I think we have done well with our overseas signings, it's just props that seem to have been a problem. I think we've had an obsession with NRL props for ages and I'm not convinced they are the magic bullet some seem to suggest, certainly not the 30 + reputation ones.

Pound for pound Duncan McGilveray was the best we ever signed in my time and he had no rep whatsoever, even his mum had never heard of him

Poor for me never let the club down and certainly had a presence on the field.
I'm still if the opinion you need amix it up man in the front row. Our pack lacks out and out aggression.

I wouldn't call it a lack of aggression, I'd call it a lack of players who play it tough and just get stuck in, the ones who gove you real momentum. They don't need to be especially big or skilful or from the NRL. There are plenty of those about in the UK and Australian game that don't cost the earth. Personally, I'd go British.

Battye though is one of the best examples I've seen for a while, head down, go forward, tackle hard and get up as soon as you're knocked down, easy really.

Duncan McGillivray was immense. Think he was playing in France when he was linked with Salford but didn't he have a relative already at Wakefield so we got the heads up and pinched him. Love watching the 2004 games.

Sid Domics brother inlaw

I keep hearing that we are better buying British but if you had unlimited funds which British prop would you buy?
Apart from Walmsley and maybe Watts, there is no one that stands out above the others like Fifita does at his best. Lots of tough hard workers but no big blocksters.

Sid Domic now your talking .One of the best I have seen at Wakefield ,though played a lot at loose forward for Wires

Him and Solomona down that left edge were dynamite.

Solomona was possibly THE most skillful forward that I have ever seen.
On his day, just unplayable.

Anyone got a time machine ?

Same here. Can you imagine TJ outside those two.

Solomona is hands down the best forward I’ve seen in my time at wakey, was even a kiwi international with us too and saw him dunk fielden in that tri nations like he was an 11 year old. TJ outside them two would been unreal

Solomona was fantastic for us, but did you see Bill Ashurst play? He had the ball handling skills, could kick from hand and he could dish it out when required (sometimes when not needed

)

I've got the FOX Rugby League channel and they are currently showing Roosters v Newcastle from 2000 and Solomona is out there for the Roosters and is showing some lovely touches. Pure class. Also playing for the Roosters is Dallas Hood.

The channel is showing retro games from 1980's, 90's and 00's. This week I've seen the previously mentioned Justin Poore for St George, Steve Georgalis and Andrew Leeds for Wests Magpies, Tinirau Arona for the Roosters, Duncan McGillivray for South Sydney, Wally and Brent Todd for Gold Coast Seagulls., Todd got sent off in the first minute.

, and Julian O'Niell for the Broncos. Also spotted was former coach Rowan Brennan playing for Queensland in a State of Origin and Adrian Brunker . Good fun trying to spot a former Wakey man.

Forgot about Dallas, another good forward and another nice bloke but I’m a bit biased cos he coached Jordan and his All Blacks side on cold dark week nights bless him

That wasn’t the question. Of course there are lots more and lots better props in the NRL and with an unlimited budget crikey you wouldn’t know where to begin.

Sadly not many if any of those are heading to SL these days. I hate to say dregs because they won’t all be but some are. Hence the British angle because at that level there is no difference.

It was exactly the question. If we are going to buy British. Who would you buy?

Unfortunately, before my time watching Trinity.

PT I think you are both talking about different things.

I think Vasty is on about players lurking around in the shadows, Championship players looking for a chance or Academy players who for whatever reason aren't going to make it at their parent club but still have the ambition. He might know who those players are, I don't but they do exist.

What you are on about is whether there are any SL or established Championship props kicking about with a similar rep to the available NRL ones?

To answer your question, probably not.

The argument for me is whether you go down the homegrown route and take a punt on that type of player or you go down the NRL route and take what in my opinion is just as bigger risk and sign one of them?

Take your pick on that one.

I have some knowledge of the Aussie game through some friendships I've made and one of those recently explained to me why SL was no longer of any interest to most Aussie players, so if you're interested here goes.

Firstly there are two types of NRL player. Those who are Australian born and raised, they can be white or black or purple but they are true blue Aussies. Just like there British counterparts most have no wish to move and would rather stay local to where they were born. They don't mind a commute if needs be but to move to a grey island 12,000 miles away, err no.

This mentality has been further compounded by the growing disparity between the two comps. SL is poor the NRL is bigger and far richer, the contracts they now offer to most players are big enough to make a move to the UK unattractive, which didn't use to be the case. Ditto NRL squad sizes have also increased in recent years leaving even fewer quality players floating about, I mean 20 years ago it was a buffet now it's petrol station sandwich.

So with the odd exception that leaves the other group. These are mainly people of Samoan, Tongan and Cook Island descent. Many moved to Australia/NZ as kids but are still effectively still immigrants. So moving from Aus to the UK is not such a biggy for them. However! Most of these players are very good and thus have no problem getting NRL deals. Meaning they remain closer to loved ones etc etc. All the same, it's this group of players that offers the best pickings but it's now a very small pond indeed.

Not saying there are none but I do believe that unless you pay really big money the quality left is now not significantly higher than those British players in the Championship and the SL margins.

So for me, I'd bite Battye type players hand off rather than take the gamble on a 30-year-old NRL squad player, wouldn't you?

Can't agree with you on that one. He may have been a good player when he played but not for us, I don't doubt he was a nice chap but he spent more time selling shirts rather than playing. I didn't know him so I'll bow to your greater knowledge but to me he was the epitome of the vacationing Aussie and he wasn't cheap either.

Ashurst your talking about a player again ,He could and did win a game on his own .I went down in all weather just to watch him.

Really good post.
Thanks for explain the first bit.

The NRL analysis is bang on.
And yes, I'd always take a Battye.

Interview with Battye in today's League Express saying that he wants to get back in Super League ideally with London but if they don't get the nod next month "if the chance to move came around, I'd have to look at it". To me that says he is hedging his bets and if London don't get in then he may come back to us ???





The paper also mentions that Gavet from Shudds is being offered to other clubs and Mitch Clark is also no longer wanted by Wiggin, so there are a couple of options there and we are one of four clubs allegedly talking to Patten along with Salford, Toulouse and York !!

Well in a fair and equitable world it should be London. Luckily for us on this occasion, it isn't, so welcome aboard Mr Battye.

Unfortunately for us I don`t think it will be as easy as that, Battye is a decent player at SL level and it hasn`t gone unnoticed by other SL clubs especially when there are a lot of clubs severely lacking in middles at the moment.

Not sure I agree. He's not top club material, let's not get carried away. There may be others interested but they will be clubs like us offering similar deals. Eddie is no fool by the looks of it, he knows he's already won the Wakefield fans, players and coaches over, why risk it.