He's got at least one season to get Saints to Hudds level, barring a lucky cup win he won't be lifting silver wear soon.

I honestly don't know why he's left Hudds, unless its a big pay rise.

Don't think anyone can argue that manu is one if the best backrow forwards in sl, easily in the top 5. Luckily we have replaced him with one of the best backrow forwards in the world.

Did you read what I said? I said currently the leagues best S/R, which he is.

Saints have made 5 grand finals in a row, we won one playoff game. We still have a team to buikd and prove ourselves. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Saints over the past couple of years have perhaps taken their eye off the ball when it comes to the playing side of things and everything had been focussed on getting the stadium in place - without it the future was bleak. Now that is in place and the finances start improving the club will start to move forward again in a playing sense. I've seen it mentioned on here that Saints are a club on the slide, when the truth in actual fact is very different.

For any coach the chance of the Saints job is attractive but when you factor in the way thngs off field have been turned around and the work teh club is doing with the younger kids it's not as strange a decision to move there from Hudds as you may think.

Quote ="PAUL M"Saints have made 5 grand finals in a row, we won one playoff game. We still have a team to buikd and prove ourselves. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.'" Bang on the money Paul, See this. www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... story.html

Quote ="PAUL M"Saints have made 5 grand finals in a row, we won one playoff game. We still have a team to buikd and prove ourselves. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.'" Bang on the money Paul, See this. www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... story.html

Quote ="east hull FC fan"You think Manu is better than Hock or Westwood?'" Yep both www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2012 www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2012

Quote ="east hull FC fan"You think Manu is better than Hock or Westwood?'" Yep both www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2012 www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2012

dont let facts cloud the issue of what a blow this is to our club.
Obviously some peoples natural reaction is to downplay a players worth and ability when they decide to leave the club, happens every time.

So saints aren't spending the cap? If they aren't fair enough, if they are your talking .

IF having the choice of re-signing Manu, or a good 6, IMHO, a priority for the balance of the team,is that we need a good 6.

Your opinion is based on stats? He's not the best back rower in SL. One of them though. Just glad we've potentially replaced with one of the best in the world then eh?

I don't believe we are up to the cap but can't be sure. But what I say isn't all finance related. It's to do with appointments and signings made, not all have been great and when I say there's been an eye taken off the ball it's that I refer to. Without the ground there was far too much uncertainty and this affected many things, who we could attract being one of them.

I'm not looking to sugar coar anything or prove anything, just telling it as it is really. You'll know now that with your club under the right guidance you are better placed to achieve, same with us now. We're in a better position to move forward.

And lost all 5. Bottlers.

Oh for goodness sake.

Nobody is playing down his ability, and pretty much everyone would rather he'd have stayed. I'd argue that it's not a 'blow' to the club as that implies some kind of semi-disaster, which IMO is overplaying it more than a tad.

If you're fond of facts, how about the fact that having him in the side has won us nowt since 2005 whereas other teams without him in the side have won stuff? It's not all about one player, no matter how good they are.

No one is disagreeing with you that we need a top quality 6. But that is just clouding the issue, we need quality in every position.
McRae is quoted as 'pushing the boat out' to try and hold on to Willi so i think they value him quite highly and would also see him leaving like the majority of us a massive blow to our plans.

Saints even though (apparently) 'we are on the decline' is still one of the top jobs in this league. It's a big call to say that you will win a trophy before us IMO; don't get too far ahead of yourselves (no offence intended).

IF we have signed Manu then great, he's the sort of player we need to rebuild the team and by the sounds of it he won't be the last signing that we make...

I agree, while its disappointing to lose Manu we have signed a true world class back rower in Gareth Ellis, if as rumoured Mckinnon is leaving at the end of the season i would expect Horne to move to full back, leaving us needing to strengthen in the props,right centre and a top quality stand off, if we do this in these areas i believe it will put us in a far better position to challenge for honours.

If I could have any backrower in SL I'd pick Westwood.

Quote ="Marfa Manu"Yep both www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2012 www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2012'" Only idiots base their opinions wholly on stats.

Quote ="Marfa Manu"Yep both www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2012 www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2012'" Only idiots base their opinions wholly on stats.

Quote ="weaver93"Bang on the money Paul, See this. www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... story.html'" Should have gone there two years ago, just think about all the trophies.he would now. I stand by my statement that we will win a much if not more than saints while Manu is there,

Quote ="weaver93"Bang on the money Paul, See this. www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... story.html'" Should have gone there two years ago, just think about all the trophies.he would now. I stand by my statement that we will win a much if not more than saints while Manu is there,

So we fight off pretty much every club in SL to sign Ellis and everyone on here is convinced money was not the deciding factor.

Manu leaves to go to Saints and the only possible explanation is money.

Another RLfans classic.

What does that make us? Saints are nearer to trophies than us.

The fact Manu draws in 3/4 defenders at a time kind of tells the rest of the story...
I doubt Gentle and Bomber are idiots who based the fact they wanted to keep him purely on stats though

No insults please... but i do agree

Not currently IMO, our squad is as good as there's this season and hopefully better next year, out of here backs I only rate Makinson, rest ar average IMO.