A real quality signing has to be on the cards for next season, surely, as we must have a fair bit of salary cap space left at the moment and with Kylie going probably Ambler and maybe Webb and Delaney. There must be 200k in wages just there to go alongside the money we have spare from Buderus leaving.

I dont know who is OOC especially in Australia but we should be able to attract a top player. Somebody with the reputation of Mullins, Toopi or Eastwood but turns out to be as good as we expected those 3 to be!!

Adam Blair maybe?

I would'nt be too quick to speculate how much we'd have to spend jarvis ,lets not forget the contract upgrades for the younger-lads who are now 1st team plus the expected emergance of others from the U20's.

I think Delaney has plenty to offer and his best is to come. He won't be on massive money and is better than a lot of SL backrowers and is miles better than Pitts.

Adam Blair maybe?quote


Is that the same Adam Blair that's just joined Wests on a 4 year, half a million dollars per season contract?!!?

It's not only Pitts though Wilko Singleton has been shifted to the BR ,Jjb ,Ablett ,Clarkson ,Hauraki and then there's other youngsters like Jordan Stewart (If he recovers from his knee op) Bravo ,Roche and Stott all of which have shown potential.
Don't get me wrong i think Delaney has done well but would you extend his deal at the risk of losing someone like Singleton or Stewart??

Surely alot will depend on performances and fitness during 2012 for both renewals and cancels.

Absolutely.

However i would agree that first choice young English lads should be given every [u[ifirst[/i[/u opportunity over their antipodean counterparts: Delaney has been fabulous in the second row (why more did not have [imy[/i insight is a puzzle

)...but we do appear to have many other options which will render his re-signing uneccessary.

No chance of Adam Blair whose just signed a new contract.
At the end of 2012 we know that Brent Webb and Kylie Leuluai are returning to NZ. Most of the other OOC players will be offered new contracts of various durations including I think Delaney. One/two players currently have question marks against them.
Altough a few players have recently received improved contracts we are still way under the cap due to Buderus and Ali not been around. I agree that a quality signing would be great and is affordable if it strengthens the squad (GH and Brian McD also say this). Gary H went to Aus and NZ looking for young talented players but I've heard nothing (is GH back yet?) I think if anybody is signed it will be for 2013. Any further news?

I didn't think it was certain Webb is leaving at the end of the year - just that he's only signed for one more year?

I too wouldn't underestimate just how much the contract upgrades will have cost - Hall will be one of the highest paid players now, and Watkins, Hardaker and Clarkson's contracts won't have been cheap (and IIRC they may include higher payments for international honours). With the drying up of the NRL well, you'd expect significant wage inflation for reasonable standard Brits, who can't be as easily replaced by Aussies as in the past.

I've seen nothing from Pitts, singleton or Stewart to suggest Delaney has anything to worry about yet! I would think huaraki would go before frogga

Rumoured: David Williams (Manly Sea Eagles), Gareth Ellis (West Tigers)

Why would we need Williams?

Wouldn't want Willliams tbh if/when Webb departs we have Bish ,Watson and Smith then also Chisolm fighting for a wing spot.

Exactly, I could only see us a signing a FB in replacement for Webb possibly but another winger/centre makes no sense at all to me.

To be fair Sibbs i'd look at Bish ,Smith at Watson for the no1 shirt and wouldn't consider signing a new FB either.
In the u18's Josh Sunley has stacks of potential aswell in the FB role ,of course none may not come up to scratch but i think they'd be worth a punt.

Williams would be a good bridging gap for a youngster if we brought him in for 2 years (a little like when we brought Connelly and he brought on Mathers). However I would really like to see us get rid of the quotas. If Webb and Kylie leave I'd like us to try and bring in some British. I do think we need to bring in a prop for Kylie. Even if its another one around Griffins age whilst Singleton comes on

Amor -Kylie imo Bewildered.

I'd forgotten about amor. As long as he keeps progressing at Wakey then definately. Starting props for next season being Griffin and Bailey doesnt sound too bad at all.

I wasn't really suggesting that we should sign a FB, I was more meaning that if we were to sign a back FB would probably be where we signed them. Maybe Williams on the wing with BJB to FB, but even still I'd rather see Watson given a shot before that.

If it was Tony Williams I'd say yes but if it's his brother David (

) then it would be a resounding NOOOOOO!!
I saw nothing in his performance in the WCC to suggest that we need or want him.

I'd have taken Wolfman a few years ago as a replacement for Scotty. having said that what we saw of Williams in the WCC is a shadow of what he is capable of. lets not forget he's just come back from a nasty injury so he needs time to find his feet and get his head right

What counts as a rumour? We all know about the Gaz Ellis situation but the David Williams appears to be just something youve made up to bring up at the game and post on here!

If thats a rumour then I heard about 10 last night about Leeds possibly signing Slater, Thurston and Inglis.

Whilst Singleton comes on? How does that happen signing players to push him back down the que.

Singleton is ready now. I agree on your other point abou forgetting quotas.

Not the only person that's heard it.

The"Wolfman" was one of Manly's best players in their win over NZ Warriors. He scored a try and made another with a tremendous kick. Hopefully he's made a full recovery from his bad injury. I know Gary H has said we're well under the salary cap but can we afford to sign these 2 quality players? I'm assuming that to fit them under the cap some of the players OOC at the end of 2012 will be leaving?