Re: New Signings/Re-Signings : Wed Oct 01, 2014 5:20 pm  

BullCharge wrote:

The reason I went for Gaskell is because of his role on the pitch, playing at stand-off. He'll be the one dictating the attacking moves and organising the attack. He also is fairly experienced for a man of his age; he played in the 2011 Grand Final.

I wouldn't have Ferguson as I don't trust his fitness and I haven't really seen enough of him to make a judgement.

O'Brien only really started to prove that he could turn out to be a class player at the back end of the season and we were all impressed in the progress he made in that time. I'm not sure if I'd go for him this time around but definitely a future captain of the club.

I can see why people like Sidlow but he's a prop and isn't going to be on the pitch for the full eighty minutes. I like the captain to be someone who is on for the duration and is always telling his players what he wants throughout the game. This is of course just personal preference.

What we don't see is what these lads are like on the training ground. We don't get to see which players are the most enthusiastic and we don't always get a clear view of their personalities. I'm sure that Jimmy will get it right.

That pretty much sums up my thinking. Prefer captain to be on pitch full 80 and think it works well if he's also one of playmakers. Gaskell seems obvious choice as I think it's too soon for obrien. Think sjelkas too much of a gamble to consider at this stage. Whilst I'm not keen on an incoming player getting captaincy, mullaney might be another option. At fullback you'd hope he'd be pretty vocal in organising defence anyway.
Am I right in thinking Sidlow is most experienced player in squad? How about making him club captain? Seems to be a role we've gone away from last couple of years, appointing a vice captain instead.

Re: New Signings/Re-Signings : Wed Oct 01, 2014 6:06 pm  

Bulliac wrote:

I guess Jimmy will wait and see if any 'natural' leaders turn up to training - best get the gobsh&%$es on your side..

Not sure why you think Jimmy would know about being gobby....

Re: New Signings/Re-Signings : Wed Oct 01, 2014 6:15 pm  

No, Chev Walker most SL appearances but as utility not going to play all games, Purtell by the time you have added NRL and SL appearances together must be there or thereabouts I just cannot be bothered to do the sum, then Paul Clough who has not just a lot of appearances but a lot of quality appearances. So maybe I will throw in a googly: Sidlow and Clough joint captains as they will interchange as the "steady no errors super defence grind down the opposition" props. There are precedents...

But my first real preference is Gaskell with a prop as vice captain, my preference Clough but no doubt from a clubs point of view Sidlow as a resigned re-signed (thanks FA) player. Gaskell because the squad is built around his running game, so he has to boss the rest of the team around to optimise that. and that makes the idea of captaincy distracting him from his game absolutely risible.

Sorry whoever posted that thought, just wanted to get risible into the post. FA, how many RAB posts in the last 5 years have included the word risible compared to say, callipygian?

Re: New Signings/Re-Signings : Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:03 pm  

come on FA, what sort of service is this?

Re: New Signings/Re-Signings : Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:40 am  

Well, it's official now. Naughton has signed for Hull FC. No homecoming for Curtis

Re: New Signings/Re-Signings : Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:45 am  

It's no loss. How's Jason Crookes getting on there?

Re: New Signings/Re-Signings : Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:48 am  

Highlander wrote:

It's no loss. How's Jason Crookes getting on there?

Time will tell I suppose. Not sure what Crookes has to do with anything.

[Bulliac]

Re: New Signings/Re-Signings : Thu Oct 02, 2014 9:10 am  

debaser wrote:

Not sure why you think Jimmy would know about being gobby....

Well, that wasn't actually on my mind..no, seriously I'm not joking, what I meant was, that it's just the gobby ones tend to act as de-facto captains anyway, so you may as well check out if any of them are really captaincy material since, to be honest, a hard working, top class, experienced church mouse may well be the coaches' first name on the team sheet, but he won't really cut the mustard as skipper.

Incidentally, I don't really agree about Gaskell being the main playmaker; I'd assume that role is going to fall to Siejka as scrum half. I see Lee as running off the plays called by Harry, though I don't for a second feel it spoils his chance of being skipper.

Re: New Signings/Re-Signings : Thu Oct 02, 2014 9:33 am  

I find it interesting how many hookers & props end up coaching, especially as they usually come across in their playing days as thick &, in props case, hardly ever are captain, though a handful of hookers are. Most captains seem to be HBs, but not that many progress to top level coaches. I wonder if it is a progression from junior days when the outstanding kids who score all the tries are made captain & HBs.

Re: New Signings/Re-Signings : Sat Oct 04, 2014 6:24 am  

Bulliac wrote:

Well, that wasn't actually on my mind..no, seriously I'm not joking, what I meant was, that it's just the gobby ones tend to act as de-facto captains anyway, so you may as well check out if any of them are really captaincy material since, to be honest, a hard working, top class, experienced church mouse may well be the coaches' first name on the team sheet, but he won't really cut the mustard as skipper.

Incidentally, I don't really agree about Gaskell being the main playmaker; I'd assume that role is going to fall to Siejka as scrum half. I see Lee as running off the plays called by Harry, though I don't for a second feel it spoils his chance of being skipper.

If you really believe that Hide & Seeka is going to be your go to man then your in for a nasty surprise and I hope you have back up in place.
You will be begging for Gale Back by the time the season starts