Re: Who is still available? : Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:01 pm  

The elephant in the room needs addressing and IL and KR are too soft to deal with it, that is we have 3 x fullbacks or 4 if you count Hanley.

French, Hardaker and Field are all fullbacks and 2 of them are being played out of position. What the management need to do is let 2 of them go and recruit either 2 x centres or 1 x centre and a hakfback.

The whole squad needs and overhaul, we seem chock full of utility players.

We have signed 2 x props for next season but have let Clubb, Clarke, Bullock , Flower and Burgess go in recent times.

We have let Gildart and Hankinson leave and replaced those 2 with Thornley.

Hastings has gone and we haven't replaced him at all.

The squad is so unbalanced its unreal, years ago we would have a strong 1-17 of players playing in their natural postions with a few journeymen and academy players making the squad up to 25-30. Now what do we have? 3 x fullbacks, 1 x winger, 1 x centre, 2 x scrum halves (1 too old, 1 too inexperienced), 1 x hooker who doesnt offer much in attack, a light back row, not enough props and a few players who work hard but are too small or not good enough.

[Pemps]

Re: Who is still available? : Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:18 pm  

post wrote:

The elephant in the room needs addressing and IL and KR are too soft to deal with it, that is we have 3 x fullbacks or 4 if you count Hanley.

French, Hardaker and Field are all fullbacks and 2 of them are being played out of position. What the management need to do is let 2 of them go and recruit either 2 x centres or 1 x centre and a hakfback.

The whole squad needs and overhaul, we seem chock full of utility players.

We have signed 2 x props for next season but have let Clubb, Clarke, Bullock , Flower and Burgess go in recent times.

We have let Gildart and Hankinson leave and replaced those 2 with Thornley.

Hastings has gone and we haven't replaced him at all.

The squad is so unbalanced its unreal, years ago we would have a strong 1-17 of players playing in their natural postions with a few journeymen and academy players making the squad up to 25-30. Now what do we have? 3 x fullbacks, 1 x winger, 1 x centre, 2 x scrum halves (1 too old, 1 too inexperienced), 1 x hooker who doesnt offer much in attack, a light back row, not enough props and a few players who work hard but are too small or not good enough.

Well we've replaced Gildart with Thornley because Hank hasn't been with us for a season. I'd say Bibby replaced Hank.
Flower has been replaced by the young lads coming through. Clarke, Clubb and Bullock hardly played, so I think the 2 NRL lads are more than enough replacement for them.
Regardless of where you think Zac's best position is he's played centre for us and England/GB unless there's an injury at fullback.
We've signed a winger, Miski, and Hanley, Halsall and Bibby have all done well there when needed. Bibby being our top try scorer.
Filed has played almost all his RL in the halves and looked completely lost in the game he played at fullback for us.

Whilst there are issues, you've definitely exaggerated them with that post.

Fullback - French with Zac/Hanley as cover
Wingers - Marshall & Miski with Bibby & Hallsall as cover
Centres - Zac & Bibby/Thornley & Hallsall as cover
6 & 7 - Smith, Tommy, Field (Field has played most of his rugby in the halves)
Props - Mago, Evans, Singleton, Havard, Byrne, Partington
Hooker - Powell & O'Neill
Back row - Loads of them

I think that if the right halfback becomes available we may see Tommy retire, again.

Re: Who is still available? : Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:21 pm  

Pemps wrote:

Fullback - French with Hanley as cover
Wingers - Marshall & Miski with Bibby & Hallsall as cover
Centres - Zac & Bibby/Thornley & Hallsall as cover
6 & 7 - Smith, Tommy, Field (Field has played most of his rugby in the halves)
Props - Mago, Evans, Singleton, Havard, Byrne, Partington
Hooker - Powell & O'Neill

I think that if the right halfback becomes available we may see Tommy retire, again.
Back rower - Loads of them

Yeah but, but, but, but

Re: Who is still available? : Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:21 pm  

Pemps wrote:

Fullback - French with Hanley as cover
Wingers - Marshall & Miski with Bibby & Hallsall as cover
Centres - Zac & Bibby/Thornley & Hallsall as cover
6 & 7 - Smith, Tommy, Field (Field has played most of his rugby in the halves)
Props - Mago, Evans, Singleton, Havard, Byrne, Partington
Hooker - Powell & O'Neill

I think that if the right halfback becomes available we may see Tommy retire, again.
Back rower - Loads of them

We are at least a centre and a halfback short. Smith isn't good enough IMO, Tommy should be back up 7/9.

[Pemps]

Re: Who is still available? : Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:24 pm  

Well we've replaced Gildart with Thornley because Hank hasn't been with us for a season. I'd say Bibby replaced Hank.
Flower has been replaced by the young lads coming through. Clarke, Clubb and Bullock hardly played, so I think the 2 NRL lads are more than enough replacement for them.
Regardless of where you think Zac's best position is he's played centre for us and England/GB unless there's an injury at fullback.
We've signed a winger, Miski, and Hanley, Halsall and Bibby have all done well there when needed. Bibby being our top try scorer.
Filed has played almost all his RL in the halves and looked completely lost in the game he played at fullback for us.

Whilst there are issues, you've definitely exaggerated them with that post.

Re: Who is still available? : Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:54 pm  

Pemps wrote:

I think that if the right halfback becomes available we may see Tommy retire, again.

I’m thinking this is a likely scenario too.

I wouldn’t discount Field at 1 just yet. He’s had a stinker of a first season for different reasons, but there is without doubt ability there and in my opinion.

Re: Who is still available? : Tue Nov 09, 2021 6:03 pm  

Pemps wrote:

Well we've replaced Gildart with Thornley because Hank hasn't been with us for a season. I'd say Bibby replaced Hank.
Flower has been replaced by the young lads coming through. Clarke, Clubb and Bullock hardly played, so I think the 2 NRL lads are more than enough replacement for them.
Regardless of where you think Zac's best position is he's played centre for us and England/GB unless there's an injury at fullback.
We've signed a winger, Miski, and Hanley, Halsall and Bibby have all done well there when needed. Bibby being our top try scorer.
Filed has played almost all his RL in the halves and looked completely lost in the game he played at fullback for us.

Whilst there are issues, you've definitely exaggerated them with that post.

I’ve made the point a few times-if you’re replacing players who were not playing with ones who will, you’re stronger if only by default. In my mind we’ve lost Hastings and not a great deal more. We’ve signed 4 players and should have French and Field back from injury, making it 6 players to add to what’s left from last season.

Is the squad perfect? No, I don’t think it is. I’d like a halfback and another prop personally (and a centre if Hardaker goes) but I can’t for the life of me see that we’re weaker in general (a halfback aside).

Re: Who is still available? : Tue Nov 09, 2021 7:18 pm  

I honestly cannot see Zak going this year. I think it’s all white noise personally and he’ll be off next year instead.

I’d be intrigued to see Field in the halves. We may all be wanting a new half but we’ve got one in the squad now. One thing I am certain of is that he isn’t a FB.

Re: Who is still available? : Tue Nov 09, 2021 10:24 pm  

Egg Chasing wrote:

Yeah but, but, but, but

Hows it going Simon? Any more cheap signings to announce sometime this year?

Re: Who is still available? : Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:15 am  

Pemps wrote:

Well we've replaced Gildart with Thornley because Hank hasn't been with us for a season. I'd say Bibby replaced Hank.
Flower has been replaced by the young lads coming through. Clarke, Clubb and Bullock hardly played, so I think the 2 NRL lads are more than enough replacement for them.
Regardless of where you think Zac's best position is he's played centre for us and England/GB unless there's an injury at fullback.
We've signed a winger, Miski, and Hanley, Halsall and Bibby have all done well there when needed. Bibby being our top try scorer.
Filed has played almost all his RL in the halves and looked completely lost in the game he played at fullback for us.

Whilst there are issues, you've definitely exaggerated them with that post.

Fullback - French with Zac/Hanley as cover
Wingers - Marshall & Miski with Bibby & Hallsall as cover
Centres - Zac & Bibby/Thornley & Hallsall as cover
6 & 7 - Smith, Tommy, Field (Field has played most of his rugby in the halves)
Props - Mago, Evans, Singleton, Havard, Byrne, Partington
Hooker - Powell & O'Neill
Back row - Loads of them

I think that if the right halfback becomes available we may see Tommy retire, again.

Bibby replaced Sarge