So, to summarise us after the season has gone.

OUT
Ben Jeffries
Terry Newton
Glenn Morrison
Matt Cook
Tame Tupou
Matt James
David Solomona
Semi Tadulala
(Potentially Duane Straugheir too)

IN
Heath L'Estrange
Glenn Hall


I know there are no more back row signings coming, but I'll be very surprised if there aren't at least 3 in other positions.

Which I found a little surprising. If we get hit with an injury or two to the back row we will be struggling.

I'm not convinced about Worrincey as a starting 2nd row. I personally feel he is more potent off the bench when we need to add some speed and he can hit a gap well against tiring defences.

So what will be our starting back 3 in the pack?

11.Menzies
12.Whitehead/Donaldson/Olbison/Burgess/Hall
13.Langley

Looking at that will surely have to use Hall at 2nd row more than Prop if we are not replacing the 3 departing 2nd rowers. The young guys look good but lose Menzies/Langley and we look very bare indeed.

The season's been one week shorter than the last two years.

8. Scruton
9. Godwin
10.Lynch
11.Burgess/Hall
12.Langley
13.Menzies.

14. Hall/Burges
15. Kopczak
16. L'estrange
17. Donaldson/Whitehead

I don't have too many issues with our starting 17, although I'm not in the 'Burgess for 2nd row' camp. I just feel we're going into the season a bit light and if we get 1 or 2 injuries we are really asking a lot of some very inexperienced players. It's not like the rest of our team has enough quality to carry them if needed! I don't think we can afford a quota spot on a 2nd rower but if a quality British one came available I would be surprised if we weren't interested.

Probably are going into the season a 'bit light', but it's only a bit lighter than usual to us. I think/hope Macca is following the Saints/Leeds/Noble model of filling up with youngsters and getting the best 17 out on the field. That's the way to go in my books.

I'm not to bothered how experienced we are after the first 17, I don't buy into this boll0cks that we should have established players as cover and depth as we seen in recent seasons.

The youngsters need to get experience and the only way they'll get that is by playing and not waiting for their chances behind some of the crap we've signed recently.

Why do people bother what positions players are who take up quota spots? If he's a good player and will benift us then we should take a serious look and not be bothered that he's overseas and a certain position.

Hear, hear

Which is why I said a 'quality British 2nd row' not some average joe just to fill out the squad.


I agree to a point, but there are certain positions where the quality in quantity just isn't there in the SL pool of players. We have very few top quality British halfbacks and also top draw centres are not exactly falling from tree's. So I think there is a case for making sure you use your quota spots on positions were the talent is sp in SL.

Hood did promise us more "exciting signings" to come, did he not?

He'll look in very bad light if he does not deliver on this promise. So I'll keep my powder dry for now, and await news of these exciting signings.

He said last years would be "exciting signings" it's open to interpretation what he may we might not.

There was a teeny hint of scepticism in my wording there!

Just making people aware of previous statements from Mr Hood.

I like the piccie in this story, though it don't look like Semi and whoever it is the forearm is a tad to low www.sport.co.uk/news/Rugby_Leagu ... efeat.aspx

I like the piccie in this story, though it don't look like Semi and whoever it is the forearm is a tad to low www.sport.co.uk/news/Rugby_Leagu ... efeat.aspx

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... _Tadulala/

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... _Tadulala/

Quote ="Blotto"I like the piccie in this story, though it don't look like Semi and whoever it is the forearm is a tad to low www.sport.co.uk/news/Rugby_Leagu ... efeat.aspx'" That would be the lesser spotted Tupou. Migrated to these shores but only spotted by a select few.

Quote ="Blotto"I like the piccie in this story, though it don't look like Semi and whoever it is the forearm is a tad to low www.sport.co.uk/news/Rugby_Leagu ... efeat.aspx'" That would be the lesser spotted Tupou. Migrated to these shores but only spotted by a select few.

Quote ="Blotto"I like the piccie in this story, though it don't look like Semi and whoever it is the forearm is a tad to low www.sport.co.uk/news/Rugby_Leagu ... efeat.aspx'" its tame tupou in the pic. That article also claims that tadulala is 26. So not the best piece of journalism ive seen

Quote ="Blotto"I like the piccie in this story, though it don't look like Semi and whoever it is the forearm is a tad to low www.sport.co.uk/news/Rugby_Leagu ... efeat.aspx'" its tame tupou in the pic. That article also claims that tadulala is 26. So not the best piece of journalism ive seen

I hope Semi stays, but I'd understand if he took a longer bigger contract to play Union.

Interesting comment from Mr Hood though;

[i“But this speculation is par for the course at this time of year. We’ve got eight or nine players leaving or out of contract and he is probably the only one whose future has not been announced.” [/i

Is it 8 or is it 9? As by my reckoning we know of 8 gone or likely to go (if we include straugheir) plus the question mark over Sam who would be the 9th - so it being 8 or 9 is quite important Mr Hood. And if Semi is [iprobably [/ithe only one whos future has not been announced, given we have had no anouncement on Sam's future officially can we take that as he stays??? (even if its only for now??) probably not I guess as the reason he says 8 or 9 is because we dont know whats happening with Sam



I await the positive recruitment stories, hopefully starting with Semi.

It's the only way to start.

The departure not mentioned was Rinaldi, which with Tadulala will make nine.

But following that logic, of people that have left earlier in the season, would that also include Tupou? I assumed he was talking about players involved with the first team at the end of the season? I could be wrong though, and I suspect he was being delibrately vague as there are deals ongoing regarding both ins and outs it looks like.

Its just been officially announced that Mark Flannagan is joining wests next year. Will be interesting to see how he does over there after being dropped by bradford.

Was he dropped though by us? I thought Wigan paid us compensation?


Sorry can't really remember the exact story.

We got £10k for Flanagan IIRC.

He was dropped he rejected the Bradford offer.

Only seen him a couple of times but have been relatively impressed. Great opportunity at Wests.