What's McAvoy up to these days?

Looking at the speculation I wouldn't be surprised to see us announce Kearney, Walker, Reardon and Hemmingway.

If Kearney and Reardon are over their injuries they could be useful, however there remain question marks over them. If they break down we haven't any backup that's near SL class.

Walker could be good or bad depending on whether he actually wants to be over here. From reading the Aussie press I get the feeling he'd rather stay in Oz if at all possible but will come if he doesn't get a better offer. I hope I'm wrong and he's keen on a move over here.

If Hemmingway is backup then it doesn't say much for our Academy lads. Ideally I'd like to see us sign a proper halfback who has some SL or NRL experience so that we won't be utterly fekked if Deacon gets injured or fails to find form. We need a replacement for Jeffries to be at least as good as him but preferably better. We could be intending to use Kearney as cover but that still leaves us light compared with last year.

I still don't see a major advantage to us by doing it this way. If everyone played by the same standards then fine but us doing it this way by choice seems to me absurd. Unless there is a visa/legal reason. Which would be unlikely for British players not needing Visas - so would that mean we are not signing any British players?

Advantages - It seems a bit more professional?

We cannot be accused of trying to derail another clubs playoffs?

Agents & players might keep trying us if they don't know for sure we have our 2010 squad sorted?


Disadvantages - Speculation, speculation, speculation

Fan disenchantment & uncertainty, rumours about finance, cap spend, quota etc etc (no change there then)#

Direct effect on season tickets

Brisbane and Parramatta are still involved in the playoffs?

Advantage in what sense?

Of course it may be that the club has a number of potential players that aren't signed-up yet and a contingency plan that involves other players. If that is the case (and you'd hope it was) then you'd hardly expect to see the club announce something like "we'll sign X and if that doesn't work out then we've got Y and Z on standby".

Besides, what's the hurry? We've got the ENTIRE off-season to go and, if the club announces all the comings and goings now, we'll not have much to talk/speculate about

When I say all parties I mean we normally announce all our signings together and we don't officially say anything until all players clubs are no longer involved. From that reasoning the longer we don't announce anything the better quality the clubs/players involved are.

The silence from the club at the moment could mean 3 things.
1 - not every deal is complete.
2 - players are confirmed but at least some are still involved in play off's
3 - everything is confirmed but the board are embarrassed to announce the players involved and the first we'll hear about it is when the team sheet is read out for our first game.

I like the thought of that one. It's going to be worth going to the first game...

I'll say it yet again: there is always the strong possibility that the club, having been made to look prats over Bird by the immigration gestapo, may well be choosing not to announce overseas signings until all the visas and work permits have been issued?

I think most people understand that reason. The main question I was asking was - Is there a reason the club does it this way for signings? Obviously a decision was made when the playoff system was brought in that we would only announce signings (from our end) once both clubs were out of the playoffs. As we are in the minority of clubs that do it this way - was there a specific reaosn why this was the option the club chose?

I work 80 hours a week and I havent had a day off in two months.

oil rigs? Seriously - if your ramblings on here are not exaggerated I would advise you to stay away from heavy machinery. and/or customers.

No, in a top class buisness in Castle Bolton, but that's made up just like everything else I say.

In Catal Huyuk?

Lets keep this on topic please.

No, in Castle Bolton.

But let's do what the man says baby and keep this on topic.

given the general lack of enthusiasm from a lot of posters when we were linked to walker, then I'm a bit bemused by how negative some people are being now we're denying interest. Surely on the positive side this now means we have a quota spot available, and I can think of at least two high profile quota players who may be available unexpectedly ( meaning we may have withdrawn from walker deal to get a quota spot back).

On semi leaving I think thats been inevitable for a while now and I for one wouldnt have been happy if the club had paid him an inflated wage/long deal to retain him in competition with a union side who can probably offer him a longer deal.

Thing to remember this year is that we're in the unusual position for us of not being involved in playoffs and hence theres a good possibility that any potential signings are still involved / only just knocked out. In the past we been involved till a later stage of the competition. given past history this year I wouldnt be surprised if clubs getting 'bad' news re james/semi leaving out of the way before announcing a signing or two.

Has Matt Orford announced a new deal at Manly? Maybe a sweetner for Burgess in 2010? I know he is out OOC but maybe a word in his hear to convince the Ox that now is the time to come over...

I'll save any comments until our signings are announced. And if I think they are an improvement I will say so. If I think they are as the last few seasons poor and we are being told they have strengthened the squad, I will also say so. All we can do is wait and see what we are told.

We surely have something to announce this week regarding players coming rather than leaving!? Even if we have a couple of players coming from the NRL that we're awaiting Visa confirmation on.. that cannot be it surely?

thats pretty much tack Im taking. cant see point in slagging club off about signings which are only rumours. I'd imagine in a few weeks at most our full recruitment will be revealed and at that point we can have informed discussion.

This is the clincher it must be Boazza

5. jim carter (at 13:29:34 on 20 Sep 2009) wrote:
listen john inverson i work for the nrl in australia in the transfer department. all the transfers in the nrl go through me mate. i can only give you my surename. Johnston. ther is a guy who does the same thing in your european super league. everything i have told you is true so watch out mate

Why would 20 year old Israel Folau give up Brisbane, Queensland and Australia to come play for Bradford. Unless he really wants to travel or something alike or has being offered mega money then i cant see why he would come. I could belive the Moi Moi rumour because we have been after him before. I cant see Chris Walker coming even if we have offered him a deal as he wants to stay in Queensland.

He needs to do his year's missionary work as a Mormon at some point, doesn't he?

Indeed I remember reading that somewhere too. Does it need to be whilst you're young or can it be put on old until he's past it and ready for retirement?

It's not an obligation that all mormons must take. But most devout mormons choose to.