Re: Rumours Rumours Rumours : Fri Dec 06, 2013 1:25 pm  

beefy1 wrote:

Someone on the Wire board suggests that they have over 300k available on their cap. Can't see it myself, but Carvell, Briers, Morley, Hodgson, Cooper must have been on a fair chunk between them.

Briers was on their rosta for 2014 so he was part of the salary cap so thet will most likely have the cap needed for sammut

Re: Rumours Rumours Rumours : Fri Dec 06, 2013 1:51 pm  

Bulliac wrote:

Yeah, they've lost a couple of senior players but surely they've surely also upgraded a few of the younger players too. With those swings and roundabouts I'd guess they'd struggle to fit a player of Sammut's stature, and obvious cost, under the cap at this stage.

'Sammut's stature'???...... Don't want to be patronising, but he's been playing for 2 bottom half of the league (and mediocre) sides for the last few years, without actually setting the Super League world alight - If (and its a big if) he got a move to a so called bigger club, then he would be no more than a squad player and with it would be on a relatively average wage.

If you have been paying the likes of Sammut a high end wage then, its little wonder that your club is in the mess it is, both on and off the pitch.... I wouldn't be disappointed if he ended up at Wire, but I wouldn't be putting the bunting out either.

Re: Rumours Rumours Rumours : Fri Dec 06, 2013 2:23 pm  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

'Sammut's stature'???...... Don't want to be patronising, but he's been playing for 2 bottom half of the league (and mediocre) sides for the last few years, without actually setting the Super League world alight - If (and its a big if) he got a move to a so called bigger club, then he would be no more than a squad player and with it would be on a relatively average wage.

If you have been paying the likes of Sammut a high end wage then, its little wonder that your club is in the mess it is, both on and off the pitch.... I wouldn't be disappointed if he ended up at Wire, but I wouldn't be putting the bunting out either.

4th top tryscorer in the league whilst playing in a mediocre team isn't bad going, especially considering he spent a bit of time injured. I'm not saying he's one of the best players in the league, but I do think that he's a tad better than you're giving him credit for. I think that he'd suit Warringtons high risk style of play too. He gets on the end of off-loads very well. I'm sure he'd score a bucket load in such in environment.

Having said all that I'd much rather the Bulls keep hold of him!!

Re: Rumours Rumours Rumours : Fri Dec 06, 2013 3:03 pm  

beefy1 wrote:

4th top tryscorer in the league whilst playing in a mediocre team isn't bad going, especially considering he spent a bit of time injured. I'm not saying he's one of the best players in the league, but I do think that he's a tad better than you're giving him credit for. I think that he'd suit Warringtons high risk style of play too. He gets on the end of off-loads very well. I'm sure he'd score a bucket load in such in environment.

Having said all that I'd much rather the Bulls keep hold of him!!

I'm not saying he's a bad player, I just don't think he'd be any improvement on what we presently have available.

Its a difficult one for Sammut, he can be a well paid (and highly rated) fish in a small pond, or probably have to take a pay cut to join the bigger fishes... I'm presuming by that, that he is one of your higher paid players?

Re: Rumours Rumours Rumours : Fri Dec 06, 2013 8:00 pm  

I think there was interest from parramatta when he resigned for second contract with us? Prob on an improved deal, but would doubt one of our top earners just better paid and not far off.
When he came he was one of the players who i thought was overrated, and a bit of a liability with a suspect temperament - Now I hope every coach in super league is that naive!! Defensively quite strong and eager, great step and hands and shown in past year or so that he can play to a game plan and organise as well.
Whilst I like ratchford a lot I do think you would be better with him at full back and sammut at 6. I get what you are saying about possible paycut but even to sign him at this time you would have to give him a decent wage or at least a reasonable length of contract, why would he give up a decent contract with a year left with possible good year could command a big fee.

[Winslade's Offload]

Re: Rumours Rumours Rumours : Fri Dec 06, 2013 8:32 pm  

beefy1 wrote:

4th top tryscorer in the league whilst playing in a mediocre team isn't bad going, especially considering he spent a bit of time injured. I'm not saying he's one of the best players in the league, but I do think that he's a tad better than you're giving him credit for. I think that he'd suit Warringtons high risk style of play too. He gets on the end of off-loads very well. I'm sure he'd score a bucket load in such in environment.

Having said all that I'd much rather the Bulls keep hold of him!!

Unfortunately for Bulls supporters, I think your board will wan't him out because he has to be one of your better paid players. But he is not a shoe in at Wire because of Ratch, Myler and the need to give GOB a decent run - to see if he can step up at SL level. The one possibility is as a replacement for Myler - his contract runs out in 2yrs, so if he want's to go to Oz, we would need to sell him end next year to recoup any monies. Having said that, TS is on record as saying he thinks "Briers replacement will be found from within the club".

I think there is a good case to be made here for the Bulls getting their full Sky monies for next year - we need to think about protecting the current clubs in SL, as there are enough financial problems as it is. Much better to have a financially viable Bulls with a squad that is competitive in SL, than a club with continuing financial problems sitting in the bottom third of the table and attracting low ST numbers (for me anyway).

Re: Rumours Rumours Rumours : Fri Dec 06, 2013 8:37 pm  

Nothus wrote: From that PNG pack I would certainly give Mark Mexico a try, he ran the ball in really hard. Seems it's on from their end - indicated that England-bound super league players Enoch Maki, Francis Paniu (Hull) and Mark Mexico (Bradford Bulls) have shown up and are training intensively to prepare themselves. Source

Nothus wrote: From that PNG pack I would certainly give Mark Mexico a try, he ran the ball in really hard. Seems it's on from their end - indicated that England-bound super league players Enoch Maki, Francis Paniu (Hull) and Mark Mexico (Bradford Bulls) have shown up and are training intensively to prepare themselves. Source

Re: Rumours Rumours Rumours : Sat Dec 07, 2013 9:39 am  

People seem to assume we automatically need to be looking to unload the higher earning players. But if these guys are scoring tries, winning games and bringing punters through the gates then their net cost to the club could well be less than some £20k journeyman who regularly prompts threads on RAB for their inept performances.

Re: Rumours Rumours Rumours : Sat Dec 07, 2013 9:53 am  

Northernrelic wrote:

People seem to assume we automatically need to be looking to unload the higher earning players. But if these guys are scoring tries, winning games and bringing punters through the gates then their net cost to the club could well be less than some £20k journeyman who regularly prompts threads on RAB for their inept performances.

Spending what you "might" have in the future, as opposed to what "do" have, is what got you into this mess.

You need to cut your cloth for the here and now.

Re: Rumours Rumours Rumours : Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:21 am  

dboy wrote:

Spending what you "might" have in the future, as opposed to what "do" have, is what got you into this mess.

You need to cut your cloth for the here and now.

Given we are 650k behind everyone else due to the "agreement" which seems to have forged under threat we've not much cloth left to cut.