Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Sat Oct 10, 2020 10:49 am  

Lprhino wrote:

If he was prepared to come over then I think he would be a great signing. Replacement for Cuthbo and gives mik, Ava, Tommy H and Taupau in the front row with prior and Smith at 13.

It's that x4 prop lineup of Mik, Ava, Tommy plus another proper thing like Taupau that I think we have been missing for quite some time now. We need a front row at Leeds that demands respect, and we haven't had that since McDermott, Kylie and Peacock were running around.

Props are the foundation of your side.

Someone like Taupau would fit the bill, but it doesn't even have to be him, there are plenty of good prospects particularly in the NRL. I do think we need one more first grade quality player in this position. Mik has been carrying the pack this year and frankly that's a bit embarrassing, shouldn't be happening and if we get some real support around him, we are going to cause other teams all sorts of problems. If we want to be the best team in the country again, we would do worse than building the best pack.

Our back row I'm less concerned about, Martin, Donaldson, Mellor, Smith, Prior, O'Connor, Edwards, Muizz, Walters - and there are others too - even Ward might yet come back in who knows. But we have tons of talent coming through here, so I wouldn't bother signing anyone else unless they were world-class. I honestly can see Walters and Edwards being the England second row within 3-4 years - that is a cracking combination in prospect with those two alone. People who haven't seen Edwards yet will be surprised at how good he is at his age IMO. Rare to see such an all-round game in someone his age.

We need another half or two over the next few years, but again not urgent unless the right player became available and we were willing/able to swap out Lui (who has been alright for me).

With Tindall showing some ability, and Handley going so well, again I'm not fussed about wing. Centres are fine as long as Konnie stays and Harry recovers - I'm still having fingers tightly crossed that Broadbent will make the cut but he does need to improve physically.

I honestly think we will be back there or thereabouts within another 1-2 years, the squad is coming together very nicely all of a sudden. We just need some magic dust to inspire the young lads and set some standards and we're golden.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Sat Oct 10, 2020 11:44 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

It's that x4 prop lineup of Mik, Ava, Tommy plus another proper thing like Taupau that I think we have been missing for quite some time now. We need a front row at Leeds that demands respect, and we haven't had that since McDermott, Kylie and Peacock were running around.

Props are the foundation of your side.

Someone like Taupau would fit the bill, but it doesn't even have to be him, there are plenty of good prospects particularly in the NRL. I do think we need one more first grade quality player in this position. Mik has been carrying the pack this year and frankly that's a bit embarrassing, shouldn't be happening and if we get some real support around him, we are going to cause other teams all sorts of problems. If we want to be the best team in the country again, we would do worse than building the best pack.

Our back row I'm less concerned about, Martin, Donaldson, Mellor, Smith, Prior, O'Connor, Edwards, Muizz, Walters - and there are others too - even Ward might yet come back in who knows. But we have tons of talent coming through here, so I wouldn't bother signing anyone else unless they were world-class. I honestly can see Walters and Edwards being the England second row within 3-4 years - that is a cracking combination in prospect with those two alone. People who haven't seen Edwards yet will be surprised at how good he is at his age IMO. Rare to see such an all-round game in someone his age.

We need another half or two over the next few years, but again not urgent unless the right player became available and we were willing/able to swap out Lui (who has been alright for me).

With Tindall showing some ability, and Handley going so well, again I'm not fussed about wing. Centres are fine as long as Konnie stays and Harry recovers - I'm still having fingers tightly crossed that Broadbent will make the cut but he does need to improve physically.

I honestly think we will be back there or thereabouts within another 1-2 years, the squad is coming together very nicely all of a sudden. We just need some magic dust to inspire the young lads and set some standards and we're golden.

Totally agree on the x4 props. Saints dominate on the back of the pack and getting quick PTB. I like the idea of that 4 if Taupau came, Ava and Mik starting and then TommyH and Taupau coming on. Most teams dip a little when they rotate big men but with that kind of 4 you could argue when you make changes you up the aggression and power. We then have prior and Smith options at 13 depending on the game plan, Smith being a bit more ball player than prior.

I don’t know a huge amount about Edwards but if we can get a solid set of 4 for the 11 and 12 shirts then we have a decent pack with good options.

As with most sides it comes down to halfbacks, we look such a better side with Gale and he makes such a difference to how we play. Hopefully when we do change halfbacks we take on board the need for that game controller and make an appropriate signing.

Others know a lot more academy players but we don’t seem to have many halfbacks come through and look potential first team. Do we have anybody reasonable who could step up over the coming years bar Callum M?

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Sat Oct 10, 2020 12:27 pm  

Lprhino wrote:

Totally agree on the x4 props. Saints dominate on the back of the pack and getting quick PTB. I like the idea of that 4 if Taupau came, Ava and Mik starting and then TommyH and Taupau coming on. Most teams dip a little when they rotate big men but with that kind of 4 you could argue when you make changes you up the aggression and power. We then have prior and Smith options at 13 depending on the game plan, Smith being a bit more ball player than prior.

I don’t know a huge amount about Edwards but if we can get a solid set of 4 for the 11 and 12 shirts then we have a decent pack with good options.

As with most sides it comes down to halfbacks, we look such a better side with Gale and he makes such a difference to how we play. Hopefully when we do change halfbacks we take on board the need for that game controller and make an appropriate signing.

Others know a lot more academy players but we don’t seem to have many halfbacks come through and look potential first team. Do we have anybody reasonable who could step up over the coming years bar Callum M?

Theres Jonah Parsons who's a 9 or 7, but for me, he's much better at 9, theres Alfie Edgell who's a 1 or 6, but again, probably better at 1, theres Oli Field, who's a very classy 6, but growing so big he might end up a backrow, started to play a bit there before lockdown. Then theres Kevs lad, Jack Sinfield, he looks an extremely good 6, but he's only a first year scholorship player this season (If they'd played) so still very young.

On the backrow, for all the praise Edwards rightfully gets, Morgan Gannon isnt too far behind, he's another very, very good backrow prospect in the same age group, in the same Siddal team, as Edwards. Agar mentioned them both in a recent press conference.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Sat Oct 10, 2020 12:39 pm  

Where have people seen the link with taupau?I cant find anything.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Sat Oct 10, 2020 4:02 pm  

bdrhino wrote:

Where have people seen the link with taupau?I cant find anything.

There is no link/rumour....it was just a tweet from his Mrs who is leaving her admin post at the NRL and she was asked something along the lines of you can get a job in the back room team at Leeds and bring your Hubbie at the same time

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Sat Oct 10, 2020 5:09 pm  

cheekydiddles wrote:

There is no link/rumour....it was just a tweet from his Mrs who is leaving her admin post at the NRL and she was asked something along the lines of you can get a job in the back room team at Leeds and bring your Hubbie at the same time

Cheers mate. Total crap then.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Sun Oct 11, 2020 9:00 am  

Yep there wasn’t anything in Taupau but the point remains, I’d say he is the kind of player that would turn our pack into something formidable.

I just don’t think we’re far off where we need to be now. We will lose form again and questions will get asked but from where we were to where we are, massive progress.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Sun Oct 11, 2020 5:28 pm  

You can't sign players like Taupau anymore. Better to put our faith in out youngsters...

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Sun Oct 11, 2020 6:16 pm  

I appreciate that post lockdown his stock may have fallen, but who had heard of ava before we signed him? We dont need to break the bank we need to buy smart.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V3 : Mon Oct 12, 2020 5:23 am  

Sean Long as assistant coach - please someone tell me this isn’t real.