I am not thrilled by the idea of signing Clubb. He is not a bad player but he is just not what we need right now. He started as a block busting centre but poor defence against smaller men has moved him into the pack. He is a big back rower or a smallish prop, neither we need. I am also worried about what effect this will have on Louie, having one of his old drinking buddies at the club is hardly going to arrest his downward spiral. If we are raiding London for a prop I would have rather it be Krasniqi.
As for the other two boys (Dawson and Beaumont) I have no issue with either as both will be coming here on lunch money. If they are good then well done the club if they are not we have not lost much.
Most of our best signings have been players at smaller clubs or fringe players that have not stood out yet. Martyn/Joynt were both from Oldham, Goulding/Hammond/Long Widnes and the best example of them all Martin Gleeson from Huddersfield. No one can admit seeing Gleeson at Huddersfield and staying that he was going to be a GB regular for 10 years after we signed him. That was just good scouting and a gamble that paid off and the club needs to get back to doing that rather than just depending on the juniors.
This idea of we have to sign world class internationals is a new (last 10 years) idea for the club and it has not always worked, for every Britt, Fairleigh or Lyon we have had a Hohaia, Perry or Laffranchi.
