@avocadoontoast Kinda agree! I think that’s the reason that Sheens is going hard for Bateman signature.
And if he signs then Hastings is heading for the halves and lock is his versatility value.
Love the podcasts boys, keep up the good work!
Re. Hastings, I definitely thought his best position for the team this year was lock, playing with basically two 5/8s in brooks & Douehi. Brooks’ pace & Douehi’s power running out wide were creating plenty of opportunities for us while Hastings was running the show. With API coming in 2023 I assume he’ll take more responsibility in directing the team around the park & therefore changing what we need from Hastings. So he could play at 7 and we could have a big bopper in the 13 to further tighten our defence/ get us forward.
In saying that if we can get some of those forward signings over the line, ie. Klemmer, Leinu (spelling?) & Batemen then I think we can afford to keep Hastings in that lock role. Personally I prefer Hastings at lock as it gives us a real point of difference with essentially two running 5/8s & two very intelligent footy players in the 9 & 13 jerseys.
Here’s hoping we get our pack sorted & Hastings extended ASAP.
Hastings is a real concern. We would just be dumb enough (or should I say pig headed enough) to let him go.
Depends what he’s asking for. If he’s asking marquee money he can go imo. He’s good but no superstar.
He is the best player, in regards to footy smarts, we have. Hastings and then daylight, and we won’t be signing anyone better in the short to medium term either. Pay him what he wants, at least then there will be some brains on the field.
Couldn’t agree more Mike.For mine,and given what we witnessed from him this year he was far and away the most impressive and consistent player to lace up for the WTs..In terms of our squad balance,decision making and leadership,Jacko ticks all the boxes.Here is a player that does everything in his power to win footy games and he is still on the books for another year.It will be a travesty if we fail to retain and extend his tenure here.
If it were my decision my number one priority would be the signature of Jackson Hastings before he even gets to test the market waters come November.Lock him up by making an offer he can’t refuse.I agree with Frullens,we were never going to sign a Munster,or a Latrell.In reality he’s the closest thing to a marquis signing we can make.In my opinion he can easily attain that status in the game which means that we could be paying big unders for him.That is a risk well worth taking in my view.Just get it done!
Love the podcasts boys, keep up the good work!
Re. Hastings, I definitely thought his best position for the team this year was lock, playing with basically two 5/8s in brooks & Douehi. Brooks’ pace & Douehi’s power running out wide were creating plenty of opportunities for us while Hastings was running the show. With API coming in 2023 I assume he’ll take more responsibility in directing the team around the park & therefore changing what we need from Hastings. So he could play at 7 and we could have a big bopper in the 13 to further tighten our defence/ get us forward.
In saying that if we can get some of those forward signings over the line, ie. Klemmer, Leinu (spelling?) & Batemen then I think we can afford to keep Hastings in that lock role. Personally I prefer Hastings at lock as it gives us a real point of difference with essentially two running 5/8s & two very intelligent footy players in the 9 & 13 jerseys.
Here’s hoping we get our pack sorted & Hastings extended ASAP.
Welcome mate, what a great first post, I agree with most of what you have said.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
It worked playing Hastings at 13 and then playing 2x 5/8ths but the bottom line is I think it was the fact that we lacked a complete 6 or 7 so it was the best of a bad situation. Hastings was playing 7 in attack at 13 in defence and physically it just wasn’t possible to maintain. He ended up breaking his ankle taking a hit up which is just stupid if you think about how important he was to our team. He’s not the best 7 in the game in terms of athletic ability but he seems to be in the top tier in terms of footy IQ. He will have options to play as a 7 at a team that has a complimentary 6 (big, fast, athletic) eg the bulldogs or eels of Moses leaves. We would be smarter to play him as a 7 and then build around him rather than paying for 3 halves when most teams only pay for 2
It worked playing Hastings at 13 and then playing 2x 5/8ths but the bottom line is I think it was the fact that we lacked a complete 6 or 7 so it was the best of a bad situation. Hastings was playing 7 in attack at 13 in defence and physically it just wasn’t possible to maintain. He ended up breaking his ankle taking a hit up which is just stupid if you think about how important he was to our team. He’s not the best 7 in the game in terms of athletic ability but he seems to be in the top tier in terms of footy IQ. He will have options to play as a 7 at a team that has a complimentary 6 (big, fast, athletic) eg the bulldogs or eels of Moses leaves. We would be smarter to play him as a 7 and then build around him rather than paying for 3 halves when most teams only pay for 2
I agree, I’m not sure Sheens does though.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
It worked playing Hastings at 13 and then playing 2x 5/8ths but the bottom line is I think it was the fact that we lacked a complete 6 or 7 so it was the best of a bad situation. Hastings was playing 7 in attack at 13 in defence and physically it just wasn’t possible to maintain. He ended up breaking his ankle taking a hit up which is just stupid if you think about how important he was to our team. He’s not the best 7 in the game in terms of athletic ability but he seems to be in the top tier in terms of footy IQ. He will have options to play as a 7 at a team that has a complimentary 6 (big, fast, athletic) eg the bulldogs or eels of Moses leaves. We would be smarter to play him as a 7 and then build around him rather than paying for 3 halves when most teams only pay for 2
I agree, I’m not sure Sheens does though.
Probably is all of our halves have major issues, Hastings included. We need to play 3 to do the job of 2, reality is we need to go to market in the halves. Using 3 will work as a band-aid solution.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
@avocadoontoast I have read that he is on $375k for 22 and $500 k for 23, so close to top dollar I think
news reporting Jayden Sullivan has requested a release at St Gilly
news reporting Jayden Sullivan has requested a release at St Gilly
Off to the Dogs though…could that have implications for us? Musgrove? Nu Brown etc?
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
Hastings is a real concern. We would just be dumb enough (or should I say pig headed enough) to let him go.
Depends what he’s asking for. If he’s asking marquee money he can go imo. He’s good but no superstar.
He is the best player, in regards to footy smarts, we have. Hastings and then daylight, and we won’t be signing anyone better in the short to medium term either. Pay him what he wants, at least then there will be some brains on the field.
What’s the max you’d pay him?
Whatever he wants for the first year extension, probably around $800K for any additional years but with some bonuses thrown in. ie if we make top 4 an extra $100K. If we make the GF another $100K on top. If we win the GF another $100K on top of all that. Or at least something along those lines.
I don’t agree Mike. We need to be smart and not overpay unless it’s a marquee player. I think Hastings is a solid halfback but he’s a long way behind players like Cleary, Moses, Reynolds, DCE etc.
mitchell, Munster, Tom t. They’re the players I’d be happy to overpay for. I wouldn’t put Hastings anywhere near that class.
I tend to agree, Hastings is a smart footballer and I think his best position for us is at halfback but he is not marquee standard. He had some very good games this year and was predictable in others. I think we offer him fair value with some incentives thrown in as mentioned above. We need to be careful and not blow our cap like we have in the past.
Veteran coach Tim Sheens is in England checking out potential signings at the World Cup as rumours re-emerge that Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks will be heading to the Newcastle Knights. This is a story that will break any day.
Rothfield
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
Veteran coach Tim Sheens is in England checking out potential signings at the World Cup as rumours re-emerge that Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks will be heading to the Newcastle Knights. This is a story that will break any day.
Rothfield
Gee I hope he goes. I get to talk to a lot of different people during the week and every football fan that recognises I am a Wests Tigers supporter always mentions Brooks and asks why is he still here. It seems every Rugby League fan outside of Wests Tigers knows he has to go. I don’t believe any successful club would have let him stay this long.
Veteran coach Tim Sheens is in England checking out potential signings at the World Cup as rumours re-emerge that Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks will be heading to the Newcastle Knights. This is a story that will break any day.
Rothfield
Gee I hope he goes. I get to talk to a lot of different people during the week and every football fan that recognises I am a Wests Tigers supporter always mentions Brooks and asks why is he still here. It seems every Rugby League fan outside of Wests Tigers knows he has to go. I don’t believe any successful club would have let him stay this long.
I have no problem him moving on if we replace him with better. Name me a faster half at the club, name me a player with a better all round kicking game at the club.
Despite all his real shortcomings, he is the best 6 at the club. At the moment, the club is weaker without him. Replace him and he can go.
Veteran coach Tim Sheens is in England checking out potential signings at the World Cup as rumours re-emerge that Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks will be heading to the Newcastle Knights. This is a story that will break any day.
Rothfield
Gee I hope he goes. I get to talk to a lot of different people during the week and every football fan that recognises I am a Wests Tigers supporter always mentions Brooks and asks why is he still here. It seems every Rugby League fan outside of Wests Tigers knows he has to go. I don’t believe any successful club would have let him stay this long.
I have no problem him moving on if we replace him with better. Name me a faster half at the club, name me a player with a better all round kicking game at the club.
Despite all his real shortcomings, he is the best 6 at the club. At the moment, the club is weaker without him. Replace him and he can go.
Hard to argue mate.. I would like to see him behind a decent forward pack that actually consistently makes metres and created room for the halves.
I think once the forwards have been addressed and you have Hastings at 13 and Brooks and AD as 2 running 6's we will be a totally better team. I think the biggest problem with Brooks for fans is the money he is on and thats not his fault. But for the money he is on he cannot be a quite mouse out there and needs to lead a team and that's just not him FULL Stop. If he was on 600k he would not get all the media criticism he gets.. He is on the similar money as the likes of Munster, Teddy, L Mitchell, Reynolds, Cleary, etc.. and they clearly make a difference to there teams unlike Brooks.
If the clubs lets him walk they better have replacements signed up as Brooks is better then another rookie IMO
