Hi Vancouver. I fear that something has been lost in transatlantic translation. You have clearly misunderstood what was, i thought, a quite clearly lighthearted comment to enable me to include what must be the greatest name currently doing the rounds in rugby league namely, Geronimo Doyle, who has this week signed for Swinton.
Let me clarify, that I too wish our new signing Keanan Brand all the very best success. After all, whilst he is with us he is our player and i am certainly not going to knock him.
However, I really shouldn't have to justify my comments on this forum to you or anyone else here but, for what it is worth, i stand by them.
Brand was very much a fringe player at Warrington. He was signed by them very much on the strength of his potential which our coach has clearly, by his own comments upon the signing, also appreciates. What is clear is that he has yet to really establish himself as a first team regular. His outings at Warrington have been limited which is why they were happy to see him go out on loan for the season.
In reality he is unlikely to be a starter for us. I am assuming that Thornley and Sa'u will be the first choice centres.
There is no criticism at all in my comments either written or implied of our beloved coach and chief Hobbit in whose judgment i am happy to trust.
The second thrust of my very short original comments go to the heart of the club's ambition. Once we got our place in Super league i was hoping that we had a few big name signings to announce - indeed they may still be coming - but this is not one of them. Brand appears to be a squad filler signing only.
I really hope that our current squad is good enough to survive next season and it might just be but, it is likely to be a struggle and I think i am being realistic in saying this. The chances of our survival next season will certainly be helped if the signings still to be announced are players better than those that we already have. Brand does not fall in to that category and that is all i was saying.
Having read with interest your comments over the years i am somewhat surprised by just how quick you have been to be critical of a new contributor to this forum and to be a bit prickly about what were clearly intended to be humorous comments. I hope that this helps to clarify things.
I look forward to our future exchanges but please do not think that just because i am new to this forum that i am any less a diehard Leigh supporter than your goodself.
All the best.