2021 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[Mexican titan]

Unless we are holding money because we think we have a shot at getting B.Smith early (im dreaming surely) I just dont get the strategy but ill leave that up to the club as they are the only ones who are going to look foolish if we come into 2022 with nothing.

I was just about to join the chorus of complaints and read your post 5Year. Hopefully you are right.
That however, would solve the hooker issue but we still have a gaping hole in the halves for which we have just about run out of options. I would take Wilhem's suggestion about Nikorima and would be quite happy with him. He is still way ahead of the two failures we have now.

[indoallstars]

I'm not opposed to Kodi, not a world breaker but has improved tremendously over the years, got a good kicking/running game and def improvement over our current halves.

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Added organising the team into his ****nal and wouldn't be ridiculous $$$

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Hopefully that means we got enough extra for Brendan Smith or Daryl Clarke and we see the back of Atay

[NZTITAN]

Okay. Some real howlers right now Gents.

I never thought the day would come where this fanbase picks up the pitchforks after not acquiring a post-achilles tear Shaun Johnson but here we are, likely what a disappointing season does but anyway. I like Shaun for the record and think he would fit at 7 on this team but im not losing any sleep over him likely taking some unders to come back home to Auckland.

Let's get something clear about the Halves market, it's always moving. Whether it's Shaun Johnson or Tom Dearden or Jake Clifford or Jahrome Hughes or Adam Reynolds or George Williams or Matt Burton or Nicho Hynes or Chad Townsend or Mitchell Pearce or Scott Drinkwater or Jackson Hastings or even Paul Turner, that market is shifting constantly, and all those guys I mentioned were ones that moved clubs this season or re-signed after testing the market. I'm happy to do the same with the previous 5 years if you all want but you get my point. There is absolutely no reason to jump at every opportunity to sign halves when in 12 months time you could easily have names like Kieran Foran, Cody Walker, Chanel Harris-Tavita to Adam Doueihi, Dylan Brown, Luke Brooks or even Luke Keary moving around, not to mention internal growth from local juniors or even Exiles returning from England to play their best footy in the NRL as many wind up doing. It is very appropriate to be static in a volatile market, especially when you yourself have the potential to be on the end of some quality development from the likes of Paul Turner or Toby Sexton.

I really like the flexibility we have with possibly moving Brimson to 6 and Campbell to the 1 in the future, I think the way we play (or should at least be playing) is that of a team that can load up on guys that capitalize off the backs off what is a fairly explosive pack, having AJ and JC on field at the same time does that, signing another big-time half right now will likely cost you that flexibility and then also Jayden Campbell.

As for TPJ or Capewell, maybe, I assume TPJ would be cheaper. I like our forward depth personally. Kodi Nikorima could be some solid Tyrone Peachey insurance.

Again you can see what other clubs are trying to do with their recruitment. I have no ****ing clue what ours is. All we’ve done is resigned Herbert and extended foges for god knows what reason. Yes there is also turner but coming off major surgery it’s not like he’s marquee signing straight into the halves.

As others have said we have a stack of over rated or not ready halves on the books and are leaving our only genuine spark in Peachy hanging.

This is not hyperbole either if we resign Proctor or Don I am 100% done with this team as the club has absolutely no clue.

Really? You’ve been on this forum since 2014, so let’s say that this has been your Titans lifetime for example. You would have supported the same team that almost imploded with the nose-beers saga of 2015, the William Zillman albatross, the DCE gymnastics, the James Roberts signing catastrophe, the Jarryd Hayne debacle, the Garth Brennan era, and only after the club decided to extend a halfback that represents the community well one year likely on a quarter of a mill, hypothetically Don who would be on 80K maybe and Proctor who would be on a pension at this rate, only NOW is the time that you think the club would have no clue and would be worth quitting on? lmfao.

yep it seems pretty stupid by the club to sign marquee forwards like tino and dave while we got aj and jc with no experienced halves of senior leaders to guide them. we play our best football when we just throw the ball around and play touch footy. what does that say about our coaching? love holbrook but hes starting to seem like another garth brennan

I don’t disagree we aren’t playing to our potential right now but god that’s a ghastly take right there mate and some serious revisionist history regarding Brennan.

Shaun Johnson apparently signed for $450k a season with NZ Warriors, Cam McInnes signs with Sharks for $500k a season, Adam Reynolds signs with Broncos for $700k a season.

Titans looking at more forwards in the same price range as these 3 signings. We extend Fogarty and Tanah and still have no one steering this team around. We are an absolute joke.

Theres a real world where any of those contracts would be far more disastrous to this team moving forward than just staying patient, opportunity cost Is massive and the latter 2 would destroy that although I would like McInnes in a vacuum, the guy has taken a real battering and I wouldn’t enjoy being the team paying him his next contract same goes with Adam Reynolds.

[5 Year Contract]

Okay. Some real howlers right now Gents.

I never thought the day would come where this fanbase picks up the pitchforks after not acquiring a post-achilles tear Shaun Johnson but here we are, likely what a disappointing season does but anyway. I like Shaun for the record and think he would fit at 7 on this team but im not losing any sleep over him likely taking some unders to come back home to Auckland.

Let's get something clear about the Halves market, it's always moving. Whether it's Shaun Johnson or Tom Dearden or Jake Clifford or Jahrome Hughes or Adam Reynolds or George Williams or Matt Burton or Nicho Hynes or Chad Townsend or Mitchell Pearce or Scott Drinkwater or Jackson Hastings or even Paul Turner, that market is shifting constantly, and all those guys I mentioned were ones that moved clubs this season or re-signed after testing the market. I'm happy to do the same with the previous 5 years if you all want but you get my point. There is absolutely no reason to jump at every opportunity to sign halves when in 12 months time you could easily have names like Kieran Foran, Cody Walker, Chanel Harris-Tavita to Adam Doueihi, Dylan Brown, Luke Brooks or even Luke Keary moving around, not to mention internal growth from local juniors or even Exiles returning from England to play their best footy in the NRL as many wind up doing. It is very appropriate to be static in a volatile market, especially when you yourself have the potential to be on the end of some quality development from the likes of Paul Turner or Toby Sexton.

I really like the flexibility we have with possibly moving Brimson to 6 and Campbell to the 1 in the future, I think the way we play (or should at least be playing) is that of a team that can load up on guys that capitalize off the backs off what is a fairly explosive pack, having AJ and JC on field at the same time does that, signing another big-time half right now will likely cost you that flexibility and then also Jayden Campbell.

As for TPJ or Capewell, maybe, I assume TPJ would be cheaper. I like our forward depth personally.



Really? You’ve been on this forum since 2014, so let’s say that this has been your Titans lifetime for example. You would have supported the same team that almost imploded with the nose-beers saga of 2015, the William Zillman albatross, the DCE gymnastics, the James Roberts signing catastrophe, the Jarryd Hayne debacle, the Garth Brennan era, and only after the club decided to extend a halfback that represents the community well one year likely on a quarter of a mill, hypothetically Don who would be on 80K maybe and Proctor who would be on a pension at this rate, only NOW is the time that you think the club would have no clue and would be worth quitting on? lmfao.



I don’t disagree we aren’t playing to our potential right now but god that’s a ghastly take right there mate and some serious revisionist history regarding Brennan.



Theres a real world where any of those contracts would be far more disastrous to this team moving forward than just staying patient, opportunity cost Is massive and the latter 2 would destroy that although I would like McInnes in a vacuum, the guy has taken a real battering and I wouldn’t enjoy being the team paying him his next contract same goes with Adam Reynolds.

100% mate (that was a marvelous stroll down memory lane hahah christ we are nothing if suckers for pain). To me the club finally has it together off the field more than we ever have. We are a genuinely financially stable and privately owned club now (although where the fark is the leagues club). Look at how we finished last year and with the same squad plus some big signings we should of been coming into this season should be a competitive team on paper that built on that success of last yeat at the very LEAST.

We had what looked like found our long term coach, had a raft of sponsors etc and for once there was some excitement around our club.

2021 was supposed to be the end of everything you mentioned above. Obviously it's not panning out that way and we are regressing at a rate of knotts.

What is crystal clear right now so far is that Proctor and Don have aged out and this should be if for them this year. Its not just them but there are a number of other players who are off contract arent up to code.

I dont give a **** what you pay them. They are taking up someone else spot in the team. Its time for the club to get with it. Proctor and Don do not make us better. Im tired of this near enough is good enough mentality. I don't want to lose a Sam Stone to keep Proctor. Or keep junior out of the 30 for Anthony Don.

I want this club to succeed. Don and Proctor don't contribute to that. Every signing now needs to be a step towards the future not a step sideways or backwards. A decision to Resign them is exactly the same as the Zilly 5 Years, The Hayne saga, Dave Taylor, Jamal Idris you name it. It just shows that no matter what happens we are a poorly run club at heart.

All those scandals you listed above is a NRL owned, barely afloat team, that was nearly bankrupted and was run by indept d-bags off the field. This has been rectified now hasnt it? The above was the excuse...what excuse do we have now? If we are this 'new era" of titans that we should be then its time to stop making excuses.

How much longer are we going to spin our wheels for? So yes if our club has any chance in the future there needs to be some accountability and competency. Signing Proctor especially shows its going to be the same song and dance over and over until we eventually fold. Those who want to keep throwing up the "she'll be right mentality" lmfao

[Mexican titan]

Let's get something clear about the Halves market, it's always moving. Whether it's Shaun Johnson or Tom Dearden or Jake Clifford or Jahrome Hughes or Adam Reynolds or George Williams or Matt Burton or Nicho Hynes or Chad Townsend or Mitchell Pearce or Scott Drinkwater or Jackson Hastings or even Paul Turner, that market is shifting constantly, and all those guys I mentioned were ones that moved clubs this season or re-signed after testing the market. I'm happy to do the same with the previous 5 years if you all want but you get my point. There is absolutely no reason to jump at every opportunity to sign halves when in 12 months time you could easily have names like Kieran Foran, Cody Walker, Chanel Harris-Tavita to Adam Doueihi, Dylan Brown, Luke Brooks or even Luke Keary moving around, not to mention internal growth from local juniors or even Exiles returning from England to play their best footy in the NRL as many wind up doing. It is very appropriate to be static in a volatile market, especially when you yourself have the potential to be on the end of some quality development from the likes of Paul Turner or Toby Sexton.

A real good post NZT but I disagree strongly with the section I have included above. Yes, I agree that it is ok to be static in a volatile market but we simply cannot go in to another season with the halves we have on our books now. Every combination has been tried and failed. We cannot wait another year - by all means get a decent gap filler until a junior comes through (which is still long odds of being a success) but stick with the same and we will probably lose Tino, and more importantly, the increased supporter base we had built up this year. How many people that rejoined this season after years in the wilderness have already thought "well what a waste" and disappeared again. We can't allow that to erode further. I appreciate that we added to the squad for this year and we were never able to get all that we needed in one off season, but we must continue to build.

Frankly, I cannot understand those who think it is ok to take the same spine in to next season and wait for a miracle.
Rant over.

[Mr Bods]

Bravo NZ Titan

[5 Year Contract]

A real good post NZT but I disagree strongly with the section I have included above. Yes, I agree that it is ok to be static in a volatile market but we simply cannot go in to another season with the halves we have on our books now. Every combination has been tried and failed. We cannot wait another year - by all means get a decent gap filler until a junior comes through (which is still long odds of being a success) but stick with the same and we will probably lose Tino, and more importantly, the increased supporter base we had built up this year. How many people that rejoined this season after years in the wilderness have already thought "well what a waste" and disappeared again. We can't allow that to erode further. I appreciate that we added to the squad for this year and we were never able to get all that we needed in one off season, but we must continue to build.

Frankly, I cannot understand those who think it is ok to take the same spine in to next season and wait for a miracle.
Rant over.

Bang on post MT. The point of sitting on our hands is long over. New brisbane team incoming as well there is only so much support and money to go around....every move we make now needs to be for the better. Agree 100% there is no point rushing in and taking sideways step player but for the right price surely there are some players that were on the market for the right price that makes us better. Anyways as I said its upto the club now ill trust their process

[JunctionBlock]

If it’s good to be static ina volatile market we re-sign people that are under performing. If we get nikorima after signing Turner and not going after Johnson that shows me we are happy with the scraps while other teams make plans.

[Hail Sezer]

Absolute ripper of a post NZT. 10/10 will read to my grandchildren. Agree agree agree.

I think we all acknowledge our halves aren’t good enough. The reality is that signing anyone that becomes available to immediately improve the position is crap recruitment. If that means we have to wait longer then so be it, I’d rather set us up for many years of sustainable success than make decisions for immediate improvement but long term uncertainty and a negative opportunity cost.

SJ was never going to happen bc he took unders to go to NZ. I’m not convinced Reynolds would make any difference to our side. Townsend? No. Dearden? Backwards step. Am I missing something here? Who have we actually missed out on that is such an obvious and achievable target?

[Whats Doing]

For the life of me I fail to see why we would not have gone after Reynolds who would be in the top 4 or 5 halfbacks, was reasonably priced , is a great leader on the field and would have been the best mentor for our young halves.

[Mexican titan]

For the life of me I fail to see why we would not have gone after Reynolds who would be in the top 4 or 5 halfbacks, was reasonably priced , is a great leader on the field and would have been the best mentor for our young halves.

100% spot on.

HS - you are not convinced Reynolds would make any difference? Huh? Not even win us one extra game?

[indoallstars]

I also think missing out on Cam McInnes was a massive lost opportunity. I don't know if we ever had a chat with him, but he is a leader, good service, good motor, good defence and plays 9 the position we need and signed for only $500k. I think would be a pretty astute signing whilst also leaving us room in the salary cap for a half.

[Hail Sezer]

100% spot on.

HS - you are not convinced Reynolds would make any difference? Huh? Not even win us one extra game?

Not really, hence why I said it MT. I don't think it's as much of an unusual opinion as you're making it out to be as well.

You'd be ok with signing a player for 700k+ in a position we're already surplus in, at the cost of potentially losing our best junior, to win us one extra game?

[Ausphin]

Some good discussion lately. For me it all revolves around the 9. Slim pickings unfortunately but i have stated before that I really liked the look of Reuben Cotter at the Cowboys. Wondering now they have resigned Granville for another 2 years if we could entice him even though he is on contract next season.

Wasn’t keen on shifting AJ, but after seeing Campbell, I would be prepared to take our lumps next season with a developing spine of -

Campbell
Brimson
Fogarty
Cotter

[Whats Doing]

Not really, hence why I said it MT. I don't think it's as much of an unusual opinion as you're making it out to be as well.

You'd be ok with signing a player for 700k+ in a position we're already surplus in, at the cost of potentially losing our best junior, to win us one extra game?

You can’t tell me signing Reynolds and releasing Ash would not be a massive improvement. You are also relying on juniors who have yet to prove themselves. Already Boyd is struggling and you want to wait and see whether they make the trade. Weaver is still at school!!!

Yes don’t worry about massively improving the squad now and hope for the best in a couple of years down the track. That and extending Fogerty just beggars belief with our recruitment