The Transfer Rumour Mill Thread

[daz39]

17 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

Matt Frawley to the Rhinos, he had a poor year at the Giants but is currently starting for Canberra, obviously the Rhinos Twitterati are slagging him off before he’s pulled on a jersey but I think it shows what the quality of halfbacks available from the NRL is these days.

Im ok with it as long as we can get a very good 7 alongside him

To be fair Matt's time at us never really got going as he was in and out with injury and selection issues, personally i thought he was showing good signs towards the end of his time, he was a decent player, ironically we replaced him with Aidan Sezer, Leeds have done the opposite.

I reckon he will go well, he's certainly not and wasn't a bad player.

[Saint Toppy]

6 hours ago, Archie Gordon said:

The quality of proposed and actual overseas players in SL is faintly depressing. 

Sadly yes. Was told earlier that Saints are talking with Waqua Blake for a move here in 2024 but struggling to agree terms as he'll have to take a massive pay-cut from his current $1/2M Yr NRL salary.

If someone had told me 3Yrs ago Saints were trying to sign Blake then i'd have been happy but given his poor form over the last few seasons it looks like just another NRL player coming because its their only option

[Chrispmartha]

31 minutes ago, daz39 said:

To be fair Matt's time at us never really got going as he was in and out with injury and selection issues, personally i thought he was showing good signs towards the end of his time, he was a decent player, ironically we replaced him with Aidan Sezer, Leeds have done the opposite.

I reckon he will go well, he's certainly not and wasn't a bad player.

Cheers interesting to read that, I can't really remember him in SL.

We do need an organising/kicking half and he will fit that bill, the stick he is getting on SM is way OTT, I think some fans really do have unrealistic expectations as to the quality of the players now available from the NRL, especially in the halves.

[daz39]

6 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Cheers interesting to read that, I can't really remember him in SL.

We do need an organising/kicking half and he will fit that bill, the stick he is getting on SM is way OTT, I think some fans really do have unrealistic expectations as to the quality of the players now available from the NRL, especially in the halves.

Exactly, long gone are the days of the top NRL players coming over here, shows even more if a club like Leeds can't attract them.

[Chrispmartha]

Just now, daz39 said:

Exactly, long gone are the days of the top NRL players coming over here, shows even more if a club like Leeds can't attract them.

No club can

[Harry Stottle]

5 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

You realise there's no relegation next year

That's a blessing in disguise for some, others can benefit from the 'Speadsheet' end of season table to save them no matter where they finish on the points won and lost table, it's going to be great next season when going into what could possibly be a relegation battle, when it really doesn't matter what the outcome is, and that is not directed at any club, and I include my own club it is just not sport in my opinion.

Others will have a different opinion.

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, Saint Toppy said:

Sadly yes. Was told earlier that Saints are talking with Waqua Blake for a move here in 2024 but struggling to agree terms as he'll have to take a massive pay-cut from his current $1/2M Yr NRL salary.

If someone had told me 3Yrs ago Saints were trying to sign Blake then i'd have been happy but given his poor form over the last few seasons it looks like just another NRL player coming because its their only option

Yep.

[bobbruce]

1 hour ago, daz39 said:

Exactly, long gone are the days of the top NRL players coming over here, shows even more if a club like Leeds can't attract them.

Top NRL signing were very rarely (if ever) the best imports for clubs. That tended to go to players like the Paul brothers Mick Withers Jason Demetriou. Give me a player with something to prove over someone just coming for the money everytime. 

[Wolford6]

1 hour ago, daz39 said:

Exactly, long gone are the days of the top NRL players coming over here, shows even more if a club like Leeds can't attract them.

To be fair, Leeds have a noble history of signing duff Ausies. Long may it continue.

[DACS]

Brenko Lee is injury prone and slow. We may need to sign someone like him due to Madonald leaving at short notice, but he'd be a significant downgrade.

[UTK]

23 hours ago, Archie Gordon said:

The quality of proposed and actual overseas players in SL is faintly depressing. I really hope any ideas to move to 14 clubs in our top flight come to nought.

The economics of salary cap increases and the addition of the Dolphins in action.

2013 NRL Salary Cap in AUD: $5.85 million, minimum wage: $80,000

2023 Cap: $12.1 million, minimum wage: $120,000

Add an additional franchise in the Dolphins and you've just had another 30 professional contracts enter the game, while the actual cap increased by $2 million from 2022-2023. So all up for the 2023 season between the $12 million added for the Dolphins and the extra $2 million per existing club - an extra $44 million entered the market to compete with SL clubs in the RL talent pool.

[FearTheVee]

Waqa Blake to saints? (apols if mentioned already)

[Chrispmartha]

3 minutes ago, FearTheVee said:

Waqa Blake to saints? (apols if mentioned already)

Would be a good signing - has he been injured this year or just out of favour?

Would saints need to get rid of a current player to open up a quota spot - not sure on their squad status

[Saint Toppy]

5 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Would be a good signing - has he been injured this year or just out of favour?

Would saints need to get rid of a current player to open up a quota spot - not sure on their squad status

Not a great signing on recent form. Looked absolute class at the Panthers and when he first joined the Eels but i'd say the last 3 seasons have been pretty poor for him.

Hopoate is OOC though there was an additional 1Yr option on his contract believed to be in the clubs favour, which I understand they have decided not to take up. I guess he may still stay though if they can't find a suitable replacement

[Nothus]

He can't be any worse than Hopoate. Stealing a living that bloke.

[Magic Superbeetle]

 

2 hours ago, Saint Toppy said:

Not a great signing on recent form. Looked absolute class at the Panthers and when he first joined the Eels but i'd say the last 3 seasons have been pretty poor for him.

Hopoate is OOC though there was an additional 1Yr option on his contract believed to be in the clubs favour, which I understand they have decided not to take up. I guess he may still stay though if they can't find a suitable replacement

Blake will replace Hopoate, but the plan is for Blake to play as a winger rather than a centre. Whilst no signing from the NRL is a sure thing, he seems to be the type of player were missing this year. Not sure why the move from winger to centre was tried but it seems to coincide with his drop in form. 

Grace has also supposedly been released by Racing 92, and has been continuing his rehab at Saints, so its plausible that he will come in to replace Ritson to create some competition for places. 

If not already mentioned, Wingfield has signed a new deal as well, and Whitley is joining. Only outstanding question is if we can get another prop in on Normans money. 

[Johnny Ringo]

6 hours ago, Magic Superbeetle said:

 

Blake will replace Hopoate, but the plan is for Blake to play as a winger rather than a centre. Whilst no signing from the NRL is a sure thing, he seems to be the type of player were missing this year. Not sure why the move from winger to centre was tried but it seems to coincide with his drop in form. 

Grace has also supposedly been released by Racing 92, and has been continuing his rehab at Saints, so its plausible that he will come in to replace Ritson to create some competition for places. 

If not already mentioned, Wingfield has signed a new deal as well, and Whitley is joining. Only outstanding question is if we can get another prop in on Normans money. 

Does that mean Ritson is heading back to Barrow? Do you know this and can it be mentioned outside this rumours thread? 

[Magic Superbeetle]

2 hours ago, Johnny Ringo said:

Does that mean Ritson is heading back to Barrow? Do you know this and can it be mentioned outside this rumours thread? 

Apologies all “I know” is that Grace is rehabbing at Saints. That in itself isn’t completely unprecedented, Saints encourage alumni to come back and train with the team. It started with Graham who used to start his NRL preseason each year with the club, and Thompson did so at points last year (which led to a load of will he won’t he about returning which all came to naught when he got injured). However 2 years without a game is a long time, and could easily see Grace prioritising “home comforts” as he rebuilds his career, and if he were interested in a return, I can’t see a situation where Ritson stays. Lots of assumptions in the last sentence though currently. 

[Johnny Ringo]

1 hour ago, Magic Superbeetle said:

Apologies all “I know” is that Grace is rehabbing at Saints. That in itself isn’t completely unprecedented, Saints encourage alumni to come back and train with the team. It started with Graham who used to start his NRL preseason each year with the club, and Thompson did so at points last year (which led to a load of will he won’t he about returning which all came to naught when he got injured). However 2 years without a game is a long time, and could easily see Grace prioritising “home comforts” as he rebuilds his career, and if he were interested in a return, I can’t see a situation where Ritson stays. Lots of assumptions in the last sentence though currently. 

Oh, so it's just opinion, I thought you were someone in the know. Thanks anyway. 

[Josef K]

12 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

Would be a good signing - has he been injured this year or just out of favour?

Would saints need to get rid of a current player to open up a quota spot - not sure on their squad status

If he is injured he’ll blend in well at Saints.
I don’t think Wellens has got a clue how long a player will be out injured for, but i don’t think Saints medical staff have got a clue either. Woolf used to be the same as well. 

[Saint Toppy]

On 01/09/2023 at 10:44, Saint Toppy said:

Hearing rumours that Wire are trying to sign Saints reserve centre Wesley Bruines. Burgess knows him as he played for South reserves for a year. Bit of a strange move for him if he does go there given there are at least 4 other centres ahead of him in Tai, Ratchford, King & Wrench

TBH he's been a bit of a disappointment as he came with big raps as a youngster having loads of potential. He's been training with the 1st team squad all season and he's looked OK with ball in hand but defensively he's been absolutely awful both for Saints reserves and when on DR with Swinton. If he's going to make it at SL level then he's got an awful lot of work to do on the deficiencies in his game.

Saints have now confirmed that Bruines is leaving to join Wire.

Good luck to him, pity he never kicked on and started to fulfill his potential while at Saints.

[kiggy]

On 10/08/2023 at 20:45, kiggy said:

Toulouse got most of the new players from the elites so no big spending, they don't actually have a big budget.

They currently still don't have the new president installed, or a main sponsor on the shirts. Nothing will now happen until after the summer holidays...which is so infuriatingly french! This should have been sorted out pre-season

Apparently it's all sorted now...finally. It's only taken 9 months!

Expect an announcement soon, and hopefully some money on the table to keep the players who a few SL clubs are chasing. 

[PEANUT HEAD]

Anthony Milford to leigh. 

[bobbruce]

3 minutes ago, PEANUT HEAD said:

Anthony Milford to leigh. 

As long as it’s to replace Reynolds and not Lam. 

[phiggins]

20 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

As long as it’s to replace Reynolds and not Lam. 

Lam is contracted till 2025. Reynolds till the end of the season