Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Mar 15, 2018 8:32 am  

again, the fact that "otherwise he is a decent player" isn't enough for me. I was one of the fans who would have welcomed the signing of ZH, because he is a world class player on his day disregarding his off-field antics. Watts is not, so why break the bank for him when its clear the likes of Toronto were in for him too who would surely have paid and offered big bucks for his services?

absolutely 100% the right move from Wigan, to not make a move (if that is the case of course).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Mar 15, 2018 11:48 am  

Gary Carter tweeted this morning that the next player out the door at Salford could be Craig Kopczak, and a few clubs are interested

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Mar 15, 2018 12:40 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

I don’t recall Watts being done for drug taking, homaphobic abuse or battering a student and I don’t recall him being thrown out of a squad on the eve of a big game (tournament) for his behaviour.

The lad clearly isn’t perfect but unless he’s very good at avoiding being caught, I wouldn’t lump him in with Hardaker Just yet. His onfield discipline is poor and it needs work and off the field he clearly needs to grow up but he looks more of a fit when it comes to the profile of a player you’d take a chance on then Hardaker.

The fact that he plays in a position we desperately need quality in would also be a huge factor in people calls that we should’ve been in for him.

Watts isnt the piece of work that Hardaker is. His only publicised incident was in his Hull KR days. He is just an idiot.

As I understand it, during Ellis' time as captain the senior players at the club decided they were going to impose a drinking ban during the season, except in cases where they all agreed it was ok, long turnarounds, as a treat after big wins etc. Apparantly Watts has regularly defied that, going out with his mates mid week, regularly turning up late at training, just generally not carrying on how a professional should. He has never been officially disciplined by the club but Radford and some of the senior players have had words on several occasions.

His on field issues are part of the territory, we ask our forwards to be aggressive, so you cant cry about it when someone gets sent off or gives a stack of penalties away. But I think the last straw was his head butt. Not so much the incident itself but Watts' response to it, making a joke about it, complaining about pundits who criticise him, making excuses about it being out of character. No mention of him letting his teammates down or saying that he will make sure he never acts like that again. Hull's patience ran out. He was told he wasnt wanted anymore and was touted to other clubs.

He is an outstanding prop, no doubt about that. But you have to put the club first.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Mar 15, 2018 1:13 pm  

Mr. Zucchini Head wrote:

Watts isnt the piece of work that Hardaker is. His only publicised incident was in his Hull KR days. He is just an idiot.

As I understand it, during Ellis' time as captain the senior players at the club decided they were going to impose a drinking ban during the season, except in cases where they all agreed it was ok, long turnarounds, as a treat after big wins etc. Apparantly Watts has regularly defied that, going out with his mates mid week, regularly turning up late at training, just generally not carrying on how a professional should. He has never been officially disciplined by the club but Radford and some of the senior players have had words on several occasions.

His on field issues are part of the territory, we ask our forwards to be aggressive, so you cant cry about it when someone gets sent off or gives a stack of penalties away. But I think the last straw was his head butt. Not so much the incident itself but Watts' response to it, making a joke about it, complaining about pundits who criticise him, making excuses about it being out of character. No mention of him letting his teammates down or saying that he will make sure he never acts like that again. Hull's patience ran out. He was told he wasnt wanted anymore and was touted to other clubs.

He is an outstanding prop, no doubt about that. But you have to put the club first.

Correct.

We all loved having never-a-backward-step players in the team like Kelvin Skerrett and Dean Bell. But in the 21st century, guys who will fight at every incident would spend most of their career in the naughty corner. I don't quite put Watts in that category, but we already have enough penalty machines: Joel, Tautai, Farrell, even Lockers on occasion.

We need a rugged prop who can make yards, but that has to be weighed against how many he is going to routinely cost you as the ref marches you back.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Mar 15, 2018 1:19 pm  

Watts is a decent player, but I'd have rather kept Taylor. Shame that didn't work out.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Mar 15, 2018 1:45 pm  

As far as young props go a few years ago,

Saints had Walamsley

Wire had Hill

We had Taylor.

Shame he couldn’t deal with the m62

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Mar 15, 2018 9:46 pm  

Chris_H wrote:

Gary Carter tweeted this morning that the next player out the door at Salford could be Craig Kopczak, and a few clubs are interested

Between Hull and Toronto apparantly.

In truth I probably wouldn’t want us to get involved. He’s not a bad player but I don’t think he’s much better then what we have and he’s not getting any younger.

I’m not sure who I’d actually look at from Salford at the minute. Maybe Junior Sau and I do quite like Josh Jones who I feels underrated.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Mar 15, 2018 10:15 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Between Hull and Toronto apparantly.

In truth I probably wouldn’t want us to get involved. He’s not a bad player but I don’t think he’s much better then what we have and he’s not getting any younger.

I’m not sure who I’d actually look at from Salford at the minute. Maybe Junior Sau and I do quite like Josh Jones who I feels underrated.

Yeah,I don’t think he’s much better than what we have and is 31.
Junior Sau for me would be the one I would want,mainly because we are weak at centre.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 16, 2018 9:16 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

Between Hull and Toronto apparantly.

In truth I probably wouldn’t want us to get involved. He’s not a bad player but I don’t think he’s much better then what we have and he’s not getting any younger.

I’m not sure who I’d actually look at from Salford at the minute. Maybe Junior Sau and I do quite like Josh Jones who I feels underrated.

As a Hull fan I wouldnt really want us to sign Kopczack. I do rate him as a player, but I didnt realise how old he was. Would feel like a bit of a stop gap in the wake of Watts going. I would rather just have faith in Matongo to step up and be a week in week out player.

Jones is another that has been linked to Hull. I would be much happier with that signing. Really powerful guy.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 16, 2018 12:09 pm  

I said months ago on this thread the club were interested in Junior Sau, they looked into a deal but I don't think Wigan are convinced by his long term fitness, his knee seems to be an issue. Since then Sarge arrived but he also seems extremely unhappy/agitated.