Re: Another Top Quality Signing for 2015 In the Bag : Mon May 05, 2014 2:23 pm  

Not sure what the contract situation is,but the overall position is nothing like as bleak as it was under licensing.
Shame that we are even thinking about the R word

Re: Another Top Quality Signing for 2015 In the Bag : Mon May 05, 2014 2:28 pm  

Wirecutter wrote:

If we don't improve and we are near the bottom later in the season, just wait for the vultures from other clubs to unsettle our best players. Remember Luke Robinson?

The tapping up of the better players likely to be relegated with their club was always one of the biggest problems with P&R. As you can imagine this just compounds the problem for relegation battling clubs because some of the players have the safety net of a move to a higher ranked team.

I know people keep going on about time but this situation could potentially spiral out of control unless we start improving quickly under Harris.

My concern is every club really wants to get one over on us and we have what appears to be the least spirited/ enthusiastic team in the competition after 11 rounds, under two different coaches.

Wirecutter - why have you become so negative all of a sudden? Get back to your optimistic outlook mode - suits you better and will be much nearer the mark come end of season.

Re: Another Top Quality Signing for 2015 In the Bag : Mon May 05, 2014 2:36 pm  

I know you were anti (5 drives & kick) Noble and are in the pro Harris and Long camp but I'm genuinely concerned at the moment. If the team could just show some enthusiasm and passion and hit some form I'd be happier than anybody.

I didn't expect miracles this year but I certainly expected more than this after 11 rounds with the extra money invested the team.

Re: Another Top Quality Signing for 2015 In the Bag : Mon May 05, 2014 3:15 pm  

We are 4/5 months away from the end of the season. Like virtually everyone says - it takes time.

We have loads of ability in the team and for me we are starting to play the Rugby I want to see and I am sure we will see good results over the next few weeks. Drier grounds will help too.

Barker doesn`t help with his unsettling comments - picking snippets from fans - piecing them together and then getting the wrong result.

I just feel that Noble has spent MKs money very poorly and an overhaul is required with younger faster players at the end of the campaign.

Marwan didnt have 100 horse winners in his first year. It took a few years. The Salford project will also take time.

Re: Another Top Quality Signing for 2015 In the Bag : Mon May 05, 2014 3:28 pm  

Early Bath wrote:

I just feel that Noble has spent MKs money very poorly

I think that's unfair.
If you're signing 13 new players there will be failures. He could only buy from the pool available.
Sau,Johnson,Walton,Chase,Morley,Tasi,Hock,Hansen.
Gleeson was already here.
Mullaney splits opinion but is far from a poor player. Similarly Rapira.
So that leaves TP,Meli,Lee and Smith. Meli has scored 6 or 7 tries already.
More good signings than bad,surely

Re: Another Top Quality Signing for 2015 In the Bag : Mon May 05, 2014 3:44 pm  

OK BR - fair comment in some respects but Nobby went for the type of player suited to the Bronze Age rather than 2014. The key elements missing for me were youth & flair.

Hopefully Harris - who has to work with the existing personnel will get the players super fit (Sau is the prime example as I feel that he will prove to be an excellent signing when at that level) and able to grasp his (Harris) style of play

Re: Another Top Quality Signing for 2015 In the Bag : Mon May 05, 2014 4:22 pm  

Early Bath wrote:

The key elements missing for me were youth & flair.

Could add British and pace to that list...

Re: Another Top Quality Signing for 2015 In the Bag : Mon May 05, 2014 4:33 pm  

Early Bath wrote:

OK BR - fair comment in some respects but Nobby went for the type of player suited to the Bronze Age rather than 2014. The key elements missing for me were youth & flair.

Hopefully Harris - who has to work with the existing personnel will get the players super fit (Sau is the prime example as I feel that he will prove to be an excellent signing when at that level) and able to grasp his (Harris) style of play

You would expect the players to already be super fit considering we employed two highly qualified and experienced S&C coaches from Leeds & Huddersfield. These guys have been working with the squad on a daily basis since late last year. Surely Hunwicks and Taylor would know the required fitness levels having worked for two successful clubs?

Furthermore you would also think that 3 weeks of intensive high altitude training would have helped improve the players fitness immensely.

Re: Another Top Quality Signing for 2015 In the Bag : Mon May 05, 2014 4:37 pm  

So Sau, Meli, Rapira & Platt are super fit?

Re: Another Top Quality Signing for 2015 In the Bag : Mon May 05, 2014 4:44 pm  

The word is that Meli is fitter than he's ever been. He's just getting on a bit like the rest of us !
Sau is better by the week.
Rapira is a special case as he's recovering from major surgery,and whether we should have signed him is open to debate.
Platts fitness is not the fault of the club,at all.