The off contract thread 2025

[JokerEel]

Momoisea no longer our concern:

Off contract (i.e. uncontracted for 2025)
Asi
Brazel (development contract)
Cini
Dunster (mutual option)
Guymer (development contract)
Harper
Makatoa
Ogden
Rodwell
Sanders (development contract)
Simonsson
Talagi (player option)
Taumoepenu

Off contract (i.e. uncontracted for 2025)
Asi - Keep if Sanders Goes
Brazel (development contract) - Keep
Cini - Bye Bye
Dunster (mutual option) - Bye Bye
Guymer (development contract) - Keep
Harper - Keep
Makatoa - Keep
Ogden - Keep
Rodwell - Bye Bye
Sanders (development contract) - Keep But if not sign Asi
Simonsson - Keep
Talagi (player option) - Keep
Taumoepenu - Bye Bye

 

[the phantom menace]

Off contract (i.e. uncontracted for 2025)
Asi - not fussed
Brazel (development contract) - may as well keep on minimum
Cini - not fussed
Dunster (mutual option) - assume mutual option means player will choose to stay one more year, if no other offers are forthcoming and even if club doesn't take up its option?
Guymer (development contract) - may as well keep, if he's the one I'm thinking of had back row potential?
Harper - not fussed, only if something better doesn't come along
Makatoa - seems to have drifted out of BA's top 17 consideration, so probably prefer a junior with potential taking the 2025 top 30 spot
Ogden - same as Maka but never really made it to top 17, and at 27yo now prefer a junior with potential taking the 2025 top 30 spot
Rodwell - all unofficial reports indicate gone O/S for 2025, if not earlier?
Sanders (development contract) - may as well keep at a reasonable price if he wants to stay, but it seems like he won't and will chase the money with Ricky as soon as allowable?
Simonsson - only if something better doesn't come along
Talagi (player option) - not really up to the club - assume player will choose one more year if he wasn't to stay, or he'll go for a higher offer if he doesn't have reason for loyalty etc
Taumoepenu - not fussed, has he even played yet?

 

[The Colonel]

Off contract (i.e. uncontracted for 2025)
Asi - not fussed
Brazel (development contract) - may as well keep on minimum
Cini - not fussed
Dunster (mutual option) - assume mutual option means player will choose to stay one more year, if no other offers are forthcoming and even if club doesn't take up its option?
Guymer (development contract) - may as well keep, if he's the one I'm thinking of had back row potential?
Harper - not fussed, only if something better doesn't come along
Makatoa - seems to have drifted out of BA's top 17 consideration, so probably prefer a junior with potential taking the 2025 top 30 spot
Ogden - same as Maka but never really made it to top 17, and at 27yo now prefer a junior with potential taking the 2025 top 30 spot
Rodwell - all unofficial reports indicate gone O/S for 2025, if not earlier?
Sanders (development contract) - may as well keep at a reasonable price if he wants to stay, but it seems like he won't and will chase the money with Ricky as soon as allowable?
Simonsson - only if something better doesn't come along
Talagi (player option) - not really up to the club - assume player will choose one more year if he wasn't to stay, or he'll go for a higher offer if he doesn't have reason for loyalty etc
Taumoepenu - not fussed, has he even played yet?

Sensible really. Tuivaiti and Moretti will join the NRL squad in 2025 so I am guessing that they will fill the spots of Ogden and Makatoa IMO. Guymer and Brazel have been brought along by the club and I would hope that we would see both retained - they have shown potential and would be similar cheaper options as Rodwell, Ogden and Makatoa.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Rodwell released:

Off contract (i.e. uncontracted for 2025)
Asi
Brazel (development contract)
Cini
Dunster (mutual option)
Guymer (development contract)
Harper
Makatoa
Ogden
Sanders (development contract)
Simonsson
Talagi (player option)
Taumoepenu

 

[JokerEel]

Rodwell released:

Off contract (i.e. uncontracted for 2025)
Asi
Brazel (development contract)
Cini
Dunster (mutual option)
Guymer (development contract)
Harper
Makatoa
Ogden
Sanders (development contract)
Simonsson
Talagi (player option)
Taumoepenu

I hope we resign Taumoepenu would be a huge loss for us

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I hope we resign Taumoepenu would be a huge loss for us

Sux that he’s keeping Moretti out of first grade

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Simonsson extends, and also Sanders and Talagi gone:

Off contract (i.e. uncontracted for 2025)
Asi
Brazel (development contract)
Cini
Dunster (mutual option)
Guymer (development contract)
Harper
Makatoa
Ogden

 

[the phantom menace]

Guymer (development contract) - 20yo KEEP!
Brazel (development contract) 20-21yo KEEP!

Asi 23yo if we don't sign in any first grade backs, offer two years on low Cup level wage
Cini - 24yo if we don't sign in any first grade backs, offer one year on Cup minimum wage
Harper - 25yo if we don't sign in any first grade backs, offer one year on low Cup level wage
Dunster (mutual option) - 25yo no choice but to keep, options ffs...

Ogden - 30yo if RCG or Matto leave and we don't sign in any first grade forwards, offer one final year on Cup minimum wage
Makatoa - 31yo if RCG and Matto leave and we don't sign in any first grade forwards, offer one final year low Cup level wage

 

[Twizzle]

Asi is apparently off to ESL as was reported here a while back

Harper and Dunster can go, we need 20 year olds who can potentially play in the NRL, that's what Cup footy should be about, perhaps with a few experienced players thrown in. Harper and Dunster are not in that category for mine.

I think this rebuild is gonna take a while.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Asi is apparently off to ESL as was reported here a while back

Harper and Dunster can go, we need 20 year olds who can potentially play in the NRL, that's what Cup footy should be about, perhaps with a few experienced players thrown in. Harper and Dunster are not in that category for mine.

I think this rebuild is gonna take a while.

Good clubs dont spend 5 years rebuilding.

I reckon 2026 once Ryles weeds out the softness in this group and gets the proper squad & buy-in we will be back to mid-table.

Ryles has to focus on just getting the defensive structures & attitude to an acceptable level along with the players being fit.

We have an Origin halfback & Kiwi 5/8 plus Lomax coming on board. Since when did any of those clubs who spend 6 years in the cellar have the quality like that.

I think we have shown enough with the ball since Barrett took over we have plenty of points & attacking strike to match with anyone when the shackles have been released and allowed to play with freedom.

10 games under Barrett
With Moses - 34,18,18,26,16 = 112 pts averaging 22.40 ppg
Without Moses - 26,16,14,30,34 = 120 pts averaging 24 ppg

With those attacking numbers that suggests to me we should be winning 7 or 8 games in a 10 game span.

 

[hineyrulz]

Good clubs dont spend 5 years rebuilding.

I reckon 2026 once Ryles weeds out the softness in this group and gets the proper squad & buy-in we will be back to mid-table.

Ryles has to focus on just getting the defensive structures & attitude to an acceptable level along with the players being fit.

We have an Origin halfback & Kiwi 5/8 plus Lomax coming on board. Since when did any of those clubs who spend 6 years in the cellar have the quality like that.

I think we have shown enough with the ball since Barrett took over we have plenty of points & attacking strike to match with anyone when the shackles have been released and allowed to play with freedom.

10 games under Barrett
With Moses - 34,18,18,26,16 = 112 pts averaging 22.40 ppg
Without Moses - 26,16,14,30,34 = 120 pts averaging 24 ppg

With those attacking numbers that suggests to me we should be winning 7 or 8 games in a 10 game span.

But getting the team to attack and defend at an NRL standard is not the coaches job mate.

 

[the phantom menace]

I think this rebuild is gonna take a while.

Yep, I can't see a rush of signings this off-season. So we'll have to keep some plod back-ups until new young ones come through.

 

[Stagger eel]

Asi is apparently off to ESL as was reported here a while back

Harper and Dunster can go, we need 20 year olds who can potentially play in the NRL, that's what Cup footy should be about, perhaps with a few experienced players thrown in. Harper and Dunster are not in that category for mine.

I think this rebuild is gonna take a while.

Harper won't be retained. ( hope not anyway )

We must tap Dunster on the shoulder and say, son you need to retire, you simply can't compete with the big boys anymore, here's a job as a development officer!

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Good clubs dont spend 5 years rebuilding.

I reckon 2026 once Ryles weeds out the softness in this group and gets the proper squad & buy-in we will be back to mid-table.

Ryles has to focus on just getting the defensive structures & attitude to an acceptable level along with the players being fit.

We have an Origin halfback & Kiwi 5/8 plus Lomax coming on board. Since when did any of those clubs who spend 6 years in the cellar have the quality like that.

I think we have shown enough with the ball since Barrett took over we have plenty of points & attacking strike to match with anyone when the shackles have been released and allowed to play with freedom.

10 games under Barrett
With Moses - 34,18,18,26,16 = 112 pts averaging 22.40 ppg
Without Moses - 26,16,14,30,34 = 120 pts averaging 24 ppg

With those attacking numbers that suggests to me we should be winning 7 or 8 games in a 10 game span.

What shackles and freedom is that? That's pretty much what we averaged the last 3 seasons under BA, 2023/24.45 2022/25.33 2021/23.58

 

[EelEtric]

What shackles and freedom is that? That's pretty much what we averaged the last 3 seasons under BA, 2023/24.45 2022/25.33 2021/23.58

Are you letting the truth get in the way of a good BA bashing? Do you even Parra LU mate?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Harper and Dunster can go, we need 20 year olds who can potentially play in the NRL, that's what Cup footy should be about, perhaps with a few experienced players thrown in. Harper and Dunster are not in that category for mine.

Harper is one of the most experienced merkins in reserve grade ffs. 65 games and not yet 26 years old. He's definitely top 30 quality. But with a WPYSA18 of 4.25 he isn't top 17 quality.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

What shackles and freedom is that? That's pretty much what we averaged the last 3 seasons under BA, 2023/24.45 2022/25.33 2021/23.58

Yep, even last year we were the fifth best try scoring side. It's our defence that stops us being able to hold a lead.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

I wouId keep Harper, if he was happy with a minimum contract or slightly more. Obviously no superstar but is fairly solid when given the odd NRL start. Gives us some experience depth in the backline.

With Simonson re-signing, we could finally have some decent depth next year in the backs:

NSW cup

1. AMS/Martin
2. Tago
3. Russell/Simonson
4. Harper
5. Richie P/Martin

Then there is Dunster, Mulitalo, Issac L

Plus there is promising juniors such as Twidle, Alameddine, Nanva

Reckon that's a good mixture of experience and youngsters with potential

 

[Gronk]

Harper is one of the most experienced merkins in reserve grade ffs. 65 games and not yet 26 years old. He's definitely top 30 quality. But with a WPYSA18 of 4.25 he isn't top 17 quality.

I googled that and you are the only MOFO in the world who uses that acronym. So don't leave me hanging FFS.

 

[Gronk]

I wouId keep Harper, if he was happy with a minimum contract or slightly more. Obviously no superstar but is fairly solid when given the odd NRL start. Gives us some experience depth in the backline.

With Simonson re-signing, we could finally have some decent depth next year in the backs:

NSW cup

1. AMS/Martin
2. Tago
3. Russell/Simonson
4. Harper
5. Richie P/Martin

Then there is Dunster, Mulitalo, Issac L

Plus there is promising juniors such as Twidle, Alameddine, Nanva

Reckon that's a good mixture of experience and youngsters with potential

I "think" TCT said that Aldi Mulitalo is off to Super League ?