Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Jun 28, 2023 2:40 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

Townsend is slow, always has been. The reason he works with the Cowboys is they have Dearden, plus Drinkwater at full back who plays more like a quality halfback in attack. He provides structure and that's about it. You'd have to add a lot of speed around him for it to work. People talk about ambition and then suggest signing a 33 year old (which he would be next year) is ambitious? Ambitious to me would be spending some cash and signing Croft.

However, there's a real shortage of quality halfbacks at the moment, NRL included.

The Dolphins trio of O'Sullivan, Milford and Nikorima might be worth looking at. Katoa will be the Dolphins 6 for the foreseeable future, and the other three are fighting for one spot. Nikorima has done much better than expected at halfback, O'Sullivan was going well before he got injured, and Milford has played OK once he got fit. But only one of them can be first choice. Milford might fancy a change of scene, but would be a gamble as to whether he would put his heart into it, as he's generally floated around aimlessly for a few years now. I like Nikorima's style, and I think it would suit SL.

The only other player I can think of is Jack Cogger at the Panthers. He's done well as a reserve for Cleary, and is unlikely to be picked up as a starting halfback in the NRL. He might be interested in coming back to England if his alternative is reserves most of the time.

No arguments about Croft. Just feel that when he leaves Salford it will be for the NRL. You talk about structure as if it's nothing - it would be massive for us. We haven't had a half who has got us round the field since Sinny and it has really shown, hasn’t it? It's not going to be easy coming up with a half whoever it is. Wakeham at Wests might be an option. He's playing in the halves (with Lawrie at six) tomorrow.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Jun 28, 2023 3:21 pm  

Someone who could do for us what Dunneman did is needed.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Jun 28, 2023 4:53 pm  

Cogger probably not a bad shout and only 25 and knows what life is like in the UK,whether he enjoyed it is another matter .
Been playing well for the Panthers,but then again that's in the top team in NRL.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Jun 28, 2023 9:11 pm  

ArthurClues wrote:

We're going to have to break that cycle though. If Leeds are the biggest club in the Northern Hemisphere we need to start behaving as such. That means being prepared to outbid Catalans and Wire etc. Nobody would bat an eyelid if either of those clubs announced they had signed Townsend. If Leeds did, this forum would probably be in shock. That's how far we have slipped. We need to start punching our weight again or resign ourselves to perennial mid table status.

Biggest club in Northern Hemisphere? You been reading the Twitter feeds? Having a media presence and the ability to talk jibberish doesn’t mean you are a big club. Saints are the biggest club by a mile. We need to work +++ to close the gap. Could take 5-10yrs. we’ve all let them get away…..

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jun 29, 2023 6:47 am  

Shabino wrote:

Biggest club in Northern Hemisphere? You been reading the Twitter feeds? Having a media presence and the ability to talk jibberish doesn’t mean you are a big club. Saints are the biggest club by a mile. We need to work +++ to close the gap. Could take 5-10yrs. we’ve all let them get away…..

Being a big big club isn’t about just winning trophies
in recent seasons. Have another think about what AC is saying and why Leeds are a huge club..

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jun 29, 2023 7:01 am  

Trebor1 wrote:

Being a big big club isn’t about just winning trophies
in recent seasons. Have another think about what AC is saying and why Leeds are a huge club..

Ok. Big clubs attract the best players, and are happy to pay fee’s to weaken their rivals. Any evidence of this. I get it Corporate side of things flying, but I have no interest in that…..

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jun 29, 2023 7:37 am  

Shabino wrote:

Ok. Big clubs attract the best players, and are happy to pay fee’s to weaken their rivals. Any evidence of this. I get it Corporate side of things flying, but I have no interest in that…..

If you re-read you will notice the key word, right at the start of the post, is "if". Anybody with any knowledge of the history of the sport knows that if success is the criteria Leeds are a distant 3rd behind Wigan and Saints and another 10 year Golden Generation for the club probably wouldn't change that. However, in terms of spectators through the gates (and the potential to grow those attendances) Leeds are pretty much always the biggest club not just in times of feast, but also in famine. If you included passionate fans who rarely set foot in the ground, I sometimes think we are the biggest in the world, but that's another story. I completely disagree with your 5 to 10 years to success point. We have some excellent young players already in the first team and more will follow. This year we have the opportunity to spend big and bring in players who could transform the team at a stroke. That is why we have to think like (even if we aren't) the best club, and get the men who will make a difference.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jun 29, 2023 7:39 am  

Shabino wrote:

Ok. Big clubs attract the best players, and are happy to pay fee’s to weaken their rivals. Any evidence of this. I get it Corporate side of things flying, but I have no interest in that…..

When was the last time Saints paid a fee to weaken their rivals?

Being a big club is a bout al sorts of factors

Infrastructure, Academy, Supporter reach etc etc and yes of course trophies, and unless you want to rewrite recent history we haven't too bad on that score either.

You should have interest in how well our clubs corporate side is doing because it's vital in the success of the club.

We are by any metric a very big RL club in this country.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jun 29, 2023 8:19 am  

christopher wrote:

When was the last time Saints paid a fee to weaken their rivals?

Being a big club is a bout al sorts of factors

Infrastructure, Academy, Supporter reach etc etc and yes of course trophies, and unless you want to rewrite recent history we haven't too bad on that score either.

You should have interest in how well our clubs corporate side is doing because it's vital in the success of the club.

We are by any metric a very big RL club in this country.

Indeed. Leeds tick every single box in how you define a very big club.

Fanbase, History, Quality of Ground and facilities (it's their own too), Trophies, Corporate operations, Financial power, Social Media following. The club has potential to be even bigger and more successful too.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jun 29, 2023 9:28 am  

I was told by someone at leeds they make there money through sponsorship and corporate. that's the bulk of there income