Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Fri Sep 01, 2023 9:24 am  

If nothing else, he'll have the experience of the Storm mentality, his father and uncle's inspiration , Cam Smith's influence and the perfect game by game attitude, needed for our culture change to evolve, under Smith. That sort of pedigree must help and as Chris rightly says, he won't have that weight of expectation to emulate his family's exploits in the NRL, to burden him, over here.

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Fri Sep 01, 2023 9:33 am  

Taylor retiring end of this year.
Would have liked him to go again next year.

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Fri Sep 01, 2023 9:41 am  

Taylor's retirement surely must mean another domestic prop has been signed?

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Fri Sep 01, 2023 9:50 am  

Think we are OK at prop, Sao, ese, Pele, Fash, Brown, Laidlaw, Gardnier, plus Ashwort are more props than backrowers.

Backrow is the key, along with two halfbacks.

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Fri Sep 01, 2023 9:59 am  

Is Gardiner going to be good enough? Big lad, but doesn't have any menace about him, nothing on the likes of Holroyd when he came through, or Delaney at Saints.

He could be the next Scott Wheeldon

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Fri Sep 01, 2023 10:03 am  

HU8HFC wrote:

Taylor's retirement surely must mean another domestic prop has been signed?

I would hope so. There's not one squad player I think is ready to replace him yet.

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Fri Sep 01, 2023 10:04 am  

Dave K. wrote:

Think we are OK at prop, Sao, ese, Pele, Fash, Brown, Laidlaw, Gardnier, plus Ashwort are more props than backrowers.

Backrow is the key, along with two halfbacks.

Laidlaw doesn’t seem to get a mention these days. Wainhouse over taken him by looks of it.

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Fri Sep 01, 2023 10:11 am  

I wonder if Wainhouse been brought into the squad the same week Taylor announced his retirement is just a coincidence or if Smith wants to see if he has anything about him to step up now it might be needed.

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Fri Sep 01, 2023 10:15 am  

Hasbag wrote:

I wonder if Wainhouse been brought into the squad the same week Taylor announced his retirement is just a coincidence or if Smith wants to see if he has anything about him to step up now it might be needed.

When I have seen him, for me he doesn't look to have the physical presence, yet, to play as a middle in SL. Hopefully, he'll develop that physique, but Smith obviously sees more of him than we do and he's made the call, so it'll likely be the correct one.

Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Fri Sep 01, 2023 10:30 am  

FC Callum wrote:

Laidlaw doesn’t seem to get a mention these days. Wainhouse over taken him by looks of it.

Think Laidlaw is out on loan in the championship