Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Wed Sep 11, 2024 11:33 am  

Dave K. wrote:

If Rapana and Seizer are good enough to start and play well in the NRL, I'm pretty sure they will be good enough for a team who has won 3 games and been hammered on multiple occasions.

I quite like Walker, but is a bit injury prone.

If we can release Sao, sign a couple of forwards and a quota centre I'll feel alot more confident about next year.

Spot on Dave. Rapana is pure quality and a winner. Him and Asiata are massive signings.
On Cust, John Cartwright wanted him so that's good enough for me.
He was quality at Wigan before his injury and he's had some good games for Salford this season.
He also comes with a first class attitude and is a true professional.

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Wed Sep 11, 2024 11:35 am  

Marcus's Bicycle wrote:

We can analyse the merits of all these signing infinitum but we've got to trust Cartwight and Myler's judgement.

One things for sure it's going to be interesting.

Asiata playing under him at the Cowboys might be a pure coincidence as I’m sure he was announced way before Cartwright was even mentioned, but all our quota signings Cartwright has coached, apart from Jed Cartwright but he obviously knows his character well.

It’s an obvious strategy that they’ve gone for players he trusts maybe at the expense of other players who look more suited on paper. It’s maybe a risk and I’m not sure it’s the best way but they’ve obviously backed the coach in wanting to bring in certain characters, people have moaned about player character long enough hopefully pays off.

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Wed Sep 11, 2024 11:37 am  

RockNRolla wrote:

Wonder if we are in for Tristan Powell with trying to offload Sao?

I'd hope to use our last quota spot on a more experienced prop.

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Wed Sep 11, 2024 11:43 am  

Marcus's Bicycle wrote:

I agree there's no doubting that but Walker is a good player and we could have signed a centre. We were linked with Lafai and Leutele was an option. It's all about balancing the squad to accommodate better quality quota players. I'm not sure we've done that signing Rapana.

Maybe Walker has asked to leave?

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Wed Sep 11, 2024 1:19 pm  

Judging by Myler's recent signings,
I wonder if any Leeds out of contract players would improve our squad?
Also, is Ryan Westerman close to be a first team regular next season?

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Wed Sep 11, 2024 1:23 pm  

The thing to remember is that we'll never be privy to the full goings on when it comes to recruitment. It's all well and good suggesting we should have signed one player over another, kept one player rather than bring someone new in, recruited a player in a certain position etc but we're not the ones actually involved in the process. As Dave K suggests, maybe Walker has asked to leave but the club might have also made the call based on his injury record for all we know. Maybe we wanted a centre but the ones we were linked with turned us down, maybe the club thinks young Ryan Westerman will be ready sooner rather than later. There are all sorts of variables at play that we as fans won't ever be aware of.

I will say though, and this isn't aimed at anyone here specifically, but I think one of the reasons our fanbase has been accused of being toxic is the reaction to signings and rumoured signings. Instead of welcoming a player to the club, we instead question and criticise the signing of that player and/or deem them not good enough for one reason or another. And that discontent only grows if they fail to dazzle in their first appearance and every match thereafter.

As I say, that's not aimed specifically at anyone. Just an observation on our divided and often negative fanbase who seem to have lost what little patience and positivity was left.

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Wed Sep 11, 2024 1:24 pm  

Dave K. wrote:

Maybe Walker has asked to leave?

It's one of the other but either way I would have liked him to stay. Injuries aside he's been one if not the only player who has looked a threat this season and he would have given us a quota spot. It'll be interesting to see where he ends up.

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Wed Sep 11, 2024 1:31 pm  

My question is. Where does walker go

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Wed Sep 11, 2024 1:35 pm  

Signing news at 3:30. Rapana presumably, the post has a NZ flag

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Wed Sep 11, 2024 1:36 pm  

Blackandwhitebigdog wrote:

My question is. Where does walker go

zits a good question, Hudds, swap for Connor?

Looks like we will be announcing Rapana signing at 3:30