2024 Recruitment and Retention Thread - Rebuild 2: This Time It’ll Work For Sure (Unironically)

I noticed at halftime of the England v Greece game KPP and Dom sitting next to each other really chatty and friendly. Hopefully all the English recruits coming will help sway his decision to stay with us. We might have to pay slight overs to keep him though? With reports Melbourne and Dolphins chasing him. What are we paying for a top line winger? I think we might need to pay $500 for him, 3 year deal.
i think we will need to pay a bit on potential as he isn't a finished product yet, but he could be one of the best wingers in the game in 2 years time. I think for a winger you'd want him at about $400 - $450
 

Article on Dom Young.
Doesn't really add much.
O'Brien says we want Dom and Dom wants to stay, but goes on to say he's an ambitious young guy who is nowhere near his ceiling yet, so we'll have to make a good offer.
He talks about Hodgson and McDermott being here and says the two English recruits will be here in 2024 - I hope that doesn't mean he is resigned to not getting them earlier.
 

Article on Dom Young.
Doesn't really add much.
O'Brien says we want Dom and Dom wants to stay, but goes on to say he's an ambitious young guy who is nowhere near his ceiling yet, so we'll have to make a good offer.
He talks about Hodgson and McDermott being here and says the two English recruits will be here in 2024 - I hope that doesn't mean he is resigned to not getting them earlier.
Think it does that was the mail from the start
 
The club seems adiment to move Ponga to 6.
Here are some fullbacks or potential fullbacks on the off contract list,
Latrell
Will Kennedy
Stephen Crichton
Joseph Sualii (PO)
Nick Meaney
Kaeo Weekes (supposed to be a young gun)
Herbie Farnworth
Jake Averillo
Daine Laurie
Correy Allan
Tesi Niu
 
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We should use Frizells money and sign Radley for 2024 and beyond. Radley is only on 500k and Frizell is on 700k, we could easily pay Radley 600k and outbid the salary sombrero roosters.
 
We should use Frizells money and sign Radley for 2024 and beyond. Radley is only on 500k and Frizell is on 700k, we could easily pay Radley 600k and outbid the salary sombrero roosters.
I like Radley but It would probably cost us $800k to get him here.
And them we've probably got another Klem/Frizz situation. When we should be spending big on a fullback.
 
We should use Frizells money and sign Radley for 2024 and beyond. Radley is only on 500k and Frizell is on 700k, we could easily pay Radley 600k and outbid the salary sombrero roosters.
he is a good player, but he gets suspended way too much as it is and that's for the Roosters mind you.

He'd barely be on the field for us and we already have enough players we struggle to keep on the field
 
The club seems adiment to move Ponga to 6.
Here are some fullbacks or potential fullbacks on the off contract list,
Latrell
Will Kennedy
Stephen Crichton
Joseph Sualii (PO)
Nick Meaney
Kaeo Weekes (supposed to be a young gun)
Herbie Farnworth
Jake Averillo
Daine Laurie
Correy Allan
Tesi Niu
Does anyone know if Farnworth can play fullback.

Didn't we try to sign Farnworth last season?
 
If we get Hastings we have two no nonsense, safe leaders in Brailey and Hastings. We have Ponga with his flashy brilliance.
We need to go big on a fullback. If we got Suaalii, that's a young spine that you could keep together for 5 years and build towards a premiership.
 
… because 2023 is basically a write off already…

Here’s a team you can make out of the players currently contracted for 2024 or who are all but sewn up:

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Dane Gagai
3. Krystian Mapapalangi
4. Bradman Best
5. Dominic Young*
6. Will Pryce*
7.

13. Leo Thompson
12. Adam Elliott
11. Kai Pearce-Paul*
10. Daniel Saifiti
9. Jayden Brailey
8. Jacob Saifiti

14. Simi Sasagi
15. Jack Hetherington
16. Mat Croker
17.

*Extension/contract basically done but not yet announced.

Here’s the master list of players off contract that year. It doesn’t include players with optional years, to the best of my knowledge the notable players who have options for 2024 are Jack Wighton and Mitchell Moses.


Notable juniors currently in the system who may be in line for first grade in 2024:

Chris Vealia (outside back, development player)
Max Bradbury, Paul Bryan (props), Oryn Keeley, Edward Hampson (second row) - u19’s Origin reps.


There ya go boys fix her up. I’m gonna go get another drink.

Updated:

1. Will Pryce*
2. Dane Gagai
3. Krystian Mapapalangi
4. Bradman Best
5. Dom Young*
6. Kalyn Ponga
7. Jackson Hastings

13. Adam Elliott
12. (Oryn Keeley?)
11. Kai Pearce-Paul*
10. Daniel Saifiti
9. Jayden Brailey
8. Jacob Saifiti

14. Tyson Gamble/Simi Sasagi/Phoenix Crossland
15. Jack Hetherington
16. Mat Croker
17. Leo Thompson
 
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Out of below list. Keeps are - Clune (depth) Hodgson & Dom Young.

That leaves us having to promote juniors for back row pos and sign a couple big names, (Nanai, Martin)

FR wise i'd love Leniu or even a Sipley from Manly to complement the twins.

Backline wise, wingers can be covered by the likes of Ethan Ferguson, Veaila.
Centre, Lucas, Maps, Best, KPP

FB will be between Smith and Hodgson, potentially Miller. I'm not sure its smart to go for a Crighton or Herbie or Soni Luke

former 3 should be good enough + Fletcher and Armstrong, if developing at the rate they seem to should be our futures.

After that, still need to focus on developing halves. Sutton and Henderson seem to be flegg halves, currently

2023.jpg
 
I'm not sure I agree re: Clune... if KP does move to the halves that means we've got KP, Hastings, Gamble, Pryce & Crossland on the books covering those positions.

I do think we should keep Hodgson, little risk, potentially big reward, and Dom should be the #1 retention priority of course.

Nanai would be amazing obviously but I reckon he'll be getting offers in excess of $800K, may be a case of thrice bitten finally shy on dropping that kind of cash on a forward at this club by then, even one as gifted as Jeremiah is.

A player I'd be interested in out of the back rowers available for 2024 is Egan Butcher. I think at a different club he'd be a regular starter on an edge. I think he's gonna be a good first grader for a long time.

Out of props, Leniu is the obvious one. I absolutely think in a few years he could be one of the best props in the game, it's just at Penrith their starting middles have such huge motors that he just gets used as an impact player. All I've heard about him rumour-wise that he knocked back Wests (which is why they came for Klemmer) and there's talk he may extend with Penrith, who obviously wouldn't have much room in the cap for him. Definitely worth looking at, I think he's the kind of guy you could overpay a bit relative to what he's done in the game so far but end up with a bargain.

Wouldn't touch Liam Martin with a 40 foot pole. Incredibly mediocre player who doesn't even look *that* good in the best team of the NRL era, he's just carved out an identity of a lunchpail-carrying hard worker, because he's white, even though the work rate and effort of the black forwards in his team is even better. Someone is absolutely going to drop over a half million on him and it better not be us.
 
I think Nanai be worth it, but his price will be astronomical for sure. Butcher is a cenny coast lad isn't he? great mates with twins and co from memory. Good choice as what I've seen he's been impressive
If not Nanai on $$ and Martin being overhyped.
I present Keena Palasia, Scotty Sorensen, Bryce Cartwright (not my fav option, bu great ball play) Mitch Dunn, Bayley Sironen.

There the backrowers off contract for 2024. I'd like Dunn or Palasia. Have feeling Keeley could have a huge year and be in regular rotation at Fitzy's expense.

All of this and I have no idea about England backrowers. With Mcdermott and co, could be a good connection there
 
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