: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:35 am  

sally cinnamon wrote:

Can't see El Masri coming to England, I think he will play his whole career with the Bulldogs, he's an important figure for them politically. The Bulldogs have trouble with an element of their supporters (mainly Lebanese). They had to move out of the Sydney Showground and to Stadium Australia because only Stadium Australia has the security to deal with it. El Masri is seen as a community leader and a responsible role model, so he helps keep the lid on simmering racial tensions which could easily boil over.

Should be interesting when Cronulla turn up.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:38 am  

phil graham, jerome ropati and possibly matt utai please.

Re: NRL off contract list : Thu Mar 19, 2009 11:14 am  

To be honest, I don't think I want anyone from the NRL for next year - we've not exactly had a great success rate in recent years have we! And we've signed too many players that have come simply because we've offered them the best deal. Matt King for example - I don't think there was ever any intention of him coming here until we steamed in at the last moment with a bigger offer than anyone else.

What we need are players that want to play for Warrington. Doesn't really matter where they come from of course, but let's not just cherry pick big name players and attract them with big offers. If we do go overseas, it's people like Dobson we need to find.

Alternatively, for amusement, can we go after the following:

Raiders: Nigel Plum.

Bulldogs: Brent Crisp,

Storm: Sinbad Kali,

Rabbitohs: Beau Falloon,

Re: NRL off contract list : Thu Mar 19, 2009 11:41 am  

SEB wrote:

To be honest, I don't think I want anyone from the NRL for next year - we've not exactly had a great success rate in recent years have we!

What do you think of our success rate of signing players from SL....Reardon, Johnson, Vinnie Anderson...?

The problem was who we signed rather than them being from the NRL. Other clubs got good value out of players from the NRL, Tony Smith signed Scott Donald and Brent Webb and they score every week for Leeds.

I don't mind too much if we sign someone who is coming over here for financial reasons if they do the business. Jonathan Davies came to us because we offered him a mammoth contract....but he did the business...

: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:30 pm  

That Aka Uate could be worth a go, on a smallish contract, He looked pretty good in the World Cup. If you were trying to get some back into the club, a few from SL, and one or two from the NRL, he could be an option. Looked quite an exciting player.

: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:48 pm  

I don't think there is a real need for a 'world class' halfback.

Looking at the last two genuine World Class halfbacks in the Super League, Johns and Barrett, then we're going back to Sally and Rob's points about players with the 'X-Factor'. With that, however, you sort of end up relying on one man performing miracles. With Johns and Barrett, ourselves and Wigan didn't nessercarily sweep the board, did we?

Now, if we look at successful sides over recent years, the teams such as Bradford, Saints, Leeds, even Hull FC, none of these had what you would term 'world class' halfbacks. Deacon has his critics, he's slow, he doesn't take the line on, etc, Long is constantly 'bagged' by all and sundry, and Saints and Bradford were successful without Pryce at 6, so that arguement doesn't nessercarily stand up.
What such halfbacks did bring to the fore, however, was something that they offered to the team that was perhaps different from what others did, and their attributes were used as part of a team ethic and gameplan.

: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:55 pm  

I see a lot of potential in Pickersgill. I also see him as being good enough to come off the bench as he is now.

Great hitter and a decent runner. He also looks to offload in the tackle but just needs to pick his moments a little better.

: Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:57 pm  

Get Darren Lockyer.

: Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:09 pm  

worthing wire wrote:

Get Darren Lockyer.

Agreed. i'm sure he could handle 2 seasons of superleague, and would put bums on seats.

: Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:20 pm  

worthing wire wrote:

Get Darren Lockyer.

I couldn't handle another possible false dawn

Brilliant player though!