Official THE RUMOUR MILL - Player Signings/Transfers ONLY!!!!

[HaroldBishop]

Capewell will likely sign on the dotted line for the warriors this week and then join them immediately.

I like this signing for them. Will go really well for them I believe.

Could plug a hole for them

 

[bort]

I like Capewell but Warriors will quite likely be fighting for similar ladder area to us so I'm gunna have to hope he sucks.
As much as good SJ is good to watch I don't need another year of him being talked up either haha

 

[Sevshark]

Capewell will likely sign on the dotted line for the warriors this week and then join them immediately.

I like this signing for them. Will go really well for them I believe.

Saw a headline saying he could be their new Steve Price, like the signing for them but wouldn't go that far.

 

[Gumby]

I like Capewell but Warriors will quite likely be fighting for similar ladder area to us so I'm gunna have to hope he sucks.
As much as good SJ is good to watch I don't need another year of him being talked up either haha

When you look at what he did this season and then what he did for us across 3 years it does sting a bit.

 

[Gumby]

Saw a headline saying he could be their new Steve Price, like the signing for them but wouldn't go that far.

Oh god no. Price was one of the best front rowers in the modern era. Capewell is a good player but doesn’t even come close to price.

 

[Thresher]

Could plug a hole for them

There'll be no hiding behind the curtains. Not successfully anyway.

 

[HaroldBishop]

There'll be no hiding behind the curtains. Not successfully anyway.

Depends how you define success I guess.

 

[bort]

Just to summarise a little

Top 30 Ins
Billy Burns - 2RF (Dragons)
Niwhai Puru - half (upgrade)
Sam Stonestreet - winger (upgrade)

Leaving top 30
Graham (retired)
Moylan (released)
Tracey (released)
Hiroti (top 30 to Dev)
Tukupa-Ke Hau Tapuha (top 30 to Dev)

3 spaces remain
(Maths doesn't add up, who am I missing, Ikuvalu departure?)

Dev Ins
Dylan Coutts - 2RF (internal)
Liam Ison - fullback (Penrith)
Michael Gabrael - centre (Bulldogs)
Mawene Hiroti (top 30 to Dev)
Tukupa-Ke Hau Tapuha (top 30 to Dev)

6 Dev players (Bradbury remains)

Train and Trial Ins
Sam Healey - hooker (internal)
Tom Rodwell - wing (internal)
Jack Gibbons - 2RF (Sunny Coast Q Cup)
Jordan Swann - wing/centre/2RF (Roosters)
Blake Hosking - lock (internal)
Manaia Waitere - fullback/FE (internal)
Riley Pollard - halfback (Panthers) - pre season only
Taj Brailey - hooker (internal) - pre season only
Max Riolo - halfback (internal) - pre season only
Felox Fa'atili - prop (internal) - pre season only

O'Kane - 2RF (dev to T&T)

Most if not all of these likely remain on fulltime T&T deals or revert to relevant junior contract.
Unlikely any jump into Top 30 however they could secure a Dev slot if any of those players progress into Top 30.

Leaving Jets/lower
Mansour (retired), Uele (England), Boothroyd (England), Finau (released), Taumoepeau (released), Fuz (released),

Probably a lot of other random movements at various levels

Who or what have I missed which should be included?

We currently have 27 contracted NRL players for 2024, 19 for 2025 (including options) and only 6 got 2026 so there is huge potential for roster shake up in next few years. We have a lot of guys who should be on the cusp of going to another level who will have a contract (or at least the value of one) depending on it.

Also note released may mean let out of contract or just not renewed with us/relevant team

 

[HaroldBishop]

Sorry if this is a stupid question as I'm sure it's been covered, why is Hiroti going from top 30 to Dev?

 

[bort]

Sorry if this is a stupid question as I'm sure it's been covered, why is Hiroti going from top 30 to Dev?

It is a good question actually I think, as I have wondered myself.

Practically speaking he must be on min wage so we can drop him to Dev without much consequence - can still train and everything the same. And if we needed we have slots in top 30 so would just need to tell NRL we are elevating him. There is no obvious reason not to move him to Dev.

But what is the benefit? Well if we fill out top 30 spots with better players then that is the benefit, otherwise I'm not sure.
Probably made more sense when we had 28 players (pre Tracey and Moylan leaving) than it does now. Every chance he goes back into top 30 I think, now they have left.

It could indicate with those last two roster spots we had spare money to sign players better than Hiroti...

 

[BurgoShark]

@bort the Fearnley plot thickens.

The Jets web site reckons he is back.

The raw-boned, hard-running backrower Brad Fearnley impressed while playing for Newtown last year and commenced his pre-season program last Thursday.

Also - Stonestreet was added to top 30 after Ikuvalu left. That might be what is throwing your numbers out.

Pollard and Taj are pre-season only T&T. Riolo and Fa'atili likely the same.

Add Hosking, Waitere and O'Kane to the list of T&T players. All aged out of Flegg and shown in NRL training.

 

[HaroldBishop]

It is a good question actually I think, as I have wondered myself.

Practically speaking he must be on min wage so we can drop him to Dev without much consequence - can still train and everything the same. And if we needed we have slots in top 30 so would just need to tell NRL we are elevating him. There is no obvious reason not to move him to Dev.

But what is the benefit? Well if we fill out top 30 spots with better players then that is the benefit, otherwise I'm not sure.
Probably made more sense when we had 28 players (pre Tracey and Moylan leaving) than it does now. Every chance he goes back into top 30 I think, now they have left.

It could indicate with those last two roster spots we had spare money to sign players better than Hiroti...

Thanks that all makes sense

 

[bort]

@bort the Fearnley plot thickens.

The Jets web site reckons he is back.


Also - Stonestreet was added to top 30 after Ikuvalu left. That might be what is throwing your numbers out.

Pollard and Taj are pre-season only T&T. Riolo and Fa'atili likely the same.

Add Hosking, Waitere and O'Kane to the list of T&T players. All aged out of Flegg and shown in NRL training.

Yeah Stonestreet is a good shout probably.
Think I have editted in all the other updates - I've just added Fearnley back, maybe his brother left or something

 

[Sevshark]

@bort the Fearnley plot thickens.

The Jets web site reckons he is back.


Also - Stonestreet was added to top 30 after Ikuvalu left. That might be what is throwing your numbers out.

Pollard and Taj are pre-season only T&T. Riolo and Fa'atili likely the same.

Add Hosking, Waitere and O'Kane to the list of T&T players. All aged out of Flegg and shown in NRL training.

@egg's supposed gun on the other forum has lost all credibility in my eyes

 

[pythagarushark]

i like the look of young healy

 

[puma1355]

Apparently we sign Billy Burns

 

[BurgoShark]

Yeah Stonestreet is a good shout probably.
Think I have editted in all the other updates - I've just added Fearnley back, maybe his brother left or something

Haha - maybe the source meant both "other" brothers (Waitere and the Fearnley)

Re: Hiroti on dev, likely means he is on less than minimum currently. Dev is $80k minimum + match payments

When a player moves from tier 2 to top 30 there are also some cap gymnastics which we aren't privy to.

E.g. Hiroti.. say he gets put into top 30 in late Feb having been paid ~$25k already as a dev player, which of these things happens?

- Sharks get $25k added to their tier 2 cap, lose $25k off their main cap, and Hiroti only needs to be paid $105k for the remainder of the season, or
- The $25k already paid stays as "used" in the tier 2 cap, and the Sharks have to give him a new contract at minimum wage ($130k)

First one is a win for the team (frees up tier 2 cap without adding or losing a player). Second is a win for Hiroti (gets paid $25k more across the season).

 

[Blair]

Apparently we sign Billy Burns

I just saw that too. When did that happen?

I liked what I saw from him last year. Seems a goer.

 

[bort]

Haha - maybe the source meant both "other" brothers (Waitere and the Fearnley)

Re: Hiroti on dev, likely means he is on less than minimum currently. Dev is $80k minimum + match payments

When a player moves from tier 2 to top 30 there are also some cap gymnastics which we aren't privy to.

E.g. Hiroti.. say he gets put into top 30 in late Feb having been paid ~$25k already as a dev player, which of these things happens?

- Sharks get $25k added to their tier 2 cap, lose $25k off their main cap, and Hiroti only needs to be paid $105k for the remainder of the season, or
- The $25k already paid stays as "used" in the tier 2 cap, and the Sharks have to give him a new contract at minimum wage ($130k)

First one is a win for the team (frees up tier 2 cap without adding or losing a player). Second is a win for Hiroti (gets paid $25k more across the season).

Could be, but he could just be on min also correct? Just can't have anyone in top 30 on less than non-top 30 guys.
Who knows I guess, maybe we left him on 120k - last years minimum but not enough to stay in top 30.

NRL min is 130k now

$650,000 cap for at least four, maximum six players, paid $80,000, can play from Round 1. Bonus of $3,000 for any NRL game.
*maths here doesn't work, min 4 is 320k, max six is 480k so I think maybe should read "paid at least $80,000"? Unless the extra accounts for lots of $3k bonuses?

Training contracts (train and trial). To rise to $1200 in 2024, $3,000 bonus for any NRL game, can only play NRL from Round 11 (ie after Round 10).

Clubs can promote players aged 17 to top 30 squads but can’t play until age 18.

Top 30 players can seek a release from their contract if dropped below State Cup level.

 

[bort]

E.g. Hiroti.. say he gets put into top 30 in late Feb having been paid ~$25k already as a dev player, which of these things happens?

- Sharks get $25k added to their tier 2 cap, lose $25k off their main cap, and Hiroti only needs to be paid $105k for the remainder of the season, or
- The $25k already paid stays as "used" in the tier 2 cap, and the Sharks have to give him a new contract at minimum wage ($130k)

I'd assume
130k new contract but pro-rata for time passed. So say he is on 80k Dev min but halfway through NRL year gets promoted to NRL top 30 min he gets
40k against tier 2 cap, then from then on 65k from NRL cap
- 105k total but always at the rate relevant to his contract status at that time.

Just a guess of course