2026 Recruitment And Retention

I reckon a player being on the nose when they leave doesn't tell you how they'll go at their next club. These things often end on bad terms. But the situation with Sandon is that he doesn't think he should have to wait behind DCE for a year (or two), he thinks he should be in first grade every week, and if they didn't chase DCE he would have stayed... but also the team went pretty well this year with him a big part of that, and there was no feeling he was taking the **** I guess. Doesn't appear to be any bad blood and I do feel like it's a good sign that a lot of the fans clearly wanted them to just stick with the young guys they've developed rather than chase a guy of DCE's pedigree.

On the flip side, he's a very long term product of their pathways and fans get attached to those guys, so it's not a totally objective belief that they might have in him.

I don't know, I just found it to be an interestingly heartfelt tribute to a guy who was the back-up half most of the time he was there and has played almost as much NSW Cup as first grade - with about 40% of his first grade games as 20 minute cameos at hooker. And a notably big reaction to a guy like that leaving, you'd think it was us giving Fletcher Sharpe permission to move on.
 
Grandpa Joe said:
Danny Levi and Albert Hopoate both not signed by raiders for 2026, Should offer train and trial deals if they can't get a gig elsewhere, both handy backups.
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Not sure about our train and trial deals but I’d sign Levi to one and I’ll give a full deal to Hopoate if we get rid of McCarthy.

All this depends on our top 30 spots and train and trial spots, I have zero clue how they are going
 
I can see a scenario where KP leaves and we go all in on Tino and Fifita. Cos it is no secret both rate Holbrook highly and almost left the Titans cos of his sacking. Would have to drop their prices but sometimes in this world you never know. that will be 1.5 million dollars we have to spend. Some say Fifita is closer to 500-600 k at present. Tino about 900k-1 million at most cos of his injury history.
The club has positioned itself nicely to move on from KP at any given moment now. And personally i think Andre knows it. If Brown and Smith catch fire as a half combo, Kalyn's value here basically becomes fit in or perish. Sharpe is treading water until the FB position he covets becomes his. Brown will be wanting to make this team his own.
 
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Seth Gecko said:
Brown will be wanting to make this team his own.
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Brown isnt that guy imo, he doesnt have the mentality to command a team the way Ponga or even Sandon Smith do. Smith will, from day one, attempt to dominate this team and his desire to do so won't wane over time.

I expect Brown to have a go and I reckon he'll do a proper job for us, but I also reckon we'll see his desire to command the ball soften over the year. Simply because he just isnt a high involvement player.
 
That is the common thread of belief around Brown. If he plays 6 then he will kill it. We have time on our side for once to figure out how they all fit together. Brown, Smith and Sharpe all being on long term deals is an incredible migraine to have.
 
Tino is going to get offered in excess of $1.5 million a season by the Bears so any offer we made would have to at least be competitive with that.

Way too much but there’s been a lot of chat about how the Bears think the Dolphins blew it by not just doing whatever it takes to get a marquee name in. The theory is that getting Tino - no matter the cost - means others follow.*

Which means the club would need to get ducks in a row very quickly. If there’s no real smoke about Kalyn leaving, it’s probably because both he and the club thinks it’s smarter for him to just stay.


*I don’t think they’re “wrong” per se, but I think they’re looking to overpay the wrong guy - if it was me, I would be seeing how Harry Grant reacts to an offer of over $2 million, rather than Tino for $1.5… especially if Harry get that premiership ring next weekend.
 
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Seth Gecko said:
I can see a scenario where KP leaves and we go all in on Tino and Fifita. Cos it is no secret both rate Holbrook highly and almost left the Titans cos of his sacking. Would have to drop their prices but sometimes in this world you never know. that will be 1.5 million dollars we have to spend. Some say Fifita is closer to 500-600 k at present. Tino about 900k-1 million at most cos of his injury history.
The club has positioned itself nicely to move on from KP at any given moment now. And personally i think Andre knows it. If Brown and Smith catch fire as a half combo, Kalyn's value here basically becomes fit in or perish. Sharpe is treading water until the FB position he covets becomes his. Brown will be wanting to make this team his own.
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If we let go of KP to sign Fifita, I'll hand my membership in
 
Melbourne have proven you don’t need to pay big money for Props and forwards for that matter. Let’s hope Trey, Saulo, and one of the young guys steps up for us. KP catch’s fire again. And Sharpe keeps killing it on the wing or centre or 5/8. I have trust Holbrook will make the right spine call.

As Joey pointed out, work it out quickly and stick with it. They need to do the reps.
 
We’ve already spent years overpaying back rowers at the expense of spine players, no thanks. And I actually do like Fifita but we’ve more important areas to address.

I don’t think the Dolphins blew
It by not getting a marquee, I think they’ve done pretty well, all things considered.

Perth are in a worse postion than Dolphins I think simply due to location. Dolphins can just grab Broncos players without them leaving their house. They ended up with a bunch of top line talent anyway. Herbie, Hammer, Katoa, and Flegler who hasn’t even played yet.

Perth on the other hand, need to get players to move to the other side of the country, away from everyone they know and do a heap of travel year.
 
frankLauda said:
Melbourne have proven you don’t need to pay big money for Props and forwards for that matter. Let’s hope Trey, Saulo, and one of the young guys steps up for us. KP catch’s fire again. And Sharpe keeps killing it on the wing or centre or 5/8. I have trust Holbrook will make the right spine call.

As Joey pointed out, work it out quickly and stick with it. They need to do the reps.
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They are paying big money for Stefano and NAS though because they haven’t been as successful as say the Roosters in developing gun forwards in depth.

But Harry Grant elevates crap forwards into okay ones, okay ones into good ones, and good forwards into match winners.

Which is why if I was recruiting for the Bears I’d get him at any cost and then sniff around forwards where I think you might be able to get them for a good contract they end up outplaying as they develop and improve, eg: Mariota, Neame, Jack Todd, Harry Hayes, Hohepa Puru, etc.

Would only think about Tino if it turns out you can’t get Harry by just being willing to say a bigger number than anyone else.
 
Newygirl said:
We’ve already spent years overpaying back rowers at the expense of spine players, no thanks. And I actually do like Fifita but we’ve more important areas to address.

I don’t think the Dolphins blew
It by not getting a marquee, I think they’ve done pretty well, all things considered.

Perth are in a worse postion than Dolphins I think simply due to location. Dolphins can just grab Broncos players without them leaving their house. They ended up with a bunch of top line talent anyway. Herbie, Hammer, Katoa, and Flegler who hasn’t even played yet.

Perth on the other hand, need to get players to move to the other side of the country, away from everyone they know and do a heap of travel year.
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Yeah the Phins ended up doing great, they just got bad press from signing older “culture setters” early on. The Bears sound very concerned about the bad PR.

Which to me is already a sign they’re not going to be good.
 
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