Re: Rumours thread : Tue Oct 01, 2024 8:34 am  

If they're looking for a certain type of player - in this case a winger who makes good metres, plays the ball quickly, and finishes fairly well - then why shouldn't they be a journeyman? Many players just don't settle or improve for all sorts of reasons, whether personal or professional. But some also grow up, drop the drink, start families, and start working hard for a coach they want to pay back.

I mentioned a while ago that one of Russell's former coaches described his footwork as 'scary' and would be amazed if he didn't play for England. Sure, that was 10 years ago, but he also arguably has one last shot to be the player he should have been (I'm not saying he'll play internationally!). And by the sounds of it he's well aware.

Re: Rumours thread : Tue Oct 01, 2024 8:36 am  

Interested to see people saying we've managed to keep a couple of signings under wraps. I doubt it but would love to be proved wrong. We have a 34-man squad, quota full, competition for every place, and most importantly - which half decent players are available?

Re: Rumours thread : Tue Oct 01, 2024 8:55 am  

Russell always seemed to me to be a dangerous returner of the ball, but often had loose carries. A good player to have in the squad as we look to transition from championship/bottom 4 SL to a team competing for the playoffs.

Re: Rumours thread : Tue Oct 01, 2024 8:59 am  

Is Liam Hood signed for next season yet?

Re: Rumours thread : Tue Oct 01, 2024 9:01 am  

Not yet, but he wasn't on the list of 9 being released

Re: Rumours thread : Tue Oct 01, 2024 9:21 am  

Khlav Kalash wrote:

Russell always seemed to me to be a dangerous returner of the ball, but often had loose carries. A good player to have in the squad as we look to transition from championship/bottom 4 SL to a team competing for the playoffs.

Spot on. We have players I have no doubts about in Super League (Jowitt, Pratt, Hall, Johnstone, Trueman, Uele, Atoni, Doyle, Rodwell, McMeeken, Vagana, Storton, Rourke), players I'm not sure about at top level (yet) but want to see kill it (Lino, Walmsley, O Russell, Smith, Niketemo, Bain, Booth) and solid players who are there to help us make that transition (Hood, Pitts, Kay, Croft, Cozza, Griffin). And I see Matty Russell as probably in the last group, but there's a possibility he could shock us, too.

Re: Rumours thread : Tue Oct 01, 2024 10:06 am  

A Hull KR fan keeps coming on the FC forum saying that Matty Ashurst and Iain Thornley are signing for Hull. Does anyone here have any insider knowledge that can hopefully disprove that?

Re: Rumours thread : Tue Oct 01, 2024 10:17 am  

Sounds like they've got you rattled! No insider knowledge as such but plenty of talk about them both going to Oldham.

Re: Rumours thread : Tue Oct 01, 2024 11:06 am  

Butcher wrote:

If they're looking for a certain type of player - in this case a winger who makes good metres, plays the ball quickly, and finishes fairly well - then why shouldn't they be a journeyman? Many players just don't settle or improve for all sorts of reasons, whether personal or professional. But some also grow up, drop the drink, start families, and start working hard for a coach they want to pay back.

I mentioned a while ago that one of Russell's former coaches described his footwork as 'scary' and would be amazed if he didn't play for England. Sure, that was 10 years ago, but he also arguably has one last shot to be the player he should have been (I'm not saying he'll play internationally!). And by the sounds of it he's well aware.

Played 13 times for Scotland

Re: Rumours thread : Tue Oct 01, 2024 11:24 am  

Tier 1 internationally