Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:47 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

In an ideal world you'd love to have an all British contingent in your pivot positions but that's not easy and I'd rather us have one or two overseas players in there and have a good side then have none just for the sake of it.

In an ideal world next season I'd like to see Russell at 1 and Sam at 6 but there's no guarantees. If we signed Dureau to complement talent like that I'd have no problems at all. There will always be opportunities for other youngsters via injuries or loss of form (or Wanes brain farts).

If Lenagan gave us below next year I'd be very happy-

1- Russell
6- S Tomkins
7- Dureau
9- McIlorum
13- O'Loughlin

With back up from Mellor, Powell and Logan Tomkins.

As much as I hope that eventually Russell goes on to be a great 1st team player for us, is moving SLs current best fullback to another position to accommodate a 19 year old really the right way to go? Fair enough Sam started off at 6 but he's now made the 1 shirt his own for club and country. I think the best way to go would be to break Russell in on the wing with him eventually moving to FB when (unfortunately/probably) Sam moves on.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:19 pm  

WARRIORCRAIG wrote:

As much as I hope that eventually Russell goes on to be a great 1st team player for us, is moving SLs current best fullback to another position to accommodate a 19 year old really the right way to go? Fair enough Sam started off at 6 but he's now made the 1 shirt his own for club and country. I think the best way to go would be to break Russell in on the wing with him eventually moving to FB when (unfortunately/probably) Sam moves on.

From what I have seen, I think Russell has the potential to be a better overall player than Tomkins.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:16 pm  

BackrowSaint wrote:

From what I have seen, I think Russell has the potential to be a better overall player than Tomkins.

I dont. Russell never seems to learn from his mistakes and hasnt got the rugby brain to improve like Tomkins. Tomkins has worked very hard to get to were he is now and has always learned from his mistakes which has meant that he has become the player he is now since being released/almost release by Wigan just a few years ago. Russell can do some unbelievable things but has been making the same mistakes for years and never seems to learn and is overall game is quite weak. I think he will be more of a Shaun Ainscough than a Sam Tomkins but would love to be proven wrong.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:31 pm  

WARRIORCRAIG wrote:

As much as I hope that eventually Russell goes on to be a great 1st team player for us, is moving SLs current best fullback to another position to accommodate a 19 year old really the right way to go? Fair enough Sam started off at 6 but he's now made the 1 shirt his own for club and country. I think the best way to go would be to break Russell in on the wing with him eventually moving to FB when (unfortunately/probably) Sam moves on.

That scenario would be an ideal world but obviously a lot will need to happen between now and 2013 for it to become a reality. We would need to see Russell really develop this year and as much as that may happen and he may be ready for a start in 2013 it could be that Mellor or Powell really come on leaps and bounds and get a place for next year.

The main point i'd like to make is basically i'd be happy with one good overseas signing breaking up 4 homegrown players in the other pivot positions. Which 4 players and in which positions they sit is too tough to say at the moment.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:42 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

That scenario would be an ideal world but obviously a lot will need to happen between now and 2013 for it to become a reality. We would need to see Russell really develop this year and as much as that may happen and he may be ready for a start in 2013 it could be that Mellor or Powell really come on leaps and bounds and get a place for next year.

The main point i'd like to make is basically i'd be happy with one good overseas signing breaking up 4 homegrown players in the other pivot positions. Which 4 players and in which positions they sit is too tough to say at the moment.

Fair enough, I guess it all depends on who's available, whether Finch leaves this year and who is the most ready for 1st team action out of Mellor, Powell and Russell.

One top class half back will need to be brought in imo. One option which could kill 2 birds with one stone would be to move Charnley inside to Centre with Russell on the wing, to give a backline of:

Tomkins
Russell
Goulding
Charnley
Richards
Mellor/New 6
Powell/New 7

Or keep Charnley on the wing and bring in a new Centre/play Gelling there.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Tue Mar 13, 2012 9:56 pm  

Famous wrote:

I dont. Russell never seems to learn from his mistakes and hasnt got the rugby brain to improve like Tomkins. Tomkins has worked very hard to get to were he is now and has always learned from his mistakes which has meant that he has become the player he is now since being released/almost release by Wigan just a few years ago. Russell can do some unbelievable things but has been making the same mistakes for years and never seems to learn and is overall game is quite weak. I think he will be more of a Shaun Ainscough than a Sam Tomkins but would love to be proven wrong.

he's 18

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Tue Mar 13, 2012 10:11 pm  

Bill Sonny wrote:

he's 18

I am aware of that.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Wed Mar 14, 2012 7:13 am  

I wonder if Kyle Eastmond would be tempted to return to RL, i think his best position is five eighth (standoff)

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:12 am  

The Eclipse wrote:

I wonder if Kyle Eastmond would be tempted to return to RL, i think his best position is five eighth (standoff)

Probably only when he's about four stones overweight and has forgotten how to play.

That's usually the way it goes with RU defectors returning to RL.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:14 am  

Famous wrote:

I dont. Russell never seems to learn from his mistakes and hasnt got the rugby brain to improve like Tomkins. Tomkins has worked very hard to get to were he is now and has always learned from his mistakes which has meant that he has become the player he is now since being released/almost release by Wigan just a few years ago. Russell can do some unbelievable things but has been making the same mistakes for years and never seems to learn and is overall game is quite weak. I think he will be more of a Shaun Ainscough than a Sam Tomkins but would love to be proven wrong.

Russell reminds me of Billy Slater in so many ways. Anyone who watches the NRL knows that Slater comes up with some real howlers, time and time again, but both have something that you cannot coach that x factor, Slater costs his team the odd game with his brain farts and loose carry, but he wins them so many more, I have a feeling Russell will fall into this category, BUT he is still only a kid and there is much time for him to improve on his weaknesses.

I think he is going to be a very entertaining player to watch but I also think again he will be a target for Union because of his dynamic style before he hits his mid 20's.