Wow indeed!
On Murphy, is he definitely going to the Roosters or is it just a link/has the club simply registered an interest? Roosters have signed Jaxson Paulo from Souths as a back up winger for 2023 + player option for 2024. Also signed Corey Allan from the Bulldogs for 2023, who can play wing too. He was playing for QLD as full back not too long a go. Both (relatively) young players themselves.
https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/01/01/...ates/#Roosters
We can see Suaali'i also has a player option for 2024 and Tedesco's and Manu's contract both run until end of 2024. Tedesco will be approaching 32 at this time. Suaali'i could be moved in one to centre to get closer to the ball as a compromise. Though it's clear he will soon be good enough to command a starting full back spot at one of the top teams in the competition. I just hope he stays in the sport. Manu already could of course!
If they get RTS as well...it's whether this 25% cap increase can keep them all happy!
Thanks for sharing Vinny, it's a good read! Are you tipping the Warriors to go well this year? I can only see them in the bottom 4 I'm afraid.
Last edited by Mike Stephenson; 1st February 2023 at 22:30.
*Not to be confused with Mike Stephenson, MBE
Saints looking at Brad Parker and Sione Katoa for 2024
Katoa, shown up well in quite a few games but still prone to a fair few howlers, but i'd take him over Hopoate any day. As for Parker, no thanks, just about as average as average gets. He's a consistent and solid performer but absolutely nothing special at all. Total waste of a quota spot.
Brad parker has Ryan Morgan written all over him.
Not sure from Toppy's comment we are talking a bout the same player.
There's a hooker with Canterbury and a winger from Cronulla , neither exite me.
Personally I think an overall reduction in quota spots from 7 to 4-5 would be positive.
The pandemic and hiatus re juniors justified 7 for a couple of years but 2023 into 2024 is the
time to scale that back I would argue.
Cap wise Saints can't really retain both Sironen and Matatuia with Batchelor on bigger money.
It's a duplication and a perfect chance for Ben Davies to emerge as did Batchelor himself.
In the backs one would hope that one of Sambou , Hill , Bennison and Bruine will develop futher in 2023.
For me Hurrell would go with a thank you for your service (2 really good years) and Hopaote would go as he was never
the right signing regardless of fitness.
The rejuvenation of percival and makinson moving to more of a Kevin Nagama role (play more centre but still able to play wing)
are the questions, and this may still leave a requirment to recruit externally for wither wing or centre.
However the names quoted don't jump out as ones that would fit into that jigsaw.
I'm talking about the Brad Parker who's the centre at Manly - absolutely bang average. The Ryan Morgan comparison is about right
I'm also talking about the Sione Katoa at Cronulla. He's played a lot of wing but also a few times at centre and IMO doesn't look out of place there. He's certainly big & strong enough to play centre.
Ok. I might be being rather harsh on him. He might be just the ticket. Will keep an eye on the sharks.
A general reduction in the quota with the addition of a star back like the Katoa you describe would be pretty good ,
to complement the young domestic talent coming through.
A reduction makes sense as a way to force many SL clubs to focus on their youth systems as opposed to over reliance on what in general terms are C grade overseas players. I should imagine it would also save them money paying wages as well which would be important to many clubs given the general pushback over increasing the salary cap. Whether IMG can broker / force this as opposed to Nigel and Ralph just agreeing to the majority vote (and getting paid royally for it) as happened in days of old will be interesting
Between him and Mulitalo, there's an argument that Cronulla have the best pair of wingers in the NRL. There's an argument for To'o and Taylan May, but May has only 1 full season behind him. Again, there's the Roosters with Tupou and Sua'ali'i but the latter is likely to play centre this season with one of Momorovski, Jaxson Paulo or Corey Allan to play on the wing.
Not sure on using Bronson Xerri as a reference- he's not played for about 3 years! He's serving a ban for PEDs. He was in the news the other week as he's now able to start training again. He's signed with Bulldogs for 2024 when his ban runs out.
Katoa is a good winger but I'd be surprised if Saints can get him. He's a first choice winger for the Sharks along with the Kiwi winger, Mulitalo. They've just released Lachlan Miller (a player who I championed for Saints last year) too, over to Newcastle and their other back up is Matt Ikuvalu. So what I'm saying is that Katoa will likely be a starter again this year and thus likely be re-signed. Saints would have more chance of Ikuvalu- a player who can't command a regular spot in a first choice 17. That's not to say I think Saints should go for Ikuvalu...
For me, the wingers and centres from the NRL (off contract end of 2023) that I'd be looking at are:
Jesse Arthars- Looked good from what I'd seen of him on loan at the Warriors last year. Back at Brisbane for this season, but will be back up.
Brian Kelly- always impressed me at the Titans. Exciting player. Holbrook doesn't always pick him.
Oliver Gildart- we know that at SL level and at his best, he's a good centre.
Dean Ieremia- in Melbourne's system. He's a back up winger for them. Fast and strong.
Bailey Hodgson- not see a lot of him in all honesty. Can't see him starting at the Knights and so may not be retained and might look to return to SL. More of a full back though apparently.
Tommy Talau- Big year for him returning from a serious injury and didn't play at all in 2022. Looked a good prospect in 2021.
@SaintToppy, would love to see your thoughts on these. Remember mind, the above are what i think are more realistic signings. Katoa and others like Jake Averillo and Waqa Blake etc. are other names that catch my eye on the list. Again, I think these will very likely secure another NRL deal.
Just on wingers in SL... after wondering what Catalan would do after signing Tom Johnstone, see Yaha has been ruled out for 5 months with a dislocated shoulder. So getting Johnstone could turn out to be a good decision for them, if he can stay fit of course.
Last edited by Mike Stephenson; 2nd February 2023 at 22:59.
*Not to be confused with Mike Stephenson, MBE
Couple of things on this;
Firstly, Saints recruitment has changed since Ben Barba. Whilst you deem them “realistic” they’re not likely players Saints will likely target. Saints have been going after the players who are more than good enough for the NRL, but disillusioned to what NRL life actually is. Coote and Sironen are prime examples of this, and it means that we tend to be seeing better quality NRL players joining us compared to others. Further if the 4 times champions can’t even sign a starter from a mid table like Sharks there really is no hope.
Secondly, I just can’t see us compromising on a second rate winger. If we are in for Katoa or Parker, if they don’t come off, then we continue with what we have. There’s no point signing another Ryan Morgan style player, when Bennison, Ritson or Sambou can be just as effective.
Thirdly, I just can’t see wing being a priority to use a quota spot. Centre and backrow are critical and getting them right will be far more important than a winger. Even then, we have a whole years notice so can target Davies or attempt to get Grace to return which would be just as positive, without needing a quota spot.
Thing is though, I'm not necessarily saying Saints should sign a winger. I'm actually excited to see what the new signing Ritson, can do at SL level. I've said before, I don't watch the championship and have only seen the clips of him. From the footage, he has speed which could really benefit the attack. Let's see what the rest of his game is like. I must add mind, that Saints signing a player who has never played at the top level in this country before, is an example of the challenges the club has faced in trying to replace Grace.
I'm just commenting on these new names that have been talked about on here and provided my opinion. Whilst I don't watch the championship, I do watch and follow the NRL quite a lot and so feel I can enrich the discussion. Some people on here by their own admission (yourself included if I'm not mistaken), have said that they don't follow as intently as others do. And incidentally, the poster who has said Saints are interested in Katoa and Parker, is the same poster who said Saints were in for Josh Mansour when the club had confirmed they wanted a winger when the Grace announcement came. I said at the time that this was likely because Mansour would be released by Souths and have limited opportunities to stay in the NRL. He's still unsigned as of now. *May end up signing a short-term deal as a back up at the Bulldogs according to latest rumours.
Just for accuracy too:
Sharks were actually one of the best teams in the NRL last year and finished second on the ladder.
Brad Parker primarily plays in the centres.
Coote was going to retire because he had no other NRL offers prior to Saints coming in for him.
Sironen was let go by Manly because he was never going to start above Olakau'atu and Josh Schuster, who is actually a half but played in the second row whilst they still had Foran to partner DCE.
I've already said on here myself, that I'd be monitoring how Grace goes in RU given it's only a 1 year deal.
*Not to be confused with Mike Stephenson, MBE
I agree. I would like to see far fewer Australian players over here. We seem to get the players who can’t make it over there, in the Uk not necessarily at Saints, which is understandable given the massive salary difference. I would prefer to see all our top teams bring on homegrown talent. For instance I can’t see us needing a second string Aussie for the foreseeable future. Bring over quality players who are disillusioned with the Australian competition is another matter. Losing top home grown players is depressing but inevitable to a degree so the more we bring on the greater proportion we get to keep for longer. I expect to lose Dodds and Welsby in the near future
Thanks for sharing Vinny, it's a good read! Are you tipping the Warriors to go well this year? I can only see them in the bottom 4 I'm afraid.[/QUOTE]
Ha ha being an NZ Warrior fan has shades of another certain club, " this is going to be our year".
I'm hoping they can actually start playing like a team, instead of hoping a superstar will save them.
Jackson Hastings tweeted earlier in the week that the minimum wage in the NRL is 150K Aus$. That's around £86K so it's easy to see why young players are tempted to "give it a go" over there. The minimum over here I believe is
£15K - £20K
It is indeed, however their minimum does only apply to their 'top 30' players and the cost of living differences would push that figure down to a relative £75k ish
Having said that there will be many many Super League players with squad numbers 30 and below that earn less than £75k and this is the area we will really struggle to keep talented young players in. It's not going to be a mass exodus of star players I wouldn't think, more young players that have the potential to become star players.
If I was on 15k a year I'd be off like a shot for 75k a year!
Learned comment from The Don
The smart move for a British Club would be hook up with the NRL or an NRL Club and get some
money to act as an incubator or have a twining agreement.
Yes you lose some players but you get money to generate more players through
your system and some secondments back from the NRL.
The NRL club gets access and preference. Its an exchange.
Plus you make your own Academy more attractive domestically.
As it stands academy players have a tarriff on them if they move to another RL club.
If they go to RU or NRL there is no fee due to the club.
So its not something that you can really ignore or legislate for in english RL.
Not for me, it would make Super League clubs near subservient to NRL clubs officially. Super League clubs would become little more than feeder clubs for NRL clubs, at least the way it is now you have some ability to keep your top homegrown talent. I also dont think you will get much of a talent exchange either, young players near the NRL clubs squad would more than likely rather stay nearby in case of a call up so would end up playing in the NSW cup rather than coming here for a year.
That's a good point.
Might not be value in it for Saints but other clubs particualrly one who have tried to recoup money on youngsters only to find they just go to the nrl instead.
Other SL have been interested in them but the cost puts them off. eg Ebon Scurr (not gone to NRL but point remains) and a couple from Wakey.
Its like transfer fees and Bosman , there is now no way of selling on.
Wasn't just thinking of just young players in return either
Was thinking old older of contracted players who clubs don't wont playing for another NRL club (like the Jamie Lyon situation).
However you main concern is a really powerful counter argument.