2026 recruitment & retention

[silvereagle]

Totally dropped.
Losing DCE is the 1st step in rectifying that. The Jurbo/Turbo deal is the other dropped ball and someone's trying to pick that up, not sure if we can in time for this off-season though.

Yep absolutely. The real challenge is making the Jurbo / Turbo changes happen for this off-season.

Jake is now an obvious change and there is an obvious solution right there. Must keep him in the club however for many years to come.... but not as a player. Tom is more of a $650k player with probably 3 year extension ....starting from next year....not 27. Throw in the Aloiai, Sipley, Croker ++ changes and we should be able to free up close to $3m in the cap.

Fifita + NAS would be my targets.

 

[Ohgeez]

Well let’s face it , if you were a young gun would you join us ??

You might if we paid $350k a year more than you were offered elsewhere, and therin lies the problem.

Not only do we have **** all 3rd party deals we have to pay double for any decent player , meaning we simply can’t afford them.

What young guns should we be targeting that are off contract? I can’t see any myself

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Tom is more of a $650k player with probably 3 year extension ....starting from next year....not 27.

Does the NRL allow that? If he's already contracted for 2026 at 1.1m can we say 'renegotiated a 2 year extension for a total of 1.95m'
Or would they say that's really only a new 2 year deal @ 425k per year which is below his value??

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

What young guns should we be targeting that are off contract? I can’t see any myself

I have no idea but there would be some at clubs , with contracts , not getting any games because of those in front of them.

That’s the ones I’d be targeting

 

[mave]

I have no idea but there would be some at clubs , with contracts , not getting any games because of those in front of them.

That’s the ones I’d be targeting

Someone like Trey Mooney, perhaps?

 

[Wombat64]

Well let’s face it , if you were a young gun would you join us ??

You might if we paid $350k a year more than you were offered elsewhere, and therin lies the problem.

Not only do we have **** all 3rd party deals we have to pay double for any decent player , meaning we simply can’t afford them.

As it seems we don't cap space and or ability to recruit some top line or even mid level forwards for next season it seems that our only hope for 2026 is that a couple of our juniors particularly in the forwards can step up? I'm not familiar enough with who we have coming through but hopefully there is someone ..... even anyone.... maybe?

Maybe once it is mathematically impossible for us to make the 8 Seibold will start "blooding" a couple of them? Yeah, right .....

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Turpin has always struck me as a knob. I hope we don't sign him, even for depth.

I understand that his brother Dick is also on Manly’s radar.

In fact he is heading down the Pacific Highway, streaming the Highwaymen as we speak.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

As it seems we don't cap space and or ability to recruit some top line or even mid level forwards for next season it seems that our only hope for 2026 is that a couple of our juniors particularly in the forwards can step up? I'm not familiar enough with who we have coming through but hopefully there is someone ..... even anyone.... maybe?

Maybe once it is mathematically impossible for us to make the 8 Seibold will start "blooding" a couple of them? Yeah, right .....

Yeah I’d hope that might happen , we lose this weekend it’s pretty much all over so why not ( won’t happen of course ).

But wouldn’t it be great to give say two of them a shot per game , just for the experience

 

[Pete W]

What young guns should we be targeting that are off contract? I can’t see any myself

Obviously you don't follow NSW Cup much

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Obviously you don't follow NSW Cup much

I’ll admit I don’t , I used to when they showed the games on Foxtel, so I get most of the information from here.

 

[Pete W]

Just as an example, the Warriors cup team have been almost unstoppable. They are stacked with talent, and can't sign them all to top 30 contracts. My understanding is Crosby doesn't have a development contract yet, and Fatialofa'a development deal runs out this year. There are a few others too, also at other clubs

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Just as an example, the Warriors cup team have been almost unstoppable. They are stacked with talent, and can't sign them all to top 30 contracts. My understanding is Crosby doesn't have a development contract yet, and Fatialofa'a development deal runs out this year. There are a few others too, also at other clubs

We’ve just changed the recruitment team ( or added an extra I dunno ) so you would think there are opportunities in NSW cup / Q Cup if we can’t get anyone of note.

We may just have to “ suck it up “ , pick the best up and comers , and have some patience ( although patience is far from a virtue on ST).

 

[Bomb Voyage]

I can say with quite a bit of certainty that 2026 will bring very few changes to the roster. Minimal signings and non-news worthy ones at that. 2027 is our opportunity and when I expect you will see some moving and shaking.

 

[eaglezap]

Just as an example, the Warriors cup team have been almost unstoppable. They are stacked with talent, and can't sign them all to top 30 contracts. My understanding is Crosby doesn't have a development contract yet, and Fatialofa'a development deal runs out this year. There are a few others too, also at other clubs

And our new Head of Recruitment worked at the Warriors until the end of last season and prior to that at the Roosters so he should have established some good relationships

 

[Leighbra]

I'm losing patience supporting this club, all these dumb decisions honestly just leave me gobsmacked we are legit the laughing stock of the league.

 

[Brookie1973]

I understand that his brother Dick is also on Manly’s radar.

In fact he is heading down the Pacific Highway, streaming the Highwaymen as we speak.

Yeah, I hear we got him for a steal.

 

[Sea Eagle 4 Life]

Just as an example, the Warriors cup team have been almost unstoppable. They are stacked with talent, and can't sign them all to top 30 contracts. My understanding is Crosby doesn't have a development contract yet, and Fatialofa'a development deal runs out this year. There are a few others too, also at other clubs

Makes sense.
Sign some forwards from the Warriors NSW Cup team who are banging down the door of first grade. Players like Blake Wilson & Jake Turpin are not who I would be pursuing.

 

[Wombat64]

I can say with quite a bit of certainty that 2026 will bring very few changes to the roster. Minimal signings and non-news worthy ones at that. 2027 is our opportunity and when I expect you will see some moving and shaking.

Right at the time the Perth Bears are making a splash and bumping up salaries...

 

[Sheikheagle]

Right at the time the Perth Bears are making a splash and bumping up salaries...

Thats the big worry 🫣

 

[double hoops]

I can say with quite a bit of certainty that 2026 will bring very few changes to the roster. Minimal signings and non-news worthy ones at that. 2027 is our opportunity and when I expect you will see some moving and shaking.

Sounds like a club without any vision, any drive, any leadership, any hope of remaining in the NRL.

Especially with a resurgent North Sydney Bears cashed up and backed by the NRL soon to steal supporters, sponsorships, players, juniors.

History says one club will have success one will struggle to remain relevant.