[DaveO]

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:29 pm  

thepriestman85 wrote:

If we can get five good seasons out of him which given he’s 28 isn’t impossible and he brings out the best in Roberts who is also here to stay then i really can't see a problem in it?

He is rapidly approaching 29 and there is no way you can expect to get five good seasons out of a back of his age who has been in the game as long as he has. I also think four years for Roberts was a mistake.

Plenty of players Lam, Barrett, Renouf, Senior, Gidley & Long all have all turned out consistently excellent performances in their 30’s and I can’t see why Gleeson can’t either?

What makes you think he can? It is far from an odd opinion that backs come to the end of their careers as they hit 30. It's the normal way things are. The fact you can point to three centres who have played on effectively as older players is not the normal precedent. They are exceptions and I just can't see how we have got to the stage where we justify signing a back because he may still be able to hack it at 34 while at the same time getting rid of one who will be 26 by that time and just hitting his peak!!

Dave

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:32 pm  

Gleeson being 29 is too old yet Lockyer at 33 would be a superb signing, takes P1$s the really, there are some inteligent people on this site

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:33 pm  

Baked Bean Boogie wrote:

Gleeson being 29 is too old yet Lockyer at 33 would be a superb signing, takes P1$s the really, there are some inteligent people on this site

Are you seriously comparing Lockyer to Gleeson?

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:35 pm  

DaveO wrote:

getting rid of one who will be 26 by that time and just hitting his peak!!

Dave

And that's assuming he has a peak to actually hit isn't it. Jesus i'm no big fan of Noble, but I also don't train with the lad everyday so I'm in no position to Judge him and where he's likely to end up.

For all we know there could be all sorts going on behind the scenes that's keeping him out of the side or potentially moving clubs.

In an ideal world i'd like to see Goulding stay as well as Gleeson brought in, but if indeed it does happen it might simply not be possible either from the clubs finances or the player's wishes.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:36 pm  

Please don't tell me this is happening. We are on the verge of signing one of the best centres in SL. He's also, as it happens a Wigan lad with experience at international level and SL and proven to be a success at more than one club.

We are getting this player with a trade in of Mathers, someone who had been consistently bad and Goulding, someone who time and time again hasn't be able to hold on to the chances he's been given in the first team. Look at Sam and Ainscough in comparison, both grabbed the bull by the horns and held onto their places, that is the kind of youngster we need to award to keep standards high.

Goulding has been given many chances, even the number 3 shirt to outline how much faith the club put in him.

For gods sake, enjoy the moment, at this point we've signed a top centre. be happy, for now we have something we've not had for a while, two proven top centres.

[DaveO]

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:38 pm  

Steve Ella's Beard wrote:

Dave you're having a Giraffe making blanket statements like that. Both Gene Miles and Steve Renouf were older than Gleeson when we signed them (Miles by a couple of years).

No admittedly he's no Gene Miles or Steve Renouf, but even both of those were widely considered to be 'spent forces' when we signed them, and they only did 1 season each (Like some of our other great heroes back in the day).

Exactly. The logic of people justifying his signing is saying he can do four!

I know Goulding has maybe received some undue stick, but whilst planning for the future is one thing, it's good to have experience in the team to.

Without relegation we are supposed to be in a position to develop young players not ship in the ready made article all the time. Goulding is not that far off being a very good player IMO and a little patience of the kind we are all prepared to give S Tomkins and Ainscough is what is required IMO.

Add to this signing Gleeson won't transform the side this season IMO because other things needs fixing and in two years I firmly believe he will not be the player he is now, I don't see what we gain over the short or long term.

Dave

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:49 pm  

DaveO wrote:

They are exceptions and I just can't see how we have got to the stage where we justify signing a back because he may still be able to hack it at 34 while at the same time getting rid of one who will be 26 by that time and just hitting his peak!!

Dave

You talk as if Goulding is our only young back talent and if he leaves then we’ll be letting go the only player who will be in his peak in four years time.

I think Pryce has far more potential and sadly it was getting to the stage where we potentially we had to pick one or the other as we’d struggle if both were played together. Very few young players develop at the rate they should in a team that is struggling and if we were to have both Pryce and Goulding as our two centres next season we’d be in the poop. No team will ever have nor would want to go with two 22 year old inexperienced centres as their first choice it would be suicide for not only the players but the team as well!

I’m more than happy that if Pryce continues to rip it up in the reserves when Carmont leaves he’ll be our first choice centre. Does this not appeal to you?

Pryce will stay for a god knows how many years and we can change the other centre spot every three years as Saints do –Lyon-Gidley-X

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:54 pm  

Bovrick wrote:

Are you seriously comparing Lockyer to Gleeson?

NO just the ages, if Gleason is deamed as too old at the age of 28/29 then Lockyer should n't even be thought about as a signing.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:55 pm  

As I said he is 29 in six weeks. If we can get four years out of him he will be 33 in his last season.

Ok then, lets just get a good three years out of him - still not a stopgap IMO.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:58 pm  

And this is the key point, we can't exclusively look at Goulding as the only option for a developing centre. Pryce has potential, and from what i've heard Thornley to, and that's not counting other players coming through the ranks.