Disagree

If the club are serious about avoiding the drop, they will have to take a gamble or 2.

You would hope that any signing would only be until the end of the season, therefore we're not stuck with them next season.

Tonga would be great at this level, and may bring some needed mental resolve.

How is signing a crocked centre going to help?
If we are going to sign anyone, we need FORWARDS.

Don't get me wrong, we need "FORWARDS"

I'm not expecting Tonga to be the last arrival.

Is (a fit) Tonga better than any of our current options? I would say he is far better than what we have.

When I watched him play in the Southern Hemisphere his defence was solid, the guy knew how to put a shot in. Going forward he was just as impressive!

To be honest the full squad needs improving, so any "quality" addition will be an improvement.

My shopping list would include 2 half backs, a centre, 2 second row forwards and 2 props.

Would be a useful addition IMO - IF FIT.

You have to wonder what the Lee Smith signing was all about if we're now after Tonga as well.
Not only that, but according to love rugby league, Tonga has played a grand total of 3 league games for Leigh this season. Three!

It all just smacks of desperation to me. The games we stood a realistic chance of winning have been and gone and we lost two out of the three. We're as good as relegated now, these panic buys aren't going to save us. Why not save the money and use it to build a stronger 2018 squad?

Agree with Bullseye. If fit he will be a useful addition. Centre is an area where we are particularly weak. Lose one of Mendeika or Oakes and we have to put Bentley or Ryan there, making them much more ineffective. Keeping the left hand side of Bentley, Oakes & Ryan is vital. Also an "aging" player is exactly what we need. We have plenty of players who are athletic but no one who can keep a cool head.

yes we need forwards, but i think we definitely need a centre too.

Now this I agree on, but we really are that desperate and it's now or never as far as this season is concerned

Too late, Visa might take 2 weeks!!!!! Spend the money on 2018.

Well we're not exactly in a position to be choosy are we? It's a gamble due to his injuries but any signing is a gamble... see Dane Chisholm!

We desperately need some experience and leadership in the side. He'd be a boost if they can get it over the line before the weekend, especially since we will likely be missing Moore/Lilley and maybe Oakes for Fax.

Far from sure that wasting any more money on this best forgotten season is, in any way, worthwhile.

Let's not forget that all our first team were told to look to the their futures (ie look elsewhere for next year) a month or so back, so why, if there is any spare change down the back of the sofa, are we not using it to sort out a squad for next season in division 3?

But are we?

But do we need to?

And off we go again..

The problem here is that we the supporters don't really know what is happening. It may be a case of sign him now and possibly get first choice of him for next season if he goes well and our owners already know where we are playing in February.
If relegation is still happening then I now think it is too late as the other teams are already winning and we have only gained 2 points on them after 18 rounds.
I always thought if we enter the play offs 4-5 points behind then yes, do a Wakey and sign a few and we would be OK. We need to win possibly 4 out of 5 to do that. I suppose the owner will say we can win all of the play offs with a better team. yes we can but even my glasses aren't that rose tinted.

I still believe we are planning for next year in the championship.

Well, the last three owners were all planning for our 'next' season in Superleague, and that didn't turn out too well either.

I do like Tonga but I feel like this is a stupid decision. For one if we are serious about winning a run of games and pulling off the great escape then we are signing a player who has played 3 times this season, been injured most of it, will not be match fit, and maybe still injured/have a niggle. Which does us no good as we need players who can hit the ground running.

If we aren't serious about pulling off the great escape and are planning for next season. Then why waste the money on a player who maybe will play 3-4 games and not make a huge difference? Just go with what we have in Mendeika (and I don't like him as a player but did well against Oldham), Oakes, Ryan with Bentley, Campbell and Rickett as cover. And save the money we would have spent on Tonga.

I wouldn't bother, great tackler, and at 'offloading' when tackled himself....but he won't be cheap will he ? Never 'made a break' for us, just a 'solid' performer when not injured.
Announcing his signing would sound good I guess, but surely (if you do need a centre) a loan signing would be more sensible ?

Trouble with loans is they only last for a month and they don't always train with the team. Then they're off once the side gets used to them and becomes settled leaving us in a mess again.

Well, we're short of players and short on talent in the backline. At least down the right wing.

But really, given that Lilley has gone back to Leeds and most likely won't be coming back this year and Chisholm not being fit until 2018 we really need to look at getting in a half or at least someone who can do a decent job of filling in there

Thomas can't do any worse than Lilley.
Honestly watching him desperately try to break through Oldham's line on Sunday, and failing miserably every time, almost made me feel sorry for him a little bit.
He has an ok kicking game, but that's it. He doesn't have any other attributes you need to be a decent halfback.

I'd love to be proven wrong but I just can't see him making it at Leeds long term.

Obviously this post has set him up perfectly to have an absolute belting match against Saints tomorrow night

I've been hauled over the coals for daring to think that Lilley is wildly overrated before. There must be a reason why Rhinos are happy for him to play for us considering he was basically first choice 7 for Leeds last year. Then again it was their worst season since the early 00's so dunno what that says about him.

Well, given we've signed Ashley Gibson is there still a spot in the side for Tonga?

Well, you'd certainly imagine that Gibson would come a lot cheaper than Willie Tonga...

More news tomorrow according to the bulls

hopefully either the oz prop or they've managed to find a half from somewhere. Guessing from emphasis they put on BIG it will be Sironen. Don't really see need for Tonga now. Think its been mentioned that lee smiths due back in a few weeks so were fairly well stocked in backs now.

I would really like it to be Sironen. Not only a big prop, but one with a bit of leadership about him, which is another asset this team's been lacking all year