Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Aug 29, 2022 10:45 am  

Emagdnim13 wrote:

Tet and Prior are the problem more than Holroyds issues or Sangare/ Ruan etc.

Both Tet and Prior have had multiple bans. Prior looks done. I hope the time off/ pre season and Sangare/etc means he can play less but accomplish more.

Tet has been poor. Banned more games than he's played and other than one or two good spells has been out performed by Mik and many others.

We can probably hover around the middle of the table with what we have but until we replace Tet and Prior with two starting props we will struggle for top 4,nevermind look strong going into play offs/ Trophy territory

since Smith came in we are a top 4 team, so not sure why you think we'd be worse off next year, after adding players and getting some back from injury for the start of the season?
we've also got recent wins against Wigan, Catalans, Huddersfield, Salford - but we will struggle for top 4 and cant contend for trophies?
unless you think we're going backwards under Rohan Smith already

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Aug 29, 2022 11:24 am  

Neruda wrote:

since Smith came in we are a top 4 team, so not sure why you think we'd be worse off next year, after adding players and getting some back from injury for the start of the season?
we've also got recent wins against Wigan, Catalans, Huddersfield, Salford - but we will struggle for top 4 and cant contend for trophies?
unless you think we're going backwards under Rohan Smith already

I agree with him.
We were bottom 3 under Agar.
Undoubtedly Smith has made a massive difference and made us compete regularly.
We will probably scrape top 6.
Every other club already has, or will, strengthen their starting 13 prior to next season.
If we don't do the same, I don't think we challenge the top 4.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Aug 29, 2022 12:10 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

Why the obsession with Mulhern? He's been dumped by Warrington because he is part of a front row that's been regularly overpowered. Why would he help us avoid that?

Warrington offered him a new deal.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Aug 29, 2022 12:44 pm  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

Warrington offered him a new deal.

I was about to say the same thing and to add that Powell was disappointed he chose to turn it down.
Equally many of the Wire fans wanted him to stay which is more than could be said for a hefty slice of the squad they have now.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Aug 29, 2022 12:55 pm  

Neruda wrote:

since Smith came in we are a top 4 team, so not sure why you think we'd be worse off next year, after adding players and getting some back from injury for the start of the season?
we've also got recent wins against Wigan, Catalans, Huddersfield, Salford - but we will struggle for top 4 and cant contend for trophies?
unless you think we're going backwards under Rohan Smith already

Older players a year older, Newman and Holroyd have injury worries,other teams in top 4 look to be adding strength and many if new signings are young/ projects.

All it takes ( as proven this year) is bans or injuries overlapping to make the wins hard work.

RS has done great,excited to see how he gets us playing after a preseason and some of the deadwood shifted.
Doesn't change that our first choice spine is getting old,our 6 props don't seen to have the grunt to make big meters/ break tackles or put in big hits on a consistent basis needed to compete with the forward packs of other teams.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Aug 29, 2022 1:08 pm  

I agree re the props - we've got numbers, with several lots of promise. But not a set that look capable of holding Walmsley and co. I thought we would sign another ready-made one but can't see it unless one of Prior/Tetevano leaves.

As for Mulhern, Wire signed a bunch of props as a direct result of their rotation being smashed every week. A rotation that includes Mulhern. They may have offered him a contract, but it clearly wasn't a very good one or he'd be staying. I just don't see the point of a prop who is maybe average and yet is probably at the peak of his powers. I also don't see a lot of wailing or gnashing of teeth on the Wire board - most seem to think he's a bottom end SL/Championship player. Which matches what I think from what I've seen of him.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Aug 29, 2022 1:28 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

I agree re the props - we've got numbers, with several lots of promise. But not a set that look capable of holding Walmsley and co. I thought we would sign another ready-made one but can't see it unless one of Prior/Tetevano leaves.

As for Mulhern, Wire signed a bunch of props as a direct result of their rotation being smashed every week. A rotation that includes Mulhern. They may have offered him a contract, but it clearly wasn't a very good one or he'd be staying. I just don't see the point of a prop who is maybe average and yet is probably at the peak of his powers. I also don't see a lot of wailing or gnashing of teeth on the Wire board - most seem to think he's a bottom end SL/Championship player. Which matches what I think from what I've seen of him.

The much feared Saints prop rotation didn't look quite as scary on Friday night. They depend on the likes of Makinson and Grace setting a platform in the first three tackles. I think Smith, with limited cap space and quota spots, is looking to recruit big, strong backfield runners, hence the rumours of McDonald, and Olpherts.Put it this way, if it's a choice between Nene McDonald and Rob Mulhern I know who I would pick.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Aug 29, 2022 1:57 pm  

But is RS playing that way because we can't get that platform our pack ( with what we have/ can get for next season) or because that's his game plan going forward.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Aug 29, 2022 2:47 pm  

Emagdnim13 wrote:

But is RS playing that way because we can't get that platform our pack ( with what we have/ can get for next season) or because that's his game plan going forward.

Bit of both. I 'm sure he'd take an upgrade on the faded version of Prior we are currently seeing, but I don’t think he’s as bothered about the safety net of an established six prop SL/NRL rotation, as a lot of fans are. He's backing his eye for players with potential over going for a "name." I say fair play to him.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Aug 29, 2022 4:35 pm  

I don’t care what the next two props are called, I just want them to be better than any that we currently have.