Payne haas and T May in the front row....wonder if Daley will be watching.
Yes, I agree and it appears Benji is placing a lot more value on this area of our game & squad. It’s interesting that Ryles is going with a much more mobile pack now and seems to have released players who may not have fit what he wants. Dogs of course have already gone that way. Bellamy I think also has moved in that direction to some extent, dropping NAS at times so he’d increase his fitness & output, moving Loiero to 13 etc. Broncos have a pretty fit & mobile pack. I think Twal & May are mobile enough & can knock out some good minutes but the others might need to improve a bit in terms of quality in longer minutes. Perhaps by moving Latu or AD to 13 we will create a bit more speed & mobility in the middle or edge of ruck. To win premierships really need to create some up tempo footy over long periods of the game attack & defence. Need to players who are capable of doing that. Eels showed glimpses late in the season.Fitness was better in 2025, aided by the boot camp in preseason. But while we were definitely fitter, you could see several teams who were fitter than us on aggregate and i thought we needed to get to the next level in order to compete for longer, especially the last weeks of the comp where we were dropping our bundle in the last 20 mins. Benji said to Terrel in his recent vlog to expect a flogging this off season, so sounds like it's an area identified and our next stage of maturity as a professional footy side.
The issue with May, Twal & Lat/AD as your middles isn’t mobility it’s what Joel is always concerned with, physicality. A guy like Kamakamica could help to some degree otherwise you’ve got to have a crack at a Tino or Haas but chances of getting them are slim. Who else could we look at who could cover all the attributes needed or, at least, come close?Yes, I agree and it appears Benji is placing a lot more value on this area of our game & squad. It’s interesting that Ryles is going with a much more mobile pack now and seems to have released players who may not have fit what he wants. Dogs of course have already gone that way. Bellamy I think also has moved in that direction to some extent, dropping NAS at times so he’d increase his fitness & output, moving Loiero to 13 etc. Broncos have a pretty fit & mobile pack. I think Twal & May are mobile enough & can knock out some good minutes but the others might need to improve a bit in terms of quality in longer minutes. Perhaps by moving Latu or AD to 13 we will create a bit more speed & mobility in the middle or edge of ruck. To win premierships really need to create some up tempo footy over long periods of the game attack & defence. Need to players who are capable of doing that. Eels showed glimpses late in the season.Fitness was better in 2025, aided by the boot camp in preseason. But while we were definitely fitter, you could see several teams who were fitter than us on aggregate and i thought we needed to get to the next level in order to compete for longer, especially the last weeks of the comp where we were dropping our bundle in the last 20 mins. Benji said to Terrel in his recent vlog to expect a flogging this off season, so sounds like it's an area identified and our next stage of maturity as a professional footy side.
@russtutty63 Not really suggesting names here but if as you say The Dogs, Broncos and Storm have all bought into and developed this speed and mobility that we seek then surely we need to be looking at players from their pools. I know Kamikamika is getting older but he was strong in the GF and played good minutes through the whole finals series. Reportedly Souths are talking to him so with other interest he wont come cheaply but maybe worth a conversation and to start that before the Pacific Cup where he attract even more attention.
He seems a guy who could help our club in terms of physicality, carries the ball well & generally finds his front. Would add plenty experience etc. Will be keen to see how he performs for Fiji, he was very good last year for them but opposition not too strong. I do have to wonder if the Storm will release NAS & keep Kamikamica, hard to tell. The game is definitely moving away from the bigger, less mobile guys but they do still have a role especially in stronger rosters as they can be compensated for by fitter, more mobile middles who play good minutes. But if they lack discipline they become more of a liability. The Storm have a few very good young middles nearing NRL level so they do have plenty of choice & some decisions to make.@russtutty63 Not really suggesting names here but if as you say The Dogs, Broncos and Storm have all bought into and developed this speed and mobility that we seek then surely we need to be looking at players from their pools. I know Kamikamika is getting older but he was strong in the GF and played good minutes through the whole finals series. Reportedly Souths are talking to him so with other interest he wont come cheaply but maybe worth a conversation and to start that before the Pacific Cup where he attract even more attention.
I think a player who could also be worth looking at is Josh Curran who is off contract 2027. Plenty of mobility & can play a 13 role or bench middle, very mobile and would turn 28 in 2027 and 150 games by then so plenty experience. He’d also come from a system where fitness & effort is very much prioritised. Adam Elliot might also be another to look at for the short term. I think Curran would be a more suitable target.
In regards to Curran I think it’s interesting that players like Loiero, Mitch Barnett & Keaon Koloamatangi all played most of their careers in the 2nd row but last year (Keaon) all played middle and were very, very good. Other players like Carrigan & Hopgood switched from 13 to prop to accommodate more mobility in their packs. Isaiah Papali’i seems to be just as suited to a bench middle as much as an edge these days. So it seems to me there is clear evidence that teams are looking for greater mobility in their packs because the speed of the game has increased. It remains to be seen if Koloamatangi & Hopgood will remain in the middle, we’ll see but it certainly wouldn’t surprise. Curran is another, to me anyway, who could go that way as well or, at very least, provide that option.I think a player who could also be worth looking at is Josh Curran who is off contract 2027. Plenty of mobility & can play a 13 role or bench middle, very mobile and would turn 28 in 2027 and 150 games by then so plenty experience. He’d also come from a system where fitness & effort is very much prioritised. Adam Elliot might also be another to look at for the short term. I think Curran would be a more suitable target.
@russtutty63, what's your thoughts on Alex Twal in regard to this?So it seems to me there is clear evidence that teams are looking for greater mobility in their packs because the speed of the game has increased.
@russtutty63, what's your thoughts on Alex Twal in regard to this?So it seems to me there is clear evidence that teams are looking for greater mobility in their packs because the speed of the game has increased.
[/quote. He can get through good minutes but his speed is questionable. He also lacks the late footwork of some e.g. Sione but is extremely fit it seems. He’s also very experienced & dependable but he might be more suited to the bench imo. I would prefer a more mobile 13.
A tough preseason should certainly set the tone, and I often think that fitness management during the season is just as important to keep the players match fit but not burning out.I popped over to Mounties in Sunday as Api was guest speaker for the GF there. I managed to have a good chat with him before he spoke on stage. I asked him why the Panthers were so successful, I suspected it to be because of leadership & a great 7 and the confidence in their roles etc. Api responded by saying it was because of the fitness of the team and the style of game. He mentioned transition and how they put a lot of effort into the transition moments e.g. kick chase and when receiving the ball from a long kick having players back quickly to be in position to make the carries. There are also those moments after a mistake from the opposition being able to take advantage quickly etc. But the point was to have players fit enough, mobile enough to do all this. He emphasised that the speed of the game has made this so important. It seems an obvious point to make but still worth sharing when hearing it from someone like Api. Watching the Grand Final on Sunday simply confirmed his view as the game was so fast and intense.
My question is how do you think the Tigers stack up in this regard, fitness, mobility & speed? And who currently off contract or off contract next season do you think could help improve these areas at the Tigers?
Then further to this are attitude and application, seems for many players it's a lot easier to find something extra in a winning side than in a losing side.
Attitude and application is more about having the right leadership group at your club. Players who will lead the way and bring others with them, hold each other accountable. And those guys have to have the respect of the group and I’m sure we have a few at the club now. I’d like one more big name who could add to that group but we’ll see how it goes.A tough preseason should certainly set the tone, and I often think that fitness management during the season is just as important to keep the players match fit but not burning out.I popped over to Mounties in Sunday as Api was guest speaker for the GF there. I managed to have a good chat with him before he spoke on stage. I asked him why the Panthers were so successful, I suspected it to be because of leadership & a great 7 and the confidence in their roles etc. Api responded by saying it was because of the fitness of the team and the style of game. He mentioned transition and how they put a lot of effort into the transition moments e.g. kick chase and when receiving the ball from a long kick having players back quickly to be in position to make the carries. There are also those moments after a mistake from the opposition being able to take advantage quickly etc. But the point was to have players fit enough, mobile enough to do all this. He emphasised that the speed of the game has made this so important. It seems an obvious point to make but still worth sharing when hearing it from someone like Api. Watching the Grand Final on Sunday simply confirmed his view as the game was so fast and intense.
My question is how do you think the Tigers stack up in this regard, fitness, mobility & speed? And who currently off contract or off contract next season do you think could help improve these areas at the Tigers?
Then further to this are attitude and application, seems for many players it's a lot easier to find something extra in a winning side than in a losing side.
So, what do we think about this?
1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. To’a
4. May
5. Makasini
6. Luai
7. Doueihi (Latu recovering)
13. Twal
12. KPP
11. Samuela
10. May
9. Api
8. Sione
14. Hunt
15. Afoa
16. Pole
17. Andrews/Madden
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Pretty good Joel. Plenty impact off the bench, not a lot to start. Not sure if Masi or Jeral gets that wing spot, prefer Jeral as of right now given he’s also on the improve and is a tough runner of the ball. Would be keen to see Masi play centre some more in Cup with better players next year. I’m sure opportunities will come. And Latu on bench could play 13 mostly as he did this season quite well or fill in for Api if needs a rest sometimes. I think Latu provides some a real point of difference once he comes on. And at this stage I prefer AD’s kicking & experience but it’s a bit of a coin toss once Latu has a few games under his belt again. I guess there’ll be options there for Benji & he’ll need them if we have a few more injury issues than we did this year. But it’s looking like we’ll have a bit more depth.So, what do we think about this?
1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. To’a
4. May
5. Makasini
6. Luai
7. Doueihi (Latu recovering)
13. Twal
12. KPP
11. Samuela
10. May
9. Api
8. Sione
14. Hunt
15. Afoa
16. Pole
17. Andrews/Madden
I also think one of Seyfarth or Geyer could take a bench spot to play some middle & cover edge if needed. Maybe one of Hunt, Afoa or Pole missing out. Might help early season when conditions are tough.So, what do we think about this?
1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. To’a
4. May
5. Makasini
6. Luai
7. Doueihi (Latu recovering)
13. Twal
12. KPP
11. Samuela
10. May
9. Api
8. Sione
14. Hunt
15. Afoa
16. Pole
17. Andrews/Madden
