Recruitment and Retention for 2027

[mr_c]

connie staying to i been told

 

[SwoopAE]

Could that mean if we lose one or both of Herbie and Bostock that pouniu could end up in the centres instead of second row? Or one of lemuelu or finefuiaki transitioning to bring a middle forward?

 

[mr_c]

Could that mean if we lose one or both of Herbie and Bostock that pouniu could end up in the centres instead of second row? Or one of lemuelu or finefuiaki transitioning to bring a middle forward?

got anderson.

 

[257Matt]

Could that mean if we lose one or both of Herbie and Bostock that pouniu could end up in the centres instead of second row? Or one of lemuelu or finefuiaki transitioning to bring a middle forward?

Woolf used Finefeuiaki in the middle for a while last Friday. I think that's the more likely destination.

Pouniu is a stop gap centre but will be a gun top notch second-rower.

The elephant in the room for 2027 is who are the best two players out of Donoghoe, Knowles, Plath and Williams and the answer is the two lowest paid ones.

 

[SwoopAE]

got anderson.

Absolutely no guarantee he becomes a starter though at this point hopefully he does but I'm considering him a depth signing not a starter he's 24 and has no nrl experience he isn't a 20-21 year old prospect the only NRL starting centre I can think of who hadn't landed a starting role by 24 is Iro

 

[SwoopAE]

Woolf used Finefeuiaki in the middle for a while last Friday. I think that's the more likely destination.

Pouniu is a stop gap centre but will be a gun top notch second-rower.

The elephant in the room for 2027 is who are the best two players out of Donoghoe, Knowles, Plath and Williams and the answer is the two lowest paid ones.

Williams isn't a forward it's an entirely different role whether he gets re signed on a short term basis or not entirely depends on how he performs in 2027. If he sucks we don't re sign him and if he performs well and his body is holding up well presumably we re sign him on a one or two year deal, it'll entirely depends on his performance this season we can't make any specific plans there yet.

But yeah I think we are all in unanimous agreement that unless Knowles improves a lot in 2027 he shouldn't get re signed and that we are upgrading all three of Katoa, Donoghoe and Plath next season if we can as they're all key players to the side

And yeah if Lemuelu is re signing it feels like it makes a lot of sense to repurpose one of Lemuelu or Finefuiaki into the middle to allow Pouniu to start in the second row and that helps fill an area we aren't quite as strong as the rest of the roster in the middle.

 

[257Matt]

Absolutely no guarantee he becomes a starter though at this point hopefully he does but I'm considering him a depth signing not a starter he's 24 and has no nrl experience he isn't a 20-21 year old prospect the only NRL starting centre I can think of who hadn't landed a starting role by 24 is Iro

I like Kain Anderson as he's a Butcher Boy but you're right the reality is that he's 24 and only played 1 game when 11 players were out. Pouniu has played more NRL and he's only 18.

Fuller will be used at centre before Anderson and Nonu is ahead of Anderson.

 

[Liverbird with Phins up]

Williams isn't a forward it's an entirely different role whether he gets re signed on a short term basis or not entirely depends on how he performs in 2027. If he sucks we don't re sign him and if he performs well and his body is holding up well presumably we re sign him on a one or two year deal, it'll entirely depends on his performance this season we can't make any specific plans there yet.

But yeah I think we are all in unanimous agreement that unless Knowles improves a lot in 2027 he shouldn't get re signed and that we are upgrading all three of Katoa, Donoghoe and Plath next season if we can as they're all key players to the side

And yeah if Lemuelu is re signing it feels like it makes a lot of sense to repurpose one of Lemuelu or Finefuiaki into the middle to allow Pouniu to start in the second row and that helps fill an area we aren't quite as strong as the rest of the roster in the middle.

If the past is the best indicator of the future, Williams will be 33 then. We let Kodi go (he was 32), I doubt we hold on to Williams.

That being said, and a reminder I hate the signing, everything I have listened to gives me hope that WIlliams may prove me wrong.

 

[SwoopAE]

I would expect it would be one year deals for Williams every season if he plays more than the two seasons with us, or if it's a two year deal it would be on reduced money due to age even if he's playing well.

I'm happy with the signing still, Kodi's 2026 was still a huge outlier by the standards of his career as a whole in that he plays substantially better than average and while i'd have been fine with keeping him I think there is a legitimate chance Williams turns out to be an upgrade on what we would have got out of Kodi. Obviously with hindsight with how well Kodi continued to play as 2026 went on keeping him would have been fine too but the deal was done and I trust Woolf's judgement and I also think Williams is probably being pretty substantially underrated by our fanbase.

With regards to 2029 onwards, Karl Oloapu is only 21 if he can get a couple good seasons of reserve grade and his body holds up and he develops well he maybe he could be an option or Batten or Fien could be first grade ready in two years time potentially as well and by then Katoa will basically be a seasoned veteran entering his prime years with a ton of experience. Donoghoe is always an option too although he's so good at lock I want us to keep him there.

Feels like a problem we don't have to solve yet and can revisit in a years time whether the option is extend Williams by a year at a time, promote from within or go to market