Paul
Dolphins Junior League
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2023
- Messages
- 163
This is a thread to discuss recruitment and retention for 2024 and beyond. Obviously young players, especially in the forwards should be a priority. I'm also not sold on our centres. Aitken is a good player but as an interchange forward, only in the centres as a result of injury IMO. Brenko Lee is so lazy and not really threatening the line. Our Broncos imports on the wings have started the year in outstanding form.
The club obviously has a lot of money to spend. To that end:
The NRL’s 17th team will already add Tom Gilbert and Tom Flegler to the pack in 2024. 200cm Kiwi Asofa-Solomona is off-contract at the end of the season, but is currently sidelined with a high-grace MCL sprain that will rule him out for an anticipated eight more weeks. However, the prop revealed last month that he had previously made a pact with ex-Storm teammate Suliasi Vunivalu that both would make the swap to rugby.
Fijian winger Vunivalu joined the Queensland Reds in the wake of the 2020 NRL Grand Final. But Melbourne boss Matt Trip shut down any talk they would lose the veteran man. “I have a good relationship with Nelson and we will move heaven and earth to keep him,” Tripp said.
Rugby would be a good semi retirement option for him but I doubt he's ready for that just yet. I just wonder, how stacked for forwards would the club be?
The Fijian-born flyer is off-contract at the end of the season and according to WWOS, “rival clubs are circling”. Blake would join Isaiah Papali’i, Reed Mahoney, Marata Niukore as grand finalists to have left the club since the defeat to the Panthers.
I think he'd be a really good option in the centres.
The club obviously has a lot of money to spend. To that end:
DOLPHINS EYE ANOTHER STORM SUPERSTAR
Wayne Bennett built his maiden Dolphins side around a trio of Melbourne Storm veteran forwards - and he wants to make it four. According to reports, the Dolphins are chasing Nelson Asofa-Solomona, hoping to reunite him with Felise Kaufisi and Bromwich brothers Kenny and Jesse.The NRL’s 17th team will already add Tom Gilbert and Tom Flegler to the pack in 2024. 200cm Kiwi Asofa-Solomona is off-contract at the end of the season, but is currently sidelined with a high-grace MCL sprain that will rule him out for an anticipated eight more weeks. However, the prop revealed last month that he had previously made a pact with ex-Storm teammate Suliasi Vunivalu that both would make the swap to rugby.
Fijian winger Vunivalu joined the Queensland Reds in the wake of the 2020 NRL Grand Final. But Melbourne boss Matt Trip shut down any talk they would lose the veteran man. “I have a good relationship with Nelson and we will move heaven and earth to keep him,” Tripp said.
Rugby would be a good semi retirement option for him but I doubt he's ready for that just yet. I just wonder, how stacked for forwards would the club be?
EELS STAR COULD BE SQUEEZED OUT
The Parramatta Eels face losing another grand final star with reports Waqa Blake could be squeezed out due to salary cap constraints. Wide World of Sports reports a new deal for Mitchell Moses, who has been offered four years at $1.1 million a season, would mean little room to re-sign Blake. It comes after the Eels also locked down half Dylan Brown on a bumper deal.The Fijian-born flyer is off-contract at the end of the season and according to WWOS, “rival clubs are circling”. Blake would join Isaiah Papali’i, Reed Mahoney, Marata Niukore as grand finalists to have left the club since the defeat to the Panthers.
I think he'd be a really good option in the centres.