Ruan might be able to replace Walters,given how little time he got anyhoo.

For me a fast 1 and an organisation 7 need to come first and then look at another winger or centre and we are sorted,if Bentley stays.
Year after look for a running 6 and if Jarrod/CJ aren't cutting it look at 9.

Looking at the Aussie press it does look as if Brooks might be running out of road in terms of potential NRL suitors. It's quite possible he'll stay with Wests, but if he does head to the Northern Hemisphere GH needs to pull the stops out. We've been beaten to the punch by other SL teams on a consistent basis over the last decade, and it needs to stop.

Serious question, who has RS actually signed. I know plenty in here are unhappy but what is the total he has spent? How much has he had his hands tied behind his back in terms of being able to spend and who could he have bought if he wasn't?

I really struggle with Smith he's like the riddler "quote"There’s talent there, a few weeks ago we had some monumental performances. You don’t become a bad team, but we were a bad team [against Trinity. We’ve got it in us to play much better.” Are we a bad team or not? The guy is on a different planet and is making himself look daft.

forget who he has signed. it's how he coaches. he could have better players it wouldn't matter. how he wants to play is ridiculous. it doesn't work but he knows no other way and stubbornly keeps making the same wrong decisions

God knows who is making the decisions or has in last 3/4 years, sinfield, agar, GH , smith but we seem to be in a mess and it’s getting worse not better IMO as below indicates. He’s signed 4 players who can currently play at SL level but we’ve lost a lot more.

I can only guess we are still paying some of the players who have left ? I fear we have also recruited as much deadwood as we have exited.
IN 9
MacDonald
McDonnell
Lisone
Sangare
Olpherts
Hooley
Roberts
Ruan
Warren

OUT 13
Briscoe
Zak in and out
Broadbent
Dwyer
Leeming
Mellor
Mustapha
Prior
Sutcliffe
Bodene Thompson
Jack Walker
Levi Edwards
Oil Field

It does not add up to me. I may have forgotten someone.

The team has no ability to sort problems in game.
We also have very few capable of pulling out game changing moments which means we lose more tight games than we should. Who've we got? Austin? Does his share but the lack of individual threat elsewhere means he's a marked man. Newman? Rarely fit and often kept quiet when he makes the field. Beyond that?
We need a McGuire, a Burrow, a Webb. Currently we don't even have a Dwyer.

Newman is a massive loss, he won us the game v Wigan with sheer brilliance at key times and the team then got on a roll, we have nobody else in the team who has is game breaking ability and that tells you all you need to know about recent recruitment. A lot of the signings made by Smith have one eye on tomorrow but we're seriously lacking in the today.

The team has no leadership on the field. Sinfield was respected by all his peers and when he led the team followed. There were plenty of times when things weren't going according to plan but they managed to turn things around - this team just crumbled.

It did help the golden generation that they had an inner belief they could beat anybody due to quality and belief available. This team has no cohesion and seemingly no respect for each other - they don't play as a team.

Not completely true, McDonald has shown he can change a game, lots of tackle busts and numerous line breaks out of nothing

It wasnt just Sinfield, there was multiple leaders. This team has leaders in the group but none anywhere close enough to replicating the golden gen. The team has shown it has leaders when we are playing well, but struggles to show them when the team is falling behind.

He's nowhere near Newman's class but yes he's probably one of the better backs we have, just not showed it much as yet

Absolutely correct, but we also Had JP, Mags, JJB, Burrow, Webb, Kylie L, lads who just knew how to lead and win games and were tough as hell. Game winners all across the park like Donald, Ali, Hall, Watkins, Zak... the list goes on..

In any team/organisation there is always one person who has to take the final decision he is the ultimate leader - that was Sinfield. He decided and the other supported his decisions.

This team has no leader - they emerge when the going gets tough not when its all going great.

Think you’re overrating Newman bit here. Clearly loads of potential, but just that currently. May become a great player one day. Needs to work on defence and have better luck with injuries.

Agree with this - the hype on here about Newman is misplaced IMO - has yet to show he has the mental capability to match his physical ability. His defence is miles away from what you would expect from a top player. Compare him to Chev at the same point in there development - Chev was on a different planet to Newman.

I think they are quite similar Chev and Newman, i think Newman has much more potential however. But i agree he has a fair bit to improve on, i am just saying he's much better than any of our other backs. I do rate Handley highly as a winger but not as a game breaker and for Nene the jury is out yet

Chev had a much better allround game - a much better pass and a significantly better defender. Newman has more raw power but hasn't got the subtlety Chev had.

The other centre was Kallum Watkins - he was never the same player when he didnt have BJB outside him. His pass when they played together was sublime.

I’m afraid imho Chev was a better player at 16 than Newman

Well Chev/Kallum was then, Harry is now. I just hope his body allows him to live up to his considerable potential.

Yeah that’s fair. Think we all agree Harry has huge potential ton unlock, just needs his body to be a bit kinder to him now, and give him that chance. He is the great hope I guess, and a lot resting on his shoulders….

Both Walker and even more so Watkins could also pass. I can't see Newman getting close to his potential if he doesn't develop at least a rudimentary passing game. He can pass, but he never looks for it. I've never understood why young centres don't get taught that they are actually more dangerous when they run if there's the threat of setting up their winger to put defenders in two minds. Mind you, its not helped nowadays by wingers standing so flat that passing to them is often all but impossible.

Just need a couple a more with similar athleticism and pace. Maybe then he can focus on some of the subtleties of centre play that he currently isn't showing. He often looks, and probably feels, like is trying to make the difference on his own.

They will get taught this, doesn't mean the player is going to apply it though.