Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:31 am  

It looks as if our recruitment is pretty much done then unless we something comes up through the season and they are UK... lets hope Mik and Tet stay healthy.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Thu Jan 13, 2022 11:07 am  

Our squad could still be better but we're starting this season in much better shape than we looked last year, after a battering in the final rounds of the previous year.

We will need much better luck with injuries and form/COVID if we're going to achieve anything, but we are in with a shout. I expect for 2023 we should have a much clearer idea of the final jigsaw pieces, and we can make cap and quota available to address those gaps.

I just get the sense this season might be one too early still, we'll see. We should get some good wins and put in some good entertaining performances with the side we have though.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Thu Jan 13, 2022 1:35 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Our squad could still be better but we're starting this season in much better shape than we looked last year, after a battering in the final rounds of the previous year.

We will need much better luck with injuries and form/COVID if we're going to achieve anything, but we are in with a shout. I expect for 2023 we should have a much clearer idea of the final jigsaw pieces, and we can make cap and quota available to address those gaps.

I just get the sense this season might be one too early still, we'll see. We should get some good wins and put in some good entertaining performances with the side we have though.

Yeah agree with that, i'm really looking forward to the season. If we just could bring in that good other prop we'd be really really in good shape. But either way we're in with a shout and surely due some good luck with injuries.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Thu Jan 13, 2022 1:52 pm  

Trebor1 wrote:

Yeah agree with that, i'm really looking forward to the season. If we just could bring in that good other prop we'd be really really in good shape. But either way we're in with a shout and surely due some good luck with injuries.

Deffo need to start well. Notice big Zane has been very open about how disappointed he was with last season. Get the impression he has the bit between his teeth. Glad to hear his wife and kids have joined him. Must be a massive thing for guys coming over from the NRL.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Thu Jan 13, 2022 3:13 pm  

I probably say it every year but Im also looking forward to seeing how we go, with my optimistic hat on, getting both Sezer and Austin together could be s bit of a master stroke.

I also think we might see the best of Tetevano this year after a bit of a horror shoe last season.

Also will be interesting to see how Walker goes, he has a lot of natural talent and if he can stay fit could be like s new signing.

Big year for Newman aswell, he’s knocking on the door of a WC spot and showed some glimpses last year of what he’s capable of, with better structure and decent service he could be a MOS contender IMO

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Thu Jan 13, 2022 3:29 pm  

christopher wrote:

I probably say it every year but Im also looking forward to seeing how we go, with my optimistic hat on, getting both Sezer and Austin together could be s bit of a master stroke.

I also think we might see the best of Tetevano this year after a bit of a horror shoe last season.

Also will be interesting to see how Walker goes, he has a lot of natural talent and if he can stay fit could be like s new signing.

Big year for Newman aswell, he’s knocking on the door of a WC spot and showed some glimpses last year of what he’s capable of, with better structure and decent service he could be a MOS contender IMO

hopefully the winger comes good
austin keeps involved
tetevano is consisten
if myler plays as he has been walker won't be playing

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Fri Jan 14, 2022 6:13 am  

The issue with Myler/Walker is that the team will play quite differently depending on who's in the 17. Myler's an extra halfback type, Walker to date hasn't shown much in that regard. Re Newman my big hope is that with Fusitu'a outside him he focuses more on creating space for his winger - longer term he'll be a far more effective running threat if defenders believe he's as likely to pass as run.

It is looking like quite a different season to recent ones - much more hopeful, but I'd still like another genuine prop at some stage.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:03 am  

ArthurClues wrote:

Deffo need to start well. Notice big Zane has been very open about how disappointed he was with last season. Get the impression he has the bit between his teeth. Glad to hear his wife and kids have joined him. Must be a massive thing for guys coming over from the NRL.

Must have been very tough for him last year, covid, lockdowns, moving to another country, family not joining him. There's more to how a player goes than just what happens in training and on the field. He seems far more settled and it will hopefully pay off and we can see the real Zane. He was very very good in the NRL.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:51 am  

Agree with a lot of the above, maybe another growing year but we are in with a much better shout.
For me it all comes down to injuries, we have a very strong team and bench when everybody is fit, very similar to Saints and Catalans. The problem we have had is injuries and lots of injuries in one position. If we can keep our main players fit and not chop and change each week we will be close. I think Catalans and Saints have done very well with injuries and keeping players fresh and they are at the top.

Be interesting to see how we look in the early weeks, hopefully fitter and a bit more robust. If we get that right then we have the players to be dangerous.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Fri Jan 14, 2022 12:18 pm  

We were really good at time last year, but still too inconsistent (of course impacted heavily with injuries and COVID again too I think).

If we aren't 10% better across the board this year I'd be disappointed. Full pre-season with pretty much everyone fit, coaching staff able to work on combination properly, new conditioning regime and key positions filled with quality - plus another pre-season into our younger players which they would have to benefit from.

Of course some of the competition will be benefitting in the same ways, and I do think the comp standard will increase a bit this season because more sides look stronger to me. I just think we were particularly badly effected going into 2021 with what happened at the end of 2020, and we have a particularly young team who need time.