Re: More Rumours!! : Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:03 am  

Dave K. wrote:

Still leaves us short of experienced fowards a few injuries could see us having a really imexperiened backrow.

Quite exciting about the prospect of seeing some of the young lads getting a game next year.

One more foward is essential and if available a good right centre, if there isn't one available I hope we don't panic and let Turner and Crooks battle it out for the right centre spot.

I think we might see more of Whiting playing off the bench next year and playing in the backrow.

With a bit of bulking up could Whiting be the quality second rower we need? I reckon so

Re: More Rumours!! : Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:07 am  

Sebasteeno wrote:

With a bit of bulking up could Whiting be the quality second rower we need? I reckon so

I think he could do a job there now.

He runs strongly (always makes yards), good defence and has good hands.

I hope the new coching staff can see this in him and give him a chance there, he can a do a decent job in the backs, but he has potential to be an excllent SL backrow foward given the chance.

He will be a massive improvment on Lauaki that's for sure.

Re: More Rumours!! : Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:09 am  

Even if you sign the 2nd row and centre, i still dont see 4th happening next year. Wire, Wigan and Saints must be heavy favs to finish above you guys, in which case you ll have to finish higher than a v good hudds team that has a lot of young players maturing and are settled, or catalan who have recruited v well and have the tax advantage and heat advantage in the summer. Hull will break the top 4 in the next few year, but top 6 would be good next year.

Re: More Rumours!! : Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:14 am  

Sebasteeno wrote:

With a bit of bulking up could Whiting be the quality second rower we need? I reckon so

Maybe, but 'bulking up' might have the effect of making him even slower than he already is.

Personally, I like Whiting as a utility man. For his ability and effort he certainly deserves to get a regular place in the side nailed down, but from a team perspective, I think he adds more value by being able to slip in to pretty much any position in the team.

Re: More Rumours!! : Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:15 am  

slideby wrote:

Even if you sign the 2nd row and centre, i still dont see 4th happening next year. Wire, Wigan and Saints must be heavy favs to finish above you guys, in which case you ll have to finish higher than a v good hudds team that has a lot of young players maturing and are settled, or catalan who have recruited v well and have the tax advantage and heat advantage in the summer. Hull will break the top 4 in the next few year, but top 6 would be good next year.

With our squad we have a chance, we would need a bit of luck with injuries but we should at least be challenging for the top 4.

Until the last couple of games we had a chance of finishign 5th last year and already we have a better squad and hopefully a coach that knows what he is doing.

As it stands Saints, Wigan and Warrington look a bit weaker than this season so far.

Re: More Rumours!! : Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:44 am  

Garry Brindley Esq. wrote:

Maybe, but 'bulking up' might have the effect of making him even slower than he already is.

Personally, I like Whiting as a utility man. For his ability and effort he certainly deserves to get a regular place in the side nailed down, but from a team perspective, I think he adds more value by being able to slip in to pretty much any position in the team.

So where would you play him if everyone is fit? There isn't a position called 'utility', so would you start him in the centre, the backrow, 13??

Re: More Rumours!! : Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:51 am  

Dave K. wrote:

Do we now need 2 more fowards with Radford retiring, pack as it stands

Moa
Lynch
O Meley
O Carroll
Bowden
Westerman
Tickle
Manu
Green
Cunningham
Kent

We need a backrower that can come off the bench, Radford can be covered by one of the youngsters.

Re: More Rumours!! : Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:53 am  

Dave K. wrote:

Do we now need 2 more fowards with Radford retiring, pack as it stands

Moa
Lynch
O Meley
O Carroll
Bowden
Westerman
Tickle
Manu
Green
Cunningham
Kent

If we bring in a second rower who can also play prop that should be enough, as we'd have a couple who could cover any injuries short term. The only potential problem I see now is that we are more reliant on O'Carroll being fully recovered from his injury problem.

Re: More Rumours!! : Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:55 am  

tommyfromhull wrote:

So where would you play him if everyone is fit? There isn't a position called 'utility', so would you start him in the centre, the backrow, 13??

That's what I'm saying, if the whole squad was fit he wouldn't be in my 13, even though from a personal perspective he probably deserves to be. I'd have him starting on the bench and then in the 13 whenever the inevitable injuries occur.

Re: More Rumours!! : Thu Oct 06, 2011 8:05 am  

So the rumours of a backrow foward are:

Jay Pitts
JJB

Think JJB is unlikely, as I can't see him leaving Leeds.

Pitts would be an Ok signing for a bench/squad player, although still young has played SL for 4 years now and made over 40 appearances, so more experienced that our young players.

When he first came on the scene at wakey he looked outstanding, one of the best players I have seen at his age, up to now not really lived upto expectations, but could be a useful signing.

No quality out of contract players available so unless we chuck a big fee at contracted player and that's not to say it will be expected we might struggle to attract a better player than Pitts.

It's a shame Gentle wasn't appointed earlier as he could have maybe brough Flanagan to Hull.