Re: Other Teams' Rumours And Signings For 2021 : Mon Jun 22, 2020 6:15 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

Exactly. It’s true he’s not as good as he used to be, but who is at 34? To suggest he is struggling is harsh and perhaps wishful thinking on oppositions fan’s part? There’s no real hiding place in the NRL. If you’re “struggling” then you don’t get picked week after week. Sentiment can only go so far.

He’s performing solidly if not spectacularly and you are 100% right to say he’ll still be in the top 5 props over here. He’d be in every 17 in the league without a doubt.

Similar can be said for Benji Marshall who has today been linked with Wigan. Is he what he was? Of course not. Would be still be in the top 5 half backs over here and walk into every side? Absolutely. I’d take him over Theo Fages for example without hesitation.

I think we will only sign Marshall if Hastings goes home

Re: Other Teams' Rumours And Signings For 2021 : Mon Jun 22, 2020 6:26 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Graham will be fine and if it is a case of him just playing on until the end of 2020, then I could see him finding something extra inside himself and producing a pretty big end to his career. He’s clearly going to be a man desperate to right some wrongs of his past Grand Finals and as a stop gap, you can’t really say fairer than that. At the very very least he brings influence and leadership to that Saints side.

It’s hard not to like Graham as he is a consistent and honest performer and I’m sure he will go well on his return but hopefully not too well

Re: Other Teams' Rumours And Signings For 2021 : Mon Jun 22, 2020 7:42 pm  

Itchy Arsenal wrote:

It’s hard not to like Graham as he is a consistent and honest performer and I’m sure he will go well on his return but hopefully not too well

He’s been a warrior of the game and the ultimate competitor. If only we could produce more like him in this country. It’s worrying to see the likes of him and Lockers at the end and following Sam Burgess out the door from an international POV. I don’t see too many players of that quality ready to step in to their shoes. I certainly don’t think the likes of Walmsley, T Burgess or even Thompson have that aura about them that those three did. All are good players but who’ll lead us and take it to the Aussies when the chips are down? Bateman probably but there’s not much after him. It’s a big job Waney has on his hands.

Re: Other Teams' Rumours And Signings For 2021 : Mon Jun 22, 2020 7:51 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

but who’ll lead us and take it to the Aussies when the chips are down? Bateman probably but there’s not much after him. It’s a big job Waney has on his hands.

There'll be that lad Havard at Canberra...

Re: Other Teams' Rumours And Signings For 2021 : Tue Jun 23, 2020 2:37 am  

Pemps wrote:

Les Boyd on Daryl Brohman

The echo from that has probably reached the interstellar heliosphere about now

Re: Other Teams' Rumours And Signings For 2021 : Tue Jun 23, 2020 6:17 am  

warrior1872 wrote:

I think we will only sign Marshall if Hastings goes home

What, sign a player of 35 and past his best to replace a younger player who is in his prime.

And some are calling Saints for signing Graham who is also 35 and past his best!

Re: Other Teams' Rumours And Signings For 2021 : Tue Jun 23, 2020 11:12 am  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

warrior1872 wrote:

I think we will only sign Marshall if Hastings goes home

What, sign a player of 35 and past his best to replace a younger player who is in his prime.

And some are calling Saints for signing Graham who is also 35 and past his best!

I guess it depends on who is the best out there.

If Hastings walks as he is perfectly entitled to do then we have a problem as we need a new halfback, even more so when it also looks likely Tommy will be retiring too.

It is highly likely Harry Smith will be stepping up to take in the 7 shirt, and as a young lad taking on such a key role he would clearly need a strong experienced partner. Very difficult to expect 2 junior players to step into that mantle.

Ideally we will have Smith at 7, Hastings at 6 next year then we are ok.

It’s looking likely that we are going to replace Hastings. According the the Sun we have registered an interest in Marshall. I don’t really have a problem with that at the moment. After a bit of a downturn in form the last few seasons he seems to have done a Danny McGuire type reinvention of his play going from a strike running ball carrying half to one who sits back in the pocket and controls a game a bit more.

I’d also hope we had registered interest in others who may be available too. It would be poor strategy from the club if we had all our eggs in the Marshall basket.

I was surprised to see him dropped recently as he had been playing well this year but looks like Madge prefers Brooks and Reynolds.

If he is the best that is available who fits the mould then fair enough it is clear however he would be a stop gap signing.

I don’t think many are calling Saints for signing Graham for the rest of this year. The negative posts were concerned with rumours it would be on an 18 month or ever 30 month basis but that has been cleared up with him confirming it will be for the remainder of 2020.

Re: Other Teams' Rumours And Signings For 2021 : Tue Jun 23, 2020 12:26 pm  

jonh wrote:

I guess it depends on who is the best out there.

If Hastings walks as he is perfectly entitled to do then we have a problem as we need a new halfback, even more so when it also looks likely Tommy will be retiring too.

It is highly likely Harry Smith will be stepping up to take in the 7 shirt, and as a young lad taking on such a key role he would clearly need a strong experienced partner. Very difficult to expect 2 junior players to step into that mantle.

Ideally we will have Smith at 7, Hastings at 6 next year then we are ok.

It’s looking likely that we are going to replace Hastings. According the the Sun we have registered an interest in Marshall. I don’t really have a problem with that at the moment. After a bit of a downturn in form the last few seasons he seems to have done a Danny McGuire type reinvention of his play going from a strike running ball carrying half to one who sits back in the pocket and controls a game a bit more.

I’d also hope we had registered interest in others who may be available too. It would be poor strategy from the club if we had all our eggs in the Marshall basket.

I was surprised to see him dropped recently as he had been playing well this year but looks like Madge prefers Brooks and Reynolds.

If he is the best that is available who fits the mould then fair enough it is clear however he would be a stop gap signing.

I don’t think many are calling Saints for signing Graham for the rest of this year. The negative posts were concerned with rumours it would be on an 18 month or ever 30 month basis but that has been cleared up with him confirming it will be for the remainder of 2020.

Agree completely

As an aside I don't; think Marshall was dropped - He broke social distancing rules and was not available for selection for 2 weeks because of that

Re: Other Teams' Rumours And Signings For 2021 : Tue Jun 23, 2020 2:34 pm  

This was my reply on Red Vee on the 30th May which met with the usual abuse "I'm normally one who is totally against signing a player of Marshalls age. However with my Wigan hat on here goes. At the end of this season we will lose O'Loughlin and Leuluai, a lot of experience, Smithies will replace Lockers and Harry Smith will replace Leuluai, both excellent young players. Now the problem. If Hastings goes back to Aus, and I think it will happen we don't have another youngster ready at this time. Hanley could do a job but IMO he's not ready and is primarily a fullback. To go into a season with two young inexperienced halves would be suicide. So with that in mind I would take Marshall on a one year deal with a second year option if Hastings goes. He was very good in todays game. I wonder if that Williams lad from Canberra fancies a go over here, he looks o.k." http://forums.redvee.net/showthread.php ... i-Marshall

This was my reply on Red Vee on the 30th May which met with the usual abuse "I'm normally one who is totally against signing a player of Marshalls age. However with my Wigan hat on here goes. At the end of this season we will lose O'Loughlin and Leuluai, a lot of experience, Smithies will replace Lockers and Harry Smith will replace Leuluai, both excellent young players. Now the problem. If Hastings goes back to Aus, and I think it will happen we don't have another youngster ready at this time. Hanley could do a job but IMO he's not ready and is primarily a fullback. To go into a season with two young inexperienced halves would be suicide. So with that in mind I would take Marshall on a one year deal with a second year option if Hastings goes. He was very good in todays game. I wonder if that Williams lad from Canberra fancies a go over here, he looks o.k." http://forums.redvee.net/showthread.php ... i-Marshall

Re: Other Teams' Rumours And Signings For 2021 : Tue Jun 23, 2020 2:48 pm  

Nailed it rogues. It’s all about finding a balance and if Lockers and Leuluai go and we bring in Marshall, nobody can question Wigan’s need to bring an experienced leader in. It’ll hardly be dads army with Smithies, Partington, Havard, Smith, Byrne and co in the side/squad.