Re: Did someone hear a rumour? : Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:14 pm  

VerbalKint wrote:

Now there is one we def should not have let slip through our fingers!
For our liking for young British players and our Feath connections thought we would have been nailed on.

Uneeded as Nicks is viewed as a better option and one we know all about, if needed he can play both as he did in his amateur days too, very very good footballer with great hands , also working close with Westy so what does that say??
we have lots of cover this year if needed but buying like for like makes no sense....
The Sammut deal is far from dead

Re: Did someone hear a rumour? : Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:17 pm  

Dave K. wrote:

There have lost 3 of there best young players in the close season to Souths, Warrington and Huddersfield, the 2 backrowers they have look to have potential though.

Not sure about Briggs, maybe Agar rates Nicklas more than Briggs and Moore?

The 3 players left as we didnt value them as highly as other teams, but only burgess was a standout at his level. We got a fee for him without a 1st team start and an option to have him back.

As for our youngsters- we already have Whitehead and Donaldson who are u20 and will start. In addition, we have Tom Oblison who is expected to turn into a v good player. All under 20.

We then have 3 16 years olds in McAvoy, O Brien and Bateman who all standouts in there age bracket (look them up if you like) This is not including T Burgess who got the same offer from Souths, Southernwood at half, Finnegan who played v well in the 1st team last year and Danny Addy who has stepped up extremely well. I havent mentioned Crookes because i dont think hes that good.

a minimum of 4 of these players will represent England imo, probably more

Re: Did someone hear a rumour? : Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:19 pm  

FC Wembley 08 wrote:

I'm a fan of Radford also... He's a tackling machine and players simply don't like running at him!! His work rate is amongst the best in the Superleague!!

absolutely spot on!!
Unfortuinately not all forwards are tackle busters, some have to be sheer grafters and all SL teams have them!
As Radders once said "I am a player built to stop others playing" that says it all,
total commitment
fearless and fears no one
hard as they come
and a decent football brain too
and a class coach !! as the guys who have played under him!

his stats say it all for me

Re: Did someone hear a rumour? : Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:20 pm  

btw, every team needs players like raddford and im betting if you asked the squad to all submit a teamsheet he d be an early name on mosts. Not all roles in a rugby team are as fancy as others

Re: Did someone hear a rumour? : Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:20 pm  

FC Wembley 08 wrote:

I'm a fan of Radford also... He's a tackling machine and players simply don't like running at him!! His work rate is amongst the best in the Superleague!!

...and to state again what I've said before, last season was his first year at prop and, for a novice, he did extremely well and earned the right to a new contract and at 31 is hardly over the hill for a prop.

Re: Did someone hear a rumour? : Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:22 pm  

downtheante wrote:

...and to state again what I've said before, last season was his first year at prop and, for a novice, he did extremely well and earned the right to a new contract and at 31 is hardly over the hill for a prop.

not too long ago props were considered in their prime at 31!!!
hardly past it as you say with bags to still offer.

Re: Did someone hear a rumour? : Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:23 pm  

slideby wrote:

The 3 players left as we didnt value them as highly as other teams, but only burgess was a standout at his level. We got a fee for him without a 1st team start and an option to have him back.

As for our youngsters- we already have Whitehead and Donaldson who are u20 and will start. In addition, we have Tom Oblison who is expected to turn into a v good player. All under 20.

We then have 3 16 years olds in McAvoy, O Brien and Bateman who all standouts in there age bracket (look them up if you like) This is not including T Burgess who got the same offer from Souths, Southernwood at half, Finnegan who played v well in the 1st team last year and Danny Addy who has stepped up extremely well. I havent mentioned Crookes because i dont think hes that good.

a minimum of 4 of these players will represent England imo, probably more

Didn't the Bradford academy finish 9th in the table?

Re: Did someone hear a rumour? : Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:24 pm  

could be a contender for this years scapegoat for the mindless tho!!

Re: Did someone hear a rumour? : Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:39 pm  

downtheante wrote:

Didn't the Bradford academy finish 9th in the table?

I think we all realise an academy is judged on the players it produces, not where it finishes. im sure hulls academy would finish higher if briscoe and lynn were playing but thats not the point. 5 or 6 players had way too much 1st team exposure because of a poor squad last year, without this i think our academy may have done a little better.

its they only thing we can praise steve mac for. He put some excellent foundations in place and now we have a steady flow of youngsters and have recieved c100k for unproven players just this year.

Re: Did someone hear a rumour? : Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:39 pm  

EXPRO wrote:

could be a contender for this years scapegoat for the mindless tho!!

No mate,

Agar has that in the bag before he even gets a chance!!