Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:40 pm  

McIllorum off to the Raiders according to Moley on Twitter after the Hodgson injury

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:39 pm  

If MM decides a move to Canberra is best for him I’d be gutted but he’d leave with my best wishes and total respect. He’s given everything for our club and bled more than others have sweat! Great player, great bloke!


Gelling has gone back to NZ and has tweeted the following.

Currently heading back to NZ,my gf been in a car accident,she's fine but nursing some bad injuries atm.I'll be back when the times right.✌️️

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Nov 28, 2017 11:55 pm  

dave1612 wrote:

McIllorum off to the Raiders according to Moley on Twitter after the Hodgson injury

If true I don’t know how I feel about it. He’s been a great servant to us however it gives us the opportunity to move TL to hooker with Powell and frees up cap space to strengthen elsewhere.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:04 am  

I'd let him go honestly. He's been a great servant to the club and it's not like we're shipping him off to a rival, but if we could use the cap space on a good scrum half, I'd take it.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Nov 29, 2017 7:14 am  

Isn't Micky's salary low on the cap? After a testimonial doesn't only a percentage of his salary off the cap? Whereas Tommy's full salary will be on the cap. As a NZ international, I would presume he takes more of the cap than Micky.

For me I would be pushing Tommy out, or into his coaching role ASAP.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Nov 29, 2017 7:25 am  

The frustrating thing is we are judging the form of our players from how they have performed in a system that doesn’t bring the best out of them. MM was average at best last year so you would say, on the face of that, let him go and free up cap space etc.

He has however looked a totally different player in the systems employed by Ireland at the World Cup, proving asking questions and showing some craft at 9, exactly the type of 9 we need.

Tommy again went from being a really controlling 7, providing a great foul for Johnson at NZ Warriors to a headless chicken offering very little direction and leadership.

You don’t become a poor/good player overnight. I think it is clear the system we have employed has let a lot of the players down also to the extent we have so few representing England.

We are being told the systems are likely to change and we may see the best of this team and individuals because of that, if we do MM suddenly becomes a big miss.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Nov 29, 2017 7:30 am  

jonh wrote:

The frustrating thing is we are judging the form of our players from how they have performed in a system that doesn’t bring the best out of them. MM was average at best last year so you would say, on the face of that, let him go and free up cap space etc.

He has however looked a totally different player in the systems employed by Ireland at the World Cup, proving asking questions and showing some craft at 9, exactly the type of 9 we need.

Tommy again went from being a really controlling 7, providing a great foul for Johnson at NZ Warriors to a headless chicken offering very little direction and leadership.

You don’t become a poor/good player overnight. I think it is clear the system we have employed has let a lot of the players down also to the extent we have so few representing England.

We are being told the systems are likely to change and we may see the best of this team and individuals because of that, if we do MM suddenly becomes a big miss.

It is a good point. I remember speaking to a former 9 at Wigan who was actively told not to scoot from dummy half. They want quick distribution to the 6/7 to begin the attack.

Perhaps the likes of Micky have been tarnished by our style of play.

Personally I've never rated Tommy. Not at this first spell with us, not with NZW (I watch all NRL games) and not now. His passing and terrible kicking can't be blamed on our structures.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:41 am  

jonh wrote:

The frustrating thing is we are judging the form of our players from how they have performed in a system that doesn’t bring the best out of them. MM was average at best last year so you would say, on the face of that, let him go and free up cap space etc.

He has however looked a totally different player in the systems employed by Ireland at the World Cup, proving asking questions and showing some craft at 9, exactly the type of 9 we need.

Seconded, he looked like a different player in the Irish side, not just the guile at dummy half but he put in some decent kicks too.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:06 am  

I'd certainly be open to offers for McIlorum if we think we can use the cap space on a good scrum half or prop. We are in a good position at hooker with Leuluai, Powell and Ganson. I get that many under-performed last year, but IMO McIlorum has never quite been at the same level as the top SL hookers in any season, and given that he is past his peak, I can't see that ever changing.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:29 am  

Just a word on Tommy. Let's not start to rewrite history by saying he was never a good player. Match winning performances at OT in 2010 and at Wembley in 2011 suggest otherwise. I've been critical of him last season as I predicted he wouldn't replace Matty effectively, but for some posters to say they never rated him is ridiculous.