Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue May 09, 2023 7:09 am  

Also cap management becomes harder the more successful you are, the higher Rover finish the more the players will want to get paid as other clubs get interested, players like Litten and Lewis now involved in the England set up with want more money or other clubs will come calling, so they may have to offer other players less.

You have seen it at Saints, losing top class players to other SL clubs as they can offer more, one good thing about the salary cap, works particularly well in the NRL

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue May 09, 2023 7:17 am  

I think people are been unfair to wood, he’d be a solid signing. Tall, versatile, good age and wouldn’t break the bank.

With Wynne & Mitch leaving we need some depth in our backs and he should offer that. He’s more rounded and reliable than both and shouldn’t break the bank.

I’m not sure sure he’s a guaranteed starter but I’d give him a chance to fight for it. I don’t think he’s a replacement for swift so if it’s true he’s leaving I hope we’re in the market for an out and out speedster.

I also imagine this puts SKD rumour to bed as I can’t imagine us signing both. Wood is the better option for me. younger, cheaper, domestic and a long term signing

[Mild Rover]

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue May 09, 2023 7:24 am  

Dave K. wrote:

Also cap management becomes harder the more successful you are, the higher Rover finish the more the players will want to get paid as other clubs get interested, players like Litten and Lewis now involved in the England set up with want more money or other clubs will come calling, so they may have to offer other players less.

You have seen it at Saints, losing top class players to other SL clubs as they can offer more, one good thing about the salary cap, works particularly well in the NRL

It’s true but I also think the most successful SL clubs get a discount because they can pretty much guarantee trophies. And that value can be redeemed with better contracts when the player moves on later in their career. In the NRL - from my limited knowledge of it - teams’ fortunes seem to wax and wane a lot more.

But yeah, it is an interesting point for a club hoping to transition from a couple of good years to competing with Saints and Wigan regularly. It’s maybe the tipping point where having a productive academy has a lot of value.

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue May 09, 2023 7:32 am  

Hullrealist wrote:

I think people are been unfair to wood, he’d be a solid signing. Tall, versatile, good age and wouldn’t break the bank.

With Wynne & Mitch leaving we need some depth in our backs and he should offer that. He’s more rounded and reliable than both and shouldn’t break the bank.

I’m not sure sure he’s a guaranteed starter but I’d give him a chance to fight for it. I don’t think he’s a replacement for swift so if it’s true he’s leaving I hope we’re in the market for an out and out speedster.

I also imagine this puts SKD rumour to bed as I can’t imagine us signing both. Wood is the better option for me. younger, cheaper, domestic and a long term signing

100%, people saying we should release 15 players and then moaning after being linked to a solid squad player, if he is our main signing I'd be worried, but if Smith think we need another outside back then I'd rather be someone like Wood than spend big, rather save our quota spots and cap space for some forwards.

To be fair most I've read have been fairly positive about it, even the Rovers fans

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue May 09, 2023 7:34 am  

Mild Rover wrote:

It’s true but I also think the most successful SL clubs get a discount because they can pretty much guarantee trophies. And that value can be redeemed with better contracts when the player moves on later in their career. In the NRL - from my limited knowledge of it - teams’ fortunes seem to wax and wane a lot more.

But yeah, it is an interesting point for a club hoping to transition from a couple of good years to competing with Saints and Wigan regularly. It’s maybe the tipping point where having a productive academy has a lot of value.

Definitely true, but there is probably only Wigan and Saints who have that currently in SL and even they have lost both top players (Coote, Fages Bentley) and highly rated youngsters (Nicholson and McDonnell)

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue May 09, 2023 7:42 am  

Sometimes you can sign experienced players (like McIntosh or Evans for example), and they'll be on higher wages as they're already experienced players but it won't work out, or you can try sign fringe players on lower wages that might work out...like Salford with Cross, Dupree, Croft etc and it works out. Some fans wouldn't be happy unless we signed Ado Carr and Tom Johnstone. You've also got to factor in that we might not currently be the most attractive club to sign for either, not had any form of success for 6 years now, and a few players being recently being paid off, so we might not be able to bring in the calibre of player we truly want just yet...or have to pay a premium to do so

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue May 09, 2023 7:47 am  

Wood will go with most of our fans good wishes, solid player and full of enthusiasm, I feel Smith rated him a lot higher than Peters does now and that will have played a big part in him moving on. Peters has said if a player doesn't want to fight for a spot then he can go, maybe this was the case here.
Be a shame to see him move on but I feel it was a toss up between him and Senior to leave and it looks like its Wood.

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue May 09, 2023 7:50 am  

barham red wrote:

Wood will go with most of our fans good wishes, solid player and full of enthusiasm, I feel Smith rated him a lot higher than Peters does now and that will have played a big part in him moving on. Peters has said if a player doesn't want to fight for a spot then he can go, maybe this was the case here.
Be a shame to see him move on but I feel it was a toss up between him and Senior to leave and it looks like its Wood.

Is Senior OOC?

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue May 09, 2023 8:26 am  

Wood seems a decent player, who must fit the TS template.
We’ll probably lose Mitch, and definitely Wynne, so it improves the squad.

He’ll offer good value and utility. Saints, Leeds and Wigan supplement their squads with good Academy prospects who won’t be on big wages.
Often they lose a few to clubs, who offer them more money, but it does generally bulk out their squads with solid players.
Think that’s the business plan for Hull now. Easier said than done though.

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue May 09, 2023 8:30 am  

Wood is a great player to have in your squad, he's full of energy and effort and really versatile too.
He left Huddersfield for more game time, which he got last season under TS, obviously he's not had as many games this season and maybe thinks he'll get game time elsewhere,
Personally I think he'll always be a squad player rather than a first team player, as he's really good in a few positions rather than being great in one.