Official thread and signing news

[yourhero]

https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/locke ... iUxzBGVlKQ

An interesting read

Great read mate, thanks for posting.

[yourhero]

I too feel bad for Welch, but the time has come. We should be actively looking at a player swap or helping him get a deal elsewhere and releasing him early.

His GF game was nightmare stuff.

[The Black Dot]

Pezet to stay and sign a three year extension according to foxsports

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... d110fd5dff

[glennb]

Zero Tackle
Over the past few days, a number of reports have dropped that outline the future of the fullback position at the Melbourne Storm.
Ryan Papenhuyzen is set to sign a long-term contract extension, tying his future to the purple.
Young gun Sua Fa'alogo has reportedly been promised that he would be allowed to search for another club should the Papenhuyzen signing continue to block is progress.
While this is all speculation at this stage, I can't see a world in which Faalogo remains at the Storm, knowing Papenhuzen and Tyran Wishart are ahead of him in the pecking order.

[sallymay]

They won’t keep Tyran he is too good for 10/20 from the bench he is a starting hooker halfback 5/8 and would be crazy not to look for a full time position next contract

Frank Ponessi will not let Sua go he wants more Victorian players not less

[glennb]

Rumour Daily Telegraph

Which experienced NRL forward is not expected to be at his club next season, despite being contracted and having played more than 20 games this year for the top 8 side?

Chistian Welch played 20 games. Hope it is not him.

[glennb]

Daily Telegraph
DRAGONS CIRCLE WISHART
Melbourne are ready to open talks with Tyran Wishart over a contract extension amid talk that St George Illawarra continue to circle one of their most versatile players.
Wishart has another year remaining on his contract as well as a club option for 2026 but the Storm have been so happy with his form, they want to extend his deal beyond that.
Wishart was a mainstay of the Storm’s grand final outfit this season, playing 26 games across a variety of positions – he played the majority of games off the interchange bench but also started at five-eighth, halfback and hooker.
There have been ongoing rumours that the Dragons have been eyeing him off given he is an Illawarra junior, who grew up playing for the Gerringong Lions.

[blazza18]

It's cool that there's news about clubs chasing one of our players who they legally can't talk to until November next season. Also cool that clubs are interested in one of our players that just signed a long term extension at the beginning of the season. Real professional sport the NRL is running.

[Mattpoet]

If they didn't sanction Wayne 'the rules should be vigorously applied to everyone but me' Bennett for openly encouraging Munster to break his contract then the rules are meaningless.

[Storm98]

I think it would be best for the team if Christian welch was that experienced forward rumoured to be leaving their club.

I was shocked to hear the reported 1mil a season the club has offered pappy, with the rest of the spine on such big money I'm not sure how it makes sense to have him on another long term deal, I don't believe he offers alot anymore unless the game is really open ie the roosters and dolphins games. I do believe pappys marketability may play a part and they may not be as high on sua as first thought.

I might be crazy but Id been thinking in the back half of the year with Munster running the ball Soo much I'd have rather have had wishy at 6 and Munster fullback especially in big games.

[Lucas]

Have we signed Seve, Ieremia and Lisati for next year? We have only 24 signed up according to zero tackle (not including those 3). With rumours of Welch, Sua, Wishart and Pezet potentially moving on in the future, might need to start signing some blokes.

[sallymay]

Pretty sure Dean signed for next year and assume Maz is staying too

[Scooter]

Not sure why zero tackle has Lisati as uncontracted. Storm original story about signing Lisati says he is signed until end of 2025.


https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/ ... lu-lisati/

[yanjarra]

I think it would be best for the team if Christian welch was that experienced forward rumoured to be leaving their club.

I was shocked to hear the reported 1mil a season the club has offered pappy, with the rest of the spine on such big money I'm not sure how it makes sense to have him on another long term deal, I don't believe he offers alot anymore unless the game is really open ie the roosters and dolphins games. I do believe pappys marketability may play a part and they may not be as high on sua as first thought.

I might be crazy but Id been thinking in the back half of the year with Munster running the ball Soo much I'd have rather have had wishy at 6 and Munster fullback especially in big games.

Don't think that's crazy at all. Providing the club are confident munster's surgery go's well and he gets back to full health and he's open to the move (only the club would know the ins and outs of this). Dragons sound like they are very keen on wish, id prefer to keep him then paps and we'd do so for less money. I think the decision to keep pap will cost us wish and 400-500k. Munster would be a bigger running threat at fb and wish looks a more natural 5/8 and the team looked better with him there. Use that million+ that we free up from papas and welch for some more quality middles, whilst at the same time having a stronger spine imo. Leo Thompson from the knights would be one to target. Also, Willison from broncs.

Would depend a little bit on where they are at with sua, might only get a couple good years back there from munster (which would be enough for a premiership), so they'd have to be confident sua could transition in which I thinks questionable with his cramping, slight frame, defensive and error deficiencies, and seemingly a few attitude problems atm. Mind you, despite paps being 4 years munsters junior i'm not sure he has anymore footy left in him than munster.

We hear the term premiership windows all the time. Next year is a big one for us and future planning isn't the be all end all. I think we'd be clear favs with munster fb and wish 5/8.

Carry Sua on the bench and inject him at appropriate times and carefully manage munster with his origin load, sua would get plenty of fb gametime/experience. At a pinch in games to give harry a spell, sua to fb, munster to 5/8, wish to hooker- the team would be more versatile while giving sua experience which he's not going to get much of with pap there.

[blazza18]

I'm interested in seeing if Wishart can improve on his very good season and be more than an effort guy who has a dummy players fall for way too much.

I've said this before, Munster at fullback is fine if we desperately need him to fill in for a game but he doesn't have the fitness or speed required to do it fulltime.