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

[Sparkles]

Use whichever you find applicable

Curran should replace Finucane?
Swapping out 102kg Finucane for 103kg Curran will really bring the kind of size our pack has been missing.

I'm particularly excited for the 4 less average hitups per game (for 33 less run metes average) Curran brings and his 8 less tackles per game (at a worse rate) as that presumably frees him up to do some serious mongrel enforcing.

Now, Finucane does make the Sharks forwards most 8+ meter runs, and Curran is one of the Warriors worst at this, but Curran makes up for that by breaking almost twice as many tackles per game, with an average just below 1.0

Curran should replace Williams?
Swapping out 98kg Williams for 103kg Curran will really bring the kind of size our pack has been missing.

I'm particularly excited for the 3 less average hitups per game (for 35 less run metes average) Curran brings and his same number of tackles per game (at a worse rate) as that presumably frees him up to do some serious mongrel enforcing.

Now, Williams does make the Sharks forwards 4th most 8+ meter runs, and Curran is one of the Warriors worst at this, but Curran makes up for that by breaking almost half as many tackles per game, with an average just below 1.0

Do Colquhoun!

 

[Gards]

Billy Mags is probably available

Colquhoun has shown some promise in this area, and McInnes improved a lot in 2023 with his passing at the line.

With the Sharks though, the way it is supposed to work is that every forward does some passing rather than just having one guy as a the designated ballplayer.

I would like to see our middle forwards doing some occasional passing actually between themselves.

We did it in like 1 game earlier this season and it worked well

I'm not talking about Dale and McInnes (our sub size Locks) that already pass it around, I'm talking our genuine front rower props

As it stands our middle forwards are nearly always going to just be receiving the ball 1 pass from the ruck from Brailey which doesn't leave alot to the imagination. We have some big dynamic units in the form of Nut, Hunt, BHU, we need to find more ways to get them into the game instead of just off their own back or the odd crash play and mix up our play in the middle and around the ruck / edges a bit.

 

[Proud Shark]

Finucane is on old legs and spends a lot of the season injured or suspended.

All his luck might come in 2024 but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Yeah youth was the only reason I'd consider it, but it's such a hypothetical as there's no way finucane leaves.

 

[Proud Shark]

You'd think in that pack Hazleton would miss out for Dale. But then you'd likely have Dale start with Cam off the bench. Could even have Williams start and Toby also off the bench... It'd be a pretty dynamic bench!

Yeah was imagining a scenario where Dale wasn't there, as I don't think Curran fits with the other 3.

 

[BurgoShark]

I would like to see our middle forwards doing some occasional passing actually between themselves.

We did it in like 1 game earlier this season and it worked well

I'm not talking about Dale and McInnes (our sub size Locks) that already pass it around, I'm talking our genuine front rower props

As it stands our middle forwards are nearly always going to just be receiving the ball 1 pass from the ruck from Brailey which doesn't leave alot to the imagination. We have some big dynamic units in the form of Nut, Hunt, BHU, we need to find more ways to get them into the game instead of just off their own back or the odd crash play and mix up our play in the middle and around the ruck / edges a bit.

Kaufusi does this already. He’s quite good at running tip-on plays for other middles or for a second rower.

BHU and Toby did it well in 2022, but not as much this year.

Hazelton was also really good at this in NSW Cup.

 

[Western Sharkie]

Super League club Hull FC have confirmed the signing of utility Fa’amanu Brown for the 2024 season.

Brown appeared in a total of seven NRL games this season first with the Bulldogs (5) and before ending the season with the Knights (2).

The 28-year-old utility, who has represented Samoa in eight test matches and has been named in the New Zealand squad for this year’s Pacific Championships, said he’s willing to play whatever position to help his new team.

How many clubs has Nu Brown been with now?

And 2 international teams as well!

 

[HaroldBishop]

How many clubs has Nu Brown been with now?

And 2 international teams as well!

Someone warn shop owners up there!

 

[Western Sharkie]

Someone warn shop owners up there!

Phones sellers will be much happier!

“Recharge”!!!

 

[Gumby]

Tigers are chasing Justin Olam. Storm have said they will only do it if there’s a player swap.

 

[Gumby]

Luai to test the open market. Offers likely to be north of 900k. Penrith have said they can only afford 750k.

 

[Thresher]

Someone warn shop owners up there!

Hope the shop attendants know what's coming

 

[bort]

Luai to test the open market. Offers likely to be north of 900k. Penrith have said they can only afford 750k.

GF confirmed to them he’s not worth breaking the bank for. Hope someone (not us) gets him - think he and panthers will both do worse

 

[Thresher]

I wouldn't go as far as saying that Bradman Best is a flat track bully but he is much more of an asset in a team that's doing well.

Tigers would be crazy to blow their cap on him.

 

[egg]

Luai to test the open market. Offers likely to be north of 900k. Penrith have said they can only afford 750k.

Sharks offering $750,001 per season
Done deal

 

[Gumby]

Tigers are close to getting Olam
With Blore being the one the storm are asking in return

 

[XGinga]

Tigers are close to getting Olam
With Blore being the one the storm are asking in return

That's a good swap for Melbourne. Blore will do well there to make up for some of the forwards they have lost the last couple years and Olam can be easily replaced.

Olam will provide experience to tigers but I imagine he looks better in the Melbourne team then he actually is.

 

[Jaz]

Tigers are close to getting Olam
With Blore being the one the storm are asking in return

Great deal for Melbourne.

 

[Gumby]

Harper joins the eels on a 2 year deal. Got a great manager to manage this one. He is absolute garbage.

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

Still rumours that Fox leaving the Dogs

 

[bort]

Harper joins the eels on a 2 year deal. Got a great manager to manage this one. He is absolute garbage.

As much as I wouldn't want to sign him he's a pretty serviceable backup if you don't have any upcoming centres.
I'd rather have Tracey, Dykes and Iro as backups, but he is more NRL proven ("proven") than two of them and also is available, which helps.

Letting Waqa Blake on 650k go and signing Harper on probably close to minimum frees up plenty of money.

Penis, Simonsson, Asi, Harper is... okay. (plus Cini on Dev contract)
Doesn't really look like a high priority position in their planning does it.
Sivo, Russell, Dunster as wings.
Pretty uninspiring backline to be honest, especially if Sivo has another cold streak next season.
Couple junior backs in Loizou (top 30) and Tuipolotu (Dev) doesn't look like they've extended.

Eels one of the sides Tracey was linked to I think and not surprising seeing the shambles.