About time we had some signings let’s just hope they are good for us.
https://twitter.com/foxnrl/status/1681592673642201089?s=61&t=8x_8jBJIy6X-fDEnLK1rXw
Negative points for quoting NRL 360, but Braith's comments go back to what a lot of other fans have said about "didn't have a stand-out Origin".
Is anyone truly proposing that you judge a player based on one match, and that great / decent / poor form in a rep game is indicative of what is to come in a career? They got selected for rep honours because of the output over their whole junior career. The NSW selectors are saying that those were the best U19s they think we have going around. The wraps on Latu Fainu didn't come from one Origin match, they've been around for several years as he's played through the grades and other rep sides.
You choose the wrong Luke Brooks game to watch and you could think he's a genius career-long top-level footballer.
@jirskyr Braith is so transparent, defends the Roosters and Dogs to the hilt and rubbishes the Tigers every chance he gets...the rest are not much better. Seems that every top player potentially on the market would be an awesome fit at the bulldogs...Payne Haas, Ben Hunt etc... however just smirks when anyone mentions the Tigers landing a decent player, unless its Munster and he uses tigers to pump up his contract offer from the Storm.
A great example of the ridiculous conflict of interest that permeates that show
The beleaguered Wests Tigers have landed a signing coup by securing highly sought after teenagers Latu and Samuela Fainu on long term deals.
This masthead can confirm the brothers will leave the Manly Sea Eagles to link-up with the Tigers from 2024 on four year deals, respectively.
Both deals will see the brothers join the Tigers top 30 roster.
The Dolphins had also tabled Latu, 18, and Samuela, 19, an offer but it’s understood the brothers preferred to stay in Sydney.
The signature of Latu, a skilful five-eighth, will help solve one piece of the Tigers’ halves puzzle for 2024.
The Tigers are scrambling to shore up their halves stocks after halfback Luke Brooks agreed to join the Sea Eagles, having spent 11 seasons at Concord.
Five-eighth Adam Doueihi is expected to miss the bulk of next year as he recovers from a third ACL injury. While Brandon Wakeham remains unsigned for 2024.
The club will now turn its attention to securing a halfback and former Canberra no.7 Aidan Sezer is high on the priority list.
Assistant coach Benji Marshall has been given the all clear to sign Sezer after initially disagreeing with new recruitment boss Scott Fulton over the move.
Crown Sports director Mario Tartak, who manages the Fainu brothers, told this masthead that Fulton’s relationship with the youngsters, who he first met while at Manly, played a key role in luring Latu and Samuela to Concord.
“The relationship they have with Scott Fulton played a big part. Scott has known Latu since he was eight years old, and Samuela since he was nine years old,” Tartak said.
Marshall’s career as an NRL playmaker spanned almost two decades, where he played 346 games. The head coach in waiting will use that experience to provide Latu specialist one-on-one training to prepare him for round one in 2024.
“Benji has promised to have the best coaching structure the Tigers have ever had moving forward under his regime. He’s taken a massive interest in the brothers from the moment he met them. Benji came into the NRL as a teenager, and he can see a bit of himself in Latu and believes in his ability,” Tartak said.
Despite facing back-to-back wooden spoons, calls for CEO Justin Pascoe to resign and uncertainty in the coach’s box, Tartak is confident the club will turn a corner.
“The board, coach and recruitment boss believe and back these boys and will invest in them to ensure they go to the next level in their playing careers. But have also promised to look after their family second to none,” Tartak said.
Fresh from representing NSW in the under 19’s Origin, Latu and prop Samuela will join older brother Sione, 22, at the Tigers.
Latu had previously signed the richest deal by a rookie yet to play a single NRL match in a bid to keep him on the northern beaches.
The brothers also met with Canterbury’s head of football Phil Gould on Wednesday morning.
But it’s understood the meeting was nothing more than a catch-up, and that no formal offers or deals have been made by the Bulldogs.
Gould has taken an interest in the youngsters over the course of their development through the junior grades.
Earlier this week, Gould confirmed he had even visited Manase Fainu, the oldest of the four brothers, in prison.
A promising hooker, Manase was jailed in 2022 after he was found guilty in relation to a stabbing at a Mormon church back in 2019.
There is an agenda against Tigers and its beyond obvious now.
If these 2 Fainu Brothers signed for Roosters, Souths or Dogs it would be a high 5 feast on the show and that's how good runs clubs do it.. But it was us so they complain that it was for 4 years even though Bennett himself offered them a 4-year deal but hey nothing to see here.
They are clowns
@jirskyr yea but generally speaking I agree with braith about the fainus . I’ve watched a couple of games of thiers and I’m seriously like , yes they’re pretty good. But to be fair I thought Ponga was pretty good . I didn’t see the “generational talent” for a long time . And I’m still wondering is that guy really the guy who should be paid the most . So you know that’s where the issue lies . Which is what braith is talking about .
And I think hoopers main target with all this was Pascoe . Everything he said was leading to a shot at Pascoe . That was his target .
man’s to be honest it’s just about everyone’s target not named jirskyer
how do you know Sezar can't do a job for a year, you don't, you are just speculating, with Brooks I am not speculating, he was in the team for 10 years
Agreed, Sadly the WT x Luke Brooks sample size of results (or lack of) is large.
New halves combination may fail, but they may also succeed.
The known (Luke) is moving on, Bring On the unknown (Latu, insert names here).
The most important next signing is the seasoned 7. We have an experienced prop, hooker and both 2RF.
we have what looks like a generational fullback, we look like we have a long term replacement at 9 and we have a couple of young props who have transitioned well to NRL and who will have long careers (Stef/pole).
in the lower grades we seem to have some likely talent in the back row and at 6 but they are a few years away.
the Samuela we have added some more strength to our young prop rotation and we are obviously pencilling in Latu into one of the halves positions.
What we massively lack is a 7 who can absorb the pressure of being the Wests Tigers key playmaker and allow time for Latu and the kids coming through to ease their way into first grade so that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the Brooks/Moses years. I don’t know who that 7 is, I’m a little worried about Sezer but the cupboard is extremely bare and we are a very unattractive proposition for quality halfbacks.
I am relieved by the Fainu signings and i am intrigued at their connection to Feledy/TDS and all the other kids from Wests. If it works it will be an incredible story.
@grovetiger I agree and really hope the young fella makes the grade but as a worn out Tiger supporter the word potential has worn it’s welcome out ! Fingers crossed and will take a bigger interest in the name .
Rumour Charlie Stains off to Parramatta immediately would rather keep and off load Nofo
Rumour Charlie Stains off to Parramatta immediately would rather keep and off load Nofo
I thought Staines was playing well before his injury. Was hoping we’d retain him.
@avocadoontoast it’s apparently an anonymous post in the SEN chat link . So probably not true
