It almost seems unbelievable.
James Hooper on NRL 360 last night reported that the Wests Tigers made the Canberra Raiders one of the most ludicrous player swap offers the game has ever seen.
The Tigers apparently offered Luke Brooks and Moses Mbye. Fair enough. Two out of favour players who could still have plenty to offer in the right environment.
The only problem? They wanted English international Josh Hodgson and New South Wales Origin representative Jack Wighton in returned.
While we don't know what the reaction was from Raiders' staff who picked up the phone, it can be safely assumed they were laughed out of the building.
โA Tigers official a couple of weeks ago picked up the phone and rang the Raiders and said what would you think if we gave you Luke Brooks and Moses Mbye and we will take Jack Wighton and Josh Hodgson?โ said Hooper.
The Tigers have had trade talk swirling in recent weeks as their form goes from bad to worse. Sitting well entrenched in the bottom four, Michael Maguire's side did turn things around with a victory over the Broncos on the weekend, but it'll do little to take the pressure off.
Luke Brooks is a player who gets brought up time and time again as he struggles to guide his team, particularly given impressive youngster Jock Madden is waiting in the wings.
Ricky Stuart's Raiders haven't been in stunning form though, with the green machine outside the top eight. While there have been signs of life, Tom Starling is clearly the future in the number nine at the Raiders, while Jack Wighton's form, good enough to get selected for Origin, has been indifferent at best.
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Canberra sit just two points out of the eight after back-to-back wins over the Tom Trbojevic-less Sea Eagles and Cronulla Sharks, however, a testing run ahead will present a considerable challenge. They play all of the Eels, Sea Eagles, Storm and Roosters during the final seven weeks as they battle to make the top eight.
The Tigers should now have done enough to avoid the wooden spoon, and while they sit just two points behind the Raiders with an easy run home, they are outsiders to make the finals.
It was revealed yesterday that the Tigers had missed out on Tevita Pangai Junior, with the boom Broncos' second rower reportedly agreeing to a deal with the Bulldogs for the next three years.
Fake news. Hooper is the biggest fool. I swear he’s high half the time he opens his mouth. Don’t take anything seriously if you’re hearing it from Hooper. It doesn’t even make sense. Why would Wests give a halfback and a centre for a 5/8 and a hooker? The two positions that they have too many options for.