2025 recruitment & retention

[SeaEagleSI1]

Tyler Melrose (17, Halves, Train and Trial)

“Tyler was recruited from St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon. Peter Gentle (Head of Football and Recruitment) has built a really good relationship with them over the last 12-16 months. Tyler and Simon Green, who is in our SG Ball squad, are the first two guys who have come down from St Brendan’s. Tyler has had a really good schoolboy playing career in the central Queensland region. He has got potential but he is only very young at 17 years of age.

Tyler Melrose©Joel Seeto (Manly Media)
Tyler is getting exposed to the NRL team for eight weeks of pre-season training sol he can learn his trade when he goes back to SG Ball. Hopefully he can progress through to Jersey Flegg by the end of next year. It is a steep learning curve for him. It is about good habits with his preparation and reliability in and around how he does things day to day.”

 

[DanielTurbo888]

And don't we also have Greg Alexanders son?

 

[Sheikheagle]

And don't we also have Greg Alexanders son?

I would imagine when he is old enough to drive he will be off to Penrith.

 

[Ryan]

Leo Thompson would have been an awesome get. Young, bustling, international already.

 

[eaglebuzz]

Leo Thompson would have been an awesome get. Young, bustling, international already.

With the price tag to match

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Leo Thompson would have been an awesome get. Young, bustling, international already.

Agree but I bet he’s on some dollars.

We are going to need to see some retirements before we have those sort of dollars of our top players take fair haircuts ( and that won’t happen ).

 

[Frogz]

Agree but I bet he’s on some dollars.

We are going to need to see some retirements before we have those sort of dollars of our top players take fair haircuts ( and that won’t happen ).

Yep, but again.... its doesn't seem to worry some clubs. Ever.

 

[maxta]

Yep, but again.... its doesn't seem to worry some clubs. Ever.

Yes but they play golf together and have better cafe's

 

[double hoops]

Yes but they play golf together and have better cafe's

Big Tony looks like he could drive a long ball.

 

[R3]

In 2024 Turbo offered to take a pay cut.
In 2025 can Jurbo offer the same?
Let’s hope the young development players and recent recruits can off set so much need for the DCE & Jurbo money.

I really like the sound of Onitoni Large, Joey Walsh and Beau Alexander

Who’s the best young forwards prospect? I’d love to see someone dynamic besides Ola and Paseka when they fire up

 

[maxta]

In 2024 Turbo offered to take a pay cut.
In 2025 can Jurbo offer the same?
Let’s hope the young development players and recent recruits can off set so much need for the DCE & Jurbo money.

I really like the sound of Onitoni Large, Joey Walsh and Beau Alexander

Who’s the best young forwards prospect? I’d love to see someone dynamic besides Ola and Paseka when they fire up

The players rated at the club are Pua'avase a 20-21 yo prop who is athletic and has potential, but the best imo is an 18yo front rower Faiase ? ...real powerhouse and has skills plus big motor, if he stays on track has a big future, also the dummy half role from 2026 looks encouraging with a sharp young 9 we snatched from Dogs and another young gun available from 2026, who has every ability, but likely 2027 to taste 1st grade

 

[smithy]

The players rated at the club are Pua'avase a 20-21 yo prop who is athletic and has potential, but the best imo is an 18yo front rower Faiase ? ...real powerhouse and has skills plus big motor, if he stays on track has a big future, also the dummy half role from 2026 looks encouraging with a sharp young 9 we snatched from Dogs and another young gun available from 2026, who has every ability, but likely 2027 to taste 1st grade

The front rower, I assume you mean, is Simione Laiafi. Big unit made Australian Schoolboys last year, played some Flegg for us, really exciting prospect. He is on a dev contract and still SG Ball eligible.

 

[Scorpio]

In 2024 Turbo offered to take a pay cut.
In 2025 can Jurbo offer the same?

I am pretty sure the NRL does not permit this once the contract is registered.

 

[ManlyTragic]

I am pretty sure the NRL does not permit this once the contract is registered.

Surely it can be varied … ie players under contract going to another club. If you can vary them up like schuster surely you can vary them down!

 

[BOZO]

Surely it can be varied … ie players under contract going to another club. If you can vary them up like schuster surely you can vary them down!

We are still paying part of Schuster's contract
If Wayne gets him going Souths have a bargain buy

 

[Ryan]

Still waiting for Bullemor to be extended. Easily our second best forward after Olakau'atu

 

[Disco]

Still waiting for Bullemor to be extended. Easily our second best forward after Olakau'atu

Agree that I'd like to see him extended sooner rather than later.

Disagree that he our second best forward.

Can I ask your reasoning as to why you think he "easily" is?

 

[Scorpio]

If you can vary them up like schuster surely you can vary them down!

If clubs were able to reduce the contracted salary cap footprint of a player mid-contract, while that player continued to play for them, that would open Pandora's Box in terms of salary cap manipulation...

 

[Ben]

Still waiting for Bullemor to be extended. Easily our second best forward after Olakau'atu

Wasn’t there suggestion that he might pursue his career away from football? I thought I read somewhere a job awaits him paying him much more than what footy can (but not 100% about the facts or the source).

This could well be the reason he still hasn’t signed anywhere and could be playing out his contract until he moves into the corporate world. Shame if so as he is close to an Origin call up.

I also could be way off the mark and his manager is working tirelessly day and night at securing him a life long deal with manly that would keep him here until 2032. This would include a clause in his contract that pays him a bonus every time someone on silvertails mentions “leg speed” in his threat.

 

[Ryan]

Agree that I'd like to see him extended sooner rather than later.

Disagree that he our second best forward.

Can I ask your reasoning as to why you think he "easily" is?

• Makes the most of his minutes (should get way more)
• Readily available (not suspended, injured or refuses to play)
• Youngish (24)
• Now an Australian rep quality player (PM's XIII)
• Can score a try for a prop
• Fantastic leg speed
• Consistent defense (95.07% tackle efficiency)
• Articulate, professional, no dramas off the field (an ornament to our club)
• His worst and best games aren't too far apart
• Can make a line-break, and run a hole
• can absolutely keep pace with the speed of the game in 2024 (see rep selections)
• Could easily see him playing for QLD in SOO (in the next year or two)

etc etc etc.

I re-watched the Eagles Chooks round 2 game today, and here was our line-up:

08. Taniela Paseka (ever improving, close to Bully, but always injured)
09. Lachlan Croker (not comparable - different position)
10. Josh Aloiai (rocks or diamonds, trouble maker, always injured or suspended)
11. Haumole Olakau'atu (outstanding, easily the clubs best forward)
12. Ben Trbojevic (imo still developing, has potential, but not even close - "ATM")
13. Jake Trbokevic (Legend, but too slow now. Too many penalties. Non existent in attack)

14. Karl Lawton (not comparable - different position)
15. Ethan Bullemor
16. Corey Waddell (not first grade standard in my view. Siebold agrees)
17. Nathan Brown (too hot & cold, faded badly, regularly hammered & injured)

I could list others - but these are the players fresh, because that's what I watched today. Anyways, these are just my honest opinions.

For a player on the upward trajectory, finally getting recognised by International (and probably state) selectors, it's ludicrous that we've been signing the likes of Tevaga (30), Taukeiaho (33), MCK (33), renewed Brown (32) for TWO years ! etc etc etc, and Bullemor is still without an extension.

This, my friend, is why I have the ****s (as one example) with our skewed and unbalanced recruitment and retention team (who the club are providing bloody promotions to), when they should be getting sacked.