Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jul 30, 2012 2:54 pm  

Bill Sonny wrote:

very excited to see Ryan Hampshire develop into a top class super league player, perhaps a loan to a championship team next year to further development?

He looks handy on the England Academy videos.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:31 pm  

lothlorian wrote:

Was talking to a mate who regularly watched Hampshire in his amateur days at Normanton Knights. He said that Hampshire is a real talent when everything is going well but goes missing when the rough stuff starts. Be interesting to see if he has the heart for first team rugby ala Sam Tomkins or whether his talent is wasted due to lack of heart ala Kyle Eastmond. Time will tell

Whatever happened with Hampshire when he was a kid at Normantion Knights, at Wigan he's certainly earned his first team shot. All he's had for years is rave notices, and that's from folk who watch junior RL all the time.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:39 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

Whatever happened with Hampshire when he was a kid at Normantion Knights, at Wigan he's certainly earned his first team shot. All he's had for years is rave notices, and that's from folk who watch junior RL all the time.

I think the last time he played for Normanton Knights he was about 14 or 15 years of age. He's only 17 now.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:17 pm  

Since when does the salary cap not apply to Hull FC, how many players are they linked with?!


Soward would be a quality signing.

Holdsworth is too hit and miss for me, he's not consistent enough. I would not be happy with an ex-Salford halfback pairing for next Season.

Leuluai & Finch
to
Smith & Holdsworth

Really?

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:25 pm  

The new Soward link seems fanciful so I'm not pinning my hopes on him. The Saints rumours forum has a post on there saying a player has put in a transfer request and it seems to point towards Gaskell.

I'm not sure him and Smith would be enough but it's more realistic then Soward.

As for Hampshire he seems a real talent and this tour should really kick his and the other lads games on but he needs to earn his stripes in the 20's before his shot at the first team comes. We don't need to rush anybody and the confidence he'll build up by playing well for the u20's will prove crucial.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:50 pm  

The most positive and hopeful thing about the Soward link is that it started pretty early in the year, I remember one person in particular saying that it was a done deal months ago so if it did happen it would not be a complete suprise - we do know that Wigan under Lenagan seem to make a point of asking players who are still under contract at other clubs to keep quiet about their future until the club have announced something.

With regard to Holdsworth it makes me cringe a little when people dismiss players because they play for Salford - i can remember that many people said the same kind of things about Andy Coley yet they went pretty quiet when he showed how good he was playing for Wigan and no doubt they will do the same with Matty Smith.

Some of the greatest players in the world have at one time played for unfashionable clubs.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:24 pm  

The money should be there for someone like Soward. I don't think he's completely unrealistic, I'd put him in the same bracket as Finch. Yes I know we were lucky to get Finch due to the Melbourne SC saga but the fact is we have to replace an international 7 and probably the best 6 in the comp. We've got one of the better young, English hbs on board (no disrespect to Smith but not saying much really) and we need to partner him with the best quality we can get. IMO Gaskell, Holdsworth, Green or anyone else from SL (apart from Chase) would see us with a massive drop in quality.

Soward didn't feature in this years SoO and has apparently said he would fancy a shot in SL. It is one of those rumours that won't go away and I really hope it happens.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:33 pm  

WARRIORCRAIG wrote:

The money should be there for someone like Soward. I don't think he's completely unrealistic, I'd put him in the same bracket as Finch. Yes I know we were lucky to get Finch due to the Melbourne SC saga but the fact is we have to replace an international 7 and probably the best 6 in the comp. We've got one of the better young, English hbs on board (no disrespect to Smith but not saying much really) and we need to partner him with the best quality we can get. IMO Gaskell, Holdsworth, Green or anyone else from SL (apart from Chase) would see us with a massive drop in quality.

Soward didn't feature in this years SoO and has apparently said he would fancy a shot in SL. It is one of those rumours that won't go away and I really hope it happens.

Agree with this although not on Chase who I think has been well below par this year and I can't help but think he is a bit of a one season wonder, his defence at times this season has been inconsistent - would prefer Gaskell than him who i could see complimenting Matty Smith.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:48 pm  

dany1979 wrote:

Agree with this although not on Chase who I think has been well below par this year and I can't help but think he is a bit of a one season wonder, his defence at times this season has been inconsistent - would prefer Gaskell than him who i could see complimenting Matty Smith.

Can't comment on Gaskell as I don't think I've seen him play once this season. If he's not pushing Hohaia out of the 6 jersey at Saints though I don't seen how he's good enough for us. We'd have a year with not only a new HB partnership but one who hasn't played regular SL for over a year. Plus a 28ish year old would be ideal if Hampshire/Williams do make it and come through in the next 2/3 years. Chase for all his faults has still been creating tries for fun in a largely poor Cas team and in my eyes is comfortably the best out of players who might be avaialble, whether he's worth the large fee or not is another matter.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:03 pm  

WARRIORCRAIG wrote:

Can't comment on Gaskell as I don't think I've seen him play once this season. If he's not pushing Hohaia out of the 6 jersey at Saints though I don't seen how he's good enough for us. We'd have a year with not only a new HB partnership but one who hasn't played regular SL for over a year. Plus a 28ish year old would be ideal if Hampshire/Williams do make it and come through in the next 2/3 years. Chase for all his faults has still been creating tries for fun in a largely poor Cas team and in my eyes is comfortably the best out of players who might be avaialble, whether he's worth the large fee or not is another matter.

For me the Gaskell - Hohaia situation at Saints is a questionable management decision - personally I would prefer to see Hohaia at full-back with Wellens dropping out of the side or perhaps being put in the centres.

Another worry about Chase is his attitude - that would certanly need to change at Wigan and i just don't think he is worth that risk.

To conclude....lets hope we get Soward.