Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Dec 10, 2020 11:49 am  

MadDogg wrote:

I agree - academy products or championship pick ups have been the better front rowers over the last few years.

I can't help but think Mulhern will be next on that great pickup list.

26 years old, decent size, athletic build and as a Leeds academy prospect he'll understand how it works at a big club.

The Hull KR fans say that he's not performed over the last 12 months, but their whole team hasn't. Toronto didn't look like world beaters, but that hasn't stopped Singleton being a hit with us.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Dec 10, 2020 11:58 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

I can't help but think Mulhern will be next on that great pickup list.

26 years old, decent size, athletic build and as a Leeds academy prospect he'll understand how it works at a big club.

The Hull KR fans say that he's not performed over the last 12 months, but their whole team hasn't. Toronto didn't look like world beaters, but that hasn't stopped Singleton being a hit with us.

I agree it is a disappointment to miss out on Mulhern, but I guess we will only know the full extent of how big it is when we take to the field in 2021 with a completed squad.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Dec 10, 2020 12:10 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

This isn't based off anything apart from a quick count up in my head, but I'd argue that on the whole big money prop moves from the NRL don't come off.

Now I'm not saying that every NRL prop signing has been a flop - it hasn't, but I think there's been more duds than good ones.

I look back over the last 10 years and the majority of the top props in SL have been British - Peacock, Morley, Walmsley, Thompson, Hill, Watts. After that there's guys like Lynch, Taylor, LMS, Flower, Cooper, Bullock.

I'd say it's a safer bet to sign a Mulhern or Singleton and build them up, than it is to go for an experienced name from the NRL.

FPN, Perry, Asotasi & even O'meley all had varying degrees of success/failures and all came with huge reps. I doubt anyone would argue they were however as good as some of the British names on the list.

Agreed. I think playing prop in the NRL takes tread off the tyres a lot quicker than it does in SL. They come over because they still have the rep not the ability.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Dec 10, 2020 4:46 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

This isn't based off anything apart from a quick count up in my head, but I'd argue that on the whole big money prop moves from the NRL don't come off.

Now I'm not saying that every NRL prop signing has been a flop - it hasn't, but I think there's been more duds than good ones.

I look back over the last 10 years and the majority of the top props in SL have been British - Peacock, Morley, Walmsley, Thompson, Hill, Watts. After that there's guys like Lynch, Taylor, LMS, Flower, Cooper, Bullock.

I'd say it's a safer bet to sign a Mulhern or Singleton and build them up, than it is to go for an experienced name from the NRL.

FPN, Perry, Asotasi & even O'meley all had varying degrees of success/failures and all came with huge reps. I doubt anyone would argue they were however as good as some of the British names on the list.

Yeah, there has been a fair few big name props who have come over and either massively disappointed or certainly not achieved what you expected. Off the top of my head in the last 10 years I can think of Perry,FPN,Asotasi,O’Melley,Poore,Pauli,
I’m sure there is more that I can’t think of. I remember at one point Asotasi being a beast in the NRL but he was very underwhelming for Wire but on the other hand how many stand out props are playing in Superleague now? Walmsley and Watts are the 2 I think of, then there is maybe Cooper, Kasiano, Taylor, Fifita probably at the next level that I can think of from the top of my head (although the latter 3 all look like they could improve if they shed a stone or two)

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Dec 10, 2020 5:06 pm  

CobraCraig wrote:

Yeah, there has been a fair few big name props who have come over and either massively disappointed or certainly not achieved what you expected. Off the top of my head in the last 10 years I can think of Perry,FPN,Asotasi,O’Melley,Poore,Pauli,
I’m sure there is more that I can’t think of. I remember at one point Asotasi being a beast in the NRL but he was very underwhelming for Wire but on the other hand how many stand out props are playing in Superleague now? Walmsley and Watts are the 2 I think of, then there is maybe Cooper, Kasiano, Taylor, Fifita probably at the next level that I can think of from the top of my head (although the latter 3 all look like they could improve if they shed a stone or two)

Absolutely staggered how many people seem to rate Kasiano on forums/social media. He is dreadful - a shocking signing for Catalans thus far. Laziness personified - penalty machine, throws woeful attempted passes to avoid running the ball in and is almost as bad as George Burgess in the defensive line (almost).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Dec 10, 2020 5:33 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

Absolutely staggered how many people seem to rate Kasiano on forums/social media. He is dreadful - a shocking signing for Catalans thus far. Laziness personified - penalty machine, throws woeful attempted passes to avoid running the ball in and is almost as bad as George Burgess in the defensive line (almost).

Watched a funny video on youtube with Tierney and another guy answering questions about team mates, both said he was the laziest and would do anything to miss training, even said he barely trains

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Dec 10, 2020 8:18 pm  

Mulhern to Wire now confirmed.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat Dec 12, 2020 8:44 am  

So is the rumour that we are signing a prop false? Or is it someone other than Mulhern? It got shot down on here by a few but if Fifita was available I think he could be work well, I think he’d compliment our pack and we could use him more sparingly than Wakey have, look to have him on for 30 minutes a game (which is more than Clubb can do) and add some good go forward to the pack which it lacks a bit. In his time at Wakey he’s been one of the best props in the comp up until this season, I would be more worried about his attitude than ability and it would be a risk and with the club currently having Clubb and Burgess on the books they’re probably not in the market to take risks.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:35 am  

CobraCraig wrote:

So is the rumour that we are signing a prop false? Or is it someone other than Mulhern? It got shot down on here by a few but if Fifita was available I think he could be work well, I think he’d compliment our pack and we could use him more sparingly than Wakey have, look to have him on for 30 minutes a game (which is more than Clubb can do) and add some good go forward to the pack which it lacks a bit. In his time at Wakey he’s been one of the best props in the comp up until this season, I would be more worried about his attitude than ability and it would be a risk and with the club currently having Clubb and Burgess on the books they’re probably not in the market to take risks.

His agent Craig Harrison point blank said no truth in it

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat Dec 12, 2020 3:49 pm  

We simply need Andy Coley, what’s he up to these days?