Saints sign 2 Irish players : Tue Aug 09, 2011 10:20 am  

I take it these are first team deals? Saints wrote: As both players have come from a Rugby Union background, St Helens now plan to immediately place the players in a foreign domestic league for the remainder of the season, in order to gain important match day experience before returning to the Club for preseason training for the 2012 season. Just which foreign domestic league would that be? Interesting signings. How old are they? The prop looks Keith Mason-esque. Edit: McCloskey, 23, is a 6’7″ giant prop forward who weighs 19 stone, while Cross, 21, is a 6’3″ stand-off. Mike Rush wrote: “Both Aaron and Ian have been a credit to themselves and their families while attending the first trip to St Helens, both players have excelled in relation to their previous rugby league experience and hopefully they can make the next step in professional rugby league,” said Saints High Performance Manager Mike Rush.

I take it these are first team deals? Saints wrote: As both players have come from a Rugby Union background, St Helens now plan to immediately place the players in a foreign domestic league for the remainder of the season, in order to gain important match day experience before returning to the Club for preseason training for the 2012 season. Just which foreign domestic league would that be? Interesting signings. How old are they? The prop looks Keith Mason-esque. Edit: McCloskey, 23, is a 6’7″ giant prop forward who weighs 19 stone, while Cross, 21, is a 6’3″ stand-off. Mike Rush wrote: “Both Aaron and Ian have been a credit to themselves and their families while attending the first trip to St Helens, both players have excelled in relation to their previous rugby league experience and hopefully they can make the next step in professional rugby league,” said Saints High Performance Manager Mike Rush.

Re: Saints sign 2 Irish players : Tue Aug 09, 2011 10:51 am  

I thought it was only while they are over here for experience, they are also supposed to be playing for Swinton.

Re: Saints sign 2 Irish players : Tue Aug 09, 2011 10:55 am  

jaybs wrote:

I thought it was only while they are over here for experience, they are also supposed to be playing for Swinton.

The way Saints have phased it makes it sound like they've been given proper deals and will be involved with the first team. If they were just being brought into the academy, I can't see why they would spend the money sending them out to a foreign league?

I suppose dual-reg or season loans would be one option. Perhaps someone who knows the internal workings on the club can elaborate?

Re: Saints sign 2 Irish players : Tue Aug 09, 2011 11:56 am  

Saddened! wrote:

Just which foreign domestic league would that be?

French.

They're due to start the season in 2012 with Swinton.

They were at the match on Saturday and apparently loved it.

Re: Saints sign 2 Irish players : Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:14 pm  

Well there's the big prop forward we want, but do we really need another half?

Re: Saints sign 2 Irish players : Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:43 pm  

BackrowSaint wrote:

Well there's the big prop forward we want, but do we really need another half?

Depends how good he is. He could be the next Tommy Martyn for all we know.

Re: Saints sign 2 Irish players : Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:45 pm  

Smurf wrote:

Depends how good he is. He could be the next Tommy Martyn for all we know.

He may be I suppose.

Re: Saints sign 2 Irish players : Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:48 pm  

BackrowSaint wrote:

He may be I suppose.

I doubt it, but I wouldn't write him off so soon

Re: Saints sign 2 Irish players : Tue Aug 09, 2011 2:01 pm  

Smurf wrote:

I doubt it, but I wouldn't write him off so soon

Oh I wasn't writing him off but it is a position we have plenty depth at. Mike rush and his team have brought plenty good players through though so we have to trust their judgement.

Re: Saints sign 2 Irish players : Tue Aug 09, 2011 3:19 pm  

This seems really random
Still, if the lads train with the squad through the off season, they'll soon sink or swin at Swinton. I assume they'll be on dual reg, there, so could be called back at any time?

That prop's certainly big enough and reportedly weighs 19 stone. he doesn't look like he's carrying much fat so a full time strrength regeime could knock him up to 20 stone!? That's Baloo territory.