@helmesy I got told that was happening by my sharks mate last week...
I am still waiting for his Pele Signing to happen too ...
He did seem pretty confident last week the deal with Woods was done
A bit of talk around this afternoon that the Wests Tigers are about to announce the signing of Aaron Woods.
My understanding is that Woods will not be signed by the club, he was only an option is we missed Klem.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
A bit of talk around this afternoon that the Wests Tigers are about to announce the signing of Aaron Woods.
My understanding is that Woods will not be signed by the club, he was only an option is we missed Klem.
Thank goodness.
Hopefully that is correct but it is what I have been told.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
Have you got the champagne on ice yet Joel??A bit of talk around this afternoon that the Wests Tigers are about to announce the signing of Aaron Woods.
Have you got the champagne on ice yet Joel??A bit of talk around this afternoon that the Wests Tigers are about to announce the signing of Aaron Woods.
Woods, Moses, Tedesco…the band is coming back together 😆 actually, I don’t think any of them will wear our colours again.
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Another piece of the Wests Tigers jigsaw puzzle has landed at the club with a star recruit on the paddock for the first time. He wasn’t the only newcomer at Concord.
It‘s a sight for sore Wests Tigers’ eyes, braided rats tail and all.
David Klemmer has reported to Concord for his official first day of Tigers pre-season training on Monday.
Klemmer was released from the final year of his contract with Newcastle to join the Tigers via a swap with playmaker Jackson Hastings.
After protracted negotiations between the parties, the former NSW Blues prop agreed to join the Tigers on a three-year deal with a mutual option in the fourth season.
Seeing Klemmer on the training paddock for the first time is sure to excite long-suffering Tigers fans.
Klemmer is poised to lead a revamped forward pack in 2023, which will include recruits Isaiah Papali’i and three-time premiership-winning hooker Api Koroisau.
Landing the signature of former Raiders backrower John Bateman will only add aggression to a Tigers pack that has lacked mongrel and punch in recent seasons.
It was also the first day back for winger David Nofoaluma, who joined competition heavyweight Melbourne on a loan deal back in late July.
There was some initial speculation that Nofoaluma could remain at the Storm but the 28-year-old has returned to Concord to fulfil the final three years of his contract which ends in 2025.
New coach Tim Sheens was not wasting any time in getting his troops back to work after the club slumped to its first ever wooden spoon. The Tigers have been back on the training field since November 1.
Former Penrith winger Charlie Staines and utility Will Smith have also commenced training with the squad.
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I agree that Laurie had a some shockers but the areas that he is deficient in are the most trainable. He is just super raw.
I agree that Laurie had a some shockers but the areas that he is deficient in are the most trainable. He is just super raw.
What would you say are his strengths as a player?
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@helmesy His speed and elusiveness. I think he has a lot of raw talent. His positional awareness is the main thing that he needs to work on and that can be trained.
We are in a funny spot of not wanting to let a good one go and not wanting to hold onto a bad one for too long.
@helmesy His speed and elusiveness. I think he has a lot of raw talent. His positional awareness is the main thing that he needs to work on and that can be trained.
We are in a funny spot of not wanting to let a good one go and not wanting to hold onto a bad one for too long.
I actually think that Lauries poor positioning in defence was a coaching directive. I have it on the best authority 😉 that Sheens has a different outlook on this and this will improve.
@helmesy His speed and elusiveness. I think he has a lot of raw talent. His positional awareness is the main thing that he needs to work on and that can be trained.
We are in a funny spot of not wanting to let a good one go and not wanting to hold onto a bad one for too long.
I actually think that Lauries poor positioning in defence was a coaching directive. I have it on the best authority 😉 that Sheens has a different outlook on this and this will improve.
Hmm, another sign of how dialectical opposed Madge and Sheens are on the game.
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Anyway it's not like anyone in our backing is irreplaceable or even that hard to replace.
Definitely hard to replace in terms of 2023, given you're relying on contracted players being released.
Worries me that we'd be more likely to go for whoever becomes available by chance, rather than specifically who we want/need.
When you look at it, I don't think any of them are particularly hard to replace. Of our 1-5 last year I think Naden is the least replaceable because he'll fit so well into a Sheens style. Tupou is the second least replaceable, I think he has real talent and will end up being a really good player.
Nofo and Ken are easily replaceable, Ken because he appears fairly broken and Nofo because he's useless. To'a isn't any good, AJ is average at best. Laurie on the other hand is a different story. I think Laurie would make a good 6 but there's something about his attitude that sucks.
Happy for Laurie and AD to both go if we have a replacement signed.
I don't disagree with your assessment, but there's a VERY depleted market in terms of replacement options. The list of free agents ( https://www.zerotackle.com/players/off-contract-2022/ - this is at least somewhat accurate) is pretty terrifying, so we'd only be looking at getting contracted players released. Whilst this can sometimes work out well, if we're doing it as an act of desperation, then there's a decent chance it'll lead to us overpaying for someone in order to entice them to agitate for a release.
I'd trade Nofo in tomorrow if there were a viable option on the table, but there's also the matter of finding a taker for his contract - which is both too long and too high.
Maumalo doesn't strike me as a Sheens winger, but he is a difference maker in certain aspects, and is only on contract for another season (mutual option for '24), so not too bothered either way. Probably makes sense to just make it work for a season, whilst looking for someone in '24.
The centres are a mess and I'll never understand why we extended both AJ and To'a early when neither are good enough really.
Ultimately, if we can find the right person with the right contract, then we should absolutely make a move here and now. I just don't want to make an overly flippant move ahead of '23, only for it to turn out poorly, and thus giving us issues down the line.
I tend to agree. Ken is slow but he is a strong returner and serviceable at the back. The team voted him joint captain last year so I like to think he has something to add with leadership as well. Sheens worked well with Pat Richards who wasn’t the worlds fastest winger, so we have form.
As for nofo, I’m torn. He has had his attitude issues and bad defensive reads, but he is also a one club player, one of our top try scorers of all time, has a good offload and metre return, and is a great finisher. His contract is long and high, so little chance of him leaving. If he can get onboard with some of this new team energy, I think he might have a good year for us and I’m willing to forgive his occasional strut.
Overall I don’t mind the backline. The centres we have aren’t superstars but are reliable enough (except the numpty who cost us the cowboys game) and relatively cheap. Fullback is the only area which I want to see us splash some cash in the future. For now let’s see what staines and Laurie have to offer.
Anyway it's not like anyone in our backing is irreplaceable or even that hard to replace.
Definitely hard to replace in terms of 2023, given you're relying on contracted players being released.
Worries me that we'd be more likely to go for whoever becomes available by chance, rather than specifically who we want/need.
When you look at it, I don't think any of them are particularly hard to replace. Of our 1-5 last year I think Naden is the least replaceable because he'll fit so well into a Sheens style. Tupou is the second least replaceable, I think he has real talent and will end up being a really good player.
Nofo and Ken are easily replaceable, Ken because he appears fairly broken and Nofo because he's useless. To'a isn't any good, AJ is average at best. Laurie on the other hand is a different story. I think Laurie would make a good 6 but there's something about his attitude that sucks.
Happy for Laurie and AD to both go if we have a replacement signed.
I don't disagree with your assessment, but there's a VERY depleted market in terms of replacement options. The list of free agents ( https://www.zerotackle.com/players/off-contract-2022/ - this is at least somewhat accurate) is pretty terrifying, so we'd only be looking at getting contracted players released. Whilst this can sometimes work out well, if we're doing it as an act of desperation, then there's a decent chance it'll lead to us overpaying for someone in order to entice them to agitate for a release.
I'd trade Nofo in tomorrow if there were a viable option on the table, but there's also the matter of finding a taker for his contract - which is both too long and too high.
Maumalo doesn't strike me as a Sheens winger, but he is a difference maker in certain aspects, and is only on contract for another season (mutual option for '24), so not too bothered either way. Probably makes sense to just make it work for a season, whilst looking for someone in '24.
The centres are a mess and I'll never understand why we extended both AJ and To'a early when neither are good enough really.
Ultimately, if we can find the right person with the right contract, then we should absolutely make a move here and now. I just don't want to make an overly flippant move ahead of '23, only for it to turn out poorly, and thus giving us issues down the line.
I tend to agree. Ken is slow but he is a strong returner and serviceable at the back. The team voted him joint captain last year so I like to think he has something to add with leadership as well. Sheens worked well with Pat Richards who wasn’t the worlds fastest winger, so we have form.
As for nofo, I’m torn. He has had his attitude issues and bad defensive reads, but he is also a one club player, one of our top try scorers of all time, has a good offload and metre return, and is a great finisher. His contract is long and high, so little chance of him leaving. If he can get onboard with some of this new team energy, I think he might have a good year for us and I’m willing to forgive his occasional strut.
Overall I don’t mind the backline. The centres we have aren’t superstars but are reliable enough (except the numpty who cost us the cowboys game) and relatively cheap. Fullback is the only area which I want to see us splash some cash in the future. For now let’s see what staines and Laurie have to offer.
I know it’s a while ago but realistically Fitzy, Whatuira, Elford and Richards weren’t superstars but they were well coached. Maybe we can get more out of guys like Naden and Nofa with a coach that brings a bit more than just “go out and smash em”.
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