Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:29 pm  

I'm stunned by all the negativity to be honest. This for me is the very best we could possibly hope for in the current climate. It seems some people just want to see doom & gloom on here! We're losing Sam and we're not gonna get Billy Slater. Give the bloke a chance! He's not known as the wizard for nothing!

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Aug 15, 2013 7:04 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

Wing - Burgess/Manfredi
Centre - Gelling/Thornley
Hooker - McIlorum with Hampshire/Logan/Powell/Williams on the bench (Smith can shift to 9 while MM is off)

Unless a superstar becomes available I'd say we're all set. No point having the best academy in the league and not using it, or those quality youngsters will go elsewhere

Neither Burgess or Manfredi are ready to step up full time. Briscoe would be ideal, who we are linked with. Thornely and Gelling at the moment are not up to being centre in a top side and are a massive weakness for us.

MM is a great starting hooker, the rest of the lads you mention I do not think are up to being a top club at hooker. All can do a job but we need quality to back up Mick it's too important a position to have non specialist average players in the team.

Re: Matt Bowen signs : Thu Aug 15, 2013 7:07 pm  

DaveO wrote:

Well that is obviously not true as he takes up cap space.

Lack of quality players to sign or at SL other clubs is no reason to sign a player who is considering retirement due to injury.

Nothing like signing Deacon either. I doubt he'd have been signed if he had two reconstructed knees and was struggling to prove his fitness to continue playing at Bradford.

Have you seen much of Bowen this year?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Aug 15, 2013 7:44 pm  

The rumour may have legs but the part about it being announced in a matter of days won't have.

No chance this will be announced before the CC final as that will obviously mean Tomkins departure will be confirmed as well.

If we win the cup and Bowen has signed it will be announced that week following the final along with an extension for Wane and a few other players.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Aug 15, 2013 8:10 pm  

jonh wrote:

Neither Burgess or Manfredi are ready to step up full time. Briscoe would be ideal, who we are linked with. Thornely and Gelling at the moment are not up to being centre in a top side and are a massive weakness for us.

MM is a great starting hooker, the rest of the lads you mention I do not think are up to being a top club at hooker. All can do a job but we need quality to back up Mick it's too important a position to have non specialist average players in the team.

You sure about Burgess and Manfredi? They look ready to me. If we did sign Briscoe I'd be happy with that though.
Gelling/Thornley - I reckon we've done the hard work with these two. If neither emerges next year, fair enough, but I think one will.
Back up hooker - We've yet to see Hampshire step into the halves with Smith going to 9. That for 20 mins could give us a change of pace and a rest for MM.

Call me a blind optimist but I'd trust these lads to come up with the goods more than I would most signings we would be likely to pull off. I really think the answer in the current market is to grow your own, which suits us better than anyone.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Aug 15, 2013 8:18 pm  

If we sign Bowen it just looks like we're loading our options up and that's only right. There's hardly a player in the world fit to be an out and out replacement for Sam so to have options of Bowen, Hampshire and Sarginson will be handy.

We do still need a winger IMO though to replace Richards. I'd be made up with Briscoe and if not I'd be casting eyes towards Justin Carney or possibly Ben Jones Bishop (if Leeds sign Briscoe). The 2 youngsters Burgess and Manfredi will still get chances and if they're good enough they'll take them and force their way through.

I said the other day, to have Hampshire and Burgess as first choices would be suicide. Who backs them up? We'd be looking at some 17-18 year old kids out if the 19's. That's simply not an option.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Aug 15, 2013 8:41 pm  

Somebody mentioned Adam Lawton from Widnes on here the other day as being a player we should look at. He looks a gem tonight!

Offer them a straight swap for Hock.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Aug 15, 2013 9:04 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Somebody mentioned Adam Lawton from Widnes on here the other day as being a player we should look at. He looks a gem tonight!

Offer them a straight swap for Hock.

thanks ,

he's looked good every time i have seen him. can see him being the next peacock/fielden when he natural fills out.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Aug 15, 2013 9:08 pm  

bowen is still one of the best fullbacks in the NRL and if we have signed him we will still have the best fullback in superleague even if sam leaves. he will need to maintained well but thats ok as hampshire will have more game time and be mentored by 1 of the best in the best business.

Re: Matt Bowen signs : Thu Aug 15, 2013 9:12 pm  

jonh wrote:

Have you seen much of Bowen this year?

I'll guarantee the answer is no. That's if you get an answer.