Cleanout for 2024

[Eagles4Life]

The problem is that our cap is so skewed/ invested towards 3 or 4 players that we have to balance it with some of those "squadies" above...

It does seem to be our main issue @Kalvin I agree. Just posing a hypothetical here. Who would we replace these four players with?

Let's say Tim Sheens offered to buy DCE, Turbo, Jurbo and Schuster for 3.8m to solve the Tigers' issues. We might get 4m if we are lucky. Who are we going to replace them with, for that amount? What players of their quality or potential are available (uncontracted) right now anyway? What will we gain from ripping out the club's guts, heart, experience, and leadership by making that call?

Personally, I think the idea is nonsense, and we have no choice but to continue to build from within and develop our existing contracted players around that core group of four players.

 

[KNUCKLES]

Several of those players are off contract at the end of this year. Keepers for me would be Saab & Lawton. We don't have many backrowers, so I think Tuilagi is worth persisting with as a bench player. Maybe Arthur is worth keeping as a backup, but Latu Fainu is our future in the halves. I would be happy to let go of Aloiai. He has was our best front rower in 2021-22, but IMO, he doesn't fit well in the Sea Eagles culture and is the only unlikeable player in the squad.

I think given GCKT is coming through, we could probably afford to let Lawton go.

 

[Heckenberg]

So there’s at least 6 players on that list that are signed for next year and beyond,glad you’re not in control of the cap or talent identification

You’d rather the numpty who signed guys like aloiai on 600 k a year til 2026?

 

[frank stokes]

It does seem to be our main issue @Kalvin I agree. Just posing a hypothetical here. Who would we replace these four players with? Just posing a hypothetical here.

Let's say Tim Sheens offered to buy DCE, Turbo, Jurbo and Schuster for 3.8m to solve the Tigers' issues. We might get 4m if we are lucky. Who are we going to replace them with, for that amount? What players of their quality or potential are available (uncontracted) right now anyway? What will we gain from ripping out the club's guts, heart, experience, and leadership by making that call?

Personally, I think the idea is nonsense, and we have no choice but to continue to build from within and develop our existing contracted players around that core group of four players.

Agree although I think Schu is on OTT money that I would rather put into a top-grade hooker (is API available?) and play Croker at 6 or develop a 5/8 from Blacktown (Humphries, Fainu etc)

 

[KNUCKLES]

Agree although I think Schu is on OTT money that I would rather put into a top-grade hooker (is API available?) and play Croker at 6 or develop a 5/8 from Blacktown (Humphries, Fainu etc)

Shoe needs to be told he needs to stay and earn the sort of money he is apparently asking for first. If some other club is willing to pay him that now than so be it. Let him go if it's about the money. Because at this stage he isn't really making much more of a difference than a Hastings does for eg for half the price.

 

[bob dylan]

Then how are you offloading those that are still under contract?

Its not like nrl contracts have never been broken.

I think if the club wants them gone they ring their manager and advise if they dont find a new home for player x, his price will plummet because he will no longer be considered for the nrl team.

Happens all the time.

 

[40 nil]

I think given GCKT is coming through, we could probably afford to let Lawton go.

Until this year, he was primarily a bench backrower (for us) & performed very well. IMO, he has been one of our best purchases over the last few years. It is unfortunate that has missed a lot of game time due to injury or suspension.

 

[KNUCKLES]

Now that we've finally put to bed any hopes for 2023 after that dogsht effort who should be punted for 2024.
My list

Tuipolutu
Saab
Harper
Parker
Johns
Arthur
Woods
Aloiai
Lawton
Boyle
Tuilagi
Roache

Go and find 12 players who deserve to be in a top 30 NRL squad because this current squad is bog average.

Parker, Harper, Johns, Woods, Boyle, Lawton, potentially Weekes should all be let go at the end of the year. Tuipolotu and Arthur aren't the best, but aren't the worse backups to have at the moment. As it will cost us more to replace them than just keep them. Something needs to happen with aloiai the pretender though,no doubt.

 

[frank stokes]

Shoe needs to be told he needs to stay and earn the sort of money he is apparently asking for first. If some other club is willing to pay him that now than so be it. Let him go if it's about the money. Because at this stage he isn't really making much more of a difference than a Hastings does for eg for half the price.

I am not saying the kid is not talented as he obviously is but I do not think his work ethic, his decision making or his fitness is adequate to be able to justify that sort of cash at this point in his career… that level of cash (imo) would be better directed towards an experienced hooker that can guide the team around the park and make metres out of DH..

 

[KNUCKLES]

Until this year, he was primarily a bench backrower (for us) & performed very well. IMO, he has been one of our best purchases over the last few years. It is unfortunate that has missed a lot of game time due to injury or suspension.

This is true, however we have plenty of backrowers on the books. And he happens to be off contract. We need a better balance roster wise. I'd say keep him if we had the budget of the chooks, coz I do like him. But like you said, injuries and that haven't been kind to him, and may just fall into the collateral damage bracket for mine

 

[Keffola]

Now that we've finally put to bed any hopes for 2023 after that dogsht effort who should be punted for 2024.
My list

Tuipolutu
Saab
Harper
Parker
Johns
Arthur
Woods
Aloiai
Lawton
Boyle
Tuilagi
Roache

Go and find 12 players who deserve to be in a top 30 NRL squad because this current squad is bog average.

Saabs the only one i'd keep out of those, although Arthurs havent seen enough of yet to say.

 

[Waz13]

The reality is @mickqld most of those players are contracted through to 2025, and based on their recent form would be difficult to release them until their contract period is over. Five should definitely be moved on, i.e., Harper, Johns, Woods, Boyle and Roache. Unfortunately, the combined contract value of these guys is "sweet bugger all", and we won't be able to pick up any NRL player of value when we swap them out. We are stuck with promoting our younger players .i.e Humphries for Johns, Myers for Harper, Sykes for Boyle, Dias for Woods, Matterson for Roache etc., until we can rebalance our cap. There is no quick fix to our current situation, as we already have 22 players contracted for 2024, and 75% of our cap is already allocated for 2025.

Who can be let go for 2024:
Tuipolutu - No
Saab - No
Harper - Yes
Parker - No
Johns - Yes
Arthur - No
Woods - Yes
Aloiai - No
Lawton - No
Boyle - Yes
Tuilagi - No
Roache - Yes

The yes men will and should be let go. Roache I’ve not seen in firsts so can’t comment

 

[JakeyB789]

Saab had a poor game last night but no way would you let him go. I like Lawton but a bit confused with his role this year, when we first signed him he played well on that left edge but now he’s in the bench hooker role where GCKT should be. I’d keep him for depth though

The rest can absolutely go as far as I’m concerned. Maybe harsh on Arthur but unless he does transition to a ball playing forward, he’s just a fill in until Fainu is ready, which might not be too far away from the looks of it

 

[Ryan]

Rather than that, I'd say a number 5, 9 and 13 should be a priority (and I mean marquee players). This team is very serviceable:

01. Tom Trbojevic
02. Jason Saab
03. Reuben Garrick
04. Tolu Koula
05. XXXXXX
06. Josh Schuster
07. Daly Cherry-Evans
08. Jake Trbojevic
09. XXXXXX
10. Taniela Paseka
11. Haumole Olakau'atu
12. Samuela Fainu
13. XXXXXX

14. Gordon Chan Kum Tong
15. Sean Keppie
16. Ethan Bullemor
17. Ben Trbojevic

If we go into a 5th campaign with a halfback playing hooker, we should just pack it in. We currently are playing props at lock (and have done so for many years). We need a fast, lean, mobile winger (not a meat axe).

Players I'm keeping, investing time in: Kaeo Weekes, Jake Arthur, Latu Fainu, Karl Lawton, Kelma Tuilagi, Lachlan Croker, Toff Sipley.

I'd be cancelling any deal for Tommy Talau. Like Tuilagi, another Tigers reject that puts the plonk in plonker. Same goes for Condon, Matterson, Fulton, Boyle, Aloiai, Woods, Harper, Vaega, Johns, Tuipulotu.

Parker is a tough one. If the plan is to play him in the backrow, when the centre position already busts him apart, let him go and play centres in the U.K. or something. Please don't break him, like we have so many others.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Saab had a poor game last night but no way would you let him go. I like Lawton but a bit confused with his role this year, when we first signed him he played well on that left edge but now he’s in the bench hooker role where GCKT should be. I’d keep him for depth though

The rest can absolutely go as far as I’m concerned. Maybe harsh on Arthur but unless he does transition to a ball playing forward, he’s just a fill in until Fainu is ready, which might not be too far away from the looks of it

He definitely had his best games for us starting in that left-edge spot in 2021. It's a spot that we have really struggled with since that time. Is there a case for starting Lawton in that spot for the rest of 2023? Personally, I think there is a case for that, and furthermore that Tuilagi is primarily used as a bench player for the rest of the season. There is possibly also a case for shifting Olakat'ua into the middle as starting prop with Paseka and starting Fainu on the right edge, with Lawton on the left. Bullemor is a serviceable left-edge player, but he gives us more impact when he comes off the bench as a middle forward. I would like to see the following pack and bench given a go to provide more balance and impact, in both attack and defence for the rest of the year.
Paseka
Croker
Olakat'ua
Fainu
Lawton
Jake

GCKT
Tuilagi
Bullemor
Keppie

 

[Wombat64]

Now that we've finally put to bed any hopes for 2023 after that dogsht effort who should be punted for 2024.
My list

Tuipolutu
Saab
Harper
Parker
Johns
Arthur
Woods
Aloiai
Lawton
Boyle
Tuilagi
Roache

Go and find 12 players who deserve to be in a top 30 NRL squad because this current squad is bog average.

Could we get players from clubs that aren't at the bottom of the table?

 

[Eagles4Life]

Could we get players from clubs that aren't at the bottom of the table?

Heresy @Wombat64 😱

 

[tookey]

Now that we've finally put to bed any hopes for 2023 after that dogsht effort who should be punted for 2024.
My list

Tuipolutu
Saab
Harper
Parker
Johns
Arthur
Woods
Aloiai
Lawton
Boyle
Tuilagi
Roache

Go and find 12 players who deserve to be in a top 30 NRL squad because this current squad is bog average.

I would put Keppie and Sipley on that list as well

Both plodders of the highest order

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

We bought a fuking player whose own father, the coach, doesn't want him. WTF is going on in this place.

The Salvation Sea Eagles has a nice ring to it. lol
I'd give Arthur some time though. Im not going to rip into him like Parra fans even if he's average.

 

[NREagle]

Parker, Croker and Sipley are good Manly clubman.

There is a lot more to a top 30 roster than whether or not we have skillful players.

I think these three are important part in team harmony off the field.

That said, Parker and Sipley should be on the fringe of the 17, good backup for injuries etc but not picked every week (I think Sipley plays better when he is not an automatic selection each week as he can get complacent).

Croker needs a dummy half with contrasting skills picked at 14 so Croker can get stuck in and do the tough defensive efforts at the start and our 14 can come on when he is tiring to take over and add some attacking flair (especially if DCE/Turbo out).

So many players really go missing in the effort areas when the chips are down - that is something our roster management needs to carefully look at when signing/releasing players.