Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu May 05, 2022 2:39 pm  

Agree with the above. The problem with any overseas signing is that you will be paying an inflated rate for them whatever the scenario due to the salary cap difference.

My question would be whether if you offered similar or better players already in SL the same amount, would they come across.

Walmsley is 10x the player Tetevano is, but I don't think we would have offered a player like him the same kind of money.

Likewise, I'm sure Bodene Thompson is on a reasonable salary, but there's plenty of decent squad props across SL who would be just as good for the same or less money.

If you're going for an overseas player, they simply have to be one of the best in their position in the whole league IMO.

On paper Sezer and to a lesser extent Austin were that when we signed them. I'm still hoping both will come good at some point.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu May 05, 2022 7:17 pm  

I agree I think Sezer and Austin have more in the their locker and should come good.
Not sure I agree that we need a top class player from overseas.
I would much rather see an up and coming on the fringes type of overseas signing wanting to make a name for himself.
Let him stay 2 years and get picked up by one of the NRL teams.
I also disagree about Donaldson.
It`s not his fault he`s playing 20 +games. It`s the poor form or injuries to the other squad members that means he keeps playing.
Whilst he is no world beater and doesn`t break the line.
He does know how to tackle and put his body on the line and gives it his all.
And he will be cheap!
With a better squad of players he will only play 6 or 7 games at most.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu May 05, 2022 7:26 pm  

So if we don't have Donaldson who fills in when a front line player can't stay fit or unsuspended.

Also whilst he is limited with the ball, he wins enough penalties when carrying to provide benefit to the team

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu May 05, 2022 7:31 pm  

The Eagle wrote:

So if we don't have Donaldson who fills in when a front line player can't stay fit or unsuspended.

Also whilst he is limited with the ball, he wins enough penalties when carrying to provide benefit to the team

People who say they don't want a player like Donaldson have never seriously given thought to managing a salary cap.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu May 05, 2022 8:06 pm  

I think that’s harsh on Donaldson tbf. While his yards per carry aren’t great he does win penalties and has a massive impact on the defensive effort and line speed, something Dwyer gets a lot of props for too. He’s a good squad filler and rarely puts a foot wrong or gets injured or banned for that matter.

He’d be the last of the regular list of ‘squad players’ likely to be released that I wanted to see go.

Maybe give him and O’Connor a 1 year extension and challenge O’Connor to take that spot. There’s some similarities in there as undersized 13s tho admittedly O’Connor may have a higher ceiling.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri May 06, 2022 7:31 am  

Donaldson has the heart of a lion and it's very rare he steps off the pitch having been one of our worst performers.
That said, questions need to be asked if we don't have young players capable of stepping up into that back row cover role. That we now have O'Connor hints at some improvement but then again, is he big enough? I sometimes worry that we spend an awful lot of time developing players lacking one of the base attributes for their roles, whether that be size, speed, toughness or stamina. The only way to escape the salary cap trap (which, let's face it, isn't high enough to buy in a competitive squad) is to produce quality youngsters. And we can only do that by attracting proper athletes. A big heart on its own simply won't cut the mustard at the top level of the modern game.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri May 06, 2022 10:24 am  

Let's be honest, the state of RL / SL is not fantastic. Battered by COVID, crippled by infighting, hamstrung by concerns over player wellbeing. And all the while the "traditional" working-class support base is changing.

We have significant challenges, not all of our own making as above... I still believe we need some kind of takeover/merger with NRL to be honest, and/or that UK clubs might need a closer partnership with an NRL sister club... the difficulty is in getting the Australians to have any concern for the worldwide game beyond their domestic interests.

Commercially the game is on its bum, and with a weak Leeds that's not helping anyone. Without action to address this, I can only see the gap widening between SL and NRL; too big a gap makes us into a feeder competition and denies us the chance to see real start marquee players over here... anyway! Not all doom and gloom but I haven't enjoyed the last couple of seasons much TBH.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri May 06, 2022 11:27 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

Let's be honest, the state of RL / SL is not fantastic. Battered by COVID, crippled by infighting, hamstrung by concerns over player wellbeing. And all the while the "traditional" working-class support base is changing.

We have significant challenges, not all of our own making as above... I still believe we need some kind of takeover/merger with NRL to be honest, and/or that UK clubs might need a closer partnership with an NRL sister club... the difficulty is in getting the Australians to have any concern for the worldwide game beyond their domestic interests.

Commercially the game is on its bum, and with a weak Leeds that's not helping anyone. Without action to address this, I can only see the gap widening between SL and NRL; too big a gap makes us into a feeder competition and denies us the chance to see real start marquee players over here... anyway! Not all doom and gloom but I haven't enjoyed the last couple of seasons much TBH.

Agree, if we don't act soon to change things we will lose shed loads of talent to the NRL when they (even our top earners) can earn 3 times as much over there.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri May 06, 2022 4:12 pm  

The age old problem is salary cap and the gap keeps getting wider. It’s no use thinking we can get ARL superstars. What we might get is end of career superstars and that’s a very big gamble or someone from the NSW/ Queensland Cup comp that wants to make a name to get an ARL contract. Again a gamble on two counts 1 they excel and we lose them after 1 o 2 years or 2 they don’t cut the mustard. Add the big problem of bringing through a really good kid like Newman or Gannon and being able to keep them. I think the latter might well be our biggest problem over here.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Sat May 07, 2022 10:13 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

You can add Donaldson to that list. He works hard but has no impact with the ball and we have oodles of second rowers.

No impact with the ball? He runs harder than most of the forwards we have and gets 1/2 penalties a game from players trying to take his head off.