Official thread and signing news

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Storm Spirit
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surely Croft, Munster, Scott, Hughes, Drinkwater, Suli, JAC, Stimson etc are the future of a powerful Storm team....

I'm loving what I am seeing....
Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time
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blazza18
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Need some more forwards.
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Inglis#3
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yourhero wrote:
blazza18 wrote:Courier Mail has us wanting to extend Jahrome Hughes until 2021.
Wow... If true, that is massive faith in the young guy. What rookie with no NRL experience gets a four year deal!? Must have impressed the club enough to think that they will be onto a bargain.
He is very good. Nice complement to the other members of the spine going forward.

Blazza is right that we're a little short in the forwards. They'll come though. We should be an attractive destination with the spine they'll get to play with.
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yourhero
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Jeese and Dale locked in for the medium term. As are Kasiano and Kenny. Hopefully we can hold on to NAS. Club seems to have faith in Stimson progressing as well.

Not a bare cupboard.
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Inglis#3
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Obviously Jesse and Dale are great but I'm not sold on Kasiano and Kenny Bromwich being good players for us going forward. Both have regressed a bit (although Kenny had his best game of the year last week, hopefully can build upon it).
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blazza18
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We could use a younger prop and backrower to replace the two guys who are leaving.
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Danger D
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Stimson has been great and Kamikamica has shown a bit of promise. We have a great system for grooming young forwards so I'm not too concerned about that.
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yourhero
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So we keep hearing...
Mattpoet
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I want it confirmed before I celebrate
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yourhero
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Why Bulldogs giant Sam Kasiano took pay cut to join Melbourne Storm next season

June 28, 2017 11:44am
NATHAN RYAN@nath_ryan
Source: FOX SPORTS

IT’S not every day you hear of a Test star taking a pay cut while still under contract but that’s exactly what Sam Kasiano has done.

The Canterbury giant’s manager, Mario Tartak, confirmed to the Fox Sports Market Watch podcast that the 26-year-old will leave the kennel at season’s end for a fresh start in Melbourne.

He also revealed that the man affectionately known as ‘Dogzilla’ has taken a hit to the back pocket to do so and he wasn’t short of suitors.

With the Dogs under financial pressure following the pricey signings of Aaron Woods and Kieran Foran for next season, Kasiano was one of the players to receive a tap on the shoulder.

It was an opportunity he embraced with the chance to start in the front row the driving force behind his decision to leave Belmore.

While the 196 centimetre big man attracted interest from the Dragons, Eels and Warriors, it was over a coffee with Storm coach Craig Bellamy that Kasiano decided to take a pay cut and make the move to the Storm next season on a three-year-deal.

“I can announce that Sam Kasiano has definitely signed with the Melbourne Storm for a three year deal,” Tartak told the Market Watch podcast.

“That’s going to start from next year — 18, 19 and 20. Craig Bellamy flew us down. (Sam) and his wife and they were ecstatic with how the club was run and Melbourne itself. Sam’s looking forward to making the switch.

“We had offers from, I’ll give you an idea, the Dragons, Parra and the Warriors.

“Sam actually took a pay cut to be at the Melbourne Storm. That’s how much he actually liked it.”

Kasiano is the latest Bulldog to head for the exit as part of the club’s signing spree which also saw Josh Reynolds take up an offer with the Wests Tigers from next season.

It’s likely at least one more player will be forced out of the Dogs who have recently re-signed fullback Will Hopoate, winger Marcelo Montoya and backrower Adam Elliott all until the end of 2020.

Speculation continues to run rife around the future of James Graham despite multiple denials that the skipper will leave at the end of the season.

But it’s certain Kasiano will.

Market Watch first broke the news of the Storm’s interest in Kasiano in May, earmarking the big bopper as the ideal candidate to replace North Queensland bound prop Jordan McLean.

With his Bulldogs deal worth $700,000 next season, the Dogs are expected to contribute to his pay packet in 2018.

So why the pay cut? And how did Craig Bellamy beat the other clubs to his signature?

Tartak said the pitch was simple.

“When we had a coffee at Bellamy’s favourite cafe, Bellamy’s pitch was that he knew what Sam was capable of,” Tartak said.

“He wants to take it back to when he became (Dally M) Prop of the Year (in 2012), when he was a starting prop and he was terrorising teams.

“With the Dogs, being used off the bench. I think Sam’s always wanted to start. It’s horses for courses. Every coach has their own game plan but Sam is looking forward to this opportunity.”
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bula
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Very good read and looks like he's coming for all the right reasons. Be interesting to see him after the preseason
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nacho
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Sams manager working beautifully on his behalf. Based on this I am welcoming him with open arms - let's do it Sammy
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blazza18
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Would prefer his agent keep his mouth shut before things became official tbh.
bushman
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Jimmy the jet maybe a storm player fox sports report. If it's true that would give one fast back line.
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