Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Mon May 27, 2024 4:55 pm  

tommyfromhull wrote:

Walker could play centre…

Heard Walker has been unhappy and is looking for a way back in at Leeds.

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Mon May 27, 2024 6:35 pm  

Whatamidoinghere? wrote:

Heard Walker has been unhappy and is looking for a way back in at Leeds.

He's better than Miller tbf

[Chris71]

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Mon May 27, 2024 8:15 pm  

On Danny regardless of whether he’s been a great player, is a club legend or not that’s all immaterial as in the here and now he is sadly done at this level.

The one strength he had as his career reached the twilight was his defence but even that is gone now as he is simply not up to the rigours of SL as a starting 9 playing 60 plus minutes.
It’s not all his fault as the coaches who have been clueless and continued the same old policy that just doesn’t work any longer. That said Danny should be honest and put his hand up for the good of the team/club and say he’s done.

Tough decisions need to be made and sadly sentiment seems to haunt this club even now.

Every team plays targeting Houghton and after 15 mins he’s toast and we have holes everywhere. He’s not the only player either as far too many of our so called senior group players still at the club have been poor for 2-3 seasons yet still get game after game. Which if results and performance was there I could understand but they aren’t, they haven’t even been close yet they still get in 17 each week as if the club hope next week will turn out better

Grix now seems no different to Smith and is obsessed with fitting Houghton in and playing him for a full game. He had a great opportunity to shake things up but has failed to make the tough decisions for the good of the club.

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Mon May 27, 2024 8:22 pm  

John Bateman fits the bill for me.

Following in the footsteps of great West Yorkshire back rowers that joined us after a spell down under, namely Steve Norton and Gareth Ellis.

He's played in the Bradford vs Leeds derby and the Wigan vs St Helens derby. We need to sell him the Hull derby.

He's the type of player that makes the difference of you being contenders rather than being supporting cast.

Hope Shane Richardson can help sell him to us. And that our club is on top of bringing him in.

It won't be easy. Clubs like Wigan, Leeds and Warrington I would assume would all want him in their team too.

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Mon May 27, 2024 8:33 pm  

[youtub[/youtube]

giddyupoldfella wrote:

John Bateman fits the bill for me.

Following in the footsteps of great West Yorkshire back rowers that joined us after a spell down under, namely Steve Norton and Gareth Ellis.

He's played in the Bradford vs Leeds derby and the Wigan vs St Helens derby. We need to sell him the Hull derby.

He's the type of player that makes the difference of you being contenders rather than being supporting cast.


Hope Shane Richardson can help sell him to us. And that our club is on top of bringing him in.

It won't be easy. Clubs like Wigan, Leeds and Warrington I would assume would all want him in their team too.

Don't think Wigan would have the cap space. Saw something saying they would be very quiet in the transfer side due to this. Warrington probably in the same boat especially now Yates has come in. Bateman would command a huge salary. Would we pay it?

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Mon May 27, 2024 8:34 pm  

Chris71 wrote:

On Danny regardless of whether he’s been a great player, is a club legend or not that’s all immaterial as in the here and now he is sadly done at this level.

The one strength he had as his career reached the twilight was his defence but even that is gone now as he is simply not up to the rigours of SL as a starting 9 playing 60 plus minutes.
It’s not all his fault as the coaches who have been clueless and continued the same old policy that just doesn’t work any longer. That said Danny should be honest and put his hand up for the good of the team/club and say he’s done.

Tough decisions need to be made and sadly sentiment seems to haunt this club even now.

Every team plays targeting Houghton and after 15 mins he’s toast and we have holes everywhere. He’s not the only player either as far too many of our so called senior group players still at the club have been poor for 2-3 seasons yet still get game after game. Which if results and performance was there I could understand but they aren’t, they haven’t even been close yet they still get in 17 each week as if the club hope next week will turn out better

Grix now seems no different to Smith and is obsessed with fitting Houghton in and playing him for a full game. He had a great opportunity to shake things up but has failed to make the tough decisions for the good of the club.

I don't think teams particularly target Houghton. He goes looking for the work.

Danny Houghton is not even close to being our problem at the moment. He's still trying harder than the other 12 players in our team, even if he is past his peak.

[Chris71]

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Mon May 27, 2024 8:52 pm  

giddyupoldfella wrote:

I don't think teams particularly target Houghton. He goes looking for the work.

Danny Houghton is not even close to being our problem at the moment. He's still trying harder than the other 12 players in our team, even if he is past his peak.

For me it’s an area that is one of factors of our poor performances and the pitifully slow tempo we play at as our line speed is probably the slowest of all SL. While I don’t deny he’s trying, sadly it’s just not enough anymore as he is done at this level particularly if repeating flogging for 60 plus mins every week. Even Gaz held his hand up and said he couldn’t play week in week out and it’s time Danny was honest or somebody the club.

Great servant in his day but we are playing in 2024 in the here and now.

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Mon May 27, 2024 9:39 pm  

Risk of repeating myself.
We have the smallest pack in sl.
My opinion, the reason why Houghton is playing big minutes is that we are being dominated and over run.
At the moment I dont know what option the club have.
If Houghton didn’t play, I dare say smith and Balmforth would struggle with the defensive work.
I wasn’t a fan of Grix and the input he had working under Tony smith.
However, he and Cummins surely have no axe to grind against Balmforth.
They see him on a daily basis and have access to his fitness data.
They’re paid to produce a winning team
So in essence why would they ignore Balmforth unless they “ didn’t think he was ready or capable to play “ ?

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Mon May 27, 2024 10:43 pm  

Chris71 wrote:

For me it’s an area that is one of factors of our poor performances and the pitifully slow tempo we play at as our line speed is probably the slowest of all SL. While I don’t deny he’s trying, sadly it’s just not enough anymore as he is done at this level particularly if repeating flogging for 60 plus mins every week. Even Gaz held his hand up and said he couldn’t play week in week out and it’s time Danny was honest or somebody the club.

Great servant in his day but we are playing in 2024 in the here and now.

I'd agree he needs to be spelled more. But our coaches we have at the moment don't seem to think we have anyone in the squad that can cut it at the moment.

They work with the players everyday and have been in the game. They all seem to think Hoghton is the best option we have this season.

Re: Shopping list for 2025 : Tue May 28, 2024 12:30 am  

giddyupoldfella wrote:

I'd agree he needs to be spelled more. But our coaches we have at the moment don't seem to think we have anyone in the squad that can cut it at the moment.

They work with the players everyday and have been in the game. They all seem to think Hoghton is the best option we have this season.

They (Grix) also continued playing Okunbor and Smith in the halves until the penny dropped.
Seems to take time but with Houghton he will continue to be first on his teamsheet
Grix seems to have done nothing of note with Tony Smith or now as coach and i do believe that the new coach should be able to appoint his own assistant and not have to accept Grix.
Will be difficult as he has another year on his contract but has he done enough to warrant keeping the position im not convinced.
Bizarre decision to drop Walker after one poor game at London when he could have dropped the whole team apart from Ese