Canberra Raiders miss out on David Fifita

[Hong Kong Raider]

Next year we will have Whitehead (estimated $600,000), Cotric ($600,000), Rapana ($500,000) coming off contract and do t look like being resigned. Coupled with the potential medical retirement of CHN. I would have thought there’s enough to sign both Fifita and a decent hooker. Given we may potentially lose two edge forwards, we need someone like him.

But I agree with BadnMean that he’s only using us to bolster his next contract. Fifita doesn’t strike me as someone that would move to Canberra for footballing reasons when he can have the good life at the GC or join the Dolphins.

[Azza]

Not gonna happen. And good riddance.

[Billy Walker]

Next year we will have Whitehead (estimated $600,000), Cotric ($600,000), Rapana ($500,000) coming off contract and do t look like being resigned. Coupled with the potential medical retirement of CHN. I would have thought there’s enough to sign both Fifita and a decent hooker. Given we may potentially lose two edge forwards, we need someone like him.

But I agree with BadnMean that he’s only using us to bolster his next contract. Fifita doesn’t strike me as someone that would move to Canberra for footballing reasons when he can have the good life at the GC or join the Dolphins.

CHN is signed for 2 more years

[Northern Raider]

If we sign him, Hosking is on the bench. I'd rather we target a 9.

Slim pickings for that position. The only starting hooker I can see coming off contract is Mitch Kenny. Next in line is Karl Lawton who's currently backup to Croker at Manly.

[Bluesbrother]

If we sign him, Hosking is on the bench. I'd rather we target a 9.

Slim pickings for that position. The only starting hooker I can see coming off contract is Mitch Kenny. Next in line is Karl Lawton who's currently backup to Croker at Manly.

ESL?

[Northern Raider]

If we sign him, Hosking is on the bench. I'd rather we target a 9.

Slim pickings for that position. The only starting hooker I can see coming off contract is Mitch Kenny. Next in line is Karl Lawton who's currently backup to Croker at Manly.

ESL?

Might be the only viable option. Worked last time. I don't know much about players available there can't make any suggestions.

[dubby]

If we sign him, Hosking is on the bench. I'd rather we target a 9.

Slim pickings for that position. The only starting hooker I can see coming off contract is Mitch Kenny. Next in line is Karl Lawton who's currently backup to Croker at Manly.

ESL?

Might be the only viable option. Worked last time. I don't know much about players available there can't make any suggestions.

Edwin Ipape caught my eye last year, a bit out of the Api/Segeyaro mould.

[RedRaider]

Didn't Fifita have both knee and pectoral surgery in the off season. I don't know that he has played a match this year so far. He is on the extended reserves list for this weekend but not named in the 17. The story smells of time to offload a large chunk of the Titans salary cap. Captain Tino gone for the season too. Tough times in Titans Territory.

[Hong Kong Raider]

If we sign him, Hosking is on the bench. I'd rather we target a 9.

Slim pickings for that position. The only starting hooker I can see coming off contract is Mitch Kenny. Next in line is Karl Lawton who's currently backup to Croker at Manly.

ESL?

Might be the only viable option. Worked last time. I don't know much about players available there can't make any suggestions.

Edwin Ipape caught my eye last year, a bit out of the Api/Segeyaro mould.

Do you think the most viable option is in house in Trev? Will he be ready for FG in 2025? He looked good v Wests last year but then got blown apart by Melbourne. He has a nice passing game, both sides of the ruck akin to Harry Grant, and a running game. Defence seemed to be the issue.

[Northern Raider]

If we sign him, Hosking is on the bench. I'd rather we target a 9.

Slim pickings for that position. The only starting hooker I can see coming off contract is Mitch Kenny. Next in line is Karl Lawton who's currently backup to Croker at Manly.

ESL?

Might be the only viable option. Worked last time. I don't know much about players available there can't make any suggestions.

Edwin Ipape caught my eye last year, a bit out of the Api/Segeyaro mould.

We're going a bit off topic here but I should add Billy Walters to the starters off contract. Not going the be the next Hodgo but still an upgrade on our current stock.

[Raiders_Pat]

Next year we will have Whitehead (estimated $600,000), Cotric ($600,000), Rapana ($500,000) coming off contract and do t look like being resigned. Coupled with the potential medical retirement of CHN. I would have thought there’s enough to sign both Fifita and a decent hooker. Given we may potentially lose two edge forwards, we need someone like him.

But I agree with BadnMean that he’s only using us to bolster his next contract. Fifita doesn’t strike me as someone that would move to Canberra for footballing reasons when he can have the good life at the GC or join the Dolphins.

If we will actually have this much cap space available then I wouldn't hate it. I do think we would be better off prioritising an upgrade at hooker though. We may also need some cap space to offload a hooker on contract such as Levi or Starling if we do upgrade there too.

[Raiders_Pat]

Slim pickings for that position. The only starting hooker I can see coming off contract is Mitch Kenny. Next in line is Karl Lawton who's currently backup to Croker at Manly.

ESL?

Might be the only viable option. Worked last time. I don't know much about players available there can't make any suggestions.

Edwin Ipape caught my eye last year, a bit out of the Api/Segeyaro mould.

We're going a bit off topic here but I should add Billy Walters to the starters off contract. Not going the be the next Hodgo but still an upgrade on our current stock.

I raised Walters as an option previously but it wasn't a popular suggestion here. I think I'm also lower on Walters now noting he will be 31 next season. I do think he would still be an upgrade on our current guys despite being nothing special but there must be better options than him.

[bonehead]

J Brailey excess to requirements at Newcastle, Smoothy or Mozer at broncos but both on contract, Brad Arthur's son at Parra and Hands looks decent too.
Soni Luke might want a payday, Tyrone Wishart might like to start at 9.

There's heaps of options

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[Northern Raider]

J Brailey excess to requirements at Newcastle, Smoothy or Mozer at broncos but both on contract, Brad Arthur's son at Parra and Hands looks decent too.
Soni Luke might want a payday, Tyrone Wishart might like to start at 9.

There's heaps of options

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Brailey is definitely worth an enquiry. Much heralded signing, unfortunately had a horrid time with injuries at Knights. If he can overcome those there would still be a bit of tread left on the tyres.

Smoothy no upgrade. Mozer not seen much of so can't comment. Soni Luke is only good for a few highlight plays. Beyond that he's been unreliable. There's a reason he continually gets beaten for the starting job at Panthers.

[LimeGreenMachine]

I'm sure Luke started off the bench in NSW cup on the weekend. Not sure if he has had an injury or fallen down the pecking order.

Edit : Back in the starting team this week

[Rickmando]

J Brailey excess to requirements at Newcastle, Smoothy or Mozer at broncos but both on contract, Brad Arthur's son at Parra and Hands looks decent too.
Soni Luke might want a payday, Tyrone Wishart might like to start at 9.

There's heaps of options

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Is Hands gettable? Best one out of the names you mention there

[Azza]

J Brailey excess to requirements at Newcastle, Smoothy or Mozer at broncos but both on contract, Brad Arthur's son at Parra and Hands looks decent too.
Soni Luke might want a payday, Tyrone Wishart might like to start at 9.

There's heaps of options

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Is Hands gettable? Best one out of the names you mention there

And think of all the puns...

[Raiders_Pat]

J Brailey excess to requirements at Newcastle, Smoothy or Mozer at broncos but both on contract, Brad Arthur's son at Parra and Hands looks decent too.
Soni Luke might want a payday, Tyrone Wishart might like to start at 9.

There's heaps of options

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Is Hands gettable? Best one out of the names you mention there

Can negotiate from November. Not sure he's an upgrade though, Parra's 9s are ordinary and he can't make their 17.

[Raiders_Pat]

Robson and Marshall-King are both free to negotiate in November I believe. If we've got cash to splash then why not get the ramp out again and have a crack? It will at least push up their prices and if we're lucky enough to land one then we're in a great position. We would want to be applying pressure for an early release though.

[zim]

Go with Robson if you want to hit runs now. Go with Brailey if you want to roll the dice but also think we've got something at the club already. To me JMK fits somewhere in between the 2.

[NoMan]

I doubt there's that much cash to splash, Strange, Timoko and Savage need deals by November.

[Botman]

Marshall King is not a bad shout. He's a good but not great hooker, would be a good improvement for us and his age puts him on a time line that suits as a hold over for our young talent to have time to come through

Would only be interested if we could get him early for 2025.

[Chicka Chicka Chicka]

Not this Fifita **** again

[Botman]

Not this Fifita **** again

Chicka, you're going to be on your death bed and your grand son will be regaling you with tales of how the Raiders are going to go after Fifita... hard!
And you'd best come to terms with it

[Chicka Chicka Chicka]

I can’t do this a third time, I just can’t

[gangrenous]

I doubt there's that much cash to splash, Strange, Timoko and Savage need deals by November.

Need to sign Sanders too.

Plus I’ll wager Raps has a contract next year

[Botman]

I doubt there's that much cash to splash, Strange, Timoko and Savage need deals by November.

Need to sign Sanders too.

Plus I’ll wager Raps has a contract next year

I wouldnt bet against you on that because the Raiders will keep paying him if he's playing OK. But i really do think we need to move on from Raps this year.
Stewart will be ready very soon, Asomua is ready imo but even if someone thinks he isnt, by next year he will be.
Savage is making a postion his own, Schiller is showing he's too good for lower grades... i know Raps is still playing pretty good footy but if he's to stick around it has to be with the understanding and pay grade that he's going to play a lot of NSW Cup.

[Sid]

Not this Fifita **** again

Chicka, you're going to be on your death bed and your grand son will be regaling you with tales of how the Raiders are going to go after Fifita... hard!
And you'd best come to terms with it

Can't wait to see David Fifita running out in green at the new Canberra Stadium

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[gangrenous]

I doubt there's that much cash to splash, Strange, Timoko and Savage need deals by November.

Need to sign Sanders too.

Plus I’ll wager Raps has a contract next year

I wouldnt bet against you on that because the Raiders will keep paying him if he's playing OK. But i really do think we need to move on from Raps this year.
Stewart will be ready very soon, Asomua is ready imo but even if someone thinks he isnt, by next year he will be.
Savage is making a postion his own, Schiller is showing he's too good for lower grades... i know Raps is still playing pretty good footy but if he's to stick around it has to be with the understanding and pay grade that he's going to play a lot of NSW Cup.

Agree on all that

[Botman]

On the Fifita thing itself, i dont think a club like ours can actually turn down recruiting a blue chip player like him if it's actually possible. With EW surely departing at seasons end we have a need at edge, albeit not as significant need given how well Hosking is going

I am mindful that Hosking is only 3 games deep and whilst he's started very well, this is a level of play that beyond what he's previously showed so i think we should be mindful that maybe this is not what we can expect week in and week out long term... but lets see! If he can keep this up i think shopping at the very top end of the market like Fifita might not be required but i still think a tier below at the Finefeuiaki level would be a strong move.

Hosking, Young and Finefeuiaki with Noah Martin on the come up. That's a very good unit that we can get 160 quality minutes out of every week and with Hudson Young, we have middle forward flexibility in the unit too. (also low key, if that's our unit in 2025, Young might be the bench middle/edge tweener as i think those other two are better edges)

[Finchy]

I can’t see Rapa ever playing NSW cup. He hasn’t had a Croker or EW level decline, he’s giving 110% out there every game. I feel like he creates and sets up more opportunities for Timoko than Fog does. I’m happy for him to stay for another year, he’s earned it. EW hasn’t.

[Ruben Daley]

No way Rapa plays in ressies. Ever. He asks for a run in 2043, he goes straight back into the starting side.

But I think this should be his last year just to preserve his legacy. I don’t want him hanging on one year too long like others have.

I want future generations to do a double-take when they read the club’s history page and find a 34 year old won the Meninga Medal his last season.

[Westsydneyraider]

We have too many forwards as it is - up until this week, mooney, horse, ata, puru and even hola playing cup footy.
Even when whitehead and ( if ) papa retires this year ( which I don’t think he will ) we are still overloaded

[dubby]

Slim pickings for that position. The only starting hooker I can see coming off contract is Mitch Kenny. Next in line is Karl Lawton who's currently backup to Croker at Manly.

ESL?

Might be the only viable option. Worked last time. I don't know much about players available there can't make any suggestions.

Edwin Ipape caught my eye last year, a bit out of the Api/Segeyaro mould.

Do you think the most viable option is in house in Trev? Will he be ready for FG in 2025? He looked good v Wests last year but then got blown apart by Melbourne. He has a nice passing game, both sides of the ruck akin to Harry Grant, and a running game. Defence seemed to be the issue.

I have a lot of hope in Trevilyn

[Raiders_Pat]

We have too many forwards as it is - up until this week, mooney, horse, ata, puru and even hola playing cup footy.
Even when whitehead and ( if ) papa retires this year ( which I don’t think he will ) we are still overloaded

I don't think it would be all that difficult for us to release one of our front rowers to another club. There are plenty of clubs that are a bit light there. We wouldn't have to release a guy like Mariota either in that scenario.