If the club decided to go with a similar explosive player, at a good age and maybe in need of a change of scene, a Penrith player who travelled but didn’t play might be a shout in Dane Laurie. He has a 12 month deal at Penrith so we’d have to see how the year plays out.

It’s clear that if he goes or stays we need to know early as it’s critical we get the succession planning right.

We don’t have anyone in the 5/8th role that French plays waiting in the wings.

One thing the club did very well under IFL was manage the retention and replacement process very well and I’m sure that will continue to be the case.

In my opinion we pull out all the stops to retain him including going big financially if we need to, an offer he cannot refuse, but if he is set on a move home as others have said he will go with nothing but best wishes.

French stayed for 2023/4 to repay the club for the loyalty they showed him (a good salary mind)

In that time he’s delivered us a man of steel, the GF and written himself in the history books of the club last Saturday.

He goes with my blessing if that’s what happens, we’ve had his best years and hopefully another trophy before this year is out.

Part of me wonders whether Penrith might go for him. They'll need a replacement for Luai - may replace from within but French and Cleary sounds pretty good to me.

I have been thinking the same, they had a bloody good look at him on Sat

If he does go back I hope he gets a gig at a big club like Penrith and playing at 6 (or 1) and not as some sort of utility back up at Wests/St George etc. This rubbish that lads like him and Field can't handle it physically got shown up on Saturday. I watched that bloke in a bar podcast and they spoke about how surprised they were that KPP looked like he could cope with the pace of the friendly against Melbourne. These Aussies genuinely think these lads are coming from a pub league, regardless of how many Grahams, Batemans, Hodgsons or Burgess brothers turn up and show it isn't all that different if you're a good player at a big club over here.

Transfer news........Just heard from good authority that Wigan have put a bid in for St Helens trophy cabinet as apparently it's no longer in use

Cheeky!









I also heard we enquired about stocking St Helens bitter in the stadium bars but didnt have enough room for it

French will be fantastic in the NRL. No doubt about it for me. Manly need a new half. An argument could be made for West Tigers and and Canberra too. He will have plenty of admirers. The nonsense posts about him not handling the physicality is just that. He clearly wants the challenge of the NRL and he deserves it too. Showed us loyalty staying for a couple more seasons and winning every trophy available along with the Man of Steel. He goes down as one of the best overseas signings we've ever made for me.

Saw a few comments today from NRL supporters that French was not taken seriously over there due him being scragged around like a rag doll on impact and taken back ten yards and that it would likely happen again if he ever came back.

Mysteriously, that didn't happen last Saturday, but never mind. They've always had this gift of the short memory in the NRL.

But hey, suits us. Let him stay.

Playing on the wing is very different to stand off in terms of carrying the ball up from your own line.

It might if he's played on the wing as he was for most of the time in his last stint. In fairness, I also remember one instance when French was heavily criticised for only making a single carry for the whole game (he may have been struggling with injury from memory).

Could be a decent fit, you would want to pair him with a controlling half so it works perfect. I always thought French and Field wouldn’t return to the NRL unless there was some big issues at home and they took a back up utility back role as full back is so stacked over there but now French has moved into the halves I think he could get a starting gig, halves is looking a little weak over there currently.

Depends on what they (Field & French) want to do with their careers

a. Be small fish in a big pond but on very decent money
or
b. Be club legends and multiple cup/championship winners in an 'inferior' league on less money (albeit it still more than most can dream of earning) but with more medals to look back on when they retire

I know what I would pick and I wish them well when they go back to the NRL

As much as the NRL is awash with money and a salary cap three times higher than ours, I’m not sure they would get more money over there than here. There is an arrogance to these Aussie clubs that would likely think either should be happy enough with squad player money and a spot fighting for a match day 17 place. I’d hazard a guess both would need to take a pay cut to go back.

I get the impression not many in Australia are even aware that SL has a marquee player rule.

I would agree with you I would be amazed if either found a deal that comes anywhere near what they must be on now, sometimes the grass isn't greener on the other side.

I don’t think Field would due to the endless numbers of top class fullbacks they have over there and seem to be able to produce year in year out.

If French continues to go well in the 5/8th role they will pay big money as they are struggling for depth across the NRL in comparison with most other positions.

The Aussies salary cap continues to grow but the playing personnel remains similar = more money going to the same players.

It was ever thus. The more money there is, the more everyone wants. It's human nature.

It would be the same over here if we raised our own salary cap, though it might keep a few more players in the British game, instead of seeing them automatically head overseas (or to Union) for the bigger payday.

Talk of the NRL expanding by a club or two in the near future. Perth & Christchurch mentioned, so there is that. Let's hope so.

I've always wondered why they don't expand to Hobart in Tasmania

We should expand to Tasmania given that many of our countrymen resided there in the penal colony.

New sides mean more of our young players being targetted