2026 recruitment & retention

[Disco]

Yeah you can argue that about individual players. Subjective. The real issue is that none of those top 4 clubs have decided it's. great idea to have 3 second rowers in their ENTIRE ROSTER with no 2 and no 3 being players of the quality of Ben and Waddell.
Even if you rate Ben as a starter it's still a joke roster.

Bottom line is against the top sides in big games these blokes don't cut it and they are the only options in our entire squad. Their error rates for a start are simply diabolical and don't seem to get better with experience.... when you have a slow immobile pack the last thing you need are the errors these guy throw up every week which forces more work for big bodies. It's a huge reason we give up big leads together with the headless chook.

Yep with have left ourselves short for sure.

I rate Ben, think he is ever improving but in my view he would be edge option No3

 

[Disco]

Hard to believe that the Sea Eagles wouldn't be looking at picking up Lewis Dodd for $400k (with Rabbits chucking in the other $200k).
Frees up lots of cash and with his record of kicking golden point field goals is basically a walk out walk in replacement for 'you know know'.

Bit early in the week to be on the turps no? 😜

 

[Rocky]

Bit early in the week to be on the turps no? 😜

I would actually rate Dodd as negative value.....if the Bunnies paid for his whole contract i still wouldn't take him.

 

[Turtlely Fatigued]

I would actually rate Dodd as negative value.....if the Bunnies paid for his whole contract i still wouldn't take him.

LOL

worst case scenario, a 46% win rate for a third of the price....😛

 

[Not Paul Kent]

Hard to believe that the Sea Eagles wouldn't be looking at picking up Lewis Dodd for $400k (with Rabbits chucking in the other $200k).
Frees up lots of cash and with his record of kicking golden point field goals is basically a walk out walk in replacement for 'you know know'.

Hi Lewis!

 

[Rocky]

LOL

worst case scenario, a 46% win rate for a third of the price....😛

he's not NRL standard and it takes up a roster spot.

we have a few of them that fit into that category already sadly.

 

[Under the Sticks]

Hard to believe that the Sea Eagles wouldn't be looking at picking up Lewis Dodd for $400k (with Rabbits chucking in the other $200k).
Frees up lots of cash and with his record of kicking golden point field goals is basically a walk out walk in replacement for 'you know know'.

Can I buy a vowel? Preferably “U” and swap it for “O” between “D” and “DD”.

 

[Turtlely Fatigued]

he's not NRL standard and it takes up a roster spot.

we have a few of them that fit into that category already sadly.

Yes, I'm hearing he is a 'dud' but intrigued to know how this rating came to be with so little opportunity, is it just based on Bennett dislike? We gave a life contract on megabucks to someone with a similar resume (at the time).

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I don’t think halfback is our issue.

Fogarty ( Walsh coming through )
Brooks ( Large coming through )

It’s bloody forwards we need

 

[Rocky]

Yes, I'm hearing he is a 'dud' but intrigued to know how this rating came to be with so little opportunity, is it just based on Bennett dislike? We gave a life contract on megabucks to someone with a similar resume (at the time).

Yes based on Bennett not even wanting to play him. I'll personally take that as not good enough, but its obviously not entirely conclusive.

 

[bigd1972]

Yep on a value for money basis Garrick is the best option to let go.Dont need his kicking with Fog coming and he's a winger in reality. Lehi and Koula are a great centre pairing ( or Tom)

. If they let him go I'd be playing Wilson and Saab on the wing hoping Fog can unlock him with precision kicks , not the usual 5 metre short of the line Chaser stuff. If that doesn't work then Talau to right wing.Talau good option as back up centre too.

Add Nav Willett to that list as well. Tall and evasive ideal to have another tall winger for tries off kicks.

 

[nightster]

Yep on a value for money basis Garrick is the best option to let go.Dont need his kicking with Fog coming and he's a winger in reality. Lehi and Koula are a great centre pairing ( or Tom)

. If they let him go I'd be playing Wilson and Saab on the wing hoping Fog can unlock him with precision kicks , not the usual 5 metre short of the line Chaser stuff. If that doesn't work then Talau to right wing.Talau good option as back up centre too.

I wouldnt be averse to letting Saab go as well, good backs with Clayton and Tommy Talau with Wilson, Koula and Hoppa

 

[Not Paul Kent]

As I’ve said in the Nostradamus thread, I wouldn’t be going after any of the names currently being quoted as off-contract on long-term deals; they’re either the same as what we’ve already got or a step backwards.

Looking at our players coming off contract in 2026, the only ones I’d probably want to see go are Croker (assuming he doesn’t recapture some old form), Brown and Lodge.

I’d be targeting 2027 as the year to make some big moves, with a decent chunk of cap presumably being freed up. Wishlist: Blake Brailey, Beau Fermor, Payne Haas.

Unless we’ve got something on the go and can agitate early after November 1 to bring a genuine upgrade forward for 2026, I’d stick to one-year deals.

For 2026 I’d be promoting kids like Simione Laiafi and trying to pinch one like Va’a Semu from the Broncos.

To facilitate a mini rebuild in 2027, I’d take a few smart development prospects and—yes, people will howl—hand out one-year or train-and-trial deals to the likes of Jack Bird, David Klemmer and Corey Harawira-Naera. We aren’t winning it next year; let’s not plug up spots long-term when we can keep our powder dry for a proper crack in 2027.

 

[bob dylan]

I think we know we are well short of dynamic forwards , the problem is given the current cap restraints , the coach , our poor appeal factor it’s hard to see where that is going to turn around.

The only way forward at this point , is targeting good ( we won’t get the great ones ) youngsters who are behind a lot of players before they’ll get their shot.

There must be dozens at Penrith , there are obvious ones in Q Cup ( if you look ) and ditto NSW Cup.

And a area we should be basing a permanent recruiter , New Zealand.

Until we present better & become more appealing we are quite frankly , ****ed !!

Id be throwing money at a couple of those Chooks forwards that cant secure a regular starting spot.

 

[ManlyTragic]

As I’ve said in the Nostradamus thread, I wouldn’t be going after any of the names currently being quoted as off-contract on long-term deals; they’re either the same as what we’ve already got or a step backwards.

Looking at our players coming off contract in 2026, the only ones I’d probably want to see go are Croker (assuming he doesn’t recapture some old form), Brown and Lodge.

I’d be targeting 2027 as the year to make some big moves, with a decent chunk of cap presumably being freed up. Wishlist: Blake Brailey, Beau Fermor, Payne Haas.

Unless we’ve got something on the go and can agitate early after November 1 to bring a genuine upgrade forward for 2026, I’d stick to one-year deals.

For 2026 I’d be promoting kids like Simione Laiafi and trying to pinch one like Va’a Semu from the Broncos.

To facilitate a mini rebuild in 2027, I’d take a few smart development prospects and—yes, people will howl—hand out one-year or train-and-trial deals to the likes of Jack Bird, David Klemmer and Corey Harawira-Naera. We aren’t winning it next year; let’s not plug up spots long-term when we can keep our powder dry for a proper crack in 2027.

Come on! Klemmer and Bird? …. We are not a charity!

Just sayin

 

[The '47ers]

Come on! Klemmer and Bird? …. We are not a charity!

Just sayin

Oh we are, we are 💀

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Id be throwing money at a couple of those Chooks forwards that cant secure a regular starting spot.

Yep , that’s what I’m talking about

 

[MW66]

Come on! Klemmer and Bird? …. We are not a charity!

Just sayin

Klemmer an interesting one. Initially I thought "please no". However watching a few Dragons games recently he runs straight and hard and has a very quick play the ball. A guy I work with is a Dragons member (goes to all games) and he said "Klemmer may be a bit past it but he has tightened up our middle. Hard to fault him really". Q: Is he better than Lodge, Sipley? Possibly good value at a 1 year deal.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Klemmer an interesting one. Initially I thought "please no". However watching a few Dragons games recently he runs straight and hard and has a very quick play the ball. A guy I work with is a Dragons member (goes to all games) and he said "Klemmer may be a bit past it but he has tightened up our middle. Hard to fault him really". Q: Is he better than Lodge, Sipley? Possibly good value at a 1 year deal.

One thing he has is durability, has rarely missed games throughout his career.
He's probably been putting his best foot forward in recent times as his contract is expiring

 

[Tragic Eagle]

We need to break out of the cycle of signing players at the end f their careers. We don't need anymore we need youth and speed.