Re: Mike Rush Down Under : Wed Mar 11, 2015 1:18 pm  

St pete wrote:

Why a FB ? We have a very good one in lomax and two very good back ups in makinson and swift.

Centre ? To replace Percy or Turner ?

FB and centre are positions we have covered and would be one hell of a waste money. We are blessed at FB.

We have to replace outgoing players so we 100% need to replace Mose who is going. Lance will be going also so we need to replace him. Walsh is 50/50 if he's going and much will depend on how he is when he's back.

I think we need a good hard working tough prop that can put long mins in to accompany Amor to help him out.

I'd like to see another Backrow brought in. A tackle buster that's mobile. I know we have Vea, Greenwood as first choice but I still feel greenwood is a littke green and few years off being the final article. We have flash, Wilkin and jones (if he stays) but all are pretty rubbish with the ball.

I agree that we don't need to worry about a specialist full back or winger, but another versatile back who could cover 1-5 would be handy, especially as Lomax seems increasingly fragile and Hohaia and Wellens won't be around as options. Not essential, though.

I'm not sure I agree on us needing another back rower. Greenwood is a real handful in attack and I reckon he'll be ready to take on more responsibility after a full season, and then we may well see the likes of Olly Davies and Matty Fozard challenging for places. We've also always got the option of playing LMS there (although KC doesn't seem to be going down that route).

For me, if Walsh, Masoe and Hohaia all go, then it needs to be about quality rather than quantity. We should go out and get a good scrum half and good prop, and then maybe a handy 7/9 to spell with Roby and provide backup in the halves (someone like Pita Godinet, for instance). Any leftover cap room should then be invested in signing up our most promising youngsters to longer contracts.

Re: Mike Rush Down Under : Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:15 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

On the grounds that I'd rather spend the money elsewhere. Charnock can play similar positions, and would have similar impact that Hohaia has had so far. Those out of contract in a similar mould will either cost the same as Hohaia, which is a waste, or be no better than Charnock.

If Roby is injured next year, Charnock gets game time. He can't be any worse than some we've had in recent years (*cough* Howarth! *cough*) if he's no good, the next youngster comes in, or we find a better replacement next year.

Spend the money where? Surely you'd want to reinforce and cover positions that we're light in, especially key positions such as hooker and half back?

If Masoe, Hohaia and Walsh leave we should be looking at like for like replacements because we haven't got the cover in our current squad to cover it and those are key areas of the pitch. If we didn't replace them, we'd be much weaker.

Re: Mike Rush Down Under : Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:59 pm  

I think we are ok for Wings and Centres, ( this is assuming Jones re-signs).
We could on the face of it do with another halfback. (Hewitt is a maybe but has got no game time so far)
Hooker (well I think we need a replacement for Robes, but we seem to play him come what may so not sure what we would do with one)
A prop could be handy.
Fullback, again assuming we have cover at centre and therefore wing with Jones, then I see no reason to get a fullback.

Halfback/Hooker/Prop for me.

Re: Mike Rush Down Under : Wed Mar 11, 2015 4:45 pm  

A Jason Hooper type player would be great who could cover anywhere in the backs

Re: Mike Rush Down Under : Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:30 pm  

Dux wrote:

I agree that we don't need to worry about a specialist full back or winger, but another versatile back who could cover 1-5 would be handy, especially as Lomax seems increasingly fragile and Hohaia and Wellens won't be around as options. Not essential, though.

I'm not sure I agree on us needing another back rower. Greenwood is a real handful in attack and I reckon he'll be ready to take on more responsibility after a full season, and then we may well see the likes of Olly Davies and Matty Fozard challenging for places. We've also always got the option of playing LMS there (although KC doesn't seem to be going down that route).

For me, if Walsh, Masoe and Hohaia all go, then it needs to be about quality rather than quantity. We should go out and get a good scrum half and good prop, and then maybe a handy 7/9 to spell with Roby and provide backup in the halves (someone like Pita Godinet, for instance). Any leftover cap room should then be invested in signing up our most promising youngsters to longer contracts.

I see what your saying. Obviously mose, lance and walsh are priority (if they go) to replace.

I'd like a prop that does what props should do. I think we can use Walmsley as impact prop who Imo brings much better impact than mose who I don't think gives us much impact at all. So Id like a big tough prop in the Amor mould.

I don't know why but I just think we lack in the Backrow. I'm not knocking Greenwood or vea at all as they been pretty good. Greenwood is young and goes missing in large spells but that may change next year. I'd like a Backrow that doesn't rely on a pass for a tackle bust. Both greenwood and Vea like the short ball (greenwood) or the inside ball (vea) but I think we lack someone who has the power to bust without that pass.

Re: Mike Rush Down Under : Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:47 pm  

Blobbynator wrote:

Spend the money where? Surely you'd want to reinforce and cover positions that we're light in, especially key positions such as hooker and half back?

If Masoe, Hohaia and Walsh leave we should be looking at like for like replacements because we haven't got the cover in our current squad to cover it and those are key areas of the pitch. If we didn't replace them, we'd be much weaker.

Most teams have a first choice spine, and when one or more get injured, they either move players around to cover, or bring kids in. Imo no other team in the league this year has better cover for the spine than hohaia, but for me it's too expensive a luxury, we'd be better without.

I'd really like to see a transfer summary that looks something like (unlikely but achievable imo):

in: Whitehead (Catalans), Mullally (Huddersfield), Paea (Hull fc), Clare (Castleford)
Out: Hohaia, Masoe, Wilkin, Wellens, Flanagan, Walker, Dawson
Retained: Jones, Walsh*, Savelio, Hand

7 out, 4 in, with 3 more promoted (Charnock, Ashworth and Fozard?) some real quality brought into the pack in Whitehead and Paea, some more depth in the front row which I think we need, and Clare is better than Dawson as cover for the back 5 imo (just my pick from the ooc list, others may have other preferences), as well as ensuring we keep on top of our youngsters and ensure there's no wandering eyes

*if Walsh turns around and says he's leaving, then the options are retaining Wilkin for a year, or getting the chequebook out, because I don't feel like there's a solution in the ooc lists, and by the time it's likely to be resolved the few who might be an option will have been snapped up.

Re: Mike Rush Down Under : Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:52 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

Most teams have a first choice spine, and when one or more get injured, they either move players around to cover, or bring kids in. Imo no other team in the league this year has better cover for the spine than hohaia, but for me it's too expensive a luxury, we'd be better without.

I'd really like to see a transfer summary that looks something like (unlikely but achievable imo):

in: Whitehead (Catalans), Mullally (Huddersfield), Paea (Hull fc), Clare (Castleford)
Out: Hohaia, Masoe, Wilkin, Wellens, Flanagan, Walker, Dawson
Retained: Jones, Walsh*, Savelio, Hand

7 out, 4 in, with 3 more promoted (Charnock, Ashworth and Fozard?) some real quality brought into the pack in Whitehead and Paea, some more depth in the front row which I think we need, and Clare is better than Dawson as cover for the back 5 imo (just my pick from the ooc list, others may have other preferences), as well as ensuring we keep on top of our youngsters and ensure there's no wandering eyes

*if Walsh turns around and says he's leaving, then the options are retaining Wilkin for a year, or getting the chequebook out, because I don't feel like there's a solution in the ooc lists, and by the time it's likely to be resolved the few who might be an option will have been snapped up.

Oh man! Clare from cas? You can't be serious!

Whitehead is all class, he's great runner of the ball and has great pair of hands. I'd take him in a heartbeat.

Paea is also a good player and we should have gone for him when off contract.

Re: Mike Rush Down Under : Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:56 pm  

St pete wrote:

Oh man! Clare from cas? You can't be serious!

Whitehead is all class, he's great runner of the ball and has great pair of hands. I'd take him in a heartbeat.

Paea is also a good player and we should have gone for him when off contract.

Paea is off contract this year as are all the players I've mentioned.

I quite like Clare, utility backs are hard to come by at the moment, and there's no one better imo - it's that or stick with Dawson!

Re: Mike Rush Down Under : Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:00 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

Paea is off contract this year as are all the players I've mentioned.

I quite like Clare, utility backs are hard to come by at the moment, and there's no one better imo - it's that or stick with Dawson!

Clare has catching issues off kicks. We ain't talking a small problem here either. I'd take Dawson over Clare every day of the week.

Whitehead off contract?

Re: Mike Rush Down Under : Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:04 pm  

St pete wrote:

Clare has catching issues off kicks. We ain't talking a small problem here either. I'd take Dawson over Clare every day of the week.

Whitehead off contract?

I believe so, and I try and keep track the current ooc list I keep updated is on page 3 of the transfers and contracts thread for me Ferres and Whitehead are the standouts of this years list, and it's a good excuse to gets some flamboyance into the pack.

Like I say, I quite like Clare, and would take him over Dawson, but I appreciate that's more personal preference over anything Dawson than anything else!