The Rumours Thread

[Jubilee]

Bennet wouldn’t pay someone $500k to play reserve grade.

So I imagine the Ilias situation is annoying him.

 

[Crush]

Move Rava to the forwards pack and solve a few problems at once.

He’d drop the ball, miss his tackles and mess up the plays, he doesn’t have the smarts unfortunately, a decent battering ram on the wing but would be horrible in the middle of the field.

 

[mattw5]

My gut says Hunt to the roosters and Townsend getting a release to us.

I said this about 2 months ago & people laughed at me

 

[Jubilee]

I said this about 2 months ago & people laughed at me

They laughed at me when I sat down at the piano at parties.

 

[TheRev]

I said this about 2 months ago & people laughed at me

May+Townsend would have made a great swap for Hunt, but I dont think there is any chance it happens now.. Chad and Hunt would be good coverage for walker/cheese, Chad was cheap as too..

We will go for someone a bit younger I reckon.. someone who could be a longterm half for us.. If we did miss our main target(s) though.. then well.. ok that would get interesting.. but I think we will do no worse than Ilias...

 

[Jubilee]

@ TheRev
Gee you're old if you'd laugh at that one!

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

@ TheRev
Gee you're old if you'd laugh at that one!

Mate I`m just glad you didn`t say `pianola`, because then I`d know you were really old.

 

[saintmar]

And yet he trained in the Eastern Suburbs and drove with the traffic each day from the West.

No wonder Flanno was non committal.

as the saying goes, we are seeking volunteers not prisoners.

so if it’s not the travel what is it why we are rejected by all the players except those that no other club wanted?

 

[Jubilee]

so if it’s not the travel what is it why we are rejected by all the players except those that no other club wanted?

Do you believe this?

"His manager called us": Sharks general manager reveals how Fonua-Blake was signed

"We didn't have the money, we didn't have the plan to go after a marquee front rower."

www.zerotackle.com

 

[Nutz]

I was given the impression from you guys that you rated Jayden Sullivan (Bud) when he was at Saints. He left on good terms to take up a gig at WT.
Now he's been squeezed out by Jarome Luai and has been told he's free to go.
The Wests Tigers are willing to throw in $300k a season for the remainder of his contract.
I thought he would be a good pick up after that offer.

 

[Saints Forever]

so if it’s not the travel what is it why we are rejected by all the players except those that no other club wanted?

Dysfunctional management that is attempting to micromanage roster decisions

Poor relationship with player managers

A history over the past 10 years of mediocrity on the field

No brown paper bags

A bog average roster

 

[jak]

They laughed at me when I sat down at the piano at parties.

well done sir

 

[BLM01]

Do you believe this?

"His manager called us": Sharks general manager reveals how Fonua-Blake was signed

"We didn't have the money, we didn't have the plan to go after a marquee front rower."

www.zerotackle.com

Yes, part of it. But the story is made out that he just fell in their lap..that I dont believe
We sort of knew that last year that he wanted to go to a club on a verge of premiership contention and lets face we were not.
That is what managers do offer and sell their star players to the better placed clubs at the time hoping to secure their future and happiness for a bit. They are good at selling the club to their client also.

 

[Jubilee]

Yes, part of it. But the story is made out that he just fell in their lap..that I dont believe
We sort of knew that last year that he wanted to go to a club on a verge of premiership contention and lets face we were not.
That is what managers do offer and sell their star players to the better placed clubs at the time hoping to secure their future and happiness for a bit. They are good at selling the club to their client also.

And this is the answer. Big money is assumed. So money aside, players want to win premierships.

 

[Dragons4me]

AFB was never coming to the Dragons. We sacked him remember. This was another rumour that wildly took off on here. This new story that he simply fell into their lap on less money is fairy tale stuff.

 

[Biglance]

I was given the impression from you guys that you rated Jayden Sullivan (Bud) when he was at Saints. He left on good terms to take up a gig at WT.
Now he's been squeezed out by Jarome Luai and has been told he's free to go.
The Wests Tigers are willing to throw in $300k a season for the remainder of his contract.
I thought he would be a good pick up after that offer.

yes u are right, i think we would take him back if we had the spots available for extra halves back up.

we dont have the space atm and the club is being super picky on who they bring in for this reason id say

 

[CozDragon]

So for some reason Darren Nicholls is the Dragons SG Ball coach next year, anyone know what has happened with Talau and if he is still involved with the club? Maybe he has moved to KOE coach now?

 

[saints4ever]

And this is the answer. Big money is assumed. So money aside, players want to win premierships.

If thats the case, no players would go to the Tigers

 

[Jubilee]

If thats the case, no players would go to the Tigers

I mean that clubs with poor premiership prospects think they have to pay overs for stars to climb the ladder. Tigers have used this approach with mixed results. Paid big for Luai and that may attract others like May or Olam or help them retain players like Galvin. But they have also paid big for some bad choices: Bateman; Sullivan; some others.

For Saints, it looks like the strategy is to become more attractive or retain our best young guys by gradually climbing the ladder, not by splurging and developing cap problems and pathways problems. So no paying overs and no long contracts. But still always having some respected, experienced guys around.

We won 12 this year. Win 14 next year and recruitment for 2027 might get easier. Having more open spots in an improving team for our best young players supports retention. No overpaid stars blocking the paths of young guys with ability. Develop a positive and optimistic club spirit.

Just my opinion of what Flanno is up to.

 

[JubileeJeffro]

I was given the impression from you guys that you rated Jayden Sullivan (Bud) when he was at Saints. He left on good terms to take up a gig at WT.
Now he's been squeezed out by Jarome Luai and has been told he's free to go.
The Wests Tigers are willing to throw in $300k a season for the remainder of his contract.
I thought he would be a good pick up after that offer.

Some here rate him, majority don’t. Imo another average player that the forum screams about when we lose and he goes on elsewhere and does nothing. Like Richie Williams, Evander Cummins etc..
Might go ok in England..
WT paid crazy dollars to get him and are clearly struggling to find any takers.. like us with Lawrie