Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri May 10, 2024 12:00 pm  

Within the context of a squad, and the horrendous injury list we seem unable to shake, Roberts has been pretty good for the most part. He's a big lad and still has plenty of time to fill out: as I've said though he might be better used in the back row as he matures.

Martin would agree is a really consistent, professional player. It sounds like we would like to retain him, but if NRL really wants a player then SL just can't compete on salaries. How much a blow it might be if he leaves totally depends on who we might sign to replace him. I'd like to think we could get a better second row in terms of physique and aggression in D etc.

We won't need him as centre cover for much longer, we have Newman, Mom, Simpson, McCormack, Smith all pushing for places. As an overseas quota player, we might be able to sign more of a specialist as the squad matures and we have a little less need for players to cover for utility.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri May 10, 2024 12:32 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Within the context of a squad, and the horrendous injury list we seem unable to shake, Roberts has been pretty good for the most part. He's a big lad and still has plenty of time to fill out: as I've said though he might be better used in the back row as he matures.

Martin would agree is a really consistent, professional player. It sounds like we would like to retain him, but if NRL really wants a player then SL just can't compete on salaries. How much a blow it might be if he leaves totally depends on who we might sign to replace him. I'd like to think we could get a better second row in terms of physique and aggression in D etc.

We won't need him as centre cover for much longer, we have Newman, Mom, Simpson, McCormack, Smith all pushing for places. As an overseas quota player, we might be able to sign more of a specialist as the squad matures and we have a little less need for players to cover for utility.

In a team that has a seemingly never ending string of injuries, Martin gives availability. He does all of the other stuff, and he does them well, of course, but the fact he is almost always (or just always?) available is a huge plus.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri May 10, 2024 12:47 pm  

10/11 games in and already rumoured to be looking at offloading Frawley.

You've got to be seriously questioning Rohan / Gary's decision making if this is true.

Was blindingly obvious to all (other than the usual fanboys) he was not the player needed.

Dreadful waste of a quota spot too.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri May 10, 2024 1:00 pm  

Martin has been Mr Consistent since he signed pretty much. I just think if he does go it's not the end of the world, depending on who else we might bring in. Ideally we'd keep him; I'd like to see him play in a side which had more power around him, because his pace and skill is decent for a forward.

For me if we could land a prop like Papali'i, we're a long way towards where we need to be for 2025, as long as Sinfield is ready to start games consistently at 7 by then.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri May 10, 2024 1:03 pm  

FGB wrote:

10/11 games in and already rumoured to be looking at offloading Frawley.

You've got to be seriously questioning Rohan / Gary's decision making if this is true.

Was blindingly obvious to all (other than the usual fanboys) he was not the player needed.

Dreadful waste of a quota spot too.

See how he responds tomorrow, will be interesting. I could see a scenario where Jack comes past him and Frawley becomes the reserve at 6 or 7... but yeah not a wonderful quota spot use if that becomes the case. We have players like Fergus McCormack coming through but I think Frawley is a stronger reserve for the moment still.

I hope Frawley has a good game against Cats anyway.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri May 10, 2024 8:21 pm  

In 2022 we used 31 players , of those only 13 are still at the club plus Holroyd who did not play in 2022.

The 13 includes Fusitua, Donaldson, Corey Johnson, Gannon and Max Simpson who will add very little this year and likely the first 3 will all leave.

We’ve also seen Hooley , Olpherts & Nene come and go from 2023.

We are back in the 80’s with a revolving squad. I don’t know how much is down to Smith and how much GH.

I worry how this season will pan out as our squad is thin, out of the first 26 players we have Bentley and Gannon struggling with concussion plus Holroyd may be joining as long term absentees. Fusitua will barely play, Donaldson adds little, and we are down on cap with Olpherts at wakey and Johnson at Bradford.

If anything emphasises how our ongoing weakness we have Hudson in the 22 shirt, who has never played a SL game and Wigan have Sam Walters, and about 8 props.

For next year I would not keep Fusitua, Roberts or Donaldson. Roberts is poor IMO and the other 2 are finished. I’d try hard to keep Martin.

Sadly , I’d also look at paying Gannon off as well.

I don’t watch enough NRL to comment on whether Papalli is worth it.

I also don’t know if we have lost cap due to Myler leaving.

We have to get it right next year but I’ve no faith . Expecting it to be done well is simply a triumph of hope over experience

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Sat May 11, 2024 2:53 am  

To be fair the club is trying to back youth. We have a better potential set of young backs as a group than I can remember if they progress - Edgell, Lumb, Smith, Simpson, McCormack x 2, Sinfield. Not sure about the forwards so much, but its clear that the aim is to bring as many of these lads through as possible. In order to do so we need fillers - players who can do a job for a bit but who won't be on big money and can be shunted aside when these younger players are ready.

The difficult bit is that these lads are too young as a group to get picked every week, and while we have squad fillers, we also need a core of high quality senior players. That to me is where we are miles off. Our front row options are not great, and we have too many small backrowers. A lot of our problems stem from the inability of our pack to hold its own.

I didn't see the logic of re-signing Donaldson and Bentley, and Fusitu'a was an accident waiting to happen. Momirovski was a risk and we had little choice given Nene's antics so late in the day, so I can't blame anyone for that even if he doesn't work out. The real problem was Frawley. I hope he does better, but right now he looks more like the below average reserve grade NRL half back some of us thought he was when we signed him. I'd hoped he might go well with a dynamic half back in Croft, but it just doesn't seem to be working at all yet.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Sat May 11, 2024 7:11 am  

Sir Gregory ParsloeP wrote:

In 2022 we used 31 players , of those only 13 are still at the club plus Holroyd who did not play in 2022.

The 13 includes Fusitua, Donaldson, Corey Johnson, Gannon and Max Simpson who will add very little this year and likely the first 3 will all leave.

We’ve also seen Hooley , Olpherts & Nene come and go from 2023.

We are back in the 80’s with a revolving squad. I don’t know how much is down to Smith and how much GH.

I worry how this season will pan out as our squad is thin, out of the first 26 players we have Bentley and Gannon struggling with concussion plus Holroyd may be joining as long term absentees. Fusitua will barely play, Donaldson adds little, and we are down on cap with Olpherts at wakey and Johnson at Bradford.

If anything emphasises how our ongoing weakness we have Hudson in the 22 shirt, who has never played a SL game and Wigan have Sam Walters, and about 8 props.

For next year I would not keep Fusitua, Roberts or Donaldson. Roberts is poor IMO and the other 2 are finished. I’d try hard to keep Martin.

Sadly , I’d also look at paying Gannon off as well.

I don’t watch enough NRL to comment on whether Papalli is worth it.

I also don’t know if we have lost cap due to Myler leaving.

We have to get it right next year but I’ve no faith . Expecting it to be done well is simply a triumph of hope over experience

Excellent posting, in other words we are in a real mess. On top of that we have a coach who is out of his depth.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Sat May 11, 2024 8:03 am  

If we are gonna splash the marquee cash on Papalii (which would be a great move btw).
It shows that we have recognised our desperate need for a pack leader.

Begs the question why we didn't go for Burgess.
British and presume there would be some salary cap relief?
Anyway, that ship has sailed now.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Sat May 11, 2024 8:27 am  

Papalii would be a great signing for both Leeds and SL. Much better signing than burgess would have been as he can play 60mins and is a pack leader. Burgess these days is used for impact at souths. I assume burgess probs has a very high wage because he is an elite British nrl player as well if that makes sense.