LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Aled Walters and the Philosopher's Stone

[TigerFeetSteve]

In terms of the Watson deal, i believe it to be a done deal and it is happening. Phil Cockanasiga is also a done deal, with us also trying to bring in Joe. In terms of Joe, that'll come down to timing. He is contracted through to 2023 with Bath, however as we have seen with Genge & Ford that doesn't stop them moving as there is a clause there allowing them to leave 12 months earlier. Big Joe is the Nemani replacement.

Ashton's wages are ridiculously low (under £100k) so i think with him, it'll come down to whether he wants to stay on, or if he has hit the record by then. Personally i think he's loving it with us, and we will want him to stay so there will be a 1 year deal for him for next season to take him up to the World Cup.

So reading between the lines then what we're saying is that Watson is a Van Wyk replacement, not a Nadolo replacement, that's likely J.Cokanasiga and Ashton is more just replacing the out of favour guys Aspland-Robinson, Olowafela, Browning, Simmons who are all likely leaving?

[Scott1]

Be nice,crazy risk though if it means we could be without Watson,Steward and Big Joe for big chunks all at once! Big Joe is someone England desperately need with Manus injuries.

[Scott1]

And Potter cant be far away from being looked at either!

[Soggypitch]

Reffell is becoming a world class 7, someone we need to keep, losing him would be a massive loss!!

I agree. I was actually talking to Neil Back about Reffell on Saturday. He is a fan, but thinks he needs to work on his support lines of running. His tackling and work over the ball is excellent.

[FrontRowUnionMember]

I can see the squad refresh being something like this
Socino - Gopperth
Taute - P Cockanasiga
Murimurivalu - Watson
Van Wyk - Ashton

Olowofela, SAR, Browning just not replaced given how they’ve not been used this year. Overall reduction in player numbers to allow for cap reduction. Remains to be seen on Moroni’s future.

Then if Joe Cockanasiga can get an early release from Bath, maybe that will see Nadolo released early. If not, then I can definitely see it happening next year.

Two power runners for the 11 shirt in Nadolo/Cockanasiga and Saumaki.
Two more elusive/gas wingers in Potter and Ashton for the 14 shirt.
Watson covering 14/15.

[Scott1]

Be some feat if we could have a whole back 3 starting for England,when have an English club ever done that?!

[AViewFromLe2]

In terms of the Watson deal, i believe it to be a done deal and it is happening. Phil Cockanasiga is also a done deal, with us also trying to bring in Joe. In terms of Joe, that'll come down to timing. He is contracted through to 2023 with Bath, however as we have seen with Genge & Ford that doesn't stop them moving as there is a clause there allowing them to leave 12 months earlier. Big Joe is the Nemani replacement.

Ashton's wages are ridiculously low (under £100k) so i think with him, it'll come down to whether he wants to stay on, or if he has hit the record by then. Personally i think he's loving it with us, and we will want him to stay so there will be a 1 year deal for him for next season to take him up to the World Cup.

So reading between the lines then what we're saying is that Watson is a Van Wyk replacement, not a Nadolo replacement, that's likely J.Cokanasiga and Ashton is more just replacing the out of favour guys Aspland-Robinson, Olowafela, Browning, Simmons who are all likely leaving?

That's roughly how I see it. PC replaces Taute, Gopperth replaces Socino. I also think Kini stays on for next season - he covers centre, wing & FB - that's pretty handy versatility to have as a back up. I think a fairly cheap deal will be struck so that he stays on for another year.

I also think Moroni stays. Both parties want it to happen, i think again a deal will be struck so that he stays on.

I actually think we have a bit more room to play with that we think. We still have been paying a proportion of the "contract 5" wages, which will now come to an end. Plus Genge, Van Wyk and Brink coming off the books creates a fair amount of space or allows for the reduction, depending on how you see it or account for it. The reality is that as our average age of the squad is so low, a lot of our first team players are probably on fairly low contracts compared to the value they give us, which again gives us a bit of leeway. The philosophy of bringing through and recruiting talented youngsters combined with our "Golden Oldies" probably gives us a bit of an edge over the rest of the league. Moneyball is doing its thing for us.

[FrontRowUnionMember]

I think maybe Murimurivalu or Moroni stay, but not both.
Genge will likely be replaced but cheaper.
Cracknell for Brink.
Jansen likely to get an extension.
I had thought we’d look at another 7, perhaps Robinson, but I wonder if Illone will get that backup gig instead.

It needs to be factored in that we need to reduce the playing salaries to stay under the cap, but also need to consider the likes of Heyes, Chessum, Martin, Kelly, Steward have all got onto the England radar to varying levels, and any contract negotiations with them will see salaries reflected accordingly.

[AViewFromLe2]

If i was in charge, Vanes, L Chessum, Tom Mainz, Illione, Agbonbon, Sam Edwards and Joe Cuisick have all shown enough quality to go up from development to first team level. Certainly they're all worthy 4th choice players that will only continue to get better. They're all at the same age that Kelly, Steward & JVP were when they started breaking through, and we have seen how they all got on! Jansen i'm pretty sure will be kept on - i'd certainly keep him as I've been really impressed with him.

Don't forget that a lot of these boys have always dreamt of playing for Tigers, that does carry a bit of weight when it comes to salary negotiations, especially whilst we're near the top of the table and competing across the board. What's an extra £50k say when you're flying like we are and getting quality coaching. As long as we don't take the proverbial with them, we have a core of the squad for the next 10 years sorted.

[GB72]

If i was in charge, Vanes, L Chessum, Tom Mainz, Illione, Agbonbon, Sam Edwards and Joe Cuisick have all shown enough quality to go up from development to first team level. Certainly they're all worthy 4th choice players that will only continue to get better. They're all at the same age that Kelly, Steward & JVP were when they started breaking through, and we have seen how they all got on! Jansen i'm pretty sure will be kept on - i'd certainly keep him as I've been really impressed with him.

Don't forget that a lot of these boys have always dreamt of playing for Tigers, that does carry a bit of weight when it comes to salary negotiations, especially whilst we're near the top of the table and competing across the board. What's an extra £50k say when you're flying like we are and getting quality coaching. As long as we don't take the proverbial with them, we have a core of the squad for the next 10 years sorted.

I do agree with much of this. When we were at rock bottom, we had to pay over the odds to keep or attract players and that is when you end up with the more mercenary types. When we were at out peak, players wanted to come for playing reasons and we did not have to offer that extra financial incentive.

Take an example now, if Manu was in our current squad and used the old tricks of playing us off against other clubs, I suspect that we would not be pushed into the £500000.00 a year wage demands and would sell ourselves on what else we offer and the youth developing behind him in that position eager to step in. Before we had no choice, offering more money was all we had.

[ay2oh]

In terms of the Watson deal, i believe it to be a done deal and it is happening. Phil Cockanasiga is also a done deal, with us also trying to bring in Joe. In terms of Joe, that'll come down to timing. He is contracted through to 2023 with Bath, however as we have seen with Genge & Ford that doesn't stop them moving as there is a clause there allowing them to leave 12 months earlier. Big Joe is the Nemani replacement.

Ashton's wages are ridiculously low (under £100k) so i think with him, it'll come down to whether he wants to stay on, or if he has hit the record by then. Personally i think he's loving it with us, and we will want him to stay so there will be a 1 year deal for him for next season to take him up to the World Cup.

So reading between the lines then what we're saying is that Watson is a Van Wyk replacement, not a Nadolo replacement, that's likely J.Cokanasiga and Ashton is more just replacing the out of favour guys Aspland-Robinson, Olowafela, Browning, Simmons who are all likely leaving?

Hope your right about Watson as he is a class player

[ABClub]

Watson is world class but even factoring in Watson's injuries and Kobus tearing it up with the Canes before signing we won't get Watson for what Kobus is on. That said I hope Watson signs.

11.Nadolo, Saumaki, Ashton
14.Watson, Potter, Williams
15.Steward, Hegarty

That'd be a great place to be next season. I'd be sad to see Kini go but 6 starts with 4 of them in the PRC isn't much game time for such a good player.

[Dangerous4]

How the pendulum has swung.

[sapajo]

Watson is world class but even factoring in Watson's injuries and Kobus tearing it up with the Canes before signing we won't get Watson for what Kobus is on. That said I hope Watson signs.

11.Nadolo, Saumaki, Ashton
14.Watson, Potter, Williams
15.Steward, Hegarty

That'd be a great place to be next season. I'd be sad to see Kini go but 6 starts with 4 of them in the PRC isn't much game time for such a good player.

So what was Kobus was on? Whatever it was I'm glad Watson won't be on it

[TigerFeetSteve]

Watson is world class but even factoring in Watson's injuries and Kobus tearing it up with the Canes before signing we won't get Watson for what Kobus is on. That said I hope Watson signs.

I wouldn't rule it out, just look at the Bristol issues with offloading players and cap reductions.

Bath are in a position where they need their expensive players to be value for money. With a reducing cap can they afford much cap space on a guy who's barely played. It may be a vast reduction of salary they're offering.

Let's then look at his options, he may be able to go abroad and earn a fair bit, but let's say he is more focused on getting back in the England squad, to do that it means playing in England. However he can't be marquee anywhere else so other club have to fit him in their cap, how many clubs would be willing to pay too much for him based on injury, plus England losses, not many, most have cuts to make and a lot have relatively speaking cheaper options who they may prefer.

Kobus though was signed as a top try scoring winger to replace Veainu at short notice (we know he was signed at short notice as he discussed it, so I sort of assume Nadolo signed as May's replacement, Murimurivalu as Holmes, then we payed a premium to get Kobus to replace Veainu at short notice.


Not saying Watson may not be a cost increase vs Van Wyk, but wouldn’t think they're miles apart in cost.