Looks like lockdown in some form or other will be with us for a long time yet. Major plus this coming season is that we have our core ready now and judging by their comments ready to start training asap. A fair amount of training could be done with distance maintained, certainly fitness etc.
TS will have time to get into tactics and his precious 'lines' which will be great for our youngsters. Teams like Storm and Saints have so many preset moves for situations that take an age to get spot on, now we might have that time.
Derek Beaumont was on GMR yesterday angling for a 4-team comp to include Leigh, on the not-reasonable basis that his players are desperate for the rugby. Not many takers for that it would appear!
It may a dumb question, but are Salford still being bankrolled by Marwan? As a supposedly community club they do all right, don't they?
They certainly seem to scrape by - wouldn't be surprised re Marwan though.
RFL likely to taper funds in the same frame as last year's final positions. It will be a long time before we have a league that we can depend on and actually knows where it wants to go!
Plenty of signing going on, could be a very competitive league next season. We will have a better balanced team so long as we finish our recruitment sensibly. I would just love a slick set of plays to be in our locker!
Clough confirmed, 3 youngish props replaced by 3 very experienced.
Need one more prop? Got Farmworth and O'Neil too.
Not seen much of O'Neill other than the Leigh game. Would he make a hooker? Looks as he can handle the physical side. Can't find any info re - weight, height etc.
We have got the three experienced props that we needed for 2021 and are on the plus side with quality and experience when comparing incoming players to those leaving, with a further 3-5 signings to come depending on what happens with Roby and Else.
I reckon Farnworth will be a regular although still young. He has the size and more aggression than the Chapelhows. I wonder if Sheens will give the opportunity for the younger players like Edge, Hatton and O'Neill to have a few games. Sheens will not be afraid to give young players a spin if he thinks they are good enough
With it reported that Sheens sees Lyons more of a full back rather than half back, maybe we will be looking for another half back, as well as a hooker, another prop and a good strong running second row.
It is looking like we will have a better squad in 2021 than this year, with a good mix of experience and younger players given the chance to establish themselves.
We need to sign 2 second rowers, Wild, Leuluai and Cooper have all left, we currently have Baker as loose forward and Grady/Dwyer as 2 second rowers. We don't have any one else in the squad as a specialist back rower.
Sheens obviously has more rugby knowledge in his left testicular than I have in my brain but I can’t fathom the logic of Lyons been a full back.
Most modern full backs are either speed freaks or exceptional ball runners, Lyons isn’t either. I distinctly remember, TS putting Atkins at full back at KR and it didn’t seem to work as Atkins isn’t really a “runner” and I can see many similarities between Lyons and Atkin.
Iirc TS explained it in his after match interview after our cup game. It was simply to allow Tompkins to take a break by shifting Owens to acting half/hooker. TS thought that Joe would get hammered in the pack. His comment was that they wouldn't get any change out of Jack.
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Iirc TS explained it in his after match interview after our cup game. It was simply to allow Tompkins to take a break by shifting Owens to acting half/hooker. TS thought that Joe would get hammered in the pack. His comment was that they wouldn’t get any change out of Jack.
That must be frustrating for Joe been played out of position just to accommodate other players etc. I will say this, Joe is a solid player, he’s had more “okay” games than bad games, however, how many “wow” games has he had were he completely took the opposition apart?
Tried to find that comment but no success, might have been at a supporters night. Joe might shine better behind a harder pack, not many halves go well behind one that isnt going forward.
In that Oldham game Joe's passing for our tries was excellent, but with Matty Smith in Joey will be learning but hopefully getting his chances.
Really pleased with the signings so far, but lots more to go. Also happy with the departures. Johnson is the 1 i would of liked to have kept, but other than that I think the rest where either due a change or just not good enough.
I can see Lyons being our first choice number 1 for 2021 and I also think O'Neil will be pushing to have 1 of the places vacated by Wilde and Leuluia.
Another big prop, a big wide running 2nd row, a 2nd hooker, a 3rd centre if Roby isnt staying. Plus a couple more.
DLM
Where do you see Jack Owens playing?
Where do you see Jack Owens playing?
Loose Forward
DLM
Lloyd Roby signs for 2021. I make that 20 signed now. I hope the signings to come will be second row / back row. We are very weak there depth wise.