Mark Ioane : Wed Oct 12, 2022 5:47 pm  

Keighley supporter here.
Mark Ioane officially signed for us today although it wasn't the best kept secret.
Just wondering how the Leigh supporters think he will gor us.
Not seen much Championship rugby now for quite a few years.
Looking forward to next season as we seem to be putting a decent squad together.
Good luck in Super league

Re: Mark Ioane : Wed Oct 12, 2022 6:03 pm  

You have a solid prop forward there both in attack and defence. Sorry to see him leaving. Ioane will give you 100%. Well done. Keighley will go well next season.

Re: Mark Ioane : Wed Oct 12, 2022 6:04 pm  

I think he got better this season. He was really charging at the line from 10 or 20 metres out and he takes a good line. He picked up a few knocks during the season and at 31 will probably not play every game. He will not let you down.

Good luck for next season Mr Hicks, I am impressed with the team Keighley are assembling.

Re: Mark Ioane : Wed Oct 12, 2022 6:53 pm  

He would have been a keeper, Mr Hicks, but for the restrictive quota. Bradford fans fancied him as well but you have a chairman that's really going for it and sadly, as Bradford has been Bongser's second team since University days (Northern then, not a Bullmania bandwagoner) it's chairman is...errm....Nigel Wood!

Think you'll "do a Barrow" next season and raise a few eyebrows (and hackles). Hopefully Leigh will do the same a flight up.

Re: Mark Ioane : Wed Oct 12, 2022 7:38 pm  

Served us very well, wish him all the best .

Re: Mark Ioane : Fri Oct 14, 2022 11:31 am  

Good signing for you, wish him well.

Re: Mark Ioane : Fri Oct 14, 2022 3:07 pm  

For me one of the best props I’ve seen at Leigh, runs hard, has great leg drive, an offload and can whack in defence. In our Ill fated 2021 SL expedition he carried our pack and I thought a SL team would snap him up.

Another big thing he really bought into the club and had a great attitude. If not for the quota I would have loved him to see his days out with Leigh.

Re: Mark Ioane : Fri Oct 14, 2022 6:42 pm  

Binosh wrote:

For me one of the best props I’ve seen at Leigh, runs hard, has great leg drive, an offload and can whack in defence. In our Ill fated 2021 SL expedition he carried our pack and I thought a SL team would snap him up.

Another big thing he really bought into the club and had a great attitude. If not for the quota I would have loved him to see his days out with Leigh.

Very good and accurate summary by Binosh - Mark is a great signing for Keighley, a true team player who will help them consolidate in the Championship.

Re: Mark Ioane : Fri Oct 14, 2022 9:47 pm  

If Mark hadn't have been one of our many overseas players I reckon we would have offered him a contract (though he might have turned it down). Causes a lot of mayhem when running at defences near their own try line, just a bit small (in height) for when we were last in SL as he did look like a small forward. Good luck to him and Cougarmania part 2.