BOOM!!!

If that includes this form of media I'm sure the above is a post that many would applaud.

Broughton appears to be settling in quite nicely at Salford now.

While he didn't get any clear cut running chances tonight his two tries were top quality finishes off quality centre play from Talau.

I missed them. Nodded off during the game. Seriously.

Though I note that Hull, the club who had a close look but chose not to pursue him, picked a lad who was playing amateur under 16's rugby last month in preference.

And lived to regret the decision on the night. Perhaps with Calderwood and Hall out they hadn't many options left a bit like at Leeds at the moment picking a plumber on the wing.

Reece Lyne looks an exciting prospect but he had a fairly torrid time before being withdrawn by Agar after Broughton's second try past him, Whiting and Tansey. A proper winger's finish where he had no right to get the ball down...... for the second time on the night.

Surprisingly it turned out to be a good game, I SKY plus'd it, thinking I'd be fast forwarding through large tedious chunks but I watched and enjoyed every minute instead. Good times.

A shame Broughton got away but you can't keep them all.



I also liked this from the Hull board tonight:

Shows the salary cap is working.

Quote ="fanstanningley"Shows the salary cap is working.'" It also shows that clubs, at times, still have an unhealthy love affair with antipodean players who they would rather re-sign than take a chance on promoting one of their own. Quote ="G1"Though I note that Hull, the club who had a close look but chose not to pursue him, picked a lad who was playing amateur under 16's rugby last month in preference.'" Reece Lyne now has his own thread on the Hull board: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=450519

Quote ="fanstanningley"Shows the salary cap is working.'" It also shows that clubs, at times, still have an unhealthy love affair with antipodean players who they would rather re-sign than take a chance on promoting one of their own. Quote ="G1"Though I note that Hull, the club who had a close look but chose not to pursue him, picked a lad who was playing amateur under 16's rugby last month in preference.'" Reece Lyne now has his own thread on the Hull board: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=450519

Quote ="tvoc"It also shows that clubs, at times, still have an unhealthy love affair with antipodean players who they would rather re-sign than take a chance on promoting one of their own. Reece Lyne now has his own thread on the Hull board: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=450519'" The one for mine who got away was Fox not yet convinced we made the wrong decision with Broughton. To take chance as you say can go the wrong way and considering we have another young winger in Hall maybe the club felt they needed a safer bet.

Quote ="tvoc"It also shows that clubs, at times, still have an unhealthy love affair with antipodean players who they would rather re-sign than take a chance on promoting one of their own. Reece Lyne now has his own thread on the Hull board: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=450519'" The one for mine who got away was Fox not yet convinced we made the wrong decision with Broughton. To take chance as you say can go the wrong way and considering we have another young winger in Hall maybe the club felt they needed a safer bet.

Fox (like Broughton) never got a chance in the Leeds 1st grade.

When did you realise Fox had got away? Was it when he was out on loan at York in 2006 or in his season at Belle Vue in 2007 or when he went to Hull KR in 2008 for Tony Smith (who ushered him out of Headingley) to select him for England.

If it was the former then well spotted. If it was the latter, then I think you might want to give it a moment or two longer before making your (benefit of hindsight) judgement on Broughton.

With Fox it was harder to judge as quickly because he didn't get two lengthy loan spells at SL opposition before we let him go.

With Broughton we saw plenty of him and you seem to be the only one crying on his beer over his departure. Two tries past a virtual 16 year old kid (who I guess Hull rate better anyway) is not enough to convince me you're right.

Reece Lyne is 17 and was substituted by coach Agar after Broughton's second try. Hull have Tom Briscoe, Mark Calderwood and Craig Hall ahead of him but probably fancied a look, perhaps thinking the two points were in the bag before kick-off.

For Broughton's first he got the ball down despite the attentions of Reece Lyne, Richard Whiting and Jordan Tansey and for his 2nd he got the ball down despite the attentions of Reece Lyne, Danny Tickle and Jordan Tansey both times with the touchline a couple of yards away. They were quality finishes for any winger although Broughton is by no means the finished article either.

As someone who was also disappointed when Gareth Raynor was released at Headingley, I guess I don't like to see raw rugby talent slip through Leeds' fingers.

Meanwhile at Headingley Tom Bush is becoming a 1st grade regular and a top class plumber all at the same time.



Another young player I was impressed by last season, while others thought the signing of Soliola would see him fade into the St Helens background.

Me too. I guess we agree there but it appears we disagree over the extent of Broughton's talents. IIRC Broughton turned down an offer from Leeds for the lure of regular 1st team rugby at Salford. His decision making at the very least must therefore be in question.

I'll give Broughton this. Not many wingers get rounded by Sinfield.

Do you not see any raw rugby talent in young Bush then?

Did he? I don't recall that but I do recall that being the exact case with Ashley Gibson though.



It's early days but no, not yet. I'm hearing some praise on these boards (and some Hemmings' hyperbole) but he is lacking both the gas and physique to make it at this level for me. That perhaps could change with a full-time opportunity, it did to some degree with Hall, but I don't see that happening while he rightly (IMO) concentrates on learning a trade.

Question is, who will be the next person to get a 10+ appearances number on their shirt? Pitts or Delaney closest at the moment with both on 4?

Not sure it's 'the' question but it's certainly 'a' question.

Pitts and Delaney are both on 5.

Are you doing this deliberately now?

Just a recollection. If I am wrong then I guess I am right in so far as the Leeds coaching staff that know him better than us and worked with him daily didn't think he was worth a contract, unlike Gibson.

Was Gibson's =#FF0000decision making must therefore be in question also. Or did that just apply when you thought it was Broughton?

Whether Broughton turns out to be another Gareth Raynor or another Leroy Rivett only time will tell.

He was excellent on Saturday, a match winner.

Now that you've bookmarked my 'Bush appraisal' are you going to divulge your own thoughts or is it another of your secret opinions?

You want me to share my thougths on Bush?

I think with Jones-Bishop and watkins as young backs in the squad there was not a specific need to Broughton.

One good games does not make a great player. I would say that for 2 SL clubs to have had him and let him go, says quite a lot to me.

He may come back to bite us, but we can only have a squad of so many.

I don't think his performances at Hull last year were enough to persuade the club to replace the experienced Aussie winger, with a try-scoring record comparable with anyone in the competition, rather than just a couple of good performances on the telly.

Nail on the head.

I'm sure he was offered a 1yr deal Iirc along with Ratu and the club wanted them to be "dual registered" which both turned down.
Gibson just turned down a 1yr offer.

Links to any such offer would prove useful. Taken at face value the offer of a deal by Leeds would counter Leicester's claim that Leeds did not want to retain him.



Broughton has scored 9 tries in 15 SL Regular Round games in somewhat hapless teams (Hull 2009 and Salford 2010)

I wonder how many tries Scott Donald managed to score in his first 15 SL Regular Round games for Leeds?

The former is a young local lad, the latter is a relatively expensive by comparison Australian so that will score him some undeserved points in some quarters round here.



Is that a couple of good performances in addition to the one at the weekend you mention above?

Broughton has played a total of=#FF000015 rounds of SL his key stats are:

Metres - 1718
Drives - 207

Tackles - 68
Missed Tackles - 7
Errors - 13
Penalties - 0

And an additionaL stat for wingers which for me indicates workrate:

Dummy Half Runs - 88

Looking at Scott Donald's stats playing in a Champion team in 2009:

Metres - 1735
Drives - 219

Tackles - 70
Missed Tackles - 21
Errors - 26
Penalties - 1

Dummy Half Runs - 55

Those stats were amassed over =#FF000025 appearances.

Donald was the last of the antipodean contingent to be contracted for 2010 and now Leeds can't afford to recall Jones-Bishop from the Harlequins as there would be salary cap implications according to Gary Hetherington.

If he had chosen to promote one of the youthful local products in his place then presumably the salary cap wouldn't be as restrictive as it is currently being claimed to be.

So your saying the stats prove we should of ditched Scotty and signed Broughton because he's the better player and not an aussie?
Whilst i like to see youth get its chance and i even agreed with Gotcha's idea not to give Donald another year if it meant Smith stayed,there's no way Broughton would of/is an adequate replacement for Scotty and no numbers you post will convince me of that.
Smith imo would of been not least for his versatility but young Broughton no.

Quote ="rhinoms"So your saying the stats prove we should of ditched Scotty and signed Broughton because he's the better player and not an aussie? Whilst i like to see youth get its chance and i even agreed with Gotcha's idea not to give Donald another year if it meant Smith stayed,there's no way Broughton would of/is an adequate replacement for Scotty and no numbers you post will convince me of that. Smith imo would of been not least for his versatility but young Broughton no.'" I'm not saying stats =#FF0000prove anything. It's how you interpret them. They're not my stats, they're all available here www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2010 You would have to weigh the factual evidence for yourself once you've considered the relative experience, comfort level, team performances etc. Which of the stats show Donald's value above that of a local Leeds product? Shouldn't Leeds be the ones to benefit from their investment in youth? I can only conclude that there is another 'bolter' about to roll off the production line that will leave us to ask the question Jodie who in 2011 ? Donald in 2010 is a, relatively speaking, expensive luxury. There comes a stage when it's time for player and club to go their seperate ways (I'm sure I read that sentiment expressed on here only yesterday) and while it's always interesting and amusing to hear about McShane, Diskin and Buderus it's also nice to change the subject occasionally.

Quote ="rhinoms"So your saying the stats prove we should of ditched Scotty and signed Broughton because he's the better player and not an aussie? Whilst i like to see youth get its chance and i even agreed with Gotcha's idea not to give Donald another year if it meant Smith stayed,there's no way Broughton would of/is an adequate replacement for Scotty and no numbers you post will convince me of that. Smith imo would of been not least for his versatility but young Broughton no.'" I'm not saying stats =#FF0000prove anything. It's how you interpret them. They're not my stats, they're all available here www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2010 You would have to weigh the factual evidence for yourself once you've considered the relative experience, comfort level, team performances etc. Which of the stats show Donald's value above that of a local Leeds product? Shouldn't Leeds be the ones to benefit from their investment in youth? I can only conclude that there is another 'bolter' about to roll off the production line that will leave us to ask the question Jodie who in 2011 ? Donald in 2010 is a, relatively speaking, expensive luxury. There comes a stage when it's time for player and club to go their seperate ways (I'm sure I read that sentiment expressed on here only yesterday) and while it's always interesting and amusing to hear about McShane, Diskin and Buderus it's also nice to change the subject occasionally.

Number of Selections in the dream team.

Only, it would seem, if they're players rated by you (see appraisals of Ashley Gibson and Tom Bush).