Re: Squad 2013 : Thu Sep 06, 2012 5:20 pm  

on_the_charge wrote:

I wouldnt class Sia Soliola, Lance Hohaia as over the hill players. Im all for blending youth with experience.

Ages of the our current overseas players when we signed them:

Soliola - 24
Meli - 26
Hohaia - 28
Perry - 30
TP - 28
Flannery - 27
Frankie - 31

Which of these would you consider the kind of over-the-hill, clapped out, past-it players that we should be avoiding the signing of and instead be recruiting non-existent, equivalent quality, unsigned young British talent instead? Only Perry and Frankie were 30+ when we signed them, and 30 and 31 is hardly "past it" for recent Aussie international forwards.

Once again, those inconvenient facts disprove the knee-jerk reactionism. Curse them.

Re: Squad 2013 : Thu Sep 06, 2012 6:02 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Why on earth would we do that? He's already 21 isn't he? Which would mean he was 23 with absolutely no Super League experience when he returned. Seems a rather silly way to do things.

No idea. I thought it was a bit strange when I was told but I suppose he is very young for a prop and shouldn't hit his peak for another 5 years at least. The main thing for me though is that we seem to be in the market for the kind of players we need for a change.

Re: Squad 2013 : Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:44 pm  

Northampton_Saint wrote:

Ages of the our current overseas players when we signed them:

Soliola - 24
Meli - 26
Hohaia - 28
Perry - 30
TP - 28
Flannery - 27
Frankie - 31

Which of these would you consider the kind of over-the-hill, clapped out, past-it players that we should be avoiding the signing of and instead be recruiting non-existent, equivalent quality, unsigned young British talent instead? Only Perry and Frankie were 30+ when we signed them, and 30 and 31 is hardly "past it" for recent Aussie international forwards.

Once again, those inconvenient facts disprove the knee-jerk reactionism. Curse them.

I wouldn't say we've signed over the hill overseas players, we've just signed overseas players to play in the wrong positions. TP was signed as a back rower and has played the majority of time at prop (until this year), Soliola was signed as a Centre, Laffranchi is a back rower converted to a prop and Hohaia is never a half back. Only Meli, Flannery and Perry have consistently played in their regular positions (and bar Perry, both were signed several eyars ago). Our recruitment decisions the last few years have been poor particularly overseas players.

Re: Squad 2013 : Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:48 pm  

St pete wrote:

Totally agree!

Do you want to join mine and saddened club? We seem the only ones that can see how poor our recruitment and retention has been for past 5/6 years.

Yes please. As long as your clubhouse has cladding.