Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri May 22, 2020 3:57 pm  

Fantastic Mr Catpiss wrote:

bateman has squashed that rumour, pretty definitively this morning

With the same degree of firmness that Inglis announced his retirement?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri May 22, 2020 4:51 pm  

I'd call that pretty firm

I'd call that pretty firm

[DaveO]

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri May 22, 2020 5:46 pm  

[quote="NickyKiss"It was interesting watching the season review of 2010 when Faz first came through and he spent plenty of time on the right side as well.[/quote]

That was 10 years ago. He now looks poor on the right.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri May 22, 2020 5:48 pm  

DaveO wrote:

That was 10 years ago. He now looks poor on the right.

In his 2 games at the start of last year.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri May 22, 2020 8:03 pm  

The next second rower we sign has to be an established right sided second rower or at least very comfortable on that side. Last thing we need is another Greenwood situation it’s just putting square pegs in round holes

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat May 23, 2020 1:21 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

Absolutely. If we see only exits and big exits (Lockers, Leuluai, Hastings, Gildart, Flower etc) and sign nobody for 2021, I don’t think anyone can complain. It would be nice to bring in one or two players but ultimately if signings risked the existence of the club then don’t make them. We wouldn’t be the only club in that boat and we’ve got a top class academy to call on.

Say those five players left I mentioned above, you’d probably say we definitely would need a halfback but we could cover the others from within. You’d be looking at something like the side noted below and it’s still pretty competitive-

French
Manfredi Hardaker Bibby Marshall
New Signing Smith
Bullock Powell Partington
Isa Farrell Smithies

Subs
G Burgess Havard Greenwood Clark

Are you sure that Gilly is out of contract this season?

I am confident that there will be signings because the team above is not good enough to win silverware.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat May 23, 2020 5:23 am  

Sweaty Betty's wrote:

Are you sure that Gilly is out of contract this season?

I am confident that there will be signings because the team above is not good enough to win silverware.

I thought he was but could be wrong. I’d like to think we can get him tied down.

As for signings we’ll see. I think the original point made around signings was a hypothetical scenario of choosing between signings with a risk to our existence or no signings but we continue to have a team to watch, albeit one which may not be hugely successful in the short term. The fact that the side I list is unlikely to win things just may not come in to the managements thinking.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat May 23, 2020 7:36 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

I thought he was but could be wrong. I’d like to think we can get him tied down.

As for signings we’ll see. I think the original point made around signings was a hypothetical scenario of choosing between signings with a risk to our existence or no signings but we continue to have a team to watch, albeit one which may not be hugely successful in the short term. The fact that the side I list is unlikely to win things just may not come in to the managements thinking.

Exactly my point NK

Regards EW

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat May 23, 2020 11:49 am  

More Bateman stories again today. Sorry but there is no smoke without fire. Something is going on. We all know he is Origin class. I could easily see him in the Melbourne team but these stories will not go away and now there are actual quotes coming from the club and himself. The only reason he would come home is if he was homesick, we have seen it many times. We have first refusal and have 2 marquee players. Warrington have just seemingly signed a 3rd marquee player. We have a fair chunk of cap space being freed up at the end of the season.......................... Sorry guys but my mind has started to wander and wonder.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat May 23, 2020 12:24 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

I thought he was but could be wrong. I’d like to think we can get him tied down.

As for signings we’ll see. I think the original point made around signings was a hypothetical scenario of choosing between signings with a risk to our existence or no signings but we continue to have a team to watch, albeit one which may not be hugely successful in the short term. The fact that the side I list is unlikely to win things just may not come in to the managements thinking.

I likewise could be wrong but I hope I am not for obvious reasons. With regard to the club cutting its cloth due to Covid 19, if that was the case why would IFL not support the Yorkshire proposal of cutting the salary cap? I am sure IFL has said that the club has plans in place which will require the salary cap to be maintained at its current level, now he is either telling lies or he has plans to use the salaries of players retiring/leaving the club. I accept that the club may want to improve some contracts, such as the younger players or Gilly but, going back to one of my previous points, there is going to be a large chunk available.