Signings/Re-Signings 2021

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bort

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I guess this goes here?



[FONT=&]Cronulla have extended an NRL lifeline to former Raiders forward Kai O’Donnell after his first-grade career appeared over.
[/FONT]

Regarded by the Raiders as physical and a dedicated trainer, O’Donnell will join the Sharks’ bubble later this week after signing a train and trial contract for the remainder of the season.

The 98kg lock-forward was reluctantly released by the Raiders last month as a result of the club needing to cap the amount of players that were allowed to relocate to their Queensland hub at 30.
With no NSW Cup fixtures during the current pandemic, coupled with the Raiders quality of depth in their pack, the 22-year-old accepted his release to take up a contract playing with the Mackay Cutters.
O’Donnell played four matches for the Raiders in 2020 — scoring a try against the Sharks last year — and will be considered by Cronulla coach Josh Hannay over the next fortnight.

Interesting that it is a train and trial contract but we have (as far as public knowledge) unfilled rosters spots that were technically needing to be filled over weekend.
Graham, Dugan and Nene are out of our 30 player bubble, in are (presumably) the other 24* contracted players plus Lualua, Metcalf and now this guy and must be three other players, assuming roster now complete.

*Question marks probably over whether Pele, Jensen and Paterson are in bubble or not too.
 

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Random, but whatever happened to Jack Rogers?

Was it him that didn't want to work or study while in U20s so he was ineligible to keep playing?
Then just slid off the face of the earth. I guess if you aren't willing to work or study to keep playing on an NRL pathway you're probably not that fussed about footy
 

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Was it him that didn't want to work or study while in U20s so he was ineligible to keep playing?
Then just slid off the face of the earth. I guess if you aren't willing to work or study to keep playing on an NRL pathway you're probably not that fussed about footy

A bit extra from Zero Tackle ?

The Cronulla Sharks have reportedly signed former Canberra Raiders forward Kai O'Donnell for the remainder of the 2021 season.

The 22-year-old Brisbane-born forward was released by the Raiders earlier this year when the competition was relocated to south east Queensland.

With only a limited number of players allowed into the bubble and no New South Wales cup games proceeding due to Sydney's lockdown, O'Donnell and Adam Cook were both released.

O'Donnell would go on to sign for the Mackay Cutters, where he made a single appearance during Round 12, putting in an 80-minute performance in the second row in a 40 points to 30 victory over the PNG Hunters.

The 181-centimetre tall second rower recorded four tackle busts and four offloads in a strong performance. While he didn't play any games for the Raiders in first grade this year, he made a handful of appearances after debuting in 2020, scoring a try in one of his four games.

The Daily Telegraph are now reporting that O'Donnell has joined the Sharks and will join the Sharks in their own bubble later this week.

It's understood he will be on a train and trial contract, but is also available for selection should interim coach Josh Hannay want to utilise him in first grade.

O'Donnell will be out to impress during what will be a brief stint with the men from the shire through to the end of the season as the club attempt to qualify for the finals. With incoming coach Craig Fitzgibbon still in the process of working his 2022 roster, O'Donnell could well earn himself a spot with a good patch at the club.
 

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Was it him that didn't want to work or study while in U20s so he was ineligible to keep playing?
Then just slid off the face of the earth. I guess if you aren't willing to work or study to keep playing on an NRL pathway you're probably not that fussed about footy

Yep. That was him. He was playing for Burleigh’s reggies before Covid. Was Josh Rogers’ halves partner whenever Josh wasn’t in the Q Cup team. Not sure if he has played at all since.

Somewhere in there is a joke about being rogered twice, but I haven’t had a coffee yet.

**

Happy with the O’Donnell t&t. I didn’t see much of him at the Raiders/Mounties but he was impressive in junior reps.
 

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Interesting that it is a train and trial contract but we have (as far as public knowledge) unfilled rosters spots that were technically needing to be filled over weekend.
Graham, Dugan and Nene are out of our 30 player bubble, in are (presumably) the other 24* contracted players plus Lualua, Metcalf and now this guy and must be three other players, assuming roster now complete.

*Question marks probably over whether Pele, Jensen and Paterson are in bubble or not too.

Pele is still at least a month away so likely still in Sydney. I believe Jack Martin is in the bubble. Vasquez is another unknown.
 

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Pele is still at least a month away so likely still in Sydney. I believe Jack Martin is in the bubble. Vasquez is another unknown.

Martin and Vasquez would be likely guesses, and quite possibly some of them, metcalf, Lualua make up the new top 30 contracts too
 

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Martin and Vasquez would be likely guesses, and quite possibly some of them, metcalf, Lualua make up the new top 30 contracts too

Pretty sure Martin was shown on TV in the dressing sheds vs Bulldogs.
 

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Luke o donnels younger brother. That’s some serious DNA. Bring that aggression! Hoping to get similar output to jack williams
 

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That’s Kyle. Not Kai.

Kai is another former Burleigh Bear.
 

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Lmao. Read his whole wiki and didn’t realise it was Kyle not Kai. I’m 6 beers deep, SMD.

That being said, I also didn’t realise Kyle was from Nowra. Damn we can pump them out. Andrew Walker AND Kyle!
 

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Not 100% sure what this means but I guess our finalised top 30 can include 2 of Chad/Xerri/Nene

‘For the August 2 deadline for 2021 rosters to be finalised, each club is able to carry up to two players who had their contracts terminated, as agreed in the amended CBA.’

In fact the NRL.com article almost reads like all three of them are considered in our squad as far as a final 30 goes
 

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Not 100% sure what this means but I guess our finalised top 30 can include 2 of Chad/Xerri/Nene

‘For the August 2 deadline for 2021 rosters to be finalised, each club is able to carry up to two players who had their contracts terminated, as agreed in the amended CBA.’

In fact the NRL.com article almost reads like all three of them are considered in our squad as far as a final 30 goes

I also reckon there is a lot of leeway given to teams at the moment given the bubble/injury situations. The way it is being reported the August 2 deadline isn’t even a thing this year. Players moving between clubs seems like it is still possible even now.
 

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Posted in Hiroti's thread but relevant here too, another one tied up for next season.
Not surprised we have kept Hiroti although it also wouldn't have surprised me if we had left it longer.

Cheers
 
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