[Frosties.]

Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jan 20, 2022 10:36 pm  

As you were.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Jan 21, 2022 7:52 am  

Agree with Seth's comments on v3.0. We were looking mighty skinny with respect to actual props before Holroyd got injured, and it was only a matter of time before one of them became unavailable. In a completely normal season prop you'd expect to have one prop unavailable at any point in time through injury.

What worries me is how light our bench might be. Most of the time Agar maxes out with two props on the bench even when everyone's fit and often just one (nearly all games in 2020), so I'm not sure he'll be as worried as others. I just think its not a very good idea - most NRL sides generally have one light utility forward and three boppers on the bench for a reason, albeit often with a Thompson-esque prop/second row in the mix. Your bench hooker then covers the halves and you just muddle through with a second row elsewhere in the backs if one of the others gets injured.

As far as I'm aware only Agar has this obsession with 'middles'. The knock on effect is not having enough genuine props and having too many second rows in the squad. We've got Bentley, Gannon, Martin, Mellor, Donaldson and Walters fighting over two starting positions which means its likely two of them will be on the bench at any time and at least one of them will be expected to fill in as a prop at some stage.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Jan 21, 2022 9:12 am  

We offered King a new deal which he turned down.Konnie was offered a deal which he turned down.Both these were confirmed Agar. Martin signed his deal after both the above deals were turned down.We couldn't sign all three due to quota regulations.I never saw the logic in resigning Martin when we were already short of props but had plenty of second row options. I can only think there just wasnt the right prop out there to sign so Martin was offered a one year deal.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Jan 21, 2022 9:51 am  

Mustapha is a different player to King but for me could play a valuable role. Whilst not as powerful as King or as big, he has a better engine and a bit of pace when needed too. I thought he went really well for KR at the end of last season.

If we keep Thompson, Prior and Tet up front we're kind of OK for now, but I always worry they overplay Mik. Get a couple more injuries and that group and we're stuffed for go-forward in centre field.

Maybe one of the academy props is ready to do the odd 20 min stint for first grade this year.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Jan 21, 2022 10:17 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

Mustapha is a different player to King but for me could play a valuable role. Whilst not as powerful as King or as big, he has a better engine and a bit of pace when needed too. I thought he went really well for KR at the end of last season.

If we keep Thompson, Prior and Tet up front we're kind of OK for now, but I always worry they overplay Mik. Get a couple more injuries and that group and we're stuffed for go-forward in centre field.

Maybe one of the academy props is ready to do the odd 20 min stint for first grade this year.

Dont think theres any ready to be Honest jim, in the sense that they're actually knocking on the door because they're that good, playing them because theres nobody else is a different matter and may possibly happen at some point.

Joe Hird is a good player and seems to understand whats needed from a teams props, but think he needs some physical development before he's first team ready.

I know we havnt even started this one, but Really hope we replace Bodene with a big, natural NRL prop and re-sign Tyler Dupree for next season.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Jan 21, 2022 10:40 am  

Bad news about Holroyd injury. He seems to be a touch injury prone to me. Bit like JJB used to be early in his career.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Jan 21, 2022 11:18 am  

Holroyd Injury is unfortunate for him & team he had a horror pre season last year with Injury we are light at prop now definitely don't think we'll bring anyone in and rightly so if the quality isn't there to get at the moment. For round 1 hoping no more injuries I'd have a pack of

8.Oledzki
9. Leeming
10. Prior
11. Bentley
12. Martin
13. Smith

Subs
14. Dwyer
15. Mellor
16. Tetevano
17. Thompson

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Jan 21, 2022 11:58 am  

mattsrhinos1978 wrote:

Dont think theres any ready to be Honest jim, in the sense that they're actually knocking on the door because they're that good, playing them because theres nobody else is a different matter and may possibly happen at some point.

Joe Hird is a good player and seems to understand whats needed from a teams props, but think he needs some physical development before he's first team ready.

I know we havnt even started this one, but Really hope we replace Bodene with a big, natural NRL prop and re-sign Tyler Dupree for next season.

As ever the guru on youth development mate. I was honestly a bit surprised we let Tyler go in the first place, although of course we can't keep them all. Think there's a chance he could end up back at Leeds then?

He would probably be a great for what we need as cover right now...

Totally agree on the big, natural NRL-type prop. To be fair, signing one is easier said than done and I'm resigned to us not being able to sort this out properly until we have significant cap and quota available next season. We are going to have to make calls on players like Briscoe to make it happen though (of course he might play his way to another contract this year yet).

You would think we have targets in mind already.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Jan 21, 2022 12:48 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

As ever the guru on youth development mate. I was honestly a bit surprised we let Tyler go in the first place, although of course we can't keep them all. Think there's a chance he could end up back at Leeds then?

He would probably be a great for what we need as cover right now...

Totally agree on the big, natural NRL-type prop. To be fair, signing one is easier said than done and I'm resigned to us not being able to sort this out properly until we have significant cap and quota available next season. We are going to have to make calls on players like Briscoe to make it happen though (of course he might play his way to another contract this year yet).

You would think we have targets in mind already.

I was dissapointed when we let him go, but looking back, it was the best move for him. He's worked hard and got himself in much better condition, he's got regular game time, won championship young player of the year and earned himself a move to widnes...He really couldnt of done any more with the move.

He's on a 1 year deal at widnes, if he maintains his current trajectory, he'l be hot property for next season. He's a better player than Scurr at Bradford imo, and has a much higher ceiling than the likes of Matty English, again imo. Lads Tylers size dont generally move like he can. I would be shocked if we arnt keeping close tabs on him, good fed trained props are like golddust, if we had 3 of the best young ones, all with natural size and athletic, we'd be in great shape going forward.

Im coming across like his agent, but i do think he's going to be a good prop for a superleague team pretty soon, i hope its us.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Jan 21, 2022 1:35 pm  

mattsrhinos1978 wrote:

I was dissapointed when we let him go, but looking back, it was the best move for him. He's worked hard and got himself in much better condition, he's got regular game time, won championship young player of the year and earned himself a move to widnes...He really couldnt of done any more with the move.

He's on a 1 year deal at widnes, if he maintains his current trajectory, he'l be hot property for next season. He's a better player than Scurr at Bradford imo, and has a much higher ceiling than the likes of Matty English, again imo. Lads Tylers size dont generally move like he can. I would be shocked if we arnt keeping close tabs on him, good fed trained props are like golddust, if we had 3 of the best young ones, all with natural size and athletic, we'd be in great shape going forward.

Im coming across like his agent, but i do think he's going to be a good prop for a superleague team pretty soon, i hope its us.

Cheers bud. I don't recall him having a poor skill level or anything either, just a big athletic kid who's hard to handle. Agree re. Scurr and English too - the latter does have a really good engine and a little bit of James Graham about him almost.

I see Hird is named in the side for Bradford as per...