Time for hard decisions. : Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:12 pm  

Fair to say that all the players we really wanted to keep are signed up, of those who aren't (forgive me if these players aren't off contract as I'm guessing) we need decide who to keep and who to let go.

It's not nice I know but if we are to move on we must strengthen.

1: Crowther, for me the lad is well worth another year or maybe two if he is willing to take a bit less.

2: Hirst/Baldwinson. I'm happy to keep Hist but Baldwinson I don't know. The reason I've lumped them together is that their two wages would pay for one potentially better prop if one is available. With Fifita, Huby, England, PP and Arona available as props do we need two more when one better one may be available.

3: Anakin, sorry Belly but we are at the end of the road here, the lad needs to drop to the Championship where his lack of size won't be such an issue. Part time wages with a regular job will probably see him better off though that's easy for me to say.

4: Finn replaced by Reynolds, good deal imo.

5: MCB, gone but not replaced so there is some wiggle.

6: Horo, was he on one year, if so I'd keep him but he would free up a quota spot in a position where we are strong.

7: Kirmond, is it time to pay him off? I hope he's honest with the club and if he knows he isn't going to recover from his lated injury he lets the club know and calls it a day. It's many seasons now since he completed a full season or looked anything like the player he was. That would release some cash though obviously he'd need paying off unless the insurance covers it.

So there you are. I see maybe two signings after Reynolds and perhaps another up from the academy maybe Aydin to join Croft.
I'm happy with this as all three look to have a genuine chance of making the grade which isn't always the case.

Re: Time for hard decisions. : Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:15 pm  

George King has been quoted as saying he's signed for us as have Eddie Hemmings etc. So that might just be one signing needed.

Re: Time for hard decisions. : Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:40 pm  

Agree on Crowther - now above Annakin in the pecking order for me and has shown he can be a ball handling LF. Hope we can sign him up. Annakin has another year, will stay for that I would imagine as a squad/reserve player.

MCB probably doesn't need replacing as we have Tupou who is very comfortable on the wing, Arundel to cover centre and Kershaw has done well I gather on dual reg this year.

Also i'm sure Horo signed on a two year deal.

Re: Time for hard decisions. : Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:42 pm  

Eddie Hemmings has signed for us ??????

God help us

Re: Time for hard decisions. : Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:53 pm  

FIL wrote:

Eddie Hemmings has signed for us ??????

God help us

Yes it was poor grandma.

Re: Time for hard decisions. : Wed Oct 03, 2018 1:04 pm  

Vasty

Agree with all that ,but in my opinion you have failed to mention another player who I have doubts about. Anthony England is the one. I have no problem with his ability but every time he plays it seems the physio soon arrives on the pitch to check him out. I may be wrong but he appears to be injured far too frequently and misses quite a few games. I just have that feeling that years in the front row have taken their toll and I worry that next season this will continue. Time catches up and I wonder if he has the resilience to take the rigours and hard knocks much longer.

Re: Time for hard decisions. : Wed Oct 03, 2018 1:40 pm  

Prince Buster wrote:

Vasty

Agree with all that ,but in my opinion you have failed to mention another player who I have doubts about. Anthony England is the one. I have no problem with his ability but every time he plays it seems the physio soon arrives on the pitch to check him out. I may be wrong but he appears to be injured far too frequently and misses quite a few games. I just have that feeling that years in the front row have taken their toll and I worry that next season this will continue. Time catches up and I wonder if he has the resilience to take the rigours and hard knocks much longer.

Get your point but I reckon he's a year left in him.

Re: Time for hard decisions. : Wed Oct 03, 2018 2:59 pm  

Crowther - keep, absolutely

Hirst - keep. Baldwinson - not bothered. Heard Mullally on his way out at Leeds - I'd take him.

Anakin - still contracted for a year but don't expect him to be here after that

Horo - got another year. Keep him.

Kirmond - signed for another year on reduced terms apparently

MCB - would look to use Kershaw if one of TJ or BJB not available

Re: Time for hard decisions. : Wed Oct 03, 2018 3:38 pm  

wakefieldwall wrote:

Crowther - keep, absolutely

Hirst - keep. Baldwinson - not bothered. Heard Mullally on his way out at Leeds - I'd take him.

Anakin - still contracted for a year but don't expect him to be here after that

Horo - got another year. Keep him.

Kirmond - signed for another year on reduced terms apparently

MCB - would look to use Kershaw if one of TJ or BJB not available

100% agree with all that. Mullally would also I agree be a good pick up as a rotation prop and probably wouldn’t break the bank.

Crowther, king? and possibly one more good signing and we are done I think.

Re: Time for hard decisions. : Wed Oct 03, 2018 4:36 pm  

Not much to argue with imo.

Hirst has been signed for another year but it looks like Baldwinson won't be here.
As others have said there are a few that have another year like Annakin, Kirmo & Horo, so they'll be here at a guess.

As much as Kirmo has stuck with us through thick and thin and could have gone onto pastures new when he was at the top of his game a few seasons ago, he needs to be honest about how his body is going to hold up to another season of RL.

On Horo, even if his contract was up I'd probably keep him longer tbh. I like what he brings to the team, experience, size, good engine, tackles everything and runs some decent lines.

Agree about Annakin, as much as I've wanted him to kick on year after year, he hasn't & he's getting overtaken by the younger up and coming players like Batchelor and Crowther atm. it's also a position we're well catered for.

MCB has gone but when either Tom or BJB go down we manage to cover that position well with Arundel moving into the centres and Tupou and Lyne moving out to the wing and are fine wingers themselves. Plus there's young Kershaw coming through.

If we have signed Reynolds, it's a shrewd signing for what we need him for and he'll definitely put pressure on the others to keep their games at a good level. Not sure what's happening with King, I thought he'd signed but has gone quiet unless I've missed something official.