Leicester Tigers 2016/17 Squad/Transfers/Contract thread.

[Noddy555]

Although I wish him well at his new club, for me Fonua was never a tigers player. In the half dozen appearances he made for us his handling was very questionable at the best of times and when he did break the line his offloading skills were very poor and he developed the worst of Manu's traits ie. trying to take on one tackle too many.

[PaleoTiger]

People who know more than I have clearly agreed to let our only genuine No.8 go elsewhere, I am surprised at wanting to lose this depth from the squad 4 weeks away from start of the season unless we have something else lined up..........

I agree with the comments about O'Connor, McCaffrey, Williams or Hamilton playing at 8, but at Fonua was an impact player and at least offered something. He was signed as a big ball carrier, we've now got him fit and he will do what was intended. As we've now let him go, all we did last year in reality was get him fit for another club. I can't see what has changed from our original intention in wanting him and what he offered?

The only thing that I can fathom is that we want to swap to a lighter No.8 option (7 x 2 - Aussie style) / He took up a lot of wages, wouldn't start over O'Connor, McCaffrey or Hamilton and wanted to go / or there was a falling out over fitness. Surely if surplus to requirements then this would've been apparent upon completion of the signings, knowing full well at the time that Evans would be promoted to the senior squad?

The only thing that I can think may be that the emergence of Evans into a genuine potential has moved him from a young squad player, to a serious first team contender? As others have said, O'Connor has played at 8 regularly before in NZ and with Evans at 7 it does make sense, leaving Hamilton and McCaffrey as 8 cover. There is a big incentive for the club to develop and tie down Evans with Academy credits and development of home grown talent, especially since we've not had too many come through the ranks in the last few years.

It just seems weird why it is now!? I'd assume that Fonua was on a 2yr deal, therefore I wonder if we've got a transfer fee from Newcastle?

Utterly bemused.......??

[Wes]

From a position of no knowledge whatsoever, my immediate assumption was 'he's not fit enough' so toys have been thrown and he's off.
Shame, but then I wanted to see a genuine wrecking ball and despite the broken arm, when he played I just didn't get the sense the opposition feared him coming through their channel.
New #8 needed by the look of things.

How long before Jordan Crane becomes the premiership leading try scorer?!

[RagingBull]

Keegan Daniel has not signed for anyone yet after the Currie Cup, rumoured to be looking at a move to England.

Who knows.

Maybe Morgan next season.

But he wasn't massively impressive, he might have been our only out and out 8, but McCaffrey out played him @ 8.

[Dr H Flashman MBE]

Keegan Daniel has not signed for anyone yet after the Currie Cup, rumoured to be looking at a move to England.

Who knows.

Maybe Morgan next season.

But he wasn't massively impressive, he might have been our only out and out 8, but McCaffrey out played him @ 8.

Keegan Daniel any good? Excuse my ignorance.

[strawclearer]

Maybe Morgan next season.

I seem to recall he signed a new contract 18 or so months ago - not sure how long for though. Still only 27 - would love to see him at Welford Road.

[sam16111986]

Maybe Morgan next season.

I seem to recall he signed a new contract 18 or so months ago - not sure how long for though. Still only 27 - would love to see him at Welford Road.

I can't Morgan fitting the system anymore than Fonua did. Big ball carrier but work rate not in the same league as McCaffery so is an impact option at best.

I'd have been delighted if this had been a swap deal for Wilson at Falcons. Unfortunately he's extended his deal with them.

[RagingBull]

Maybe Morgan next season.

I seem to recall he signed a new contract 18 or so months ago - not sure how long for though. Still only 27 - would love to see him at Welford Road.

I can't Morgan fitting the system anymore than Fonua did. Big ball carrier but work rate not in the same league as McCaffery so is an impact option at best.

I'd have been delighted if this had been a swap deal for Wilson at Falcons. Unfortunately he's extended his deal with them.

Diagree re Morgan and Fonua.

Morgan's England form showed he can be a class act.
Not many 8's will have McCaffrey work rate really as he is a flanker/8.

[dunks43]

those saying he took a lot of wages, Im not so sure, we signed him from relegated london welsh, couldnt imagine he was well paid there either

[RagingBull]

those saying he took a lot of wages, Im not so sure, we signed him from relegated london welsh, couldnt imagine he was well paid there either

Not necessary he had a few clubs looking at him. elsh had some cash and he was a big signing for them.

[sam16111986]

I seem to recall he signed a new contract 18 or so months ago - not sure how long for though. Still only 27 - would love to see him at Welford Road.

I can't Morgan fitting the system anymore than Fonua did. Big ball carrier but work rate not in the same league as McCaffery so is an impact option at best.

I'd have been delighted if this had been a swap deal for Wilson at Falcons. Unfortunately he's extended his deal with them.

Diagree re Morgan and Fonua.

Morgan's England form showed he can be a class act.
Not many 8's will have McCaffrey work rate really as he is a flanker/8.

Eddie Jones dropped him from the England squad for good reason. He doesn't pull his weight in defence. An expensive acquisition that would I think would end up as an impact sub. I'd prefer an all round big hitter, Williams added a lot to our backrow last season and I'd prefer someone else like that.

[RagingBull]

I can't Morgan fitting the system anymore than Fonua did. Big ball carrier but work rate not in the same league as McCaffery so is an impact option at best.

I'd have been delighted if this had been a swap deal for Wilson at Falcons. Unfortunately he's extended his deal with them.

Diagree re Morgan and Fonua.

Morgan's England form showed he can be a class act.
Not many 8's will have McCaffrey work rate really as he is a flanker/8.

Eddie Jones dropped him from the England squad for good reason. He doesn't pull his weight in defence. An expensive acquisition that would I think would end up as an impact sub. I'd prefer an all round big hitter, Williams added a lot to our backrow last season and I'd prefer someone else like that.

He also dropped Tom Youngs and i would still have him starting for Tigers. Morgan had similar problems to burns at glous and suffered due to bad form with them, (Although played well V us).

You need balance in the back row IMO
6) Big Hitter
7) Breakdown and link play
8) Primary Ball carrier

And we already have 2 all round big hitters in Williams and Hamilton.

The only thing our back row selection is missing is a big ball carrier.

we have
Big hitter - Hamilton, Williams
Link play/Breakdown - O'Connor, Evans, Owen
General all rounder - McCaffrey
Wide runner/Line out leader - Croft

Infact in our pack our 2 best crash ball carriers are Logo and Genge 2 props.

[Hot_Charlie]

And that analysis also misses Fitzgerald, who is a genuine option at 6.

It's worth not forgetting that our MotM on more than one occasion last season, in both AP and ERC, was McCaffrey at 8.

[FrontRowUnionMember]

There were always going to be suggestions that Slater and Fitzgerald could be back row options, but that would stretch our second row resources.
You'd have to assume Fonua hasn't been released as a part of budget cutting, his wages must have been accounted for, so would still be available for someone else.
I'd also assume, that since Fonua was still under contract, either Newcastle have bought him out, or else we've agreed to an early release. But surely we'd only agree to release him if it suited us? Which suggests that we wanted the wages freed up for someone else???

[Jay C]

Fonua has not worked out for us & I am okay with letting him go as we have plenty of back row options.

Having said that, I would be delighted if Tigers have a big name no8 lined up for this season - or next !!