Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:11 pm  

A beast of a prop that could kick from the touchline would have been my wish!!!! Anderson?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:31 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

With respect, your post again seems to simply be a bit of a moan without any logical thought.

Who are the top class SL players that we should have brought in to replace the outgoing players? Again thinking logically, who was realistically available?

For a start off I would have invested some of our cash into HH with us handing over the money he asked for and probably deserved . HH along with Lockers was the beadrock of our defense. He's a massive loss.

I'd still have signed Eddy and Bateman as they are the two gambles which could pay off.

I'd also have looked at Kafusi as he's a proven SL quality player with the versatility to play prop, 2nd row and LF. Failing that I'd have tested the waters for Kirmond who is a class above Clubb and Hughes Imo. Weyman is another proven player with an NRL pedigree.

Instead our recruitment has given us Jordan James, Andy Powell and Tony Clubb. Compare those to Kafusi, Weyman, Scrutton or even Carvel and we've come up short.

I'd then have put every effort into signing Zack Hardacker from Leeds. Money talks, we are cashed up and there was a distinct wobble in the ZH / Leeds relationship over the summer.

Other options and good ones at that were available.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:46 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

For a start off I would have invested some of our cash into HH with us handing over the money he asked for and probably deserved . HH along with Lockers was the beadrock of our defense. He's a massive loss.

I'd still have signed Eddy and Bateman as they are the two gambles which could pay off.

I'd also have looked at Kafusi as he's a proven SL quality player with the versatility to play prop, 2nd row and LF. Failing that I'd have tested the waters for Kirmond who is a class above Clubb and Hughes Imo. Weyman is another proven player with an NRL pedigree.

Instead our recruitment has given us Jordan James, Andy Powell and Tony Clubb. Compare those to Kafusi, Weyman, Scrutton or even Carvel and we've come up short.

I'd then have put every effort into signing Zack Hardacker from Leeds. Money talks, we are cashed up and there was a distinct wobble in the ZH / Leeds relationship over the summer.

Other options and good ones at that were available.

So only one option for a kicker out of that lot then (Hardaker), who is already playing for a side which regularly wins the Super League, the basis for your theory that we should have been able to sign him being that we would simply be able to outbid Leeds despite the fact we are both constrained by the same salary cap. Surely if he's after more money he would go to the NRL. Kafusi and Weyman aren't exactly world-beaters either, certainly no better than the forwards we did get (Pettybourne and Bateman), comparing them with Clubb is daft as he won't be on a similar wage to what they'll be getting as key players at Hudds and HKR.

i'd love to be able to go back to the old days where we could pick up top class players but realistically they are all either in the NRL or looking to go there. The best we can do is sign players who have failed there (Pettybourne) or got too old for the NRL (Bowen) or still have something to prove (the rest). Producing our own and picking up hidden gems from lower teams is the way to go now until something good happens with either the cap or the exchange rate

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Mar 04, 2014 8:06 am  

Dai Jones wrote:

I see Ospreys RU are letting Matthew Morgan go. He'd be a tidy addition to the squad and, as he hasn't had a Welsh cap, probably wouldn't cost marquee wages. 21 years old, good goalkicker, brilliant runner with the ball and could play full back....I'd rather him than Foster

Agree 100%. He would be a gamble but he has pace to burn a great step and is a great kicker. He is the type of player from Union we should target.

In relation to criticism of out recruitment, the only player that really stood out to me that moved in the off season that we didn't get is Neville Costigan. He is a very rough tough forward and would have suited us I feel very nicely, being able to play anywhere in the pack very well apart from hooker obviously.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Mar 04, 2014 8:38 am  

Correct me if i'm wrong but didn't we bring over a kicking coach from aus for Pat when he first started?

Why not get him back over for Smith instead of signing average at best players

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Mar 04, 2014 8:39 am  

I wondered whether we might be interested in that Mantellato who played for Italy in the WC. He's a tall, goalkicking winger in the Pat Richards mould, but he rarley gets in the Newcastle team. It's a difficult one, because we have such good talent coming through you don't want to hinder their development, but we need an 80% kicker.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Mar 04, 2014 3:28 pm  

king warrior wrote:

Correct me if i'm wrong but didn't we bring over a kicking coach from aus for Pat when he first started?

Why not get him back over for Smith instead of signing average at best players

Why not just let Paul Deacon work with him?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Mar 04, 2014 3:56 pm  

FWIW, I think Bateman used to kick occasionally when he was in the under-19's (or whatever age group it was a few years ago).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:50 pm  

we've got 99 kickers..

: Tue Mar 04, 2014 8:13 pm  

Has everyone forgot about Ryan Hampshire? He can kick them for fun from the touch line.