The one we need to keep an eye on is Chris Petrus. He's from PNG and the lure of representing his home country's first NRL side could be too good to pass up. But he's still very young and may not quite be NRL ready in 2028.
Jez Funa-Iuta, Guymer and Kautoga could be the ones that we need to build our backrow around from 2028 on.
Good news on our junior props stock though. Alongside Tuivaiti and Moretti, you have Teancum Brown, Mataele, Talagi, Pryke and Visconti. That's a really good crop of guys, lots of different player profiles and some already have NRL experience, while others are climbing the ranks pretty quickly. Good chunk of those guys are playing NSW Cup this week.
If Petrus is from PNG and opts to play for the Chiefs so he can be at home, good luck to him.
There will be ridiculous 1EE members, and by now we know who the self-appointed R&R experts are, who will reduce his potential decision down to "club failed to keep". But a player returning to where he was born or grew and may have much family is a huge factor and probably "the" factor. Hard to begrudge that. But also, not credible to reduce to "failed R&R". But those experts will claim it anyway!
Yeah well if he's as good as those in the know say he is, you get him to sign long term now. How are png going to negotiate if he's already signed lol.
If we wait, then its another r and r failure
LB > Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin🐐 - Mark O'neill's 🪓April 30, 2026 at 9:36am
Only issue is you might want to sign a player long term, they need to agree. Petrus could very well want to play for PNG eventually but also when it came to schoolboys he chose Australia over PNG. Not sure if that means anything.
Who wouldn't want to secure their future long term. ??? That's the main reason players sign. Kolomatagi, Gutherson, Brown. When players bob up like Utokimanu, the best recruitment teams keep them
We have more of our best jnrs playing elsewhere, than in the first grade squad
Poppa > Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin🐐 - Mark O'neill's 🪓April 30, 2026 at 11:08am
The reality is Chief that when Utoikamanu left us, he was looking pretty ordinary, he went to Tigers and did not look overly special there. When Bellamey grabbed him from Melb, he also struggled to begin with but eventually showed his potential.
I was watching this kid when he came through with the likes of the big names with the QLD Junior Origin sides (he was the Blue's equivalent) and he looked so special.....but then nothing. A good comparison that still has not worked out is Blaize Talagi, he has been expertly mentored and trained by the Cleary's, but he is no super star and is not likely to be....just an example of a talented kid coming through, who is just not that good.i.e he has no real speed, a poor defender that runs good lines and is an able link in a team that is almost mechanised.
Jack Williams has been fantastic, such a great purchase & has surprised - I had doubts at first due to his handling.
He is clearly a leader-type & likeable player at the club.
I wonder if he might fit into the 'Shaun Lane' category though, where we’ve utilised his peak & he's returned great value, but 2028/2029, we’d likely be looking to move on anyway.
It’s nothing against Jack, again he’s been great, but he might be the perfect example of a ‘type' of player you turn over when the juice is squeezed.
There seems to be a really strange issue with R&R criticism on the site lately, a defence that interestingly wasn’t afforded to far worse criticism of players & coaches in the past.
But for most of us with R&R concerns, it's about roster-balance, it’s about foresight & replacement, the Eels got Jack Williams right & likely have his replacement in-house (especially with Su’a on the way).
I wouldn’t question them if they let Jack walk for 2028, he’s earned his pay-increase if it comes.
The Captain > Nightmare Off-SeasonApril 30, 2026 at 11:40am
Agreed NOS - Jack going to PNG in '28 for a payday would work well for us. Forwards decline quickly, let him play out his career elsewhere.
See this is why I've beat the drum of stop looking for talent in your own backyard spread your wings don't leave any stone unturned.We should have been on this years ago others in the comp have a head start there but seemingly we aren't interested it's madness.
The Warriors are openly poaching rugby kids and there isn't a thing NZR can do about it.
PNGs competitive so called advantage is no different to what Brisbane Melbourne Easts have enjoyed for decades.Parra and every other fanbase and club moaning need to adapt and play the game moaning is going to get you no where.
"The issue of comparing Melbourne with Perth is Melbourne set their back room staff up so well and had the advantage of the Western Reds and Hunter Mariners folding therefore a big collection of players looking for contracts."
Replies
My concern is how PVL is so attracted to US sport he will consider this idiotic conference system being floated around.
But it's funny how he is trying to get higher price yet is open to less games. The more games yearly the more money.
The one we need to keep an eye on is Chris Petrus. He's from PNG and the lure of representing his home country's first NRL side could be too good to pass up. But he's still very young and may not quite be NRL ready in 2028.
Jez Funa-Iuta, Guymer and Kautoga could be the ones that we need to build our backrow around from 2028 on.
Good news on our junior props stock though. Alongside Tuivaiti and Moretti, you have Teancum Brown, Mataele, Talagi, Pryke and Visconti. That's a really good crop of guys, lots of different player profiles and some already have NRL experience, while others are climbing the ranks pretty quickly. Good chunk of those guys are playing NSW Cup this week.
If Petrus is from PNG and opts to play for the Chiefs so he can be at home, good luck to him.
There will be ridiculous 1EE members, and by now we know who the self-appointed R&R experts are, who will reduce his potential decision down to "club failed to keep". But a player returning to where he was born or grew and may have much family is a huge factor and probably "the" factor. Hard to begrudge that. But also, not credible to reduce to "failed R&R". But those experts will claim it anyway!
Yeah well if he's as good as those in the know say he is, you get him to sign long term now. How are png going to negotiate if he's already signed lol.
If we wait, then its another r and r failure
Only issue is you might want to sign a player long term, they need to agree. Petrus could very well want to play for PNG eventually but also when it came to schoolboys he chose Australia over PNG. Not sure if that means anything.
Who wouldn't want to secure their future long term. ??? That's the main reason players sign. Kolomatagi, Gutherson, Brown. When players bob up like Utokimanu, the best recruitment teams keep them
We have more of our best jnrs playing elsewhere, than in the first grade squad
The reality is Chief that when Utoikamanu left us, he was looking pretty ordinary, he went to Tigers and did not look overly special there. When Bellamey grabbed him from Melb, he also struggled to begin with but eventually showed his potential.
I was watching this kid when he came through with the likes of the big names with the QLD Junior Origin sides (he was the Blue's equivalent) and he looked so special.....but then nothing. A good comparison that still has not worked out is Blaize Talagi, he has been expertly mentored and trained by the Cleary's, but he is no super star and is not likely to be....just an example of a talented kid coming through, who is just not that good.i.e he has no real speed, a poor defender that runs good lines and is an able link in a team that is almost mechanised.
How would you have managed this differently?
Jack Williams has been fantastic, such a great purchase & has surprised - I had doubts at first due to his handling.
He is clearly a leader-type & likeable player at the club.
I wonder if he might fit into the 'Shaun Lane' category though, where we’ve utilised his peak & he's returned great value, but 2028/2029, we’d likely be looking to move on anyway.
It’s nothing against Jack, again he’s been great, but he might be the perfect example of a ‘type' of player you turn over when the juice is squeezed.
There seems to be a really strange issue with R&R criticism on the site lately, a defence that interestingly wasn’t afforded to far worse criticism of players & coaches in the past.
But for most of us with R&R concerns, it's about roster-balance, it’s about foresight & replacement, the Eels got Jack Williams right & likely have his replacement in-house (especially with Su’a on the way).
I wouldn’t question them if they let Jack walk for 2028, he’s earned his pay-increase if it comes.
Agreed NOS - Jack going to PNG in '28 for a payday would work well for us. Forwards decline quickly, let him play out his career elsewhere.
See this is why I've beat the drum of stop looking for talent in your own backyard spread your wings don't leave any stone unturned.We should have been on this years ago others in the comp have a head start there but seemingly we aren't interested it's madness.
The Warriors are openly poaching rugby kids and there isn't a thing NZR can do about it.
PNGs competitive so called advantage is no different to what Brisbane Melbourne Easts have enjoyed for decades.Parra and every other fanbase and club moaning need to adapt and play the game moaning is going to get you no where.
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