If there's a hooker the quality of Buderus available and we can afford him without comprising other areas of the squad then by all means let's sign him.

But there isn't. We're talking, best case scenario, of Danny Houghton. Who's a good player, and if Aiton was leaving for some reason I'd be perfectly happy with, but he's nowhere near Buderus quality.

Like most it seems i believe the priority has to be the right type of prop replacement for Peacock. At the moment i see Cuthbertson going the same way as Delaney....flogged to death and now paying the inevitable price.

i wouldn't say no though to a Cameron Smith

Jonathan Thurston too would be quite nice.

There is still this wave of thought that replacing Peacock is replacing prop. I just dont see it.

Peacocks qualities are his work rate, his defence, his offloads, and setting the example. His metres come from his work rate (number of carries). His average metres per carry is hardly different to many players.

How many other props in the game offer these same qualities? You are not going to replace Peacock just by filling his position. We have plenty of props on the books for next year. Look at Wigan, do any of their props come anything close to what Peacock does? Yet they were so much better than us the other week, and are up there in the table.

What we need is someone to take on the qualities of Peacock, or share it out more, which means changes other areas. I think part of that has been done this year with Stevie Ward, where we have a very strong defensive back rower. That has taken some of the defensive pressure of Peacock. We need an attacking option, and we need the work rate from the few upping, rather than flogging individuals.

I think you're right although it might be a quality prop who has those qualities or indeed a quality goal kicking halfback?

gold coast titans prop dave taylor keen on a move to super league only 26 and has play in origin last year. big unit and can do the hard yards. also are willing to pay a portion of his last year of his contract as they do for hull krs albert kelly

There's no way our front row options as they stand are good enough to absorb the loss of JP.
I agree whole heartedly his work rate etc will have to be shared i get that and i honestly believe you don't "replace" players like JP but we still need another go to Prop Cuthbertson aside our other options are still pretty raw and as yet not ready to be cornerstones of our front row imo.
I also think a BR i mentioned above is a must when you scratch the surface of the current pack im not convinced it's deep enough to take us forward next year with the departures.

In terms of the quantity of work, Cuthbertson has almost come in and picked up that mantle - number of carries, metres made, offloads, tackles. You want him to get his hands on the ball once or twice in every attacking set, simply because of the options he gives you at or before the line.

Hopefully the opportunity to see what Peacock does and how he does it at close quarters will have also driven the other props in the squad such as Singleton, Yates and Mulhern to say "I want to do that" when it comes to 20+ carries and 30+ tackles per game.

Like Gotcha says, most of Peacock's outstanding stats come from his work-rate rather than anything spectacular he does with the ball when he gets it. The willingness to take that difficult carry, to push yourself when you're flagging during a game, to put in that one big effort in defence to fill a gap when you have to. These things are mental rather than physical and shouldn't be beyond any young forward to add to their game, if they want to do so badly enough.

The problem Leeds have is that if they do sign a prop that player is going to get unfairly labelled as Peacock's replacement and judged harshly against his standards, in much the same way that Keith Senior was compared negatively to Brad Godden early in his Leeds career.

I agree on the pack as a whole, and why I personally am not putting it all down to a prop. I compare again to Wigan and Saints props. Everything doesn't have to come from this position, we have been lucky to have such a player as Peacock, who is much different to your normal prop. Saints had it with Graham, but have moved on, and didn't get a prop like for like for Graham.

Also seen Galloway mentioned even if it's only 2/3yrs until Singleton ,Baldwinson and Mullally et al are ready to lead the pack themselves i'd be happy with either one tbh.
AG agree wholeheartedly re-"Peacocks replacement label" it shouldn't happen whoever comes in has to be judged on their own merits and imo it's ridiculous to even think in those terms.
G- Good point re-Graham but look at their FR options? Amor ,Walmsley Masoe/Tasi plus the intergrated younger options when JP goes we have 1 seasoned prop?

Neither Burrow or ward have the defensive capabilities I'm talking about, neither will make the volume of tackles Aiton does when he's on the pitch, like I said I thinks it's unlikely we'll see a quality prop with the work rate of peacock coming in, so the defensive workload will have to be picked up elsewhere and atm it looks more likely to come from that role, so no it wouldn't be anything like signing another fullback.

Also like I said, unless we sign a half too, which I can't see and don't think we will then all I can see burrow doing is being used as cover in the halves or covering hooker if one were to be injured.

An interesting possibility, but from what I've read, his form and commitment seem to ebb and flow. If we could get him at the right price and get him motivated he could be very good for us. But if not he'd be an expensive mistake. Can't see GH taking the risk, but then again if Gold Coast are chipping in $ for his first year?

Aiton's work-rate in defense can't be put to question but his effectiveness can. He sometimes seems to throw himself at bigger opposition and often seems to just bounce off. He's like an annoying Jack Russel snapping at your ankles - he wont give up and gives you a nasty nip but you're far more concerned with the big bulldog showing his teeth to notice the Jack Russel.

Whilst still very young and raw Robbie Ward is very sound defensively he sticks like a limpit and his work rate is top notch so i wouldn't easily dismiss his efforts just yet.

In the Aus media they're saying that Chris Sandow is talking to a couple of leading ESL clubs, could we be one of the clubs?

would be good but he likes to party quiet a bit one of the reason parramata want rid i think. looked at who is free at the end of the season and im not saying we are going to sign them but sam thaiday,billy slater,Trent Hodkinson, Pauli Pauli, James Maloney all descent players yet to sign deals for next season. we must have somebody in line and i think the way things are we could all do with a bit of good news about plans for taking the team forward.

Brierley has been dropped by Leigh today after having talks with Leeds previously.

You mean rested as Martin ridyard was a couple of weeks ago? Give Ben Reynolds some game time! But yeah being dropped sounds nice!

Sandow would be a brilliant signing, and give us a couple of qualities we are losing.

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/sin- ... hn7jb.html Sounds like he has made himself unpopular at the Eels this comment is a bit worrying "Brad Arthur confronted Sandow on Thursday morning about our story, in which he claimed: "If he lets me play how I want to play, we'll win more games." "

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/sin- ... hn7jb.html Sounds like he has made himself unpopular at the Eels this comment is a bit worrying "Brad Arthur confronted Sandow on Thursday morning about our story, in which he claimed: "If he lets me play how I want to play, we'll win more games." "

I agree with you and a great goal kicker as well! The fans in Aus say his individual style is suited to SL and he'll be a big hit. In the past he's had 1/2 personal problems but Rhinos pride themselves on providing support and guidance. I wonder if Gary H agrees with us?

Hope I am wrong but I can see a very underwhelming recruitment for next season

Who? Have faith in the Sleeve?

I agree and if we don't sign a quality Prop and a half back I will feel underwhelmed. But when was our last overwhelming year of recruitment?

Or inviting all contributions and coming at it from a different direction, which year in the SL era was our best for recruitment?

I'm with you



Clubs like to trumpet their worthwhile signings when made (not keep them under wraps) No sign of that yet !!!

If nothing is announced well before the end of the season the best we can hope for is yet another last minute close season scrabble for the scraps.

We have had the luxury over the last 10 years or so of not having to bring in big signing and the volume, only needing the odd signing. This year we need some quality recruitment