Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Oct 18, 2023 7:22 am  

Yeah im not usually one for just throwing money at the problem but it does feel as though we’ve thrown it in the right direction this time and I think it was needed to show the clubs intent.

Croft is obviously the headline signing but, Miller, Frawley, Mom and Ackers are very astute signings IMO, they address a lot of the problems we’ve been having, namely Pace, rugby Intelligence and leadership

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Oct 18, 2023 7:25 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

Totally agree here mate but we may have to wait until 2025 to sort the pack out fully. This is where for me we should not have retained Donaldson, Myler or Bentley and that would have given us enough room to bring in a quality senior prop.

Myler was still contracted and he is a very handy player to have in the squad, Donaldson won’t be taking too much cap up and is a good role model for the younger players, Bentley you may have a point but lets not forget he is actually a good player, if he can get back to his 2022 back end of the year form he is an assett

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Oct 18, 2023 7:31 am  

christopher wrote:

Yeah im not usually one for just throwing money at the problem but it does feel as though we’ve thrown it in the right direction this time and I think it was needed to show the clubs intent.

Croft is obviously the headline signing but, Miller, Frawley, Mom and Ackers are very astute signings IMO, they address a lot of the problems we’ve been having, namely Pace, rugby Intelligence and leadership

And another huge one that we've missed in my opinion - Skill! So many dropped balls, poor passing and kick selection for a good few seasons. Time to see some proper rugby players really take our great crop of home grown talent to the next level.

Personally, for me, if we're not in a major final next year, it will have been a failure. Not saying we'll start with a bang, but we should be competing at the back end.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Oct 18, 2023 7:34 am  

exiledrhino wrote:

And another huge one that we've missed in my opinion - Skill! So many dropped balls, poor passing and kick selection for a good few seasons. Time to see some proper rugby players really take our great crop of home grown talent to the next level.

Personally, for me, if we're not in a major final next year, it will have been a failure. Not saying we'll start with a bang, but we should be competing at the back end.

I disagree about not being in a final will be a failure, its a totally new team basically, I just want us in the mix rather than scrambling around the bottom 4/5

I also want us to be playing attractive intelligent and skilful RL that I look forward to watching

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Oct 18, 2023 7:47 am  

Very happy with the recruitment and having Martin back in the backrow and Simpson back fit will be like new signings too.

Could do with getting Newman and Fusitua out for at least 80% of games next season.

We really could do with a prop still for next year because if Oledzki or Holroyd break a leg, we are pretty short again given Walters and Tetevano have left.

I would personally have got rid of Olpherts, Bentley and Donaldson and brought in a prop and a reserve winger. Likewise, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of O'Connor or Johnson to leave given the Ackers signing.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Oct 18, 2023 7:50 am  

rugbyleague88 wrote:

Very happy with the recruitment and having Martin back in the backrow and Simpson back fit will be like new signings too.

Could do with getting Newman and Fusitua out for at least 80% of games next season.

We really could do with a prop still for next year because if Oledzki or Holroyd break a leg, we are pretty short again given Walters and Tetevano have left.

I would personally have got rid of Olpherts, Bentley and Donaldson and brought in a prop and a reserve winger. Likewise, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of O'Connor or Johnson to leave given the Ackers signing.

Don’t think OConner will leave, Im sure I read Ackers say he already knows him and they get on well? They will compliment each other i think

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Oct 18, 2023 7:52 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

Totally agree here mate but we may have to wait until 2025 to sort the pack out fully. This is where for me we should not have retained Donaldson, Myler or Bentley and that would have given us enough room to bring in a quality senior prop.

We need more from the props we've got. Not saying another wouldn't be welcome but there's one or two playing too much inside the comfort zone. You'd have to say that RS isn't afraid of engineering departures to bring the right material in so I'm not 100% convinced he'll wait til 2025 to shake things up as he sees fit.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Oct 18, 2023 7:58 am  

rugbyleague88 wrote:

Very happy with the recruitment and having Martin back in the backrow and Simpson back fit will be like new signings too.

Could do with getting Newman and Fusitua out for at least 80% of games next season.

We really could do with a prop still for next year because if Oledzki or Holroyd break a leg, we are pretty short again given Walters and Tetevano have left.

I would personally have got rid of Olpherts, Bentley and Donaldson and brought in a prop and a reserve winger. Likewise, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of O'Connor or Johnson to leave given the Ackers signing.

Simpson could cover wing if needed although with an ACL depends if his pace has been affected. We have some really exciting wingers coming through over the next few years IMO.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Oct 18, 2023 8:09 am  

Clearwing wrote:

We need more from the props we've got. Not saying another wouldn't be welcome but there's one or two playing too much inside the comfort zone. You'd have to say that RS isn't afraid of engineering departures to bring the right material in so I'm not 100% convinced he'll wait til 2025 to shake things up as he sees fit.

Very good point and totally agree. Mik and Sangare in particular need to stand up and be counted next year, Mik has shown he can do it and i can see him getting back to his best personally. Sangare needs time, he's got all the assets to be a really good prop, he's very strong and a big unit. I'm hopeful RS will get a tune out of him next season.

I was pleased with how Holroyd went, he's young and not played much rugby so was bound to fade, plus the team back end of the season was a farce. Lisone got better and better and should be cracking this year.

Behind that it starts to look bare in depth for a team wanting to compete in a GF. Goudemand is a solid addition but he's not capable of plugging the gap if we lost Mik Holroyd Lisone for a lengthy period. Plus we have lost Walters and Tet.... this definately needs bolstering in the coming months if at all possible.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Wed Oct 18, 2023 8:21 am  

Clearwing wrote:

We need more from the props we've got. Not saying another wouldn't be welcome but there's one or two playing too much inside the comfort zone. You'd have to say that RS isn't afraid of engineering departures to bring the right material in so I'm not 100% convinced he'll wait til 2025 to shake things up as he sees fit.

I personally can’t see RS letting any of the main 4 go this year, and don’t think there’s a need.

Some interesting names up for renewal next year including Martin and Newman; as a minimum I would expect another 3 cap players to leave at the end of next year if not before and maybe that’s when we make our bid for Burgess or someone similar.

RS got rid of some dead wood early such as Dwyer and Sutcliffe; this off-season has been the main cull and then 2024 may bring some aftershocks. I do think RS knows what he expects and whilst he never bags players in public, he can be ruthless. He knows his job is to build and coach a winning side at Leeds and I think generally he’s doing a great job.

No room for hiding next year, barring bad injury runs again though. We need to see what an RS team can really do.