Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:51 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

That'll bring the average age of their side down (by about 0.1 years)

But a better signing than Andy Powell?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:59 am  

Time for some announcements Mr Chairman

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 02, 2013 12:54 pm  

Asotasi is a better RL player than Powell but is he a better signing?
Powell obviously isn't on the overseas quota and none of his salary is on the salary cap as I understand it.
Warrington don't have the youth system that we have , although they are giving it a good go, so they have to bring in Asotasi. We may bring in an overseas fb to help out Tierney, Hampshire etc but Wire are reliant on outside signings.
I've always thought his Welsh connection would serve the club long after his playing days are over. I also think he has been brought in due to his size and known aggression. I do think this year, since Hock left, some of our younger, smaller forwards have been bullied when with Hock in the team they weren't. I know I'm in a minority of one on that.
Asotasi is a very good signing for Wire, not sure we need an overseas prop. We just need to get what we've already got, fit and out on the field.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:36 pm  

jinkin jimmy wrote:

But a better signing than Andy Powell?

Damn sure

[DaveO]

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:52 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

Asotasi is a better RL player than Powell but is he a better signing?
Powell obviously isn't on the overseas quota and none of his salary is on the salary cap as I understand it.

Do either of those things matter?

Asotasi might not be a quota player either given he now plays for Samoa (not sure if South Sea Islanders are still viewed as equal to EU citizens as they once were) but he won't count towards any home grown figures.

Asotasi is a very good signing for Wire, not sure we need an overseas prop. We just need to get what we've already got, fit and out on the field.

With Lauaki as our most experienced prop with Prescott's career seemingly in doubt Asotasi would, IMO, have been far more useful to us than Powell.

I must admit I don't like the idea of signing older players anyway though props do seem have a longer career but if we are going to sign players of this age Asotasi every time over Powell.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 02, 2013 3:51 pm  

DaveO wrote:

Do either of those things matter?

Asotasi might not be a quota player either given he now plays for Samoa (not sure if South Sea Islanders are still viewed as equal to EU citizens as they once were) but he won't count towards any home grown figures.

With Lauaki as our most experienced prop with Prescott's career seemingly in doubt Asotasi would, IMO, have been far more useful to us than Powell.

I must admit I don't like the idea of signing older players anyway though props do seem have a longer career but if we are going to sign players of this age Asotasi every time over Powell.

Asotasi has been a shadow of his former self in recent years. I am sure though he will be a solid Super League player for a few years.

I think if we were looking for an overseas Prop we would have been in for Saints new signing Mosoe beast of a player with massive impact, I think we have all other aspects of our front row covered ie good solid 60 minute men.

Powell is a gamble but he is also an investment looking at the bigger picture. He will strengthen our ties in Wales which is proving very valuable especially in the current climate of big name NRL departures.

I also happen to think he will be an asset to us on the field also when he finds his feet, but that is just my opinion and only time will tell.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 02, 2013 4:02 pm  

Asotasi could be another Josh Perry IMO.

He's as high profile a signing as your likely to get from the NRL at the moment but when you consider the players he's replacing at Wire he's no upgrade.

As for Powell its hardly worth even comparing the 2 due to the differences between their backgrounds.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 02, 2013 4:22 pm  

DaveO wrote:

And where did I dismiss Jukesays argument? I merely pointed out it doesn't follow Sam has to be unhappy with his current deal to accept a better one elsewhere. This is wrong because????

And of course there was plenty of conjecture in Jukesays post itself such as "Or maybe,just maybe the landscapes changed from 2 years ago and IL and ST have both changed their positions due to circumstances."

Or maybe not eh? Are you going to "underlined a few examples" of Jukesays post which is conjecture? I doubt it.

What I don't feel the need to do is pick him on it. I'd rather offer an alternative view and remain polite when doing so. You on the other hand? Well we can all see what you would rather do.

Difference is my "maybe,just maybe" comment is there as an example of my willingness to accept that we don't know all the facts and probably never will.
Even if the club came out and gave a reason I'm sure some would the accuse it of being spin and dismiss it.

If you want to pick out examples of any of my post which are conjecture the please feel free but they won't be castigating anyone based on it.

With regards to picking me up on it there isn't anything to pick up on, unlike posters who claim to be polite whilst labelling others posters opinions as idiotic or clueless.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 02, 2013 4:58 pm  

Was it not Asotasi who was criticised and dropped by Maguire at Souths this season or do I have him mixed up with someone else?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:53 pm  

dany1979 wrote:

Was it not Asotasi who was criticised and dropped by Maguire at Souths this season or do I have him mixed up with someone else?

Dunno about that but he started for them this week with Lima on the bench.