Re: New Signing Confirmed : Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:07 pm  

I think Southern gets a bit of a bad rap from some on here. When he did play he showed what quality he had, even playing out of position.
For various reasons things haven't quite worked out for him but he is still a quality player and I think if we didn't need the quota place to bolster the front row, I'd be more than happy for us to retain him and give him a shot in his natural position, where I think he would prove how good a player he is.

All just my opinion but at least it is based on actually having seen him play and not on second hand information. Yes, the players being talked about as coming in sound good, but until they step out in the Red, White and Blue and prove it on the pitch then it's all just speculation as far as I'm concerned.

Re: New Signing Confirmed : Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:15 pm  

I'm fairly happy with a backrow of Kirmond, Lauitiiti and Mariano with Walshaw and Trout as cover. No room for Southern regardless of who he may or may not be ditched for.

Re: New Signing Confirmed : Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:17 pm  

Not going to be Manuokafoa http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... ds-newsxml

Not going to be Manuokafoa http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... ds-newsxml

Re: New Signing Confirmed : Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:24 pm  

Ewan Dowes gone to Workington.

Re: New Signing Confirmed : Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:34 pm  

Having just depressed myself completely reading the 'Agents and Parents' thread - and once again been awakened to our position in the food chain - as well as the lack of loyalty by some of the 'biggest' fans of this club - have I now just stumbled on the answer????

I can appreciate that we need to find some new players, but do they all have to come from overseas? I was really taking heart from the fact that we were so succesful with a 'mostly' GB side.

Whoever we bring in had better be good if we're letting the future of the club slip through our fingers because we're throwing big salaries at journeymen!

Not happy about any of this tbh!

Re: New Signing Confirmed : Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:10 pm  

TRB wrote:

Having just depressed myself completely reading the 'Agents and Parents' thread - and once again been awakened to our position in the food chain - as well as the lack of loyalty by some of the 'biggest' fans of this club - have I now just stumbled on the answer????

I can appreciate that we need to find some new players, but do they all have to come from overseas? I was really taking heart from the fact that we were so succesful with a 'mostly' GB side.

Whoever we bring in had better be good if we're letting the future of the club slip through our fingers because we're throwing big salaries at journeymen!

Not happy about any of this tbh!

This is not just us, this is indicative of at least three quarters of SL as regards to the journeyman bit, as for the future of the club slipping through our hands, that seems a bit dramatic for you!!
It's clear to me that the club needs strengthening at the top end in the short term if we are to rebuild and get to a position where in the future we can retain more of our youth players. At the moment there simply isn't enough money to go round to cover all departments.
Consolidation through a solid squad with a sprinkling of youth is fine, sadly keeping all our prospects but zero SL experience isn't feasible.
Looking around SL it's not feasible for a lot of clubs, the changes may have caused everyone to jettison some talent from the reserve grades and perhaps they'll all progress more in the championship than they would have in that system.
Chin up!!

Re: New Signing Confirmed : Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:14 pm  

i didn't realise we've been chucking money at journeymen, the only overseas player I can remember we've been linked to is Poore and I wouldn't put him in that category.

It's not as if we're letting some of the younger players leave to sign up journeymen either, it's down to the changes that the RFL have made. The fact is we can't run with a huge squad,so it's obvious some hard calls have been made and we've obviously picked what the team think are the better players out of the younger ones coming through.


TRB got to ask who's shown this 'lack of loyalty by some of the 'biggest' fans of this club'.

From what I can see we are running with pretty much man for man the same squad as last year and we're just after a prop or two. We've got no one coming through who can fulfill that position and there are slim picking around SL so why not look overseas if there's someone who can do the job.

Re: New Signing Confirmed : Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:14 pm  

TRB wrote:

Having just depressed myself completely reading the 'Agents and Parents' thread - and once again been awakened to our position in the food chain - as well as the lack of loyalty by some of the 'biggest' fans of this club - have I now just stumbled on the answer????

I can appreciate that we need to find some new players, but do they all have to come from overseas? I was really taking heart from the fact that we were so succesful with a 'mostly' GB side.

Whoever we bring in had better be good if we're letting the future of the club slip through our fingers because we're throwing big salaries at journeymen!

Not happy about any of this tbh!

Well i'll join you, i understand its a fine balance and the club won't make money if we don't win games, but giving away the crown jewels is just plain wrong and offers a future with imports for our club.

When players like Smith and Co move on having taken a large chunk out of this club we'll have to replace them like for like if we are not very carefull.

Its worrying and i hope Agar/Elston know what they are doing and they get it right.

Re: New Signing Confirmed : Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:20 pm  

kinleycat wrote:

This is not just us, this is indicative of at least three quarters of SL as regards to the journeyman bit, as for the future of the club slipping through our hands, that seems a bit dramatic for you!!
It's clear to me that the club needs strengthening at the top end in the short term if we are to rebuild and get to a position where in the future we can retain more of our youth players. At the moment there simply isn't enough money to go round to cover all departments.
Consolidation through a solid squad with a sprinkling of youth is fine, sadly keeping all our prospects but zero SL experience isn't feasible.
Looking around SL it's not feasible for a lot of clubs, the changes may have caused everyone to jettison some talent from the reserve grades and perhaps they'll all progress more in the championship than they would have in that system.
Chin up!!

Oh - I can be dramatic when the mood takes me!

Re: New Signing Confirmed : Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:29 pm  

Shifty Cat wrote:

i didn't realise we've been chucking money at journeymen, the only overseas player I can remember we've been linked to is Poore and I wouldn't put him in that category.

It's not as if we're letting some of the younger players leave to sign up journeymen either, it's down to the changes that the RFL have made. The fact is we can't run with a huge squad,so it's obvious some hard calls have been made and we've obviously picked what the team think are the better players out of the younger ones coming through.


TRB got to ask who's shown this 'lack of loyalty by some of the 'biggest' fans of this club'.

From what I can see we are running with pretty much man for man the same squad as last year and we're just after a prop or two. We've got no one coming through who can fulfill that position and there are slim picking around SL so why not look overseas if there's someone who can do the job.

I reckon we've done very well with our picks generally, but the attitude of 'jam today' has to stop at some point and if we are to compete with the biggest clubs then we must start with the juniors - there is some real and genuine talent from our area that we have missed out on - and continue to do so - and it appears (although I'm quite happy to be wrong) that we have the balance not quite right here. We have lost probably our best juniors to Leeds / Bradford / Hudds / Wigan and even Cas - now if we are to correct this issue then we need to accept it as a problem and value the potential results much higher!

I'm not going to name names, but you can glean some off this forum!