The Rumours Thread

[Jubilee]

Just as a point of interest, Sexton is not yet signed for 2026. But for us to sign him would be like having two Kyles in the halves.

 

[Jubilee]

If we sign Atkinson from 26, then Douehiis a reasonable option due to his flexibility in positions. Also more experienced than others for the stop gap year before moving to another position. Of course there is risk with injuries but we can manage that.

if Atkinson doesn’t come, I’d sign Illias who has the potential to develop into a top half. The risk is he won’t of course, which means we need to search again later.
in the meantime we hope LTK, Kyle and others develop internally

Over at the souths forum they rate Ilias very, very low. And Bennett doesn't rate him either.

 

[Coffs dragon]

So if we are to believe all the so called rumours then :
Lodge to the Rabbitohs
May to the Tigers
Papenhuyzen to the Bulldogs (2026)
Atkinson to remain at Sharks
Hunt….who cares!

Hopefully we land a halfback/frontrower outside the slim pickings & media blurting or it could be rough.

 

[speedster]

Over at the souths forum they rate Ilias very, very low. And Bennett doesn't rate him either.

Oh no, Ilias is top notch. Golly gosh, please don't steal him from us.

 

[speedster]

Truth about Ilias is that he is a reasonable half that still has good potential but also has limitations in his kicking and running games but he is on too high a salary for someone that has dropped down the pecking order so Souths want the salary cap space by getting his $500k+ salary off the books which will allow another signing or 2 to fill other holes in the squad.

Nothing personal, it's just business.

 

[Jubilee]

Truth about Ilias is that he is a reasonable half that still has good potential but also has limitations in his kicking and running games...

Well, as long as it's only his kicking and running games that are crap...

 

[Dragonslayer]

IMO, Douehi is by far the better option. He has more versatility and mental strength that Ilias.

Obviously, the key is Atkinson, which seemingly the Sharks aren't keen to let him walk, either for '25 or onwards.

So, where would that leave us?

 

[speedster]

IMO, Douehi is by far the better option. He has more versatility and mental strength that Ilias.

Obviously, the key is Atkinson, which seemingly the Sharks aren't keen to let him walk, either for '25 or onwards.

So, where would that leave us?

Doueihi is one more ACL from retirement though. I wish him good health because he's a good guy and a terrific player but he's another busted guy that is a big risk.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Doueihi is one more ACL from retirement though. I wish him good health because he's a good guy and a terrific player but he's another busted guy that is a big risk.

Oh agree 100%, but so was Liddle, and Ilias has just returned from a broken leg, no guarantee, it has knitted successfully to withstand, not only a season, but multiple seasons. You could also argue TT has had a couple of torn hammies, and shoulder issues (and in no universe am I comparing ability here).

It is a big risk, but the uncertainty around Atkinson (or equivalent) has sort of forced our hand a smidge.

 

[speedster]

Oh agree 100%, but so was Liddle, and Ilias has just returned from a broken leg, no guarantee, it has knitted successfully to withstand, not only a season, but multiple seasons. You could also argue TT has had a couple of torn hammies, and shoulder issues (and in no universe am I comparing ability here).

It is a big risk, but the uncertainty around Atkinson (or equivalent) has sort of forced our hand a smidge.

Yep. No guarantees. "You want a guarantee? Buy a toaster", as the saying goes.

 

[Parko1310]

Just as a point of interest, Sexton is not yet signed for 2026. But for us to sign him would be like having two Kyles in the halves.

Easy solution to that.. don't play Kyle. For all his effort and grit, he's not taking us anywhere. Sexton whilst not amazing is so much better than Kyle. There is potential to upgrade that controlling role in the team with Sexton or another controlling half, and then have a running half like Atkinson, LKT, etc. Kyle can't be the long term vision as the halfback. Surely not.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

At the risk of sounding ill informed, I have 3 questions now that Ezra Mam has been charged by police.....
1. Is there a possibility that he could be gaoled for more than 11 years.?
2. If the answer to question 1 is YES, then why isn't the NRL standing him down?
3. If the answer to question 1 is YES, why aren't the "experts", journos, media asking why Ezra doesn't get the same treatment as JDB?

Currently the Police have officially charged him but they have not finished their investigations with a very very high chance he will charged with more serious charges that will be a possibility of the 11year plus gao; time, so its not over yet..

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Currently the Police have officially charged him but they have not finished their investigations with a very very high chance he will charged with more serious charges that will be a possibility of the 11year plus gao; time, so its not over yet..

WOW The above was what i read yesterday, after writing that i just happened to find this article

https://archive.md/LRBoI

All four people were hospitalised following the collision, with police declaring “no-one was seriously injured”
After recording a positive result to roadside drug test, Mam underwent a secondary blood test in hospital which returned a positive result this week.
The woman Uber passenger has told television news outlets she suffered a fractured and dislocated tailbone in the collision while her daughter sustained a fractured hip. Neither is expected to undergo surgery

 

[Jubilee]

Easy solution to that.. don't play Kyle. For all his effort and grit, he's not taking us anywhere. Sexton whilst not amazing is so much better than Kyle. There is potential to upgrade that controlling role in the team with Sexton or another controlling half, and then have a running half like Atkinson, LKT, etc. Kyle can't be the long term vision as the halfback. Surely not.

Kyle is not the long-term choice, but the market for halves at the moment is like the sale bin at Lowes, well picked-over and full of nothing you really want.

There are two issues in our halves recruitment:
1. Can we get someone we really like for 2026?
2. Can we get a stop-gap half or 5/8 for 2025?

We currently have Kyle, Cook, LKT as our potential halves. A whole season using these three? Very worrisome. We don't even have Marschke any more.

To recruit as a stop-gap for 2025, our choices seem to be Douehi, Ilias, and possibly Sexton, although all three of these are in fact still contracted elsewhere for 2025.

At one stage, Tahah Boyd was available, but Flanno did not consider him (as a stop-gap) but Manly did pick him up as cover.

I have no idea what Flanno plans to do about this problem. Maybe he knows that someone is unhappy somewhere else. Who knows?