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Recruitment and retention

Paul

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:

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.
 
Chris

Chris

QLD Cup
Joined
Mar 15, 2023
Messages
652
Paul said:
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:

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 TO 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.
Click to expand...
Both would be very handy signings. If things keep going as they are, the Hammer is going to be the long-term fullback so Herbie in the centres will fix any problems in the centres. So Blake and Herbie as centres would work.
 
Equaliser

Equaliser

Dolphins Pod squad member
Joined
Feb 14, 2023
Messages
965
Paul said:
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:

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 MAY 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 would work.
Click to expand...
Depends how much money they were asking for.
 
Equaliser

Equaliser

Dolphins Pod squad member
Joined
Feb 14, 2023
Messages
965
So it wasn't my imagination. He was maybe our most vital player in the first 2 games. And without him in the 3rd, a shadow of the team from the first 2 rounds. IMO

Dolphins look to tie down star after two games​

“One of the guys who’s been a star that didn’t play last night is Jeremy Marshall-King,” rugby league journalist Brent Read told Triple M Rocks The Footy. “They only signed him initially for two years, but they have already informally reached out to extend that contract. “He’s gone that well for them and they want to push that deal out further. I think he’s open to that. “I’d expect something on that front reasonably quickly and Jeremy Marshall-King looks like he’ll be staying at the Dolphins for a very long time.”
 
Red

Red

Forum staff
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Messages
864
Equaliser

Equaliser

Dolphins Pod squad member
Joined
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Messages
965
Nashy said:
That usually means he's asking decent coin. I dunno, he's good, but he's 31 next season.
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Agree but even 5 years ago, I'm not sure if he would have been worth marquee money. Just a step below that. But at age 31, no way. But then again, the club might have so much money to throw around, for 2 years they don't mind overpaying him.
 
DolphinLungren

DolphinLungren

QLD Cup
Joined
Mar 25, 2023
Messages
408
Equaliser said:
Agree but even 5 years ago, I'm not sure if he would have been worth marquee money. Just a step below that. But at age 31, no way. But then again, the club might have so much money to throw around, for 2 years they don't mind overpaying him.
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I'm more worried about what he'd do to our culture. They need a no dickhead policy.
 
Josh

Josh

QLD Cup
Joined
Mar 20, 2023
Messages
834
DolphinLungren said:
I'm more worried about what he'd do to our culture. They need a no dickhead policy.
Click to expand...
As far as I know, the only off-field problem he's had was a drunken scuffle with Latrell Mitchell. I'd say there is a very good chance he was standing his ground in the face of a dickhead. I don't know that but it's a guess.

But I wouldn't want him at the Dolphins on big money. Like around the 1mil a year the best 1 or 2 players at most clubs are on due to age and ability.
 
DolphinLungren

DolphinLungren

QLD Cup
Joined
Mar 25, 2023
Messages
408
He
Josh said:
As far as I know, the only off-field problem he's had was a drunken scuffle with Latrell Mitchell. I'd say there is a very good chance he was standing his ground in the face of a dickhead. I don't know that but it's a guess.

But I wouldn't want him at the Dolphins on big money. Like around the 1mil a year the best 1 or 2 players at most clubs are on due to age and ability.
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The Mitchell incident was probably a bit of a beat up, but it is still this same bloke lol - https://www.canberratimes.com.au/st...-suspended-jail-sentence-for-drunken-rampage/
 
Chris

Chris

QLD Cup
Joined
Mar 15, 2023
Messages
652
Mr Fourex

Mr Fourex

Dolphins Junior League
Joined
Mar 8, 2023
Messages
68
Nashy said:
Mr Fourex Mr Fourex - I guess we're stuck with you on BHQ mate.
Click to expand...
200w.gif
 
DolphinLungren

DolphinLungren

QLD Cup
Joined
Mar 25, 2023
Messages
408
Chris said:
I think lots of players have come back from much worse from that to be good role models. I just wonder if Wayne wants him to be 5/8, centre or it's simply a media beat-up generated by Wighton's manager to increase his value.
Click to expand...
I guess Lodge did and he did much worse. Just never heard anything good said about Wighton and he is still causing trouble. I reckon it's all talk though and he is trying to raise his value to re-sign with Canberra.
 
Josh

Josh

QLD Cup
Joined
Mar 20, 2023
Messages
834
DolphinLungren said:
I guess Lodge did and he did much worse. Just never heard anything good said about Wighton and he is still causing trouble. I reckon it's all talk though and he is trying to raise his value to re-sign with Canberra.
Click to expand...
He's surely much better than Lodge. I'm still interested to know why the Warriors hated him so much, they paid him out in full to fuck off. Wighton is surely much less of a dickhead but I have doubts over his ability to be on really big money.
 
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Red

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Dolphins raid Dragons to poach young gun​

Wollongong local Jack Bostock will debut for the Dolphins this weekend — and another Dragons youngster is set to join Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins​

The Dolphins have snuck under St George Illawarra’s guard to grab another one of their rising stars, agreeing to a deal with SG Ball back-rower James Walsh.
The teenager has scored some barnstorming tries for the Steelers and it is understood the Dolphins have signed him from next season as they continue to build on the good work they have done through the early rounds of 2023.

It’s not the first time the NRL’s newest club has raided St George Illawarra: Dolphins debutant Jack Bostock will this weekend be unleashed on the Dragons club that helped deliver the NSW Origin prospect to the NRL. Bostock, 19, will make his NRL debut for the Dolphins in Saturday’s clash with St George Illawarra in his home town Wollongong.

A classy centre in the juniors, Bostock will make his debut on the wing for the injured Tesi Niu (knee) after being wooed to Redcliffe by super coach Wayne Bennett when the Dragons let down their guard.
 
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