Recruitment and Retention for 2026

[Illusion]

Your partially correct you have to have strike players but from a coaches perspective I always coached and trained my teams with an emphasis on defence. Get that right and your attacking structures will get you over the line if your good enough.

Like I said about young Sloan, back in 23, yes he is going to score you tries from fb but he's going to give away more in defence. Hence we are about to wave goodbye to him.

Just my views based on my own personal experiences.

Agree about Sloan and said the same but his problem is he has zero aggression so was never going to be a fullback ( unless he finds it ) and even with his attack he is not scoring enough or creating enough to be one of the players you can carry in a team for his attack .......

 

[Mailroomsgi]

I’m usually the first one to criticise how poorly we’re run as a club but I feel like the hysteria would have been worse if we tied him down for two more years and lost more of our promising juniors coming through

I don’t mind the result they’ve come to with JDB but it’s the process, it just looks bush league not having a definitive decision and then leading a player on, then backtracking which is awful

It’s not something well organised football administrators do

Gerard Condon is implying that Shane Flanagan is at fault here

 

[Edward]

My opinion is Fifita off the bench is 1 prop rotation with a contingency plan to allow young Couchman to play some role as a bookend if required . Or if you say Stewart to lock then JDB to prop. Will be interesting to see but there are options.

Fifita? If he's going to take de Belin's place it's not a question of being much better, he'd have to be a completely different player from what he was last year.

 

[jodragon40]

Fifita? If he's going to take de Belin's place it's not a question of being much better, he'd have to be a completely different player from what he was last year.

Agree

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Do we think Klemmer 1 more year, especially since JDB going, we need a couple of experienced players?

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

View attachment 637

WOW. Course he said no because he called being rejected firstly "a dagger to my heart".

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Fifita? If he's going to take de Belin's place it's not a question of being much better, he'd have to be a completely different player from what he was last year.

He looks a better player to me, less silly errors because he over plays his hand. His PCMs remain massive and we need that from a rotational prop. Mins play is still a contentious issue as not sure whether he has added fuel to his engine, given his short time on field in Ressies.
No one in this side will ever replace Jack, but Stewart will likely be lock next year. Maybe Nick T. A few years away is Daniel Meafou.

 

[Dragon David]

He looks a better player to me, less silly errors because he over plays his hand. His PCMs remain massive and we need that from a rotational prop. Mins play is still a contentious issue as not sure whether he has added fuel to his engine, given his short time on field in Ressies.
No one in this side will ever replace Jack, but Stewart will likely be lock next year. Maybe Nick T. A few years away is Daniel Meafou.

I think Fifita has the makings of a great middle forward. Him paired with Loko will be good for us one day in the NRL I am sure. Got to get them to play tougher though and not shirk at doing the hard work which comes with being a front row forward. We still need one experienced big bopper marquee prop who can bend the line like Haas and a speedy half back with the skills that is being shown by Kade Reed - a natural and not coached sort of player.

 

[Mailroomsgi]

JDB with a bit of bad press for us in the Daily tele

You don’t see JWH and Papalii saying these things about their clubs as 10+ year players

 

[TheRev]

I hope we can sign someone younger to offset this, but yeah I dont like it.. his body stays healthy.. he rarely gets HIA'd.. i know he will go off a cliff at some pt, but hes worth the risk.. anyway once again spilt milk.. its done now and we have to hope we have a younger faster pack next year..

Just listened to Klem on SEN also, u have to say he has no chance of staying if JDB isnt..

 

[RedV01]

JDB with a bit of bad press for us in the Daily tele
View attachment 640
You don’t see JWH and Papalii saying these things about their clubs as 10+ year players

He's right to be pissed off. He's playing well enough. Who is he holding back for next year? Would have been very valuable starting at prop or on the bench.

 

[blacksafake]

View attachment 637

The bloke is full of shite.
Always stating after facts.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

I hope we can sign someone younger to offset this, but yeah I dont like it.. his body stays healthy.. he rarely gets HIA'd.. i know he will go off a cliff at some pt, but hes worth the risk.. anyway once again spilt milk.. its done now and we have to hope we have a younger faster pack next year..

Just listened to Klem on SEN also, u have to say he has no chance of staying if JDB isnt..

JDB would be zero cost on the salary cap, from memory you are allowed approx $300k for long serving players, he is also one of our experienced players, Klemmer would be on peanuts and again he is one of our experienced players, i dont see who takes that mantle next year, who can provide that experience week in week out, I get we need to make room to bring in the young guys, but we need some experience still, i would move on Lawrie before moving on Klemmer, off season will be interesting..

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Daily Tele reporting Nick Tsougranis has been promoted to the top 30

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Tallyn Da Silva signs with Eels, I rate their recruitment lately.

Building a good young side, bit of a f*ck you to Ryley Smith but you have to be ruthless to get better

 

[TheRev]

i dont rly get why Da Silva would go to parra and still be behind another up and coming 80min hooker.. but maybe he feels hes more chance there vs api, or maybe he just wants out.

parra r getting lots of good young signings.. rly building with moses @7 and iongi.. get the feeling Ryles didnt think he would have the power to recruit here like he did at parra.. anyway.. we did beat em atleast =)

good news on nick, wish theyd play him asap, no better opportunity while Egan is out.

 

[Mailroomsgi]

He’ll start over Ryley Smith, he wouldn’t have left the tigers to play 20 mins a game

Manly and cowboys offered him similar deals but parra length of contract won it over in the end

 

[Mailroomsgi]

i dont rly get why Da Silva would go to parra and still be behind another up and coming 80min hooker.. but maybe he feels hes more chance there vs api, or maybe he just wants out.

parra r getting lots of good young signings.. rly building with moses @7 and iongi.. get the feeling Ryles didnt think he would have the power to recruit here like he did at parra.. anyway.. we did beat em atleast =)

good news on nick, wish theyd play him asap, no better opportunity while Egan is out.

Watsford wants to bring in some new recruitment guys and have a different approach to pathways

So should be a very interesting couple of months for us I reckon

Keen to see a change in approach to recruiting and retention, can’t go on the way it has the last 12 years. Something had to give in the end

It’s a young man’s game especially with the pace and speed of play. Should be an unwritten rule that 30+ YO players are a no go (Extraordinary players are the exception etc. Tedesco/Cleary etc

 

[Mug Fan]

Daily Tele reporting Nick Tsougranis has been promoted to the top 30

Surprise surprise
The Telegraph lies
Nick Ts reply is "haven't signed anything mate"

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Surprise surprise
The Telegraph lies
Nick Ts reply is "haven't signed anything mate"

The fine work of Brent Read and Michael Carayannis reporting