Oliver Holmes https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... d-20574311

Oliver Holmes https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... d-20574311

Quote ="Lord Tony Smith"Oliver Holmes https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... d-20574311'" Started this year in top form for us. Always reliable and scores a fair bit for a second rower. Quite fast too when he gets going. Id not be happy if he does go but seems like he will be.

Quote ="Lord Tony Smith"Oliver Holmes https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... d-20574311'" Started this year in top form for us. Always reliable and scores a fair bit for a second rower. Quite fast too when he gets going. Id not be happy if he does go but seems like he will be.

Quote ="Lord Tony Smith"Oliver Holmes https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... d-20574311'" Seriously not happy about this on Casforum, Powell is going to get some hammer whatever the results are in rest of the season.

Quote ="Lord Tony Smith"Oliver Holmes https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... d-20574311'" Seriously not happy about this on Casforum, Powell is going to get some hammer whatever the results are in rest of the season.

I'd be happy with Holmes.....except he's a left edge second rower. So we would have to move him over to the right, i'd be happy with that though as we would finally have some attack and aggression on the right rather than Hughes getting the ball and the attack stopping dead every time.

He’s a workhorse thats for sure. 54 tackles the other night.

Seriously?

It certainly looks like Powell was holding all the aces when he was in negotiations for his job - if all the rumours of Trueman, Matuatia and now Holmes are true, then it's obvious he's been given strong control of recruitment & not being left open to any interference from Fitzpatrick.

It's a good thing that Powell gets to coach HIS squad and not have players lumped on him that he doesn't want (a problem Price has had). The only slight worry I would have, is that too much of a squad overhaul means we have a side needing a period in which players need to get used to each other and new surroundings and we end up with a situation like in the horrific Steve Anderson era, when players looked absolutely lost and performances and results suffer.

Obviously, the quality of players we will bring in will be higher than back then, but it can still lead to uncertainty among a squad - it will certainly be a good test of both Powell's coaching AND man management skills.

Is true but at least he won’t need to bed the players he is bringing from Cas with him

If he brings in Holmes I guess that is the end of Hughes then.

Yup, underwhelming.

If the current regime were linked with this signing, the pitchforks would be out by the usual suspects

I’m pretty sure it will be Fitzpatrick’s fault if things don’t go well.

Not really. You only have to look at the Cas forum to see how they rate him. He’s a good player, 28, battering ram workhorse type forward which we lack. I’d have him anyday over a Latu, Akauola, Jason Clark.

He’s an edge back rower, but not a particularly skilful and hasn’t really stood out from a distance as a destructive ball carrier. He’s a bit of an average Joe, jack of all trades, good pro. He is essentially Jack Hughes, re-badged.

Did you look at the souths forum when jason clark was let go? They all rated him as well.

Dita

Can you seriously put Steve Anderson and Daryl 'Cosy' Powell in the same sentence??

The former was arguably the worst coach I've ever seen at Wire (although to give some balance, he was quite possibly under cash constraints. Matt Sturm came in on a 3 year deal and Lee Briers played fullback.....)

He’s a better 2nd row than Hughes I’d say, so he’d improve us and likely won’t cost huge money freeing up spend for elsewhere. That would free Hughes up to play at 13 where I think he would be better suited anyway...

If being better thank Hughes is the yardstick, then the market is overflowing. And if we’re signing him because he’s cheap, then Robson and Longstaff are being bumped back in the queue for a squad filler. Not inspiring at all

I would imagine this means that Jason Clark won't be getting a new contract and Holmes is his replacement. If Clark going and Holmes coming in gives us the money to give king the contract he wants then it could e a good move. From what I've seen Holmes is a more dynamic second row and a decent replacement in the squad.

This is a start if it's confirmed, there are more important signings to be made (Mamo and King are the 2 I'm thinking of as priorities here). We definitely need a new right centre, we could have 1 or 2 halfback spots to fill as well depending on whether Austin and widdop both leave. Could be a lot of changes going in to next season.

Longstaff is still young and has a fair bit of developing to do, I Like what I've seen of him, he tackles above his weight and doesnt shirk anything but he's very young and raw.

Robson I haven't seen anything in his limited showings to suggest he deserves the run on the team which he badly needs at his age. I think injuries/ suspensions are probably the only thing that will give him his chance.

Hmm did they? Or did they rate his loyalty and his service as a one club man? As someone who follows Rabbitohs I’m not sure there were many wanting him to stay.

Maybe the bar isn’t particularly high what with signing Latu and Akauola in recent years but for me it’s a solid signing for a squad player, similar to the Mulhern one.

Now the article links us with Ma’utia, I wouldn’t be happy with him as a starting centre.

Who if available would you sign at centre, Inglis won’t be here and possibly King so we going to need someone.

Just reading Casforum most are blaming Powell and saying he is in the ear of the players, only one says how do they not know the players have approached Powell. Looking and that it could just be that and they want to continue being coached by Powell. Either way I guess Powell will always be blamed.

I’d rather Mamo at centre than sign Ma’tautia.

Also someone mentioned Tom Davis the other day being a good winger. I believe there’s interest from us and he could sign.

Yeh Mamo on current form needs a new deal.

I’d play Oliver Homes left channel backrow and move Currie straight to 13 and give him the shirt.