The Rumours Thread

[TheRev]

If Sloan can do the basics, he'll be a better fullback than any of those.

I think that's a guess... we don't know any of the players ceilings yet.. but even if Sloan did came good, we need a 2nd player who can play fullback in the squad, we are so reliant on 0 injuries to our spine currently.. possibly Brown eases some of that pressure on the 6/7/9.. though we are yet to see him play a game... so its all hypothetical.

 

[Centralcoastdragon2]

Great business by Panthers and Warriors to keep it quiet.

 

[maestro1]

I believe he's a dead-set killjoy.

I'm telling you.... He is Dean Young trying to disguise himself by using Hornby in his Moniker and death riding Flanno. I can see you

 

[Dragon David]

Great business by Panthers and Warriors to keep it quiet.

Yes indeed. This is an amazing signing by the Warriors - very quiet until the deal was done. They grant AFB a release so that he can play in Sydney (Cronulla) on compassionate grounds and then they get JFH to sign with them in 2025 for the same reason. Andrew Webster has been able to get a very like for like swap. Penrith happy to release JFH from his remaining 2 years at the club and wish him well. Why not, he helped them win 3 premierships and with his release, they will have plenty of cash to re-sign several of their top players, one being Turuva I'd say without a doubt.

Some clubs have all of the ability and nous to get things done without too much fuss.

‘Clean break’: How bombshell NRL switch got done in 72 hours and why Panthers allowed it

‘Clean break’: How bombshell NRL switch got done in 72 hours and why Panthers allowed it

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Dragon David]

deleted

 

[Parko1310]

Not only does it help them re-sign Turuva if they want to, but ensures if a decent front rower comes onto the market we lose again.. us vs panthers, I mean come on, we know where they're going to go

 

[Dragon the chain]

Not only does it help them re-sign Turuva if they want to, but ensures if a decent front rower comes onto the market we lose again.. us vs panthers, I mean come on, we know where they're going to go

In the last 5 years, Panthers haven't tended to waste money signing big name players. They seem to focus on actual coaching and development. It seems to work.

 

[maestro1]

I can't help but feel that Manu to Japanese Rugby is the Roosters way of not losing him to a club like us. The Roosters couldn't get anywhere near what we were offering Manu. So send him to Rugby for a season for a shitload of cash and then he returns in 2026 just as Teddy retires. Solves 3 problems for the Roosters and they don't have to watch such a wonderful talent play against them. If this unfolds, it is extremely clever from the chooks.

 

[TheRev]

Panthers have lost 2 of their top 3 props in consecutive seasons.. the only question is whether they have someone in cup that can step up and they actually dont need JFH? Or do they go and chase a 1st grade quality middle on less coin?

Either way its another slap in the face for us and Turuva, we still have the lure of fullback.. its our only crack.... but now the panthers can prob pay him 450-500k.. and our offer of 600k is lowballing imo.. we keep offering fractionally over market value, but you cant market value urself out of the cellar.

 

[Parko1310]

In the last 5 years, Panthers haven't tended to waste money signing big name players. They seem to focus on actual coaching and development. It seems to work.

They buy where they need to. They don't have that much depth in the front row, it is one of their weaker positions on the depth chart. They will be looking to sign a front rower. Maybe not an 800k front rower so they can shore up some other spots, but they will be in the market

 

[Desperate Dragon]

I can't help but feel that Manu to Japanese Rugby is the Roosters way of not losing him to a club like us. The Roosters couldn't get anywhere near what we were offering Manu. So send him to Rugby for a season for a shitload of cash and then he returns in 2026 just as Teddy retires. Solves 3 problems for the Roosters and they don't have to watch such a wonderful talent play against them. If this unfolds, it is extremely clever from the chooks.

Manu did make the comment a while back that at this stage he has no plans to return to rugby league.
He may come back one day, but no guarantees at this stage.

 

[RedVee]

I heard that Scott Fulton to Saints for the head of recruitment role is not going ahead. It was shot down apparently by the Saints board. Thank god. I think the guy is a nob. With Scott they would have probably ended up with Schuster on 800k. Good to see that Saints are looking for someone for recruitment though. The perfect man for that to me is Nathan Brown but that won't happen. He has a good eye for talent and built the Knights and Warriors teams.

I thought Millard had that role in charge of recruitment. The guy that came from the Dogs last year. Or is he just looking after pathways?

I think you are getting Millward and Millard confused.
Millward is pathways.
Millard came across from the Dogs to do recruitment. But has been struck low with an illness.

Unless I’m getting them mixed up.

 

[Slippery Morris]

I think you are getting Millward and Millard confused.
Millward is pathways.
Millard came across from the Dogs to do recruitment. But has been struck low with an illness.

Unless I’m getting them mixed up.

Millard is the guy I am talking about. Struck by illness? Damn, poor guy. So does that mean he is no longer at the club hence why they are looking for a replacement, or his is temporarily sick and will resume duties?

 

[Dribble&Yarn]

Penrith letting fisher harris leave early to return to NZ, there goes our chances of signing Turuva. Warriors lose AFB but gain fisher harris, lucky bastards.

will be interesting to see if Penrith go hard for a front rower - doubt it with the juniors they have. Will probably have to pay Turuva overs now, which really hurts

 

[TheRev]

First I have heard of Millard's illness, obviously its none of our business but I am curious if this is a temporary thing or do we need a new recruitment guy? I still cant believe the board would be getting in the way of any appointment Flanno wants to make.. we can not delay any further in regards to making our push on the recruitment market with this supposed war chest..

 

[TheRev]

will be interesting to see if Penrith go hard for a front rower - doubt it with the juniors they have. Will probably have to pay Turuva overs now, which really hurts

If we want Turuva, we can pay him real fullback money and get him.. but we have already laid our cards on the table last week..... the timing of this JFH news is a bit cruel really.. we could have had the deal closed but now it could drag out as the panthers look for a replacement and see how much money is leftover.

 

[Dribble&Yarn]

If we want Turuva, we can pay him real fullback money and get him.. but we have already laid our cards on the table last week..... the timing of this JFH news is a bit cruel really.. we could have had the deal closed but now it could drag out as the panthers look for a replacement and see how much money is leftover.

not much we can do if regards to this JFH news - quite clearly no one knew about it.
And by our reported offer, I doubt very much that he would be playing fullback as a guarantee.

I am so glad we didn't offer fullback money straight away, offering overs to guys is a big part of the reason we're in this mess.
If we get him, great. If not, it's onto the next

 

[RedVee]

Millard is the guy I am talking about. Struck by illness? Damn, poor guy. So does that mean he is no longer at the club hence why they are looking for a replacement, or his is temporarily sick and will resume duties?

Yes, not sure but I gather that was why Flanno was trying to get someone- Fulton - in.

 

[Slippery Morris]

If only the Lomax release news was treated the same way as the Fisher-Harris news was handled. The Saints fans were treated to months of $hite press leading up to it whilst the Panthers fans did not have anything to read about this move until it actually happened.

 

[Dragon David]

If we want Turuva, we can pay him real fullback money and get him.. but we have already laid our cards on the table last week..... the timing of this JFH news is a bit cruel really.. we could have had the deal closed but now it could drag out as the panthers look for a replacement and see how much money is leftover.

When these things happen and they drag on, it's not worth the hassle and the media will give us a fair bit of air time with the usual tongue in cheek and smirky smiles when they say we lost another one.

I'm thinking that Turuva is actually a smoke screen to hide the signing by the Dragons of someone else. If we let Lomax go, there has to be someone, don't you think? Otherwise why let him go even though he wanted out we still could have not let him go unless there is that someone already lined up to replace him otherwise we are left with say Max Fegaii?