Re: First choice 17 : Tue Oct 26, 2021 10:08 pm  

Frosties. wrote:

Having Smith or Bentley at LF also solves the issue of our missing prop forward as we use Tetevano there, with Holroyd too and then Muizz Mustapha is useful.

If Leeds were willing to part with 60k, they’d have Ebon Scurr for 2022 too

£60k that's quite a fee is he worth it?

Re: First choice 17 : Wed Oct 27, 2021 7:10 am  

We've already one undersized prop in Muizz, why would we want another?

Re: First choice 17 : Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:10 am  

Cokey wrote:

Pardon my intrusion on your board but, i think if you guys can have much better luck on the injury side, i think you will be the one club who can challenge for honours again, and I honestly believe that i'ts you guys who can trouble Saints.

Always welcome and thanks for the post.

I think we may need another year and a few more squad changes but if we can keep people fit in key positions and keep developing our younger players then I think we can get back to challenging seriously.

Re: First choice 17 : Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:15 am  

FGB wrote:

We've already one undersized prop in Muizz, why would we want another?

This is it for me - what's the point in us signing squad fillers at this point?

I can't pick how we're going to go next year. On paper, we have a very good side developing. On the down side there are risks and question marks over half the starting side.

Bringing in Hunwicks is significant, we needed something fresh for our most important pre-season in a good while. This should be our first reasonably COVID-free pre-season, and we have such a young squad that every improvement really counts, and there's plenty of potential to develop.

We will get the usual noises of confidence coming out of camp over the next few months but I would have been much happier had we managed to strengthen that pack with a King++ player.

Walker
Fusitu'a, Newman, Sutcliffe, Handley
Sezer, Gale
Oledski, Leeming, Tetevano
Mellor, Martin
Smith

Prior, Holroyd, Bentley, Austin

Some good players not in this side but of course we'll have injuries... Our RHS next season will be almost NRL quality which is exciting.

Re: First choice 17 : Wed Oct 27, 2021 9:20 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

This is it for me - what's the point in us signing squad fillers at this point?

I can't pick how we're going to go next year. On paper, we have a very good side developing. On the down side there are risks and question marks over half the starting side.

Bringing in Hunwicks is significant, we needed something fresh for our most important pre-season in a good while. This should be our first reasonably COVID-free pre-season, and we have such a young squad that every improvement really counts, and there's plenty of potential to develop.

We will get the usual noises of confidence coming out of camp over the next few months but I would have been much happier had we managed to strengthen that pack with a King++ player.

Walker
Fusitu'a, Newman, Sutcliffe, Handley
Sezer, Gale
Oledski, Leeming, Tetevano
Mellor, Martin
Smith

Prior, Holroyd, Bentley, Austin

Some good players not in this side but of course we'll have injuries... Our RHS next season will be almost NRL quality which is exciting.

That Back Row still has some question marks over it imo. Particularly Mellor and consistency from Smith. Martin was very good back end of last season, lets hope that continues too. Bentley obviously makes it much stronger.

Jury still out on Sutcliffe at Centre but it's certainly heading in the right direction.

Re: First choice 17 : Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:50 am  

I think we will only need another 1-2 signings to complete our recovery for 2023 as well.

I wouldn't be surprised if we allowed most of the off-contract players to leave and then signed a couple of big names. Even with upgrades for some younger players, if we let Myler, Dwyer, Martin, Thompson, Gale, Mellor, Briscoe maybe a couple of others leave we'd have +2 OS spots and a decent amount of salary to spend. I reckon we'd be in the game for a Taupau looking to finish their career over here. It certainly gives us options if we're willing to make tough calls on some established players.

Pity we couldn't have made some more changes for this year due to some contracts being too long IMO, we look just about ready to go now. At least we can see the light at the end of the tunnel though and the cards look in our favour after some very tough years.

Re: First choice 17 : Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:23 am  

Does anybody else think that we overplay the wingers bringing the ball up from defence?
I understand them hitting it up when we have a quick ptb or if the forwards are still working their way back onside but what I dont get and it annoys me is when they hit up against a set defence. All the big guys lined up and ready, why not have another big prop banging into them rather than one of the more lighter weight speedier runners.
Can't see the logic

Re: First choice 17 : Wed Oct 27, 2021 12:22 pm  

Does anyone see Blake Austin as a left centre instead of Liam Sutcliffe? Surely he offers more going forward and probably has a higher pass/kick skillset too? Gale>Mellor>Austin>Handley might have some bite to it. Just musing where he might fit in the team - I don't see him in the pack personally but he has the size and running game for centre IMO. I think he'd put Handley away for plenty of tries too.

Can definitely see an Austin/Sezer combination this year if and when Gale gets injured again. That first game selection is going to be mightily interesting though. Austin too good to be on the bench for us?

Re: First choice 17 : Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:29 pm  

Frosties. wrote:

Having Smith or Bentley at LF also solves the issue of our missing prop forward as we use Tetevano there, with Holroyd too and then Muizz Mustapha is useful.

If Leeds were willing to part with 60k, they’d have Ebon Scurr for 2022 too

Rather get Tyler Dupree back after his season with Widnes.

Re: First choice 17 : Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:31 pm  

mattsrhinos1978 wrote:

Rather get Tyler Dupree back after his season with Widnes.

Matt do you know why we let him go in the first place?