The ideology behind these comments I think is a fairly good idea:



Now, if for example there was no way he could get a decent centre in for the start of 2009, keeping some cash aside is a decent idea me thinks.

You only have to look at some mid-season signings recently, we signed Ian Henderson who was arguably the catalyst for our 2005 success. Wigan got Phelps this year, who has been a very good signing.

Shontayne Hape's move to Bath was announced in May, but known about long before then - the club also knew that James Evans' deal was up at the end of the season.

Even starting at that point (and they shouldn't have been) they have had 5 months to identify some possible targets to bring in for the centres, I find it hard to believe that such a player could not be identified, if not it doesn't say a lot about our scouting, knowledge base and networks within the game.

We now have 7 senior players to cover the back 3 positions in the forwards and just 2 senior players for our lamentable backline, I defy anyone to seriously suggest that our recruitment has been smart and to be happy with it, apart from those who would declare themselves happy with whatever the club decided to do.

It hasn't been smart, far from it. The club have missed out in strengthening the backline, but they did identify targets over the course of the season.

Shenton was aimed for, but he opted to stay at Castleford, as did Adam Mogg with Les Catalans. The lure of playing for Bradford just isn't what it used to be.

What centres have signed for other SL sides so far?

Of course you can comment on his coaching!! Any manager in the world could "coach" a team with the best players, this will be a challenge for Mac, and will prove his capabilities as a coach. The majority of coaches nowadays don't get the money to fund the players they want!!

as for menzies he has played every game this season for the sea eagles, and has started 16 out of 26 of them. so there is no reason why he wont play every game for us next year.

worrincy and sheriffe were both offered new deals but rejected them, so quins did want to keep them.

Answer will there be none.

PS In your neat summary you omitted that even if the Bulls signed the entire Aus international 1st and 2nd squads, we would still finish bottom half, due to having a crap coach, so discussion of signings is academic, but that's our fault too as we should have started off by signing Wayne Bennett with Danny Anderson as his assistant.

That's as I understand it, anyway.

Great idea! After his amazing season last season and less than inspiring recruitment for 2009, I reckon there would be a few people after him....

. . . off you go then

You also have to ask, again, just exactly was the point in McNamara's trip to Oz last year, which, according to some of the "experts" on here was to either.....

1. Help improve his coaching abilities, or,
2. Help identify signing targets.

Now, the ONE Aussie we signed, everyone knew of him so that hardly was a result of overseas scouting was it? (His coaching abilities also have not improved)

You could also point out the the apparrent two centres we fancied, Shenton and Mogg, were both nowhere near club sides in Australia.

Also, I thought it was common knowledge that Glenn Morrison was helping out with identifying targets when back home during his injury? What became of that?

There will always be the usual suspects on here that can see the club/board/coach doing no wrong but they look more and more silly as days go by.

The simple fact is that if Leeds were in our position and recruited like we did this off season, there would be plenty on here queueing up to have a right good laugh at them.

Who knows? How do you know the deal wasn't struck then?


How do you know? Had it not been for that trip, maybe he would have performed a lot worse?


Maybe [ithat[/i was Menzies?


Who are these people? I don't know of [ianyone[/i who remotely fits that hyped description?


That may be so, but only in a way that you might laugh at your neighbour cos he can no longer afford a swish car like yours or a big plasma telly like the one in your lounge, as his house maintenance costs are exorbitant and he has big fines to pay off weekly. I know the analogy is limited, but the bottom line is you're upset because we haven't got oodles of cash to splash. You'll have to remain upset, because we ain't gonna have it any time soon.

You holding Leeds up as the comparison is a bit odd, though. Firstly for several years we had the march on them and Harrisgate is the single main reason we no longer have; secondly if as seems likely they "win nothing" this season then surely their recruitment etc will have been a dismal failure, and they should sack their coach, board etc.?

Indeed. I think it is pretty harsh to be overly critical of the club when the players are simply not available. I can only think of one centre who has moved clubs to SL and that is Bell from Manly moving to Catalans. The Evans cock up was unfortunate but the club took that decision under the rules at that present time.

If we see our rivals such as Wigan, Leeds etc signing top class backs then we would have right to complain for sure.

How many other clubs are in such dire need of a centre?

I'm sure there is a centre who could have been signed from somewhere in the world of Rugby League, in fact with names such as Morrison and Menzies I'd have thought we might be able to appeal to some players from down under. I'm not talking about signing a superstar, any actual half decent centre will be an improvement on what we've got now.

I'd say Leeds could certainly do with one to replace Toopi. No doubt the club will be keeping a close eye on the Tonga, Fiji and Somoan World Cup teams to see if anyone is worth a punt. I suppose you could look at Nero and say that he should have a fair bit of improvement in him. He has had a poor first year but he showed at the Giants that he does have ability above what he has shown for the Bulls.

If he can settle into the team and recreate that form then he will do a decent job. I have said before that we won't turn this around in one season so it seems pretty pointless just panic buying or signing players for the sake of it.

Everybody has chipped in on this now. I would prefer to have 2 centres at the club who are primarily centres. Then all the 2nd row men who can cover centres will be just that - cover. I don't really think that starting a season with one specialist centre and already with a 2nd row guy covering is a good option.

But - availability, wage structure, finances, scouting will all have a part to play in finding these elusive centres.

I am happy to wait to see if there is any post world cup availability. Then , if not, we would have to make do and see if Crookes can step up (without setting him back confidence wise) or if there were any mid season options.

I agree that having Nero as our 1st choice is far from ideal based on this years form. But you categorise Nero as a 2nd row.. Nero himself thinks he is more suited to centre. But Nero has shown at the Giants that he can be a very competent centre. I personally hope that Crookes can make the breakthrough.. that would be the ideal.. whether it will happen remains to be seen.

Like another poster has mentioned.. players such as Henderson, Talua, Toopi, Ali Lau, Tim Smith, etc have all become available part way through the season recently. So I agree with what you say, it seems daft to panic buy.

Ok, we might have to bring some of the youngsters in! And, ok, the game these days requires more physical development than in previous years. But statements like "too young" about 19/20 year olds always amuse me. Here are just a few (at random) teenage debutants that seemed to do alright...

Roger Millward - 17/18
Elley Hanley - 18
Gary Schofield - 17 (toured with GB at 1icon_cool.gif
Kurt Gidley - 19
Jamie Lyon - 18
James Roby - 19
Leon Pryce - 16
Stuart Fielden - 19
Shaun Edwards - 17

There are loads more who have started early and succeeded.

Of course you don't.

Having looked through all the minor nations World cup squads these are the only real centre options.

Andrew Emelio - Bulldogs and is out of contract
Albert Hopoate - Roosters and is out of contract

Daryl Millard - Bulldogs contracted till end of 2009 but he's only made 12 1st grade appearances in 2 years.

If he's to play centre I would like to see more work on the off season on his diet and conditioning. We need him like a chiselled and pert adonis, not a flabby Solomona type.

If this works he could play centre, although Talua would be a better option if available.

But if you were to contemplate suicide there would be as many urging you on

I don't think the wink saves that comment tbh. Let's be pleasant in our dealings with each other, even when we disagree...

I agree with most of that. And before I go on i'll make it clear that I would ideally like another top class , another top class prop and cover at half, and I cant agree with signing more forwards when our current first and reserve grade have plenty of forwards but a lack of quality in depth in the backs.

However, trying to be glass half full, if we as a club are serious about promoting our own juniors now and there just isnt the right quality available for the right deal, then crookes and to a lesser extent Johnson might as well be used extensively this coming season.

We start with Sykes and Nero, but with the intention of playing Crookes and Johnson at times throughout the season. If we signed another older and still started with Sykes and Nero then Crookes and Johnson would be one further back in the queue.

We dont know if Crookes will cut it at SL level yet, and we wont untill he gets a run of games. As we stand this is exactly what he'll get next year. And if the percieved wisdom is we might struggle to make the playoffs, then we might as well struggle to make the playoffs by playing some younger lads who could really benefit. (i can see James being recalled sooner rather than later from fax as well ala Kopczak)

Plus, I might be the only one, but I thought Nero played well enough in the last three games of last season at (certainly better than Hape did at the start of the year!) and with more confidence and a full off season knowing hes first choice rather than 2nd row/bit part he could step up.

It is ok af. I know that TB was just having me on. I take the post in the fun context it was meant.