confirmed, 2 year deal

Mik
Lisone
Sangare
Tetevano
Holroyd
Prior

Not a bad set of props at all

Just what we needed.

What's he like, are we getting a good player?

dont look at his minutes played, you wont be happy

This is as good an NRL signing as we’re going to get until next year when we have real cap. I think it’s very much the right type of prop we need: we can now rotate hard running props that will take route one.

We overplayed the idea of the mobile forward pack with the 6-again rule in my view and it just didn’t work.

150 NRL games. Big lad. Only 28. Formerly coached by Smith. It's got a good vibe to it. If we can get a centre in now we look more threatening than we have in years.

He’s a big impact prop, someone to come on and skittle a few after 20 mins. Good signing, but must mean Prior is leaving as we’re top heavy there now.

As a Gold Coast fan, I concur that this is as good as you can get from the NRL. Bit worried what the plan is for centre though. I don't want Martin playing there.

Have to say we look to have been making some more sensible signings already since Smith has come in. Given the lack of cap space we’ve boxed quite clever and then for 2024 we could free up quite a bit if we wanted.

Question is: how competitive can we be before we get the chance to bring in some real quality and right some wrongs in the squad?

It will be interesting to see if this means we won't sign McDonald, and Olpherts will play centre

I think they have a two part plan

1. They can free up another quote spot which is likely Prior and if they do then they sign Macdonald

2. Olpherts/fusitua/edwards have a chance to stake a claim for a starting centre spot in pre season.

I don’t see Martin moving to centre permanently

I still think either Prior or Fusitua will leave.
Leigh are one overseas player over quota aren`t they?

Prior to Bradford, MacDonald to Leeds

Id take that

I don’t pretend to know the salary each player is on but I imagine if prior went to Bradford we would need to cover a really large portion of his salary as they simply couldn’t afford to pay him more what we pay him.

Also I don’t know prior but I do wonder why he would want to finish his career playing a year at Bradford? He was thinking about going back to aus before he resigned with us so unless it is purely a money thing wouldn’t he just rather go back to aus and get a job?

I doubt he would get a job playing rugby in Australia.
And I do think if he has any sense he will stay on for another year and get a decent salary.
I reckon a loan to Fev or Bradford with us paying some of his wages and maybe Leigh doing a deal with us to get MacDonald otherwise they are over their quota.
Win win!

Wouldn't Prior still be on our quota though?

I presumed the same.

Why would it even be a loan? He's in the last year of his contract anyway so one year deal - we pay half (or whatever) and Bob's yer Uncle.

Is MacDonald the centre we need? Imagine he’ll be another 2 year deal?

Wakefield were apparently interested in Lisone. Maybe they'll be open to taking Prior with us covering some of his wage

Sam is best buddies with Fusitua and mentions hooking up with him and Rohan again as key reasons why he’s signed so I doubt Fus is going anywhere

Very happy with this signing. We need a big impact prop. Smith knowing him is a big positive. As others have said it’s about as good an nrl signing as you’ll get these days. The perceived speed of the move seems to suggest we’ve been working on this a while and I suspect we’re not done yet.

Looks like we'll see a very different prop rotation next year. With Lisone, Sangare and Holroyd you have a set of props who will add real oomph to what was a really powder puff front row. We might also see a more aggressive defensive structure as well - the more passive version was probably about conceding we couldn't hold the middle rather than a sustainable strategy.

We definitely look short of a centre, and we don't have a lot of depth at halfback. Myler is probably OK as first reserve halfback if Hooley is solid, but after that its Sinfield or Cam Smith.