Canberra Raiders miss out on signing a second-row target Luciano Leilua

[Raiders_Pat]

That would make LL the 2nd highest paid edge forward in the game behind Fifita.

3rd after Nanai maybe

[FROG]

I'll be first to admit that I'm disappointed. 900k is indeed a lot of cash, be we desperately need a strike player and he offers that. Imagine having LL along side timoko... Would be a lethal right edge... And frankly, i just can't see where we make our next signing...

[Northern Raider]

That would make LL the 2nd highest paid edge forward in the game behind Fifita.

3rd after Nanai maybe

Zero Tackle has Nanai at $900k too. 4 year deal so I guess that trumps LL $900k for 3 years.

[GreenMachine]

dodged a bullet with this one...thank God.
Ricky can't get out of his own way...

[Billy Walker]

Best result possible. Dragons overpay big time. The only downside is that it gives the Cowboys the space to retain their back rowers.

Agreed - although it goes without saying he will have a blinder against us

[Raiders_Pat]

Canberra Raiders miss out on signing a second-row target Luciano Leilua

Luciano Leilua rang Ricky Stuart to let him know he'd decided to join the Dragons instead of the Green Machine. The former North Queensland second-rower wants to be close to his father in Sydney with a return to St George Illawarra the best way to do that. The Raiders withdrew from negotiations at the 11th hour when it became clear Leilua wanted to be in Sydney for family reasons.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14239

Ricky Stuart snubbed as Luciano Lieilua leaves Cowboys immediately: https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/ricky ... 1f30b15547

Shane Flanagan’s $2.3 million coup as Dragons land Luciano Leilua in late twist

The Dragons have finally landed one of the big-name recruits coach Shane Flanagan has been after all summer with North Queensland Cowboys backrower Luciano Leilua set to link with the Red V effective immediately on a $2.3 million three-year deal.

While St George Illawarra initially baulked at Leilua’s asking price Flanagan has been busy behind-the-scenes and has convinced Dragons management to take on Leilua’s hefty asking price.

Read more: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... 4d2c8e58e9

Fox is now reporting $2.3 million over three years which seems more reasonable. Apparently Dragons are only owing around $500k this season as Cowboys have already paid 4 months of his contract.

[dubby]

Thank God for that.

[dubby]

Just wondering where nickmamdo feels about his position we'd pay overs for this gronk

[Botman]

It sounds more reasonable but thats just optics
The dragons save some cap this year care of the NRL calendar and 4 months of his salary already being paid but it’s still a 900k a year deal for the dragons

[Raiders_Pat]

It sounds more reasonable but thats just optics
The dragons save some cap this year care of the NRL calendar and 4 months of his salary already being paid but it’s still a 900k a year deal for the dragons

Yeah that's true but if we had room to rework his contract so that some of it was frontloaded into this year and next, I don't think it would have been the worst deal. Still not disappointed at all that we missed out though, I would rather go overs on a guy like Finefeuiaki who looks like he has plenty of potential. I still think Finefeuiaki is an outside chance considering Cowboys already have Nanai on reportedly $900k a year and they will need to upgrade Luki. Whatever the case, we should be in the market again to push up the price at least.

[Bluesbrother]

I'm glad we didn't get him - sounds like we were in for a lot less than 900k which is pleasing. Suggests we're sticking to a budget for certain players and not losing the plot.

Dragons were reportedly after Luki as well with reports that he toured thier facilities. You would think this rules them out for a serious play at him. For the money we were offering LL you'd think we could land Luki - 700k would be good money for him but there is some value for us in that too. Pick up the phone Don. Luki would be my ideal edge signing.

[greeneyed]

Luki would be great but he’s not coming. The Cowboys can now afford to keep their back rowers. Plus we seem to have done the usual… according to the press reports, the Raiders were planning to sign Leilua using CHN’s dollars in the cap. Which are no longer free.

[LimeGreenMachine]

Im happy enough this didn't happen , I said in an earlier post that the guys coming through showed enough potential that we can wait to see if it develops into a FG career.

[Seiffert82]

I'm OK with the outcome.

Sent from my CPH2021 using Tapatalk

[Wiki Special]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

[Botman]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

[greeneyed]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

But is there cap space? If there isn’t the cap space to make the offer needed, regardless of the CHN situation… it’s the same old, same old. Every time significant space is created, due to players retiring or departing… it’s rapidly spent on “upgrades”. And then there’s nothing left of the $1.2 million offered to Jack Wighton. And no capacity to sign a “point of difference” player.

[Wiki Special]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

I'd go $3.2m/4yrs without hesitation mate if I was making the decision. $700K/$800K/$850K/$850K. Would get you fired if wrong but I'm willing to bet on him.

[Botman]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

But is there cap space? If there isn’t the cap space to make the offer needed, regardless of the CHN situation… it’s the same old, same old. Every time significant space is created, due to players retiring or departing… it’s rapidly spent on “upgrades”. And then there’s nothing left of the $1.2 million offered to Jack Wighton. And no capacity to sign a “point of difference” player.

Yep. We don’t know the full picture and nothing with this club would stun me. We’ve got a long history of just eating up a bunch of space we should have by over paying the Saulo’s of the world (not a shot at him, just a recent extension that fits the mood)

But it’s hard to imagine we’ve **** it up where we couldn’t take a bold bet on Finefeuiaki in 2025 given the EW and Rapana money is freed up

[Botman]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

I'd go $3.2m/4yrs without hesitation mate if I was making the decision. $700K/$800K/$850K/$850K. Would get you fired if wrong but I'm willing to bet on him.

I’m with you on the bet
But importantly I don’t think Stuart or DFJ would get fired if they got that wrong. Which puts them in a unique position to have free reign to swing without worrying about missing

[Wiki Special]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

I'd go $3.2m/4yrs without hesitation mate if I was making the decision. $700K/$800K/$850K/$850K. Would get you fired if wrong but I'm willing to bet on him.

I’m with you on the bet
But importantly I don’t think Stuart or DFJ would get fired if they got that wrong. Which puts them in a unique position to have free reign to swing without worrying about missing

Good point. And if wrong it isn't the worst thing in the world. I was more meaning if I got it wrong I'd get fired, haha.

We are probably 3 years away from knowing whether the current youth we have coming through are going to make it or not - now is an ideal time to make a play for a young star in the making who can develop with them. And him standing next to Sanders or Strange for a decade is something that I'd love to see.

[Botman]

It’s what they did with Tapine btw
And that worked out about as well as any signing could

[Billy Walker]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

But is there cap space? If there isn’t the cap space to make the offer needed, regardless of the CHN situation… it’s the same old, same old. Every time significant space is created, due to players retiring or departing… it’s rapidly spent on “upgrades”. And then there’s nothing left of the $1.2 million offered to Jack Wighton. And no capacity to sign a “point of difference” player.

Spot on! We were in the race for a $900k a season player. No tears from me that we missed him, but how can you be headed into a season with a self imposed $1m cap handicap? We have recently re-signed a number of middle of the road players. Surely there was an opportunity to put together an offer that might incentivise a move the needle type player to agitate to escape their current contract?

[gerg]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

But is there cap space? If there isn’t the cap space to make the offer needed, regardless of the CHN situation… it’s the same old, same old. Every time significant space is created, due to players retiring or departing… it’s rapidly spent on “upgrades”. And then there’s nothing left of the $1.2 million offered to Jack Wighton. And no capacity to sign a “point of difference” player.

Yep. We don’t know the full picture and nothing with this club would stun me. We’ve got a long history of just eating up a bunch of space we should have by over paying the Saulo’s of the world (not a shot at him, just a recent extension that fits the mood)

But it’s hard to imagine we’ve **** it up where we couldn’t take a bold bet on Finefeuiaki in 2025 given the EW and Rapana money is freed up

We also have too many middles which I think Cowboys are lacking. Throw in a player trade to reduce the cap hit. Guler would be a reasonable swap, or if they're not going to give Mooney a decent crack give him the opportunity.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

[RedRaider]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

I'd go $3.2m/4yrs without hesitation mate if I was making the decision. $700K/$800K/$850K/$850K. Would get you fired if wrong but I'm willing to bet on him.

100% agree with you on this one WS. I'd love to get the wheels in motion ASAP. Imo we have dodged a sticky situation with LL.

If he chooses to stay in the tropics though, I'd like to see us have a look at Matty Nicholson from England. He has been named in the England squad and plays for the Warrington Wolves. He is 20 years of age and stands 194 centimeters tall and weighs 94kgs. Again, a young player who we could look to bring through with all the other young talent.

[Bay53]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

But is there cap space? If there isn’t the cap space to make the offer needed, regardless of the CHN situation… it’s the same old, same old. Every time significant space is created, due to players retiring or departing… it’s rapidly spent on “upgrades”. And then there’s nothing left of the $1.2 million offered to Jack Wighton. And no capacity to sign a “point of difference” player.

This is exactly right. Which I why I never quite understand the excitement on here when we announce an upgrade mid-contract. It seems to me we are far too willing to upgrade players when they often have 1-2 years to go on their minimal contract. i think if you look at the teams that have been successful over the past 10-15 years (ie Storm, Roosters, Penrith) they have 2-3 non-negotiables that they must keep almost at any price and then everyone else they won't pay overs for.

[NoMan]

The Storm, Roosters, Penrith have easier access to much more talent. So I understand why the club does it, the risk is much higher for them when they just let someone walk.

[The Nickman]

The Storm, Roosters, Penrith have easier access to much more talent. So I understand why the club does it, the risk is much higher for them when they just let someone walk.

Why does the Storm have more access to better talent?

[-TW-]

The Storm, Roosters, Penrith have easier access to much more talent. So I understand why the club does it, the risk is much higher for them when they just let someone walk.

Why does the Storm have more access to better talent?

Or Penrith..

They've developed the same talent everyone else has access to better, clear difference

[NoMan]

The Storm, Roosters, Penrith have easier access to much more talent. So I understand why the club does it, the risk is much higher for them when they just let someone walk.

Why does the Storm have more access to better talent?

Yeah, that's fair, the Storm don't have as much advantage as the other two, just better systems and easier retention. I'd also say their roster is on a slow decline for a few years compared to the other two.

[NoMan]

The Storm, Roosters, Penrith have easier access to much more talent. So I understand why the club does it, the risk is much higher for them when they just let someone walk.

Why does the Storm have more access to better talent?

Or Penrith..

They've developed the same talent everyone else has access to better, clear difference

Nope, Penrith have double the juniors of Canberra with I'd hazard a guess one of the biggest pasifika communities on the planet in their backyard. Trends in the game mean they have the best source of raw talent and regardless of background most of it is not keen to move out of Sydney or even the west at the first chance they get.

Full credit to them, it's great for the game that development is winning comps, but Canberra would need to do more than twice as well at development to produce the same number of players through pathways.

[BJ]

Raiders also tried to do similar things to Storm in Brisbane by connecting with Logan and basing lower tier players there.

NSW Rugby League stopped that by threatening to kick Canberra region out of NSW competitions.

Rugby League is not a free market like many think. Powerbrokers and powerful clubs have their hands on various levers within the game. Been that way for well before the NRL started in the late 90s.

[Seiffert82]

Fox Sports article on Leilua says Dragons offered Kulikefu Finefeuiaki $600K a year for 2025. Surely we can trump that and even go higher to make it too hard for the Cowboys to keep him?

I understand the risk involved in going that hard for such a young player but he's the type who fits our timeline and has legitimate best edge in the game potential.

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

But is there cap space? If there isn’t the cap space to make the offer needed, regardless of the CHN situation… it’s the same old, same old. Every time significant space is created, due to players retiring or departing… it’s rapidly spent on “upgrades”. And then there’s nothing left of the $1.2 million offered to Jack Wighton. And no capacity to sign a “point of difference” player.

Yep. We don’t know the full picture and nothing with this club would stun me. We’ve got a long history of just eating up a bunch of space we should have by over paying the Saulo’s of the world (not a shot at him, just a recent extension that fits the mood)

But it’s hard to imagine we’ve **** it up where we couldn’t take a bold bet on Finefeuiaki in 2025 given the EW and Rapana money is freed up

We also have too many middles which I think Cowboys are lacking. Throw in a player trade to reduce the cap hit. Guler would be a reasonable swap, or if they're not going to give Mooney a decent crack give him the opportunity.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

Surely there's a club out there with a decent second rower who is interested in Guler?

Sent from my CPH2021 using Tapatalk

[Lui_Bon]

Raiders also tried to do similar things to Storm in Brisbane by connecting with Logan and basing lower tier players there.

NSW Rugby League stopped that by threatening to kick Canberra region out of NSW competitions.

Rugby League is not a free market like many think. Powerbrokers and powerful clubs have their hands on various levers within the game. Been that way for well before the NRL started in the late 90s.

Thanks Geoff Carr. I really hope he's enjoying the Dragon's success...

[gerg]

I was just thinking tonight that Finefeuiaki is off contract at the end of this year, could be signed today for next year
And if we were willing to offer 900k for LL, $700k+ is a bold best for that young man

But is there cap space? If there isn’t the cap space to make the offer needed, regardless of the CHN situation… it’s the same old, same old. Every time significant space is created, due to players retiring or departing… it’s rapidly spent on “upgrades”. And then there’s nothing left of the $1.2 million offered to Jack Wighton. And no capacity to sign a “point of difference” player.

Yep. We don’t know the full picture and nothing with this club would stun me. We’ve got a long history of just eating up a bunch of space we should have by over paying the Saulo’s of the world (not a shot at him, just a recent extension that fits the mood)

But it’s hard to imagine we’ve **** it up where we couldn’t take a bold bet on Finefeuiaki in 2025 given the EW and Rapana money is freed up

We also have too many middles which I think Cowboys are lacking. Throw in a player trade to reduce the cap hit. Guler would be a reasonable swap, or if they're not going to give Mooney a decent crack give him the opportunity.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

Surely there's a club out there with a decent second rower who is interested in Guler?

Sent from my CPH2021 using Tapatalk

Broncos have lost Flegler so might be after a quality, budget option? They probably have some decent depth at second row? I'm not sold on Piukura but Riki looks decent. Needs some work on his defence though.

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