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2024 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

Whats Doing said:
Interesting that his front row partner Cooper Jenkins at Norths is also being chased by a number of clubs. He is the same age as Tuki and is considerably bigger and is a former Australian schoolboy.

I havent seen either of them but it would be interesting to know why we signed one over the other and who is the better prop.
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They’re similar size I think mate at least their reported size and weight is

Tuki 192cm and 105kg (he looks heavier than this I reckon)
Cooper 193cm and 110kg

Just watching some of their footy now. Cooper is more athletic but he’s a straight up and down prop, doesn’t really use footwork and haven’t seen an offload.

Tuki has footwork and finds his offload well.

Havent seen any particularly impressive defensive work from either but I’m also not in the mood to hawk eye some defensive detail on a Thursday evening
 
Cowabunga said:
Horsebruh is on 900k apparently, Way to much for us it seems, Tigers apparently in the front seat I read somewhere.

Watching some of Tuki and there's much better judges then me here, I'm seeing a pretty serious NRL player potentially if Des works his magic more then a battler. He looks a good athlete for his size with footwork (makes sense playing second row at Tigers). He's got all the tools for NRL at least from the limited time I can watch since QPLUS KEEPS SCREWING UP FOR ME.
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He won't get $900k, surely not he's been in reserve grade this year. Tigers also in box seat for Royce Hunt, so I think it will be one or the other.
 
Whoever gets him will have to pay enough of the 900k to make it worth it for Canberra, The 2 years at 900k has to be paid no matter what, It's somewhat up to Canberra where he goes because it will come down to who pays the most.
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Gold Coast Titans forward generating interest​


A forward for the Gold Coast Titans has reportedly generated interest from another team as he looks to get more game time next season.

An U19s QLD Maroons representative, Seth Nikotemo, has yet to feature in an NRL match but is slowly making a name for himself in the lower levels as he further enhances his development and skill.

Named in the Gold Coast Titans development this season, he is meant to be promoted to the club's Top 30 roster in 2025 before running off-contract later that season but is free to speak with rival teams from November 1.

This has seen him generate the interest of overseas club Wakefield Trinity who are closing in on a deal for his services, per Rugby League Live.
This means he could garner an early release from the Titans, allowing him to move before the expiration of his contract.


Although only 20, Nikotemo is highly regarded but sits behind Beau Fermor, David Fifita, Jacob Alick, and Klese Haas for a spot in the second row.

Playing for the Ipswich Jets in the QLD Cup, he has scored one try, made two line-breaks and 272 tackles, and averaged 52 running metres a match in 14 games, predominately starting in the back-row.

“Seth is prime example of hard work as an impressive young local player who went to a whole new level during his recent train-and-trial stint here, catching the eye of a number of our senior forwards,” Justin Holbrook once said of the forward.

“He's a skilful back-rower with quality footwork and a tremendous work ethic and it's great we are able to bring him into our full-time roster for the next three seasons, given he's been a key member of our pathways program since he was 15.

"He has a bright future ahead here at the club and I look forward to seeing him develop through the grades."

I must admit I have not seen him play this year but he was getting rave reviews in pre season training if I recall. Hopefully he is not lost to the club as this is NOT how our junior pathways program is supposed to work where our edge forwards this year have been generally found to be wanting. I will stand corrected if people that have seen him play advise that he is not knocking on the NRL door.
 
Is he actually any good though? Those stats don't seem to indicate so, though stats don't tell the full story, particularly not for an edge defender.
 
Seth Nikotemo had a solid year for the Jets in his first QCup season, primarily at right second row and in my opinion was better defensively than running the ball. The ideal scenerio would be to sign him to a two year train and trial deal of some sort, let him go to Wakefield Trinity for a year and go from there.

Arama Hau is the same age and with his transition from lock (where he played for Keebra Park) to second row he seems to be the next in line. Arama had a year in England and came back a better player for the experience.
 
Just looking at who's gettable for next year:

Forwards:
Sione Fanu 109kg - 6'1 (off contract)
Jack Williams 98 kg - 6'0 (off contract)
Royce Hunt 114kg - 6'4 (shopped)
Corey Horseburgh 109kg - 6'2 (shopped)
Daniel Saifiti 121 kg - 6'5 (shopped)

My preference would be Corey for his aggression on and off the ball, Royce Hunt small gas tank but dents the line (big body).

Think we are def lacking another potent forward. Would love to see Tino starting with Corey, can stagger Mo and Joliffee coming off the bench.

Or Tino with Royce Hunt starting or coming off the bench depending which pack we are up against.

Preference would be to get someone who isn't a young up and comer (we have enough of them). Need someone with experience who can smash the opponent when required.

Thoughts??
 
Figured we’d start re shaping the bottom end of the roster at some point. Looking at our edge forwards for 2025 - having Ryan Foran, Seth, possibly Arama, all in the top 30 with a handful of cup games and no NRL between them was never a smart roster strategy.

Question marks around Klese and Alick as well. Alick I wouldn’t re-sign, Klese I’m just not sure where he’s at. He’s had another major life event as we all know and that would have taken its toll.

As for Seth, he’s going well in cup. Prob better than I expected him to given its year 1. But the chances of him playing NRL next year were less than Arama, and probably the same as Ryan Foran, and for that reason it mightn't be the best business having him (or at least all 3 of them) occupying a spot in the 30.
 
Thought Tuki Simpkins was really impressive on the weekend He's bit of a big awkward body to tackle, finds his front, and has a really good offload. 3rd most offloads in the entire qcup comp (Arama is 4th), 1st in most offloads p/game on avg. We've missed someone regularly creating second phase through the middle his year. Be good to have a player like that competing for a bench spot.
 
Great discussion. Is Fanu that big 2R at Tigers? I like the look of him.

Agree about the three young blokes HS. Hau seems like the one to keep but who knows what Des will see at preseason.

I don't feel like Alick has ever been coached to his potential and I see something in him. It might take a Bellamy or some other clever bugger to show it. Clearly Des has no time for him so he's wasting his time and ours here.

Klese is looking like a very average middle and nothing else. It's a tough year for him and it'll be interesting to see what he can do when he gets some clear air but he hasn't earned resigning. I reckon Des will keep him unsigned as a last resort.

And Tuki is just a rumour at this stage isn't he?

Dunno what recruitment are thinking but I'd be having a serious word with Kamikamica and Reimis Smith. Just not sure what the Horse's ceiling is and if he's already hit his head on it. I'm not sure what to make of Saifiti. He's big enough but is he consistent?
 
Agree with HS above^ we've desperately needed to move some space in the bottom of the top 30, and shifting Seth's development to Wakefield and kicking the can forward on his roster sport is a good move. Even if he goes over there and doesn't come back to the Titans it's whatever honestly, Arama Hau is the guy to develop of all the young back-rowers, and by extension i'm seriously not sure at all about guys like Nikotemo giving their first team their best value anyway, it's more likely he's a second or third team guy, likely the same with Ryan Foran. Regardless, as HS mentioned, multiple juniors in the same position all in the top 30 just will not translate to short-medium term success.

I would probably have interest in Nikotemo later down the track, but holding onto he and Foran and praying they end up maturing physically as footballers in their early 20's doesnt yield results, especially when they could be other players that can play meaningful minutes now.

Reimis Smith is still #1 target for me, and like the Tui shout MT.. Also, not sure how the Wahs view Rocco Berry or Leiataua, but i've got a hunch Adam Pompey could become available at some stage. Do I think he's Stephen Crichton? obviously not, and not as good as Reimis but he's safer than Brian Kelly is for the most part and is just a much bigger body out there. Also at 26 he's sort of prime age to move elsewhere and take another step in his career. Again, not sure how the Wahs view him, but with the other two and RTS at centre someone will be frequenting the Vulcans 13, and if Pompey would be available he could be a low-cost option that can play centres or wing and kick goals, possibly in an Erin Clark trade even.
 
Have I missed something with Tui Kamikamica? He’s contracted until the end of 2025 at Melbourne

As for Tuki anything’s a rumour until the club confirms it but I doubt they will bother. The CM wouldn’t publish it with the wording they did unless it’s a done deal, and I’ve heard it from another source too. @MaroonTitan
 
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Sorry guys, my mistake. I could have sworn I saw him off contract somewhere at the end of next year.

I don't mind looking at those OBs at the Wahs either, NZT. One of them could be the next Patrick Herbert!!!
 
Hail Sezer said:
Have I missed something with Tui Kamikamica? He’s contracted until the end of 2025 at Melbourne

As for Tuki anything’s a rumour until the club confirms it but I doubt they will bother. The CM wouldn’t publish it with the wording they did unless it’s a done deal, and I’ve heard it from another source too. @MaroonTitan
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So then he can negotiate from November
 
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