: Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:39 am  

only problem with that is there havent been any 'marquee' players available to sign this year ( with moimoi being the exception who we attempted to get but chose to stay in the NRL). you'd be the first to whine if we just signed anyone for the sake of it. better to take the current course and see who becomes available mid season and have the cap space available plus it also helps the club finances in difficult financial times.

: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:33 am  

mat wrote:

better to take the current course and see who becomes available mid season.

Good idea. We could have our pick of unwanted players who are not getting a game for their current club or ones who have been sacked by their clubs for misconduct.

Whilst I accept we have picked up a few mid-season gems in the past, I have doubts that the current man in charge really knows how to identify quality players that maybe need a break at a different club.

: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:43 am  

mat wrote:

only problem with that is there havent been any 'marquee' players available to sign this year ( with moimoi being the exception who we attempted to get but chose to stay in the NRL). you'd be the first to whine if we just signed anyone for the sake of it. better to take the current course and see who becomes available mid season and have the cap space available plus it also helps the club finances in difficult financial times.

Moimoi didnt choose to stay and would gladly have come across to one of 4 clubs in for him but his club parramatta wouldnt release him unless they got someone else in as good or better than him, but since that didnt come off then moimoi had to stay to see out his contract, he will however come across to England next yr, to whom is anyones guess yet, longer hes left unsigned to another deal longer other superleague clubs have of offering him a contract.
On the other hand i wouldnt say moimoi was a marquee signing, hes no better than Burgess and certainly wouldnt guarantee extra bums on seats or to bring the x factor...Lockyer on the other hand....

: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:27 am  

No better than Burgess? If he's no worse he'll do for me.

I think he's exactly the type of signing thatwould go down well at Bradford. The Parra fans love him.

: Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:36 pm  

point is there were no big names off contract this year and whilst we have cap space we cant afford to pay big transfer fees. As long as we don't have a big money backer like most other superleague clubs have then I can't see that changing. AFAIK theres quite a few top NRL players off contract next year who could be realistic targets for us next year. Players quite often become available mid season for reason unrelated to discliplinary issues eg hendo,ben harris, lauititi etc. Better to wait and see who crops up and if no-one does put the money saved into securing the clubs financial stability.
Couple of players who might be possible targets mid season would be jake webster at KR who are rumoured to be in major financial difficulties and a reasonable transfer fee together with taking one of there big wages off the books might be agreeable to both parties, especially as they have some young centres coming through. Other possible would be cameron phelps at wigan. They are looking to use him as a makeweight in a deal to get greg bird and again a reasonable transfer fee could be enough to snah him and he'd give us cover both Centre and the halves which we're desperately short off.

: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:55 pm  

mystic eddie wrote:

I cannot find ANY T&A or any other link

Edited for accuracy

mystic eddie wrote:

As for the rest of your post? Oh dear. I cannot contradict a single argument, and so I'll try a transparent ad hominem dodge.

Edited for truth

: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:58 pm  

mat wrote:

point is there were no big names off contract this year and
Other possible would be cameron phelps at wigan. They are looking to use him as a makeweight in a deal to get greg bird and again a reasonable transfer fee could be enough to snah him and he'd give us cover both Centre and the halves which we're desperately short off.

He is awful and a worse option than anything we have already

: Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:04 pm  

Certainly no better.

: Tue Dec 30, 2008 5:28 pm  

Beechwood Bull wrote:

Certainly no better.

didnt say he wasbetter than our first choice players, but he would give us cover in a couple of positions where we are short and he's probably better than our cover options or at least has more experience.

: Tue Dec 30, 2008 5:34 pm  

mat wrote:

didnt say he wasbetter than our first choice players, but he would give us cover in a couple of positions where we are short and he's probably better than our cover options or at least has more experience.

He'd also cost a deal more than both Halley and Sheriffe and whilst he's probably a better winger than DH, DH can cover full back.

Wigan aren't trying to offload him because he's been a big success.