Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jul 24, 2015 4:47 pm  

Getters about Galoway he is exactly the player we needed mentioned it a few times on here.

I hope we have or in the process of some serious pack strengthening because missing out on players like that is disappointing. I guess however we can't judge or complain about recruitment for next year until we see who is lining up for us come Round 1 2016.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jul 24, 2015 5:01 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Only until the end of the season, then he's off to HKR.

Has anything ever been made official about Sarge going at the end of the season, because if it is true and Thornley is going as well it leaves us very thin in the centre positions.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jul 24, 2015 5:08 pm  

Wigan Peer wrote:

Time at salford in it's present state cant be good for anyone surely... But bills have to be paid, and best of luck to the lad, been very unlucky with injuries.

Koukash is probably not tall enough to grab his throat so he might be safe...

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jul 24, 2015 5:10 pm  

Wigg'n wrote:

Koukash is probably not tall enough to grab his throat so he might be safe...

True, he looks a big lad.

[Wigan6/Leeds1 Andy]

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jul 24, 2015 5:14 pm  

Surely to "miss out" on someone you actually need to be in for them in the first place?

It's only a matter of time before we get the "this will come back to haunt us" and I'll be able to shout house for the signing rumour bingo game.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jul 24, 2015 6:59 pm  

You had to tip your hat to Leeds and the way they've handled their recruitment.

You could put a good argument forward that in 2010 we were a young team on the up and Leeds were an ageing champion side. Since 2010 they've brought in Cuthbertson, Hardaker, Moon, Briscoe & Aiton (who is doing a decent job imo).

They've managed to mitigate against the decline experienced by guys who brought them so much success. They've also looked at developing some of their own guys as well.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:13 pm  

[quote="sergeant pepper"] Since 2010 they've brought in Cuthbertson, Hardaker, Moon, Briscoe & Aiton (who is doing a decent job imo).

[quote]

Agreed. All very good buys.

I've been ribbing NZ Warriors fans on an NRL forum, saying that every player who leaves the Warriors seem to get a new lease of life at another club, and Joel Moon is exhibit #1 there. But there's also Elijah Taylor and Ben Henry at the Panthers, and even Felice Mateo, largely unlamented by the Warriors faithful when he left for Manly, has looked pretty damned good since he's been at the Sea Eagles.

I'm sure they must have a couple of promising young props they could spare us...

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:13 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

You had to tip your hat to Leeds and the way they've handled their recruitment.

You could put a good argument forward that in 2010 we were a young team on the up and Leeds were an ageing champion side. Since 2010 they've brought in Cuthbertson, Hardaker, Moon, Briscoe & Aiton (who is doing a decent job imo).

They've managed to mitigate against the decline experienced by guys who brought them so much success. They've also looked at developing some of their own guys as well.

The biggest tests are still to come though. You can't buy that aura and influence that Sinfield and Peacock have and guys like Burrow and McGuire are nearing the end. One day they will lose a Watkins or a Hall to the NRL also and that becomes a different test.

Full credit to them they dealt well with the ageing process but it doesn't take long for a culture to erode when the pillars of it move on.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat Jul 25, 2015 12:09 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

The biggest tests are still to come though. You can't buy that aura and influence that Sinfield and Peacock have and guys like Burrow and McGuire are nearing the end. One day they will lose a Watkins or a Hall to the NRL also and that becomes a different test.

Full credit to them they dealt well with the ageing process but it doesn't take long for a culture to erode when the pillars of it move on.

I agree with you about the "aura" of Sinfield and Peacock, and Peacock was never going to be replaced by one player, but if you look at the Leeds prop rotation next year (Cuthbertson, Galloway, Singleton, Garbutt with Mullally, Baldwinson and Mulhern as options) it looks quite a lot better than the Peacock, Leuluai, Bailey, Kirke quartet that won a hatful of championships.

It'll be difficult to replace what Sinfield brings as a leader and organizer. McGuire will step in for a couple of years and in that time we'll see how Sutcliffe and Stevie Ward (who I think will end up as an O'Loughlin-type 13) develop as leaders of men.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat Jul 25, 2015 2:23 am  

craigizzard wrote:

I agree with you about the "aura" of Sinfield and Peacock, and Peacock was never going to be replaced by one player, but if you look at the Leeds prop rotation next year (Cuthbertson, Galloway, Singleton, Garbutt with Mullally, Baldwinson and Mulhern as options) it looks quite a lot better than the Peacock, Leuluai, Bailey, Kirke quartet that won a hatful of championships.

It'll be difficult to replace what Sinfield brings as a leader and organizer. McGuire will step in for a couple of years and in that time we'll see how Sutcliffe and Stevie Ward (who I think will end up as an O'Loughlin-type 13) develop as leaders of men.

In the short term I see no issue but it's when you get in one of those ruts in the regular rounds when the test will come. Leeds over the past fee years have struggled in week to week rugby but have been fine in the big games. It's the galvanising effect of guys like Sinfield and Peacock that pull you together IMO and those two give the team belief that they can pull games out if the bag regardless of form.

When the team are in bad form it'll be interesting to see how quickly they can react. If you crack that then there's no doubting there's still masses of talent there.