RELEASED WTF? - viliame fifita and alec tuitavake

[Heckenberg]

Well I've been impressed by every move the club has made since late last year but this seems like the first big miss. Waste of our time developing these young guys only to release them for nothing (and immediately!!) before they've even played first grade, especially after shining in trial games (Tuitavake last year & Fifita this year)

With that said, if this helps to get Gordie in the top squad and he ends up taking Croker's position we're in a better position. At the end of the day neither of these 2 have played FG and weren't in our best 17 this year (though Fififa should've been ahead of Burbo). Leaves us a bit light on depth in the forwards though, so hopefully we have a plan there that isn't just promoting a reserve grader or another young guy that won't play

This also hammers down what a waste of a spot Morgan Boyle is. How does he keep getting new contracts whilst never playing, and we are letting go of young promising forwards like this?

Also we still have Samuela right? He was better than the other two in juniors for mine.

I’d imagine samuela is exactly who they’re going to be putting their funds into. An experienced and settled minimum wage club man like Boyle who is solid enough when fit is how we can free up cap to play with keeping these young talents.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Geez this place feels like 2020 again with the Albert Hopoate situation.

How good is he going

 

[Rackets]

Also I'd imagine with the new 11 day stand down HIA protocols you'd want to keep players just in case

 

[Sir Pigman]

Fox sports article has this

Both Tuitavake and Viliame Fifita reportedly want to switch to the Dragons immediately but Manly chief executive Tony Mestrov said no permission had been granted to date.

“There has been no release at this stage,” Mestrov told the Daily Telegraph.

“At this stage it will go before our retention committee.”

 

[Shoe1]

According to this they are both injured, Fifita may be back this week, Tu’itavake still on the road back from an acl.

Injury Update Report: Round 3

Head Physiotherapist Chris Bailey provides the latest injury news update heading into Round 3 against the Parramatta Eels.

www.seaeagles.com.au

I wonder if this is just manager talk. I can’t imagine the pair of them would have gone and spoken to Hook Griffin in among their rehab training.

 

[Woodsie]

How long is the cooling down period ... backflip anyone ?

 

[Will on the hill]

How long is the cooling down period ... backflip anyone ?

10 days but announcements aren't allowed until the 10 days have lapsed.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

It's an interesting one. Storm for example would never release someone unless there was something in it for them.
Our players were OK to sign for next year but if we want them this year maybe we should play hardball, set an example!
Especially Fifita, could be useful for us this year in NRL, I thought it would be a toss-up between him and Bull but he got hurt so Bull got the jump. But he's close.

 

[master blaster]

What ever happened to the anti tampering law, is that still around

 

[Will on the hill]

What ever happened to the anti tampering law, is that still around

Players can sign a new contract up to 12 months prior the conclusion of their existing contract. There have been negotiations to change this in the new CBA.

 

[Will on the hill]

It's an interesting one. Storm for example would never release someone unless there was something in it for them.
Our players were OK to sign for next year but if we want them this year maybe we should play hardball, set an example!
Especially Fifita, could be useful for us this year in NRL, I thought it would be a toss-up between him and Bull but he got hurt so Bull got the jump. But he's close.

When we got Saab, Stmerge demanded $50k for the early release, then we did tit for tat when they wanted Suli. If they are leaving in '24 then I hope we let them go and demand $100k.

 

[Mal Cochrane]

So neither player was contracted for next year?

 

[Will on the hill]

So neither player was contracted for next year?

If they were they definitely couldn't sign any contract without securing a release first.

 

[Dion Johnson]

Tuitavake I liked the look of and Fifita played well in the trial games this season, for me they both have the opportunities to demand selection with good performances in NSW cup.

There ain’t no easy way in getting selected unless injuries dictate it, both very promising players, but so was Sione Fainu who is at the Tigers and was released last season.

The forwards do look good this season, very hard to keep all of them and you can understand young blokes wanting chances to prove themselves, the Dragons though to join Suli would be way down tge scale on clubs to look at.

Does anyone know if Crown Sports International is their representation managers (Mario & Marcel Tartak), these guys have a large number of the squad on their books.

 

[Adz]

I would take Jayden Sullivan and Jayden Hunt as a swap.
Would prefer not to lose Fifi though.

 

[Uber Eagle 72]

What a roller coaster ride reading this thread

 

[eaglebuzz]

Sounds like they want to play first grade ASAP. To be honest if they aren't in our top 17 and they are agitating for a spot before they are ready they'll be a bigger headache to keep around anyway. Especially with Sipley, Fainu and Sykes ahead of them in the pecking order.

 

[Budgie]

Just wondering how many years the Club put into each of them? If anyone has half the knowledge of the now disappeared (and very much missed) Smokin' Joe, I'd be interested to know.

On another note, the person upstream who said he couldn't understand how we let players go while the Roosters .......
Really?

 

[Ben]

Just wondering how many years the Club put into each of them? If anyone has half the knowledge of the now disappeared (and very much missed) Smokin' Joe, I'd be interested to know.

On another note, the person upstream who said he couldn't understand how we let players go while the Roosters .......
Really?

Fifita has been that the club since he was 14 im pretty sure

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Wonder if the players maybe were not up front with the club about the fact they were going to sign with Saints.
If Manly knew and didn't try to make a counter offer, then no fault.
But if they were off negotiating with Saints (totally legally) without telling Manly, that might throw a different light on all the close squad ties and community spirit everyone's been trumpeting for months.