Tui Kamikamica and Nelson Asofa-Solomona would really improve our club as the Bromwich boys did for the Dolphins
For the right price that doesn't upset Terrell and Samuella.
Yes please
I wouldn't say no.
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Kobe hetherington 4y deal with Manly
I could only look at players available for 2026 right now. If I were to look at a wish list it’d be Haas, Tino, NAS, Talakai etc.Here’s a 17 I think could improve us:
Jahream
Skelton/Masi
Taylan
Star
Turuva
Luai
AD
Twal
KPP
Samuela
Kamikamica
Api
Terrell
Bench: Sione, Pole, Hunt/Seyfarth, Latu
* Could end up with Masi at left centre & Taylan on right but these positions, wingers & Bench depends upon pre-season and injuries. I like Latu’s running game & obviously can pass so using him at 13 during the game, or 9 if needed, is best atm I think. Also allows for AD to shift to centre if any backs are injured during the game. Obviously the likes of Geyer, Roberts, Kit, Taateo and Maatele might also push for bench spots depending on how things go.
Kamikamica Is a bench player at the storm, I think to improve us he is would need to be a bench player here. We need a A type predator
- It remains to be seen how many more players we bring in but unless we move on one or two it won’t be too many. But we already have what I think are 3 new signings, KPP, Masi & Taylan May are all to some extent at least new signings. There’s little doubt Taylan, should he re-sign will be better with more time with the spine etc and that’s a pleasing thought. Masi will only get better as he becomes a full-time professional & KPP is obviously new to the club.
- It remains to be seen how many more players we bring in but unless we move on one or two it won’t be too many. But we already have what I think are 3 new signings, KPP, Masi & Taylan May are all to some extent at least new signings. There’s little doubt Taylan, should he re-sign will be better with more time with the spine etc and that’s a pleasing thought. Masi will only get better as he becomes a full-time professional & KPP is obviously new to the club.
And it's a little hard to know where we stand with a few players who might be getting off the bus at this stop, departing players not yet confirmed by the club.
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Taylan has resigned for 2 years. What a relief.
His brother and him off contract together? Fair enough I guess, up to the club to convince players to stay. He is an origin quality centre in my view so 625k is about right. Not sure what to do about our RHS centre options. I’m assuming KPP helps and if Latu is fit and defending there it covers for Toas deficiency.
$625 is probably still a little under, however spot on in light of the limited games he played and potential risk associated. Smart from him to sign a 2 year deal, if he maintains his trajectory he will get a big increase when he can negotiate next November for 2028. Good for us as he is also backing himself.
Isn't that when the new rights deal starts?
Why was there a Batman theme for the announcement? I thought Jarome was meant to be Batman
KPP takes on starting spot
hopfully NAS takes another starting spot
Latu or Douhie play 13 or 7
this leaves Sione and Pole as first picked on the bench and with Douhie able to cover the backline it really only means we need to work out how to cover API’s breather somehow and then choose our last prop.
Heath Mason is not it. 7 games for 7 losses says it all, this guy has a year to work out how to be a first grader before he gets punted.
Haywood hasn’t even played a game of cup so thinking he plays first grade any time soon is unlikely. Carrying a Hope or Murray just for giving Api 20min break is a waste of a bench spot. Not sure how Benji fixes this one.
The last bench spot goes to a prop. At this point I don’t see us bringing in anyone who can push Twal out of his spot so I will go with him.
Api can't play quality 80 mins anymore which is understandable. Could we go after a lock/hooker role at 14?
Check out Kalani Going for the Warriors. Tidy player who won player of the year. Off contract this year and can't get a game because of Erin Clark.
https://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2025/09/01/going-wins-nsw-cup-player-of-the-year-award/
https://www.zerotackle.com/players/kalani-going/
14 is a key area of uncertainty still and it’s disappointing that we haven’t worked it out in our current squad which hints to me that our solution is not in the top 30 currently so we should be looking at options elsewhere I agree. A utility who can play a bit of hooker should be something that isn’t that expensive so I’m confident we will find it because if we can’t then I think Murray is the only option given he can play a bit of middle
We have 5 quality backline players and 4 positions.
option 1: Makasini plugs away in NSW cup until there is an injury
option 2: Makasini or Taylan transition to take Toa’s right wing spot
option 3: Makasini to left wing and Skelton transitions to impact forward to add some punch off our bench
option 4: Skelton to right wing and Turuva to right centre.
Toa finished the season in terrible form and I can only assume that was injury because he was probably one of our best backs in the first half of the season. He is a specialist right centre and I’m inclined to let people play in the position they are best suited to. Ultimately at full fitness I would put Skelton as our least best back and so he misses out for me. He has a huge frame and loves contact and makes big post contact meters. Our bench has been lacking impact and with both douhie and Latu now on the field that gives us a lot of coverage for 6/7/9/13 if we get injuries during the game so Skelton playing in a bench Kikau style role could be the best option.
Option 3 is very intriguing, I can see Skelton being our version of the Sharks Sifa Talakai. Could be very impactful off the bench.
I’m not sure what they’ll do. I suspect at some stage next season Jared will debut off the bench but probably late season. I think 14 should be someone who is pretty versatile so at the moment I think it’s Latu. I’m sure they’ll be times during the year where injuries or suspensions occur and I’d think Latu will start at half, he may start from rd 1, who knows for sure. But if he were to train during pre-season at half, 13 & 9 I think it’d work. I think you need to find spots for your best 17 and AD & Latu are in the best 17. Instead of using one spot on the bench for another specialist 9 why not use a more versatile player who can cover a few positions?KPP takes on starting spot
hopfully NAS takes another starting spot
Latu or Douhie play 13 or 7
this leaves Sione and Pole as first picked on the bench and with Douhie able to cover the backline it really only means we need to work out how to cover API’s breather somehow and then choose our last prop.
Heath Mason is not it. 7 games for 7 losses says it all, this guy has a year to work out how to be a first grader before he gets punted.
Haywood hasn’t even played a game of cup so thinking he plays first grade any time soon is unlikely. Carrying a Hope or Murray just for giving Api 20min break is a waste of a bench spot. Not sure how Benji fixes this one.
The last bench spot goes to a prop. At this point I don’t see us bringing in anyone who can push Twal out of his spot so I will go with him.
It’s always difficult to tell how much young players will improve over the off season but Josese Lanyon who was very good in Flegg can also cover 9 & 13 and might be one to watch. But at the moment I’d think they will at times play Api for 80, use a specialist 9 off the bench at times and use a a player to cover a few positions at times. Hopefully they’ll use a versatile type in the mould of Wishart.
