@avocadoontoast I wouldn't say no to it, Johnson worries me a little bit if we get Australian version of Johnson I'm not so keen. With him at present I worry if it is a perfect storm at the moment for him whereby everything is clicking and maybe it can't be replicated away from nz friends and family etc. Think Johnson stays in nz year by year tbh.
As for Schuster Would prefer him as a 13 but don't think he would play 13
AD needs to go as well after reoccurring knee injuries....I wonder how Bradman Best would go as I'm reading the Knights are looking at a roster shake up 🤔
Talking about AD, if the club isn't keen on retaining him after next year why not let him explore options now. Pay him out and get rid of him, otherwise we'll just have another Tommy T on our hands. Look after them for an extended period only to see them sail into the sunset towards Manly or whoever.
I doubt that any club would take AD whilst recovering, especially on his self imposed asking price of 800k 😂
If the club told AD now to explore other options, I would be disgusted and never support them again. I am not an AD fan but he busted himself playing (working) for the Tigers and the Tigers owe him to support him through his recovery and give him every chance to recover and return for the term of his Contract. As you said, no one is going to sign AD during his recovery and we wouldnt save a cent so what does cutting him off do other than crush a young guys career? Its a pretty disgusting suggestion tbh.
@avocadoontoast you hope that is the case...
Yes, I don't want him to be re-signed. We have a very strong squad bar our 6&7. I really want to play finals next year and I think upgrading Brooks and Wakeham will get us there.
Agree totally.
Applying that objective - upgrading the halves - to where we are at right now.
I think we should use the last 15 odd games to try and test out a new halves combination having sourced at least two new halves from other teams NSW Cup squads.
We can and should offer up Brooks as part of a trade deal (and pay his full freight in order to leave WT).
We have about 6 weeks to finalise our Top 30 so there is time but the sooner we do a deal the better.
In 2022, once it became clear we wouldn't make finals all we did was clear cap space. We really didn't try out any new players. I would hate to see that mistake repeated again in 2023.
@tiger5150 the club should try and pay AD's 2024 contract out as part of this year on the cap if they can, say he gets 800k in 2024 pay 400k of it this year if we can and 400k in 2024 if that is possible don't see why not. AD gets all the money owing to him just a year early.
@tiger5150 the club should try and pay AD's 2024 contract out as part of this year on the cap if they can, say he gets 800k in 2024 pay 400k of it this year if we can and 400k in 2024 if that is possible don't see why not. AD gets all the money owing to him just a year early.
The club should and will get a medical exemption on the cap.
Griffin sacked. Long shot but i'd be definitely sounding out Ben Hunt.
we have to ask the question at least
@avocadoontoast we also have AD on the books next year eating cap space and not playing... hence Brooks will get a seat at the table.
why should we be keeping Brooks? What does he bring to the table?
No chance for SJ IMO.
He is back home settled with his family and his wife plays netball in NZ so it would need be a massive long term deal to leave that.
I would like him but unlikely unless a 3 year deal on very good money..
No chance for SJ IMO.
He is back home settled with his family and his wife plays netball in NZ so it would need be a massive long term deal to leave that.
I would like him but unlikely unless a 3 year deal on very good money..
Yeah I reckon he takes the year to year with the Warriors.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
@the-last-ronin get a 7 like townsend Brooks can easily play the 6 role for 2 years until Onitoni Large is ready
@tiger5150 how does the club get cap relief for 2024 for AD, he should be back August 2024 don't think we will get any cap relief would we ?
@tiger5150 how does the club get cap relief for 2024 for AD, he should be back August 2024 don't think we will get any cap relief would we ?
NRL can apply cap relief for long term injuries at their discretion even if the return date is unclear. AD is going to be gone for over 12 months with a Contract not long signed that he hasnt even started yet. Well within NRL capacity to grant an exemption. When rejecting a Knights application for exemption for Ponga's short concussion break, Abdo said "The salary cap auditor has provisions within his remit to look at career-ending injuries, and also can look at long-term injuries as well," NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said. "Any type of dispensation would need to be handled case-by-case by the salary cap auditor within the rules.
@tiger5150 wasn't Cody's a non football related injury though. AD'Ss is just a normal football injury so can't see nrl giving cap relief. If he was to retire different story as Burgess and Inglis did then cap relief for sure.
Unless I am not seeing it correctly ?