Not only didn’t that spine play against Dews and London, I am talking about the additions of Tyere and Jewitt, and Cook, are you seriously saying that we are not in a better place than we were in January.
I think we were outplayed by London and bullied by Dewsbury, not sure playing "the spine" would have greatly affected the outcome of either game tbh. I think we have re signed some key players which is great and I am happy with Cook and Jewitt over two of the four forwards that have left, but compared to last January we are light on bodies, especially in the pack, so no, I don't think we are in a better place right now. That is not to say we won't be by the time the season comes around, recruitment permitting.
The spine wasn’t the problem last year when we had field position in games it was there for all to see how good it could be but the problem was as soon as we played anyone higher midtable onwards we got over run and probably would of for the rest of the season.
3 out the 4 props have moved on and if you count clough the props that have come in, in my eyes are much more battle hardened and aggressive. With sheens and the pull he has I’m sure we will bring more in of a similar standard and if not better. His record for signings so far with us is smith, Tomkins, Dwyer, Tyrer, cook, Jewitt and looks like clough now too that’s not a bad strike rate I’m pretty confident come the starting line we will be in really good shape to be competing for that 5 and be overall much improved.
Are we in for Clough then? I did see Hudds let him go and I thought it’s a perfect opportunity for us to bring in a SL experiences prop.
People do need to be realistic. People are saying we are building well for the championship, we are, but for this years comp but not for the future. The players we are signing, and some of the ones we are re-signing are not the youngest. We are hardly building for the future with the present squad but I fear that it will be this way every year whilst we are in the championship, and that is what people need to realise. Any player that has a good season is likely to be snapped up by another club so we have to start again.
The props issue is a massive one and has been for a while, the ones we had weren't good enough. We have brought in two so far but they are not the youngest of players, and Jewitt has had injury issues. Its a long season and with a squad that's a bit long in the tooth we are going to struggle. I hope to be proved wrong. Up the Vikings!
I am afraid I have to agree - They have done great work on and off the field for this club and this community but got bullied around the field by too many of the Championship packs. As for breaking tackles, I have to agree aswell - but in the three seasons I have watched Sam WILDE I have seen him break 2 tackles - and that is not an exaggeration! I am not particularly concerned he has not been reatined, but I do think we need some back up now in that position for Grady.
ETR
People do need to be realistic. People are saying we are building well for the championship, we are, but for this years comp but not for the future. The players we are signing, and some of the ones we are re-signing are not the youngest. We are hardly building for the future with the present squad but I fear that it will be this way every year whilst we are in the championship, and that is what people need to realise. Any player that has a good season is likely to be snapped up by another club so we have to start again. The props issue is a massive one and has been for a while, the ones we had weren’t good enough. We have brought in two so far but they are not the youngest of players, and Jewitt has had injury issues. Its a long season and with a squad that’s a bit long in the tooth we are going to struggle. I hope to be proved wrong. Up the Vikings!
But your point about building for the future was tried and failed massively. We need an experienced squad and that's what TS is doing. Nearly all the old school have now gone so expect to see a more hungry squad instead of just turning up.
Why are people panicking about squad numbers ? The season start is still a long way off.
It is not unrealistic to suggest that we are one of the top teams in the Championship, with a reasonable chance of a play-off position. Whether promotion to SL is realistic is another matter, but that must be the aim.
As some have suggested, perhaps the priority should be to get the finances of the club in a good position after the disaster of Administration. It would be no good going into SL if we could not compete and were getting beaten week in week out and simply fighting to avoid relegation.
I also agree that it may be better to be a top 5 Championship team for the time being, until the SL expansion dream and the TWP fiasco are sorted out one way or the other.
Cryptic comment MG!
In eresting that a couple of old boys, Gil Dudson and Wellington Albert have no offers for next year, nor has Junior Moors.
Moors isn't so junior now, mid thirties. Welly and Gil on PT contracts ?
Cryptic comment MG! In eresting that a couple of old boys, Gil Dudson and Wellington Albert have no offers for next year, nor has Junior Moors. Moors isn’t so junior now, mid thirties. Welly and Gil on PT contracts ?
When Dudson moved to Salford he slimmed down and seemed to be playing really well for them.
Don't know why he is out of favour now.
I thought Dodson had signed for Catalan for next year?
can see Albert staying at Fev
Dudson has signed for Catalans.
Looking ahead I just wonder what response we would get if TWP under a new sponsor/owner, independently financed, proceded to sign up top players from SL and/or NRL, taking the SL by storm.
The short sighted grab to reduce the cash split to GB clubs advantage could backfire.
But in a salary cap sport, how can they do that? They were maxed up to the cap with the squad they had, and they had Sonny Bill. Doesn't get much bigger than that.