he was off contract? I don’t understand what changed.
We don't know if we're offering him the same or close to what the Tigers are. And what's changed I'd that he's got more runs on the board so it looks like his level is higher than previously estimated. It might have just been a run of good form. The Tigers took that risk because they need to take risks. We don't so much anymore.
 

TheParraboy

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
66,136
It’s a disgrace that the NRL hasn’t made it clear cut and are actively disrupting clubs from planning for the next few seasons.

Announced mid year

9.4m to 10.5m in 2023

And going up 100k per year after that

 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,148
So what’s the go with Papali’i? Have we dun goof’d by lowballing him? I don’t understand how we didn’t have money to re-sign him before but it magically appeared out of nowhere later on in the season.
It's not that we didn't have the money, it's that the money he wanted was too much of a risk after only one good season. Now he's had two good seasons it's twice as much data and therefore less risk for us.
 

lucablight

First Grade
Messages
6,062
It's not that we didn't have the money, it's that the money he wanted was too much of a risk after only one good season. Now he's had two good seasons it's twice as much data and therefore less risk for us.
Should have taken the gamble then eh? Hopefully this means it’s easier for us to retain Moses and Brown.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,148
Should have taken the gamble then eh?
The real world doesn’t happen in hindsight. Weak clubs overpay for potential while strong clubs find it cheaply. Whatever we’re paying Papali’i it’s a lot less than the Tigers will be paying for the same player. That’s why we can put a strong team on the field. Hopefully we find our next Papali’i in 2023. Maybe Hopgood is it?
 

lucablight

First Grade
Messages
6,062
The real world doesn’t happen in hindsight. Weak clubs overpay for potential while strong clubs find it cheaply. Whatever we’re paying Papali’i it’s a lot less than the Tigers will be paying for the same player. That’s why we can put a strong team on the field. Hopefully we find our next Papali’i in 2023. Maybe Hopgood is it?
Now we’re most likely going to be a weaker club without Papali’i than not because we didn’t astutely judge Papali’i’s worth at the time. We theoretically could have had Hopgood AND Papali’i no? It’s possible that he might have ended up as a one year wonder (eg Daniel Mortimer) but I would say at the time that seemed less likely than not so it’s still the wrong call even with the benefit of hindsight (if we had enough cap space). Thank goodness we were able to retain Matterson though because losing both would have been disastrous.
 

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