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.

You're not the only one. He's one of a few that could make a marked improvement.

I haven't seen any of them in action, are they worth a punt?

Emelio was at widnes at one point iirc

Yes he was 2004/05.

He is a winger too . . .

He hasn't been at the Bulldogs.

Quote ="Asim"How many other clubs are in such dire need of a centre?'" www.redvee.net/forums/showthread.php?t=10663

Quote ="Asim"How many other clubs are in such dire need of a centre?'" www.redvee.net/forums/showthread.php?t=10663

saints and leeds both looking and at the moment more attractive options that us tbh.

Tony Colquitt gave a very forthright answer along the lines of;

- won't sign someone for the sake of it
- confident we'll get someone in who is good enough, probably before the start of next season- which other SL club have signed a centre that we would have had?

That suggests to me Saints have someone lined up already.

World Cup might be the show place for a lot of players, certainly the younger ones.
Unwise of clubs to fill their overseas quota until the've seen whats on offer.

But nearly all the younger players in the south sea island squads are already tied in contracts with NRL sides.

I think the idea of the World Cup throwing up previously unheralded talent is a bit of a misguided one.

RL isn't played widely enough at a high standard for some amazing undiscovered talent to appear from nowhere playing for a minnow, as has been said before, just about all the South Seas players there are already part of the Australian system.

The magic ingredients are hope, good weather and decent catering IMO

Give us sunny sunday afternoons with some good wins and add in the smell of fresh samosas drifting over the terraces and obviously news from City Hall about the OSV and things will begin to look up.

As far as the squad is concerned we're clearly focusing on the future by buying young players who will give us better options in the next few years.

I agree with the broad thrust of your argument Andy but we shouldn't use that approach as a way of excusing poor performance in certain aspects.

I certainly don't expect us to be repeating the form of 2003 in any great hurry but as a fan I do want to see the first team start to perform better as time wears on and to see McNamara improve as a coach. I don't think you can put all ambition on hold for 2 years in the hope we'll bring through another SF, JP, LP and PD because you run the risk of damaging our prospects of keeping such good prospects when they're ready.

Most of us recognise the difficulty in recruitment we face in comparison with 10 or 12 years ago but these aren't insurmountable problems yet I hear this too often as an excuse. I guess I'd just like to hear a more "can do" attitude from the club.

I'm not holding out any hopes for the OSV and hope that Plan B is ready to roll!

Beginning to look like misplaced optimism from Macca, although hope is not yet gone!