Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Tue Jul 18, 2023 4:16 pm  

I agree with what you are saying Emagdnim.
Just shows what a difference a Filed or French can make to an average Wigan side.
And to be fair they weren`t exactly pulling up trees in the NRL.
There`s got to be some gems in the reserve grade over in Australia and you would think Smith knows who they are.
The issue is do they want to come here?
Bondi beach or Blackpool beach!

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Tue Jul 18, 2023 4:31 pm  

We have to be realistic with signings.

Be honest, can anyone remember ANY year when the fans were unanimously happy with the pre-season signings we had made?

The first season I started watching Leeds we signed Hanley, Goulding, and O'Neill. I think part of the reason I started watching was the Hanley signing.

1997 was a good one with Harris and Blackmore. Plus a load of no-names from Keighley - imagine if GH went out and did that now? But there were some astute signings like Farrell and Fleary.

In 1998 we signed Godden and Glanville but I bet most Leeds fans had no idea who they were.

2001 - Clyde, Mears, Carroll and Mullins all signed, another false dawn, although Mullins aside the others played well when on the field.

2002 - Rinse and repeat with Vowles, Ben Walker, Matt Adamson and Willie Poching. Only Poching was a longer term success, but all promised much at the time.

2003 - Connolly, Furner, Feather and Dunemann. A better bunch, Feather aside, but pretty short-lived.

2004 - only major signing was Bai. We got Lauitiiti mid season.

2005 - Ellis

2006 - Peacock and Donald were great, but even then we managed to sign average players like Millard, O'Neill and Nathan McAvoy (!). Not everyone liked Toopi.

2007. Webb and Leuluai signed, but the NRL credentials of both we questioned by the messageboard intelligentsia...

2009 - Buderus and Delaney (again, the latter took a lot of stick but eventually went well in the forwards)

In 2015 Cuthbertson was the only meaningful addition, plus Garbutt mid-season.

Spotting a pattern isn't hard. We need to put more effort into junior development and retention, rather than hoping for Warrington-style miracle signings. The signings we make need to count. Fewer quality signings seems to correlate with the successful years.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Tue Jul 18, 2023 4:32 pm  

This resource is pretty interesting, if you look at when each player made his debut: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_L ... os_players

This resource is pretty interesting, if you look at when each player made his debut: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_L ... os_players

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Tue Jul 18, 2023 5:14 pm  

chapylad wrote:

I agree with what you are saying Emagdnim.
Just shows what a difference a Filed or French can make to an average Wigan side.
And to be fair they weren`t exactly pulling up trees in the NRL.
There`s got to be some gems in the reserve grade over in Australia and you would think Smith knows who they are.
The issue is do they want to come here?
Bondi beach or Blackpool beach!

Field would have got some right stick on here if hed had been injured in his first like at Wigan!

Bondi Beach is a dump, so is Blackpool Beach but that’s not in Leeds, don’t be fooled into thinking Australia is utopia, However it’s not easy for players to move to the other side of the world!

As for the point about bringing youth through that was a major part of Rohan Smiths remit and requires patience

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Tue Jul 18, 2023 5:33 pm  

As for the point about bringing youth through that was a major part of Rohan Smiths remit and requires patience[/quote]


If we're judging Smith on that basis I'd say he's done pretty well so far. Positives: O'Connor (huge bonus), Johnson, Holroyd, McDonnell, Walters (despite leaving), Smith has come through strongly. I think Roberts has improved from a very poor start. Hard to tell on Gannon and Newman, but I like the way Smith has talked about and handled both of them.

On signings, McDonald and McDonnell are hits. Sangare pretty good with room for improvement. Jury out on Roberts and Hooley. Olpherts obviously a disappointment but he was clearly signed as cover and has been treated accordingly when we've had enough fit.

As far as signings for next year goes, I can't believe they're not on top of the 1-6-7 situation. Given what Hetherington said last year about the importance of the Smith appointment and the emphasis that has been placed on long-term planning, I think there must be at least one half incoming already (to replace Sezer) and one potentially being negotiated (hence the delay with Austin). Anything else would be ridiculous.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:03 pm  

Leeds Live has us linked to the Newcastle reserve fullback, Lachie Miller.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:04 pm  

Were looking at Laughlin Millar from the knights apparently

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:14 pm  

christopher wrote:

Field would have got some right stick on here if hed had been injured in his first like at Wigan!

Bondi Beach is a dump, so is Blackpool Beach but that’s not in Leeds, don’t be fooled into thinking Australia is utopia, However it’s not easy for players to move to the other side of the world!

As for the point about bringing youth through that was a major part of Rohan Smiths remit and requires patience

Weren`t we trying to sign Field at one time?
My point comparing the 2 beaches was more tongue in cheek trying to say Australia has more to offer than the UK, If nothing else the salary for the average player tips it in favour of Australia.
If Austin is leaving we need 2 very good half backs followed by a FB the year after.
We also need a prop and a second rower if Bentley is leaving.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:28 pm  

chapylad wrote:

Weren`t we trying to sign Field at one time?
My point comparing the 2 beaches was more tongue in cheek trying to say Australia has more to offer than the UK, If nothing else the salary for the average player tips it in favour of Australia.
If Austin is leaving we need 2 very good half backs followed by a FB the year after.
We also need a prop and a second rower if Bentley is leaving.

Field just fell through at the last minute apparently.

Australia hasn’t got more to offer, it’s just different, for a start they don’t have anything like the travelling opportunities we have pretty much on our doorstep with Europe.

However I totally agree with the current Salaries in Aus, they simply dwarf SL salaries.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:37 pm  

christopher wrote:

Field just fell through at the last minute.

It was prior to the change in the overseas quota. Field was all done and dusted but it was reliant on Martin getting his passport sorted so that he came off the quota rules at the time. That got delayed and dragged on and on and so eventually both parties walked away and he got signed up by Wigan instead.