2023 Recruitment & Retention Thread

Treadly said:
The other English guy (not KPP) what position was he?
Looks like the forward pack is pretty much set for next year. Not brilliant signings but decent considering our current play ability scaring off anyone better.
A half back is definitely needed. I hope we keep Milford as there's bugger all better available unless we get Munster....
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Will Pryce is a 5/8 who has also played fullback
 
Frank McWilliams said:
Too many on here talking up KPP etc as the new saviour, let’s get him first then see how he goes might be like other ESL players, not quite good enough or injured most weeks.
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I doubt many on here have seen much of the 2 imports. Probably just highlights and a game or 2 on Fox if lucky.
 
Now that Madge is gone from the Tigers Jackson Hastings would be my pick to go after for the 7.

My dream scenario would be Ben Hunt but he'd be 34 by the time we could get him.

Hastings is one of those ultimate competitors and out and out halfbacks who loves the responsibility of steering the team around. The talent surrounding him in that Tigers team at the moment is dire yet he's dragged them to some decent performances as the season has progressed. I'm fairly confident we'd be in a much better position then we are now if we'd picked him up last off-season.
 
MullosLefttoRight said:
Now that Madge is gone from the Tigers Jackson Hastings would be my pick to go after for the 7.

My dream scenario would be Ben Hunt but he'd be 34 by the time we could get him.

Hastings is one of those ultimate competitors and out and out halfbacks who loves the responsibility of steering the team around. The talent surrounding him in that Tigers team at the moment is dire yet he's dragged them to some decent performances as the season has progressed. I'm fairly confident we'd be in a much better position then we are now if we'd picked him up last off-season.
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Yeah im of the thinking that I would give 700-800 a year for him. Some might think that is too high. But he imo is the only half in the comp who fits the criteria of being controlling skillful and still a long future.
 
I'd love Hastings. He has the desire to win like Pearce. He's the only good half back that would realistically come here (unless there's a miracle). I think he's available to talk in November. If we can sign him for 24 he could get a release for next year.
Also he would look a lot better behind our pack than the Tigers.
Has the skills to get good ball to Ponga and Best.
 
This is the dream for next year, could find a winger to replace Tuala but I don’t mind.
I really rate Eliese Katoa he’s on the outer at Warriors for some reason and I doubt KPP will be NRL ready when he arrives so I just slotted Katoa in.
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Not a side that's going to finish top 4, but would be less embarassing than the current situation.

What's the plan is Brailey gets injured again. Just chuck the season in the bin like this year?
 
slotmachine said:
Ah, season in the bin it is then.
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If we were to sign someone like Hastings we're much more likely to get away with a Randall/Mann backup 9s than we were this year.

When fit Brailey has been key to directing our attack, without Brailey we need someone to step up and take some of this responsibility but Clifford/Clune haven't been able to make up the difference. With someone like Hastings that scenario becomes an entirely different story.

Randall will also be better for the run, before this season he'd played about 10 NRL games of differing minutes split between hooker and lock but now he'll be up toward the 30 game mark by the time next season kicks off.
 
ApperceptionJosh said:
Yeah im of the thinking that I would give 700-800 a year for him. Some might think that is too high. But he imo is the only half in the comp who fits the criteria of being controlling skillful and still a long future.
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Provided we have the cap I think it's getting toward that point where we need to do whatever it takes to make a signing like that happen, we've seen the transformation in the Cows and Broncs that has occured off the back of signing a decent halfback.

Cows went from Clifford to Townsend and have skyrocketed, obviously there's some factors in the frame but I don't think it's unreasonable to say that Jackson Hastings could end up being a better player than Townsend. Halfback is without a doubt the biggest hole in our roster so if we have to pay a little overs to make it happen then so be it.
 
The attractive thing with Hastings is that he has shown he's willing to sign with a joke of a club already.

I'm not sure he's as good as some think, certainly better than Brooks though.
 
Hastings is a square peg for a square hole. Every team needs that player who can steer a side around, provide direction, read and manipulate a defence and make sure you’re constantly working to the right parts of the field for your 5th tackle plays etc. This is particularly true when just running through your systems isn’t working and you need to do something different to break your opposition down. The best sides have at least one and generally multiple players who do that for you. As great as Melbourne are for example, the rare times they haven’t just flattened their opposition easily they’ve arguably looked a little lost without Cam Smith, like the prelim last year where a busted Penrith dragged them into the gutter and put them off their game. The Roosters are missing that player atm which is why they look great when they’re going well but frantic and inept when they’re not. And yeah the difference in Brisbane vs Souths after Reynolds went from the latter to the former speaks for itself.

I’d feel uncomfortable paying 7-800K for Hastings as that’s about what Reynolds is on, and Hastings isn’t as good, his skill set isn’t as well rounded. But there just aren’t 16 proper halfbacks or organising hookers running around at the moment, arguably that kind of money is fair value due to market scarcity. There are way more fast, slick guys with a nice sidestep and an ability to throw a killer pass than there are guys with a quick mind.
 
I wouldn’t not look at Hastings because we already have Brailey FWIW. I don’t think it’d be a bad thing to have two smart, calm heads out there. I reckon it likely simplifies things and makes it easier for Ponga and then whoever out of Milf/Pryce/Hodgson is in the other spot.
 
Off Contract players - Replacements or stance on signing them.
Mitchell Barnett - Adam Ellliott.
Edrick Lee - Need a replacement.
Sauaso Sue - Jack Hetherington.
Phoenix Crossland - release IMO.
Jirah Momoisea - 50/50 on this guy atm wouldn't be mad if re signed or let go.
Brayden Musgrove - release IMO.
Pasami Saulo - Mat Croker (upgraded to top 30 next season).
Anthony Milford - RE SIGN?!
 
As much as we laughed at the Cowboys for paying Townsend $800k (I think that's what he's on), the NQLD football club presumably identified what they needed and then went to market and made sure they got it. It doesn't matter that they are paying him $100k or $300k more than he's worth to most clubs, it's what he's worth to them. It's not unlike us shelling out $1million for Pearce, which was overs but it was what we needed at the time.

I'd be comfortable paying Hastings $7-800k because it's what we desperately need - it's our biggest weakness.
 
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