2025 recruitment & retention

[LeonardCohen]

I am sure I watched every Tigers game in 2024, maybe I missed 1.

I am a massive Bateman fan, well I was.

He was dreadful in 2024, especially his last few games.

I agree. You've hit the nail on the head. However, it's not what he did at the Tigers that will matter. It's what he might do at Manly (if we sign him). He still looked strong and fleet footed to me, i.e. he didn't look physically spent or broken. To my eyes, he looked frustrated and perplexed as to how he would find a way into the game; I don't recall him receiving any good ball from a playmaker at any stage throughout the season. The Tigers were an absolute basket case and he an edge forward is not going to be able to address the elephant in the room on his own. I saw many occasions, where he did try to solve the problem on his own and he came up with errors. He'd overplay his hand and go with low % plays to make something happen.

Put him in a team with the likes of Turbo, Brooks and DCE, suddenly he'll have structure around him and a threat out the back of shape (Turbo) to give him some opportunities.

 

[Pete W]

Bateman...big yes from me. Get it done Manly. If he buys in to Seibold's set up, could offer great value to our team. Some saying he comes across as arrogant? Good. Choc was plenty arrogant.

 

[The Who]

Because you can get good quality for a bargain price and make them Manly; Talau and Brooks as examples. Brooks is on 500-600k, which is a steal for an experienced half. He had a great season. The Tigers have a lot of fine footballers but their football department is obviously a basket case.

Yes, your two examples are both worthy. But Wests overpay their players so getting them cheaper doesn't necessarily mean they are a "bargain". I'm concerned that in recent years 75% of our recruits are from Wests; this is suspicious.

 

[double hoops]

One thing I don't mind. Is Manly have had a history of winning with a pommy in the side

 

[Dion Johnson]

I am sure I watched every Tigers game in 2024, maybe I missed 1.

I am a massive Bateman fan, well I was.

He was dreadful in 2024, especially his last few games.

In all honesty he would better off at the Titans or the Dragons.

He is below Burbo and Waddell in my rankings on 2024 form.

The positive is there must be some dollars still available for next season, assuming Bateman would cost around 500K a season.

2024 Bateman Played 12 Games, some stats.
Errors
11
Try Causes
7
Penalties Conceded
8
Average Runs/Metres
11/81

The statistics don’t read to well for an international player, his one on one defence is fairly good still, he did look leaner in his body size this season.

We need a backrower and he does play on the right edge, maybe worth a one season deal if the club is struggling to find an edge forward, if it eventuates Guaca could play on the left edge.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Correct. And long may they weave.
🙂

That one had me in stitches. Or should that be interlaces?

 

[silvertail]

Buy Bateman. Good credentials not to have bought into Sticky’s and Benji’s BS. Would excel with us for sure.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Yes, your two examples are both worthy. But Wests overpay their players so getting them cheaper doesn't necessarily mean they are a "bargain". I'm concerned that in recent years 75% of our recruits are from Wests; this is suspicious.

I think it’s to do with our salary cap and inability to target top recruits. For this reason, we go after some of the talented yet underperforming Tigers players. I also think it’s just the way things unfolded with player managers, coaching staff and proximity…for example, Talau is a former Westfields Sports HS student and we’ve got Steven Hales on our coaching staff = potential recruitment connection. From what I have read, Brooks is an Isaac Moses client, who happens to also manage Seibs = potential recruitment connection. We could explore others but without even breaking a sweat, I can account for two former Tigers players having connections that give our club inside running. Relationships are a big piece of the recruitment puzzle and I believe we sign Tigers players because of established relationships. Until it adversely impacts on how much they cost us or how well they play, I am not going to worry about where they’re from…in saying that I respect your opinion and concerns.

I know the media have drummed up concern regarding the influence of players managers and holding clubs to ransom by threatening to move on big clients unless they get what they want, etc. but I can’t think of too many (if any) examples of this tearing a club apart. Every now and then we hear a rumble in the media but it never brings a club to its knees like the media allege it will.

 

[joshcooper123]

he's the perfect type of player of what we need, a hardworking mobile back rower. all we need is someone who can run a tough inside line (burbo can't) and have high effort plays. we already have enough strike on the field, he will fit in nicely straightening our attack and he's a great defender

only problem is our salary, if we could only offer lodge 150k and couldn't even supply a deal for volkman for probably around 100k idk where we going to find around 450k that he would be worth

 

[Eagles4Life]

Jazz is not the answer at 9. Well not playing big minutes and being our main man at 9 anyway. We might have brought him in to be the main man in 13 thou.

I agree with you, @double hoops. I think Jazz would only cover the hooker role for the first twenty minutes. Ideally, he could job-share that role with Simpkin to play the next 60 minutes. Zazz would then become a part of the middle rotation with Navale, Brown and Bullemore. John Bateman's potential signing would move Bullemore back onto the bench. I also believe we could carry either Talau or Hopoate on our bench with Simpkin and the two bench middles, as we would end up with a middle rotation of six players (Paseka, Jake, Tevaga, Bullemore, Brown, Navale) to cover the three middle spots by starting Jazz at hooker.

Turbo
Talau/Hopoate
Koula
Garrick
Saab
Brooks
DCE
Paseka
Tevaga
Jake
Olakau’atu
Bateman
Brown/Navale

Simpkin
Talau/Hopoate
Bullemore
Brown/Navale

 

[joshcooper123]

I agree with you, @double hoops. I think Jazz would only cover the hooker role for the first twenty minutes. Ideally, he could job-share that role with Simpkin to play the next 60 minutes. Zazz would then become a part of the middle rotation with Navale, Brown and Bullemore. John Bateman's potential signing would move Bullemore back onto the bench. I also believe we could carry either Talau or Hopoate on our bench with Simpkin and the two bench middles, as we would end up with a middle rotation of six players (Paseka, Jake, Tevaga, Bullemore, Brown, Navale) to cover the three middle spots by starting Jazz at hooker.

Turbo
Talau/Hopoate
Koula
Garrick
Saab
Brooks
DCE
Paseka
Tevaga
Jake
Olakau’atu
Bateman
Brown/Navale

Simpkin
Talau/Hopoate
Bullemore
Brown/Navale

i don't mind the hooker option you display but i do question having a winger on the bench. probably 75% of games this player will be useless and i feel will be more effective if this spot is used by burbo to play 20 mins of back row cover for bateman then in 25% of those games he's more than adequate to fill in at centre

 

[bob dylan]

Nooooooooooooo!!!!!

Figuratively five minutes after he joins, he will have the sh-ts/pull the homesick card, and want to leave again.

Don't worry it will be Blacktowns loss.

 

[bob dylan]

I agree. You've hit the nail on the head. However, it's not what he did at the Tigers that will matter. It's what he might do at Manly (if we sign him). He still looked strong and fleet footed to me, i.e. he didn't look physically spent or broken. To my eyes, he looked frustrated and perplexed as to how he would find a way into the game; I don't recall him receiving any good ball from a playmaker at any stage throughout the season. The Tigers were an absolute basket case and he an edge forward is not going to be able to address the elephant in the room on his own. I saw many occasions, where he did try to solve the problem on his own and he came up with errors. He'd overplay his hand and go with low % plays to make something happen.

Put him in a team with the likes of Turbo, Brooks and DCE, suddenly he'll have structure around him and a threat out the back of shape (Turbo) to give him some opportunities.

Maybe he'd had a gutful, but that happened at the Raiders too.

I clearly remember him giving up on tackles, that 2 months earlier he would have busted his hump to make.

Dropped ball, stupid penalties at vital stages but the constant shrugging of his right shoulder was completely annoying.

 

[Ohgeez]

Yes, your two examples are both worthy. But Wests overpay their players so getting them cheaper doesn't necessarily mean they are a "bargain". I'm concerned that in recent years 75% of our recruits are from Wests; this is suspicious.

In the last few years Panthers have signed Peachey, Kapoa, eisenhuth , Garner, Papalii, Laurie & probably a few others I’m forgetting & no one is concerned about their recruitment. I get your point but we’ve all seen how much worse players perform at that club in the last 5 years, just got to hope we can get the best out of Bateman if he comes

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

As I have been saying we need a quality edge back rower , so “ maybe “ this fits at the right $$$

We can’t afford a Liam Martin but we don’t need a youngster with zero experience and lots of potential either.

Ambivalent on this one

 

[ManlyTragic]

Who needs another messiah if we have Batman!

Just sayin’

 

[frank stokes]

The positive is there must be some dollars still available for next season, assuming Bateman would cost around 500K a season.

2024 Bateman Played 12 Games, some stats.
Errors
11
Try Causes
7
Penalties Conceded
8
Average Runs/Metres
11/81

The statistics don’t read to well for an international player, his one on one defence is fairly good still, he did look leaner in his body size this season.

We need a backrower and he does play on the right edge, maybe worth a one season deal if the club is struggling to find an edge forward, if it eventuates Guaca could play on the left edge.

If Guac maintains the form he is in then he aint getting moved off that right edge for nobody... he and Chez have a good understanding of each other...

 

[Heckenberg]

He

If Guac maintains the form he is in then he aint getting moved off that right edge for nobody... he and Chez have a good understanding of each other...

He looked really good on the left the other night and that was outside lolohea. Could do it quite easily.

 

[Wombat Junior]

I liked the raiders version of bateman, not so much the tigers bateman. The only thing I have said multiple times when watching him is “he’s good for a punch on”, I think it’s good to have aggression to an extent in a game, only because now how soft the game has gotten and how much they’ve cracked down on the rules, I already get nervous watching brown and hoping he doesn’t see red but bateman has those crazy eyes and doesn’t like to back down and you get brown and ola running in and before you know it someone’s in the bin.

 

[Dion Johnson]

If Guac maintains the form he is in then he aint getting moved off that right edge for nobody... he and Chez have a good understanding of each other...

I thought he was very good for Tonga 🇹🇴 on the left, Brooks may assist in getting him receiving the ball at pace.