Sharks take a big bite out of Tigers

Peeeko - Smith is going to the knights, graham is a utility player, tupou only has one more season at the sharks, gallen will most likely play front row and not be asked to play 80 mins because he beats himself up more than most. An 80 min player like heighington will slot perfectly into this team.

Cronulla are treading water buying average players,save the money and put it towards a game breaker. Unfortunately Carney looks like being the dud buy of the year ,can't believe the simple mistakes in his game.

They were beaten by a team that had been developed .. the rest is mismanagement. I can't really remember that far back, but I am sure that Manly had more 'bought' players on the field than Melbourne had!,, I also doubt that the Manly side were legitimately under the salary cap that year!. Like I and others have said a billion times, 'Melbourne got sprung' other teams had better accounting systems and record trashing procedures. Where was the follow up on the independant assessors ( Dolittle ) visiting every club? Gallop promised it, but it didn't happen -- WHY, because they knew what they would find!. accept a scapegoat and hope it scares everyone else!. Yup

well said Will.

The storm didn't buy any premeirships, they developed every good player in the 2007 and 2009 squad. israel folou, cameron smith, billy slater, cooper cronk. They just overpaid them without any ones knowledge :P

I am wondering if all those rumours from mid-season are true ... regarding the discontent amongst the Wests Tigers ranks ... & that maybe they are cleaning out the personnel who were of opposite views to Benji Marshall. Who knows. Can't understand the view of selling older players for a youth policy ... re Braith Anasta, Lote Tuqiri. Can't blame Cronulla though - they're adequate players that they've purchased, with freed up money with Best & Graham departing. And big deal if they are trying to buy a remiership. Not the first time it's happened. Manly are the obvious ones from years ago, but consider Storm & Easts. Nothing new there. Hopefully Sharks will be able to get greater free-to-air tv time, & become a bit more marketable.

Well the tigers have kept on Tuqiri for another year, why ? If get rid of him over Beau any day. No idea what the tigers game plan is for the near future, i understand why a shakeup is needed but i feel the wrong players are leaving. Interesting to see who they plan on adding to the squad, could be a very different Tigers team next year. Are they now known as the Cronulla Tigers ?

Much like Gibbs Id imagine. At the end of the day the only player at teh Sharks next season that the Tigers wanted will be Luke Lewis.

I would have said manly in 2007 but unfortunately they beaten by some cheats !!! Tongue in cheeks stormers !!

Dayer, the Sharks are not poaching players like Manly used to. The only incumbent rep players they have bought over the past 5 years are Tupou, Smith and next season Luke Lewis. Fact is players need to go somewhere if they are unwanted. I dont understand your assertions at all. Its more noticeable at the Sharks because they have had such a thin playing roster. How many "locals" are the Tigers developing from their areas? From their squad this season you could only say 5 at most are actual juniors. The rest are from NZ, the bush or other parts of Sydney. Good point WIll, Tigers are probably the last team to claim they had players who came up thorugh the ranks to win a premiership.

Beau Ryan is not a Tigers junior....

Tigers in 2005! Couldn't even afford to spend the entire salary cap that year. It remains one of the all time great against the odds triumphs!

Lots. There will always be new faces, the difference is a few buys a year vs in a year or two changing the majority of the squad. And sometimes the coach. Cough bulldogs cough. Newcastle didn't have it work out so well. Not that there's anything wrong with trying to win, it's just a bit of a "cheap way" of going about it.

What team has not bought a premiereship ? Really ...

mate you must be living in 1978 where Manly was using the checkbook (just like the Sharkies are now) to buy a premiership. talking about waking up. The bottom line is there are just too many clubs in SYDNEY. have a nice day.

mate you must be living in 1978 where Manly was using the checkbook (just like the Sharkies are now) to buy a premiership. talking about waking up. The bottom line is there are just too many clubs in SYDNEY. have a nice day.

Tigers didn't make the 8, why are the sharks trying to take all their players. Based on the sharks this year they only need a few players to improve. Granted I didn't watch too many sharks games...

So, Tigers mismanage their roster and people start bleating about SHarks poaching players? Will, Tigers could have kept Fifita, gibbs etc but chose to chase Adam Blair. That was a roster decision. If coaches and clubs make a decision to go one way, and let entrenched players go, and another club signs them up, then that aint poaching (though I do agree about concessions for long serving players. Dayer, lets be fair dinkum, its not about local juniors anymore. Its about recruiting players to play junior reps and then Toyota cup. Wake up mate, its not 1978!

Don't get me wrong, Matt. As a Tigers fan, I would love to keep Beau. He's a class act both on and off the field. Unfortunately though, the salary cap favours clubs who poach talent and punishes those who develop it. And, when faced with a choice between upgrading two potentially brilliant youngsters in Koroiebete and Nofoaluma, or keeping Ryan on the sort of deal he deserves... the club has gone with the former. It's a pity, but until the NRL gets serious about salary cap concessions for local talent & long-serving players, a few clubs will continute to generate most of the talent. And continue to get punished for it.