[Bulliac]

Re: 2016 Squad Requirements : Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:44 am  

roger daly wrote:

What happened to Matt Ryan

He was only signed until the end of last season and as we've not heard about a re-signing I guess he's gone.

As for too many centres, would anyone actually put money on Purts not being our scrum half next year?

Re: 2016 Squad Requirements : Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:08 am  

Purtell long term at 6 or 7 is a disaster. He hasn't got great hands for a centre let alone a half. He's a strong runner, great enthusiasm and if somebody wanted him closer to the play I think he'd make a decent second row (but not that good).

The only player at the club who could reasonably be expected to be a long term success at 7 is a fit Mullaney. Gaskell could probably play there and we'll see what Thomas brings. If Mullaney is going to 7 because there isn't anyone better available then fair enough.

The other major, but interlinked issue is hooker. In the middle 8's a beat up O'brien, Halafifi, Baile were hopelessly ineffective. We need one of a starting scrum half OR a comparable starting or interchange hooker OR a Kyle Wood type player who can do both. Mullaney + O'brien + Halafifi in the half/dummy half role is small, light, inexperienced and collectively not good enough.

I'm OK with our recruitment so far and Siejka has done us a favour. We're just that one player short.

[Bulliac]

Re: 2016 Squad Requirements : Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:00 pm  

The major problem is that there is no one on the horizon [unless anyone knows different..] to be that player. Of course, we don't know who might become available, who we could afford and crucially, would be happy to play in div2. This though, I think, is where I came in...

Re: 2016 Squad Requirements : Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:09 pm  

There was a rumour a week or two back that we were getting Beswick, as Leigh move towards using Higham for the full 80. I think he'd be perfect as an experienced head to come on and give AOB a rest, but surely we must be running out of cap space now...

As for the idea of a player who can play 7 and 9, surely that type of player is pretty rare now? Rob Burrow? Robbie Paul?!

Re: 2016 Squad Requirements : Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:37 pm  

Bulliac wrote:

The major problem is that there is no one on the horizon [unless anyone knows different..] to be that player. Of course, we don't know who might become available, who we could afford and crucially, would be happy to play in div2. This though, I think, is where I came in...

Affordability can't be the problem as we've signed how many players since September? And Rangi Chase is available.

[Bullseye]

Re: 2016 Squad Requirements : Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:51 pm  

I expect a few players will be le go as we have 30 in the squad at the moment.

Rumours abound of Kyle Wood being a possibilty but I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't recruit any more.

Re: 2016 Squad Requirements : Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:52 pm  

M@islebugs wrote:

Purtell long term at 6 or 7 is a disaster. He hasn't got great hands for a centre let alone a half. He's a strong runner, great enthusiasm and if somebody wanted him closer to the play I think he'd make a decent second row (but not that good).

The only player at the club who could reasonably be expected to be a long term success at 7 is a fit Mullaney. Gaskell could probably play there and we'll see what Thomas brings. If Mullaney is going to 7 because there isn't anyone better available then fair enough.

The other major, but interlinked issue is hooker. In the middle 8's a beat up O'brien, Halafifi, Baile were hopelessly ineffective. We need one of a starting scrum half OR a comparable starting or interchange hooker OR a Kyle Wood type player who can do both. Mullaney + O'brien + Halafifi in the half/dummy half role is small, light, inexperienced and collectively not good enough.

I'm OK with our recruitment so far and Siejka has done us a favour. We're just that one player short.

I think the trouble was more that Baile and Halafifi were not match fit having spent the majority of the season either injured or not in contension. Better squad management of the 9 position is needed for next year

Re: 2016 Squad Requirements : Wed Nov 11, 2015 2:20 pm  

We don't really know why some players didn't appear as much as we had expected. Siejka touched on this when he said fans aren't aware of the problems some players are having.
It is easy to condemn a player after a season but we have all seen players who were poor in the first season and then have a much better second season.
I can actually see why Baille was tried at 9 but this was on the back of a injury hit season. There are a number of players who "could" be totally different players next year if they are fit.
I wasn't impressed with Nielson but he will be fully fit in February.
I agree that Lauaki was poor but I am prepared to give him a few months after a full pre-season.
This is the problem with discounting someone who we didn't realise was crocked and then see them leave only for them to then get fit and be different class for someone else.
We have to hope that all are fully fit come February. If so, then we can judge them on performance.
The main one for me is Mullaney. If he stays fit with Gaskell we then have a real chance.
Really pleased with the Wellham signing. Good solid centre and very surprised to get him. Why can't Purts go to wing. That was his position down under.
I am starting to change my mind on ST sales. They may actually hold up against last years numbers as we seem to have learnt a lesson and signed players we know and not taken wild punts on the word of a scout.

What's that saying about the devil you know. They seem to be going down that route. Foxy used to do that!

Re: 2016 Squad Requirements : Wed Nov 11, 2015 2:40 pm  

Drust wrote:

There was a rumour a week or two back that we were getting Beswick, as Leigh move towards using Higham for the full 80. I think he'd be perfect as an experienced head to come on and give AOB a rest, but surely we must be running out of cap space now...

As for the idea of a player who can play 7 and 9, surely that type of player is pretty rare now? Rob Burrow? Robbie Paul?!

Can't see Higham, at his age, (however fit he is) doing the full 80, week in, week out. That's what was happening to Beswick last season, when Penkywicz was injured and then banned. That's possibly why Beswick faded towards the end of the season, although he could well have had his nose put out of joint by Higham's arrival! We do have a highly promising and lively number 9, in Lewis Foster, who is on a lengthy contract, and may be promoted next season.

The rumours were, with Beswick (and Barlow for that matter) that he may have wanted to go part time, to concentrate on his highly successful business, as a personal trainer.

However, if we are hell bent on tempting Rangi Chase to Leigh, then some of our more highly paid players may well have to go, to make way for him. A problem with that, is that they are virtually all (like most of your guys) contracted for 2016 and beyond!

[Bullseye]

Re: 2016 Squad Requirements : Wed Nov 11, 2015 2:55 pm  

woolly07 wrote:

We don't really know why some players didn't appear as much as we had expected. Siejka touched on this when he said fans aren't aware of the problems some players are having.
It is easy to condemn a player after a season but we have all seen players who were poor in the first season and then have a much better second season.
I can actually see why Baille was tried at 9 but this was on the back of a injury hit season. There are a number of players who "could" be totally different players next year if they are fit.
I wasn't impressed with Nielson but he will be fully fit in February.
I agree that Lauaki was poor but I am prepared to give him a few months after a full pre-season.
This is the problem with discounting someone who we didn't realise was crocked and then see them leave only for them to then get fit and be different class for someone else.
We have to hope that all are fully fit come February. If so, then we can judge them on performance.
The main one for me is Mullaney. If he stays fit with Gaskell we then have a real chance.
Really pleased with the Wellham signing. Good solid centre and very surprised to get him. Why can't Purts go to wing. That was his position down under.
I am starting to change my mind on ST sales. They may actually hold up against last years numbers as we seem to have learnt a lesson and signed players we know and not taken wild punts on the word of a scout.

What's that saying about the devil you know. They seem to be going down that route. Foxy used to do that!

One theory doing the rounds is that certain players weren’t picked as that may have triggered a substantial contractual payment we could ill afford.

Just putting it out there.

I agree some players may have struggled with injury but some didn’t look up to much when seemingly injury free like Siejka and Lauaki.