2022 Season General Discussion Thread

[Hail Sezer]

A quality article on Aaron Booth, his injury, his role with the club going forward (sounds like he's being kept around) and a deeper look at the reality facing players at that end of the roster when they get injured and are off-contract.


https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/ti...e83c6857a9eedd

[Whats Doing]

CM article re Munster

Cameron Munster could soon find himself at the centre of an all-out bidding war as rival clubs prepare to enter the fight for the NRL’s hottest off-contract star.

It comes amid mounting speculation that 2023 will be Munster’s final season in Melbourne with Wests Tigers, Canterbury and Gold Coast now emerging as genuine threats to Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins.

[Dobes]

CM article re Munster

Cameron Munster could soon find himself at the centre of an all-out bidding war as rival clubs prepare to enter the fight for the NRL’s hottest off-contract star.

It comes amid mounting speculation that 2023 will be Munster’s final season in Melbourne with Wests Tigers, Canterbury and Gold Coast now emerging as genuine threats to Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins.

You'd think of all those we'd be the preference if he decides against the Dolphins since he wants to be back in QLD. Not sure if we need him though, or how we'd be able to afford him

[willhelm]

I'd rather Luke Keary in 2025 to take over from Foran, depending on how Weaver develops.

[Titslover]

I'd rather Luke Keary in 2025 to take over from Foran, depending on how Weaver develops.

Keary's one headknock away from retirement, I'll be impressed if he's still playing in 2025.

[Bayside Titan]

Keary's one headknock away from retirement, I'll be impressed if he's still playing in 2025.

Yeah that's my fear sadly with Keary.... I would love to have him but he can't stop the head knocks and agree he has one or two knocks and he may end up following the path of Boyd Cordner sadly.....

[JunctionBlock]

Player agent beat up

[NZFan]

A quality article on Aaron Booth, his injury, his role with the club going forward (sounds like he's being kept around) and a deeper look at the reality facing players at that end of the roster when they get injured and are off-contract.


https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/ti...e83c6857a9eedd

Can you expand mate?

[Whats Doing]

SMH Article

The Dragons are preparing to make one of their most significant transfer splashes in recent history in a bid to bring David Fifita to the club.

The NRL’s most expensive forward will be a free agent on November 1 and with most of the player movement frenzy concentrating on halves Cameron Munster and Matt Burton, the future of the Titans million-dollar man has barely rated a mention.

Given his hefty price tag and struggles to ignite the Gold Coast as they narrowly avoided the wooden spoon, it is unsurprising the Titans are yet to expedite negotiations with their highest earner before he potentially heads to the World Cup.

But according to sources familiar with the situation, the Dragons are positioning themselves to make a huge play to lure Fifita to the Red V for 2024 to help rejuvenate an ageing forward pack.

The 22-year-old fell out of State of Origin favour this year and couldn’t replicate the 17 tries he scored in his first season on the holiday strip in 2021 when he helped the Titans to an unlikely finals berth.

But it hasn’t deterred the Dragons from identifying one of the game’s most destructive players as a primary signing target before the final year of his deal at the Titans.

Fifita already has a connection with the club. He is dating St George Illawarra’s NRLW back-rower Shaylee Bent, who has been a leading light for Jamie Soward’s finals-bound team.

Newcastle have shown the Dragons the potential blueprint. The Knights signed Canberra’s Adam Elliott to a deal from next year after snaring the prized signature of his partner Millie Boyle to spearhead the Knights’ NRLW revival.

ne of Fifita’s better displays of the season came with a try in a loss to the Dragons at WIN Stadium last month, and St George Illawarra can see Fifita making a permanent home in Wollongong.

The Dragons’ interest in former hooker and Cowboys star Reece Robson has been well known, and they will be able to table a deal to Robson from November if he doesn’t recommit to the Cowboys beforehand.

But the potential signing of Fifita would represent their biggest acquisition since Ben Hunt swapped the Broncos for St George Illawarra on a monster six-year deal in 2018.

[Hail Sezer]

Surprised there hasn't been more articles linking Fifita with other clubs yet tbh. Dolphins will obviously be in the mix too. With a discounted contract offer from us and a disappointing year, it's a pretty good window of opportunity for other clubs to try and nab him for 2024 after Nov 1.

Been some noise behind the scenes for a while Reece Robson has been looking for a way to get back to Sydney. He'd be a good signing for the Dragons.

[jacksonm]

Got to keep Fifita. Sharks showed on the weekend that the big games you need a superstar, someone who can do what others can’t. David Fifita is that player.

[GCTTSD]

I wanna keep him but I'd swap him for hunt or Munster

[DIEHARD]

I want to keep DF. I want to see him play with Foran and Verrills. Get ball when he isn't stationary and not being swarmed with defenders. I believe. But... discount? Yes.

[Whats Doing]

I want to keep DF. I want to see him play with Foran and Verrills. Get ball when he isn't stationary and not being swarmed with defenders. I believe. But... discount? Yes.

Agreed. If they are serious in being contenders, they need to keep their top players of which DF is certainly one of them.

If they played smart they should offer DF partner a good contract to move to the Titans NRLW side next year which would go a long way to convince DF to stay (similar to the knights plan with signing Elliot).

However it is clear he needs to be offered a reduced contract and hopefully he sees the point that any team (no matter who) cannot win a competition with a $1m+ contracted edge forward and sees the bigger picture that to be competitive, it can only happen if the team's salary cap is balanced.

I would personally offer $850-$900K.

[Dobes]

Agreed. If they are serious in being contenders, they need to keep their top players of which DF is certainly one of them.

If they played smart they should offer DF partner a good contract to move to the Titans NRLW side next year which would go a long way to convince DF to stay (similar to the knights plan with signing Elliot).

However it is clear he needs to be offered a reduced contract and hopefully he sees the point that any team (no matter who) cannot win a competition with a $1m+ contracted edge forward and sees the bigger picture that to be competitive, it can only happen if the team's salary cap is balanced.

I would personally offer $850-$900K.

100%, if they were fair dinkum about keeping DF here, they'd be silly not to go after his Mrs. Bit of luck they can manage something, would be a shame to see him go