The Wests Tigers have been questioned for signing veteran half Aidan Sezer after allowing established No. 7 Luke Brooks to leave the club.
The Tigers coaching staff and recruitment team were reportedly torn on whether to sign Sezer but head coach Benji Marshall got his way.
The club has also signed Dragons young gun Jayden Sulliuvan and let playmaker Daine Laurie head back to the Panthers next year.
Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >>>
“Aiden Sezer has signed a one-year deal, he will be the half, he brings experience, he’s been over in the Super League, not sure where he’s at in terms of fitness and form and all of that but they’ve got him. How do we see this and is it Bud Sullivan who partners him in the halves, are they the 6 and 7?” Braith Anasta said on NRL 360.
“I wish Aiden Sezer all the best but I will say this, not everybody at the Wests Tigers is on the same page here as far as signing goes,” Dave Riccio responded.
“All the mail out of England was that his body isn’t great and time will tell.”
Anasta asked Riccio if he was sure to which the journalist replied “I’m certain” and he was then probed who on isn’t on the same page at the club.
“Members of the recruitment team and the coaching staff,” Riccio said.
NRL premiership winner Anasta doesn’t believe 21-year-old Sullivan and a journeyman Sezer will end the Tigers’ 13-year finals drought next season.
“They let go of Luke Brooks and they’ve signed Aiden Sezer and Bud Sullivan on a four-year deal, it doesn’t make sense to me, it really doesn’t,” Anasta said.
MORE NRL NEWS
EXTRA TIME: Kevvie’s plan to keep Broncos together as Billy reveals ‘tough love’ chat
BUNNIES BOMBSHELL: Assistant coaches face axe in ‘line in the sand moment’
‘DEVOID OF LEADERSHIP’: Captaincy questioned amid claims of special treatment
‘KILLS CLUBS’: Manly’s cap facing ‘major ramifications’ after $2.4m star’s axing
“For mine you could have kept Brooks and bought Sullivan on a two or three year deal and partnered those two in the halves, and not signed Sezer, and paid $500k for Fainu who isn’t proven and Manly wanted to get rid of, I could go on.
“But it doesn’t matter now, it really doesn’t, they’re the two and we’ll see how it pans out. I don’t know how those two are getting to the finals if I’m being straight up.”
Paul Crawley believes Marshall was backed into a corner after the club failed to retain Brooks.
“Didn’t Benji want to keep Brooks initially? And Scott Fulton and the club had a different view,” Crawley said.
‘You wouldn’t see Billy Slater do that’ | 02:30
MORE NRL NEWS
TEAMS: Roosters make surprise call, Eels’ key return as Storm reveal star’s fate
RUN HOME: NRL’s mad 11-team scramble as every finals scenario explained
RESSIES WRAP: Panthers half explodes amid Luai squeeze; Raiders big boost
PHENOMENAL FORM: Ponga backed to take Knights to grand final amid 22-year first
So Benji was probably put in a position where he needed an experienced half and for that reason, Brooks had already gone.
“So if Sezer comes as a short-term answer and provides that experience then I can understand why the coach would want that because without him they haven’t got the experience.
“Dane Laurie is the other one, he’s found his feet and looks like he’s got a future at five-eighth and he’s going back to Penrith.”
#Wests #Tigers #sign #Aidan #Sezer #Benji #Marshall #Scott #Fulton #divide #Luke #Brooks #Jayden #Sullivan #Daine #Laurie
