: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:43 pm  

Terry Monster wrote:

It would be terrible if we went into the new season with Thorman and Deacon as half backs.

It would be only slightly less terrible than when you had Harris and Deacon as starting half backs

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:59 pm  

The Chin's Back wrote:

It would be only slightly less terrible than when you had Harris and Deacon as starting half backs

No it wouldn't. Thorman has never, or will never be as good as Harris, even in his final season with us.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:21 pm  

The Chin's Back wrote:

It would be only slightly less terrible than when you had Harris and Deacon as starting half backs

Not really.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:28 pm  

Next year is really looking like another disappointment. F**KING great!

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:45 pm  

dixie wrote:

Next year is really looking like another disappointment. F**KING great!

I'm not going to get to dissapointed just yet, and I'm desperatley hoping we sign a half back with some craft that can make things happen. However at this moment things arn't looking to great. I can see us losing Semi and going with either Rudd or Halley on the left with Platt back to full back. I can't see any other change in the rest of the 3/4's so believe we'll be stuck with a very similar poor backline to this year.

Platt. Sheriffe. Sykes. Nero. Rudd/Halley.

As I say I hope we manage to get Brough from Wakey, but that would cost us some pennies I believe, and as people like to say 'we dont have any' allthough I don't know the full story there, but Deacon is here to stay for another season at least.

AN Other. Deacon

Can't decide about the pack, but my gut instinnct is that it's continuing to be watered down, presuming that Morrisons departure will mean Burgess pushes up to the backrow, that's going to leave us short on a top prop, because I don't rate Glenn Hall as a quality frontline man and L'Estrange isn't anything on Newton either.

Lynch. L'Estrange. Hall/Scruton. Burgess. Menzies. Langley

If it was me doing the recruitement, I'd be looking for a half back and a prop as top priority, then followed by a winger.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:07 pm  

I don't think its as a bad as what it is being painted - or at least, I think there's a possibility that things could improve

Morrison must have been one of the higher earners, and him leaving frees up a fair bit of money. Assuming that we lose Tadulala, Jeffries, Cook, and perhaps one or two other fringe player, plus the money saved on Newton and Tupou that must add up to a decent amount.

So far we are only confirmed to be bringing in Glenn Hall and Heath L'Estrange. If L'Estrange is on roughly what Newton was on, and Hall is on the same (or even a bit less) as Tupou that still leaves a fair amount of slack for new signings.

In short, I think we will sign several more players. Now, whether those are going to be players like Thorman or - please no - Ryan Bailey... or whether we will sign genuine quality, well we will have to see....

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:46 am  

paulwalker71 wrote:

I don't think its as a bad as what it is being painted - or at least, I think there's a possibility that things could improve

Morrison must have been one of the higher earners, and him leaving frees up a fair bit of money. Assuming that we lose Tadulala, Jeffries, Cook, and perhaps one or two other fringe player, plus the money saved on Newton and Tupou that must add up to a decent amount.

So far we are only confirmed to be bringing in Glenn Hall and Heath L'Estrange. If L'Estrange is on roughly what Newton was on, and Hall is on the same (or even a bit less) as Tupou that still leaves a fair amount of slack for new signings.

In short, I think we will sign several more players. Now, whether those are going to be players like Thorman or - please no - Ryan Bailey... or whether we will sign genuine quality, well we will have to see....

dont forget solomona going as well, and he was on a fair old wedge, we should have poop loads of cap to be spending on new players next year.

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:49 am  

Richard_bull wrote:

dont forget solomona going as well, and he was on a fair old wedge, we should have poop loads of cap to be spending on new players next year.

This maybe true, but, if the club wants to continue to post a profit or break even, we will need the crowds to increase if we are going to spend to the full cap.

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:54 am  

Richard_bull wrote:

dont forget solomona going as well, and he was on a fair old wedge, we should have poop loads of cap to be spending on new players next year.

...although folk do need to remember that a lot of the trick is down to how you structure packages, and what is allowed within the prevailing tax and SC rules. I rather suspect that was why Iestyn leaving did not appear to free up the sort of cap space some people assumed it would.

But yes, when you think of the cost of Solomona, Morrison (sadly for too much of the time) and Tupou (presumably till he went) sat in the stands, and Terry must have been on a decent package, then you can only assume we must have some scope now. I suspect it won't be quite as much as some folk think though, given the upgrading of some contracts that has already taken place.

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:56 am  

Bradford Badger wrote:

This maybe true, but, if the club wants to continue to post a profit or break even, we will need the crowds to increase if we are going to spend to the full cap.

What he said.

Remember, we have to at least break even in cash terms. Too few bodies through the turnstiles means economies somewhere, and they have already pared the non-playing staff to the bone. A point that seems lost on some of those who say they won't bother going until the performances improve...