I see Warrington have just tweeted jigsaw piece #16. Who other than that prop from Gold Coast could it be. Either way pretty poor a week before the season starts. Missed all pre season, missed bonding trip!

But better than nothing at all hopefully?

Yeah i'm happy we finally have a 16, if it is Lelani Latu then i hope he comes over with a big point to prove and wants to impress

It’s Benny Westwood re-signed

Confirmed Latu

Let's hope he can deliver what we need. Low expectations given his pedigree.

Yeah i'm expecting about as much as Sammy Kibula to be honest with him, so i'm hoping both of them make an unexpected impact.
Any idea how long he's been signed for?

Signed for two seasons

Interesting.
I though you guys already had 7 non-fed trained players? Gelling, Murdoch-Masilla, Austin, Widdop, Mamo, Akauola and Jason Clark.
Is one of the above exempt? I can’t see that any of them count as federation-trained?

Look those pettifogging rules don’t apply to us anymore than the Salary Cap does, now move along at the back of the bus.

Someone has to play prop in the Reserve team.

Salary cap? What salary cap?

You were Saracens CEO and I claim my fiver!

The new Lama Tasi?

Recruitment has been far from ideal for the prop, but if he comes over with a point to prove it could be a half decent signing.

To be fair, history tells us that players who have come to the club with little fanfare and something to prove often do pretty well. Holden, Briers, Nutley, Bridge, Mackey etc. whereas the headline acts have been pretty hit and miss - mainly miss where overseas are concerned.

So I'm hoping Kibula & Latu both come fully motivated and eager to prove a point. Until they've had chance to be tested on the field, let's at least be supporters and [isupport[/i.

Any signing with 9 days to the start of SL isn't going to be earth shattering.

No the Saracens CEO at least won something whilst cheating. If we ever get done for a cap breach, we won't be the disgrace that they are or Melbourne were, we'll be a bloody laughing stock.

Me too, miaw

SoO players that have just gone through the motions
Ex YPotY just doing a job
NRL stalwarts.. Reliable. But so is a Toyota Carrola

I know nothing of your latter two, miaw, but they have a clean slate from me

For a short while I was thinking somehow that Judi Dench's butchering of Memory had affected your posting ability.

Then the penny dropped:
Miaw = Morrisey is a Wire (nothing to do with noises made by felines)

Sounds like you guys aren’t expecting much from Latu, you will pleasantly surprised then. He’s always been a really good prop it it didn’t work out well for him with the Titans for whatever reasons. Twice the player Tasi is.

Widdop I guess? He was in England till he was 15 wasn't he? How can a player born in England with a proper passport who plays for England not count as English on the cap?

Lack of fitness was the issue wasn't it? He was doing 15 minutes a half and not doing enough to warrant that? Tried to be Billy Big Balls and would be exhausted 10 minutes in, then tried to get fitter and stopped doing much? I remember him being highly thought of when I used to watch the NRL a fair bit, maybe 2016/17? He played in the Allstars game I think and there was talk of him going to Brisbane at one point, but ended up playing 9 games in 3 years after that for the Gold Coast instead?

Presumably he'll need a visa before he can come over so it could be a few weeks before he's able to start training with us. Then he'll need to get up to speed (hopefully he's fit) so, taking a slightly pessimistic view, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see him take to the field before about round 6.

GC had to let him go to make space for Luke Thompson, signing will be announced shortly.

Technically the quota rules would have him as Non Fed Trained so he would count as one of the 7 as he didn't play in the SL before the defined age, 21?

I guess we have been given an exemption based on the reasons you mention above as all the other players count on the quota, unless any moved from a club that went bust that I'm not aware of?