Re: IN 2022 | David Fusitu’a - Expires: 2023 : Mon Nov 15, 2021 1:59 pm  

mattsrhinos1978 wrote:

Nothing wrong with comparing with Saints imo, they're the standard, excellent team that we need to try to compete with.

They were head and shoulders above us last season, dosnt mean they will be next. Looking at our team from that playoff loss to what it will look like next season...Theres a huge difference in quality.

Fusitua in at wing, L Briscoe out...Huge upgrade

L Suttcliffe in at centre, T Briscoe out...Upgrade

Sezer + Austin/Gale in at halfbacks...Leeming + Lui out...Huge upgrade

Bentley in at 2nd row, Donaldson out...Big upgrade

Leeming in at 9, Dwyer out...Big upgrade

Knock on effect is players who started that game are now bench and squad options, strengthening those areas aswel.

I thought we played like we lacked belief we could win that playoff game, hopefully the influx in quality will adress that across the squad.

Saints are the team to beat and have also improved and signed well for next season, they will rightly start as favorites, but, on paper we'v closed the gap imo. With a bit of luck in our favour and a bit of bad luck in theres, it could be enough, who knows.

Seen on the club website we were advertising the Strength+conditioning role, we need to get that hire right aswel.

This is how I see it - Leeds will be very dangerous indeed next year and there are a number of (important) players in the Saints pack who are now in decline.

Saints have work to do beyond 2022 in the pack, particularly in the front row.

Re: IN 2022 | David Fusitu’a - Expires: 2023 : Mon Nov 15, 2021 2:04 pm  

TheWarringtonWolve69 wrote:

Oledzki is so overrated it’s funny.

The other 2 are squad fillers.

Saints may not win SL next season or the season after but there is no chance that Leeds will.

Oledzki would be Wire's best prop option for 2022 if he was there.

Re: IN 2022 | David Fusitu’a - Expires: 2023 : Mon Nov 15, 2021 3:05 pm  

Bit disappointed (but not surprised) Fusitu'a won't be arriving until mid-December at the earliest. Let's hope it's not too long beyond that.

I still think we'll miss that extra big body down the middle next season, especially when we pick up injuries again. I think Fusitu'a was an opportunist signing - probably not the sort of player most SL sides can afford these days, but heavily subsidised by the Warriors in this instance. The side does have a more potent look about it with him on the team sheet. In theory.

I'd like to see us announce a new long-term deal for Newman. We're about to start pre-season and still don't have our first choice 2 and 4 available but it's a million miles better state than the same time last year.

There are two benchmarks this side is battling against. One is the current Saints side, who are very good still. The other is the Golden Generation Leeds team - hopefully this group will emerge from both shadows over the next 2-3 years.

Re: IN 2022 | David Fusitu’a - Expires: 2023 : Tue Nov 16, 2021 9:22 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

Bit disappointed (but not surprised) Fusitu'a won't be arriving until mid-December at the earliest. Let's hope it's not too long beyond that.

I still think we'll miss that extra big body down the middle next season, especially when we pick up injuries again. I think Fusitu'a was an opportunist signing - probably not the sort of player most SL sides can afford these days, but heavily subsidised by the Warriors in this instance. The side does have a more potent look about it with him on the team sheet. In theory.

I'd like to see us announce a new long-term deal for Newman. We're about to start pre-season and still don't have our first choice 2 and 4 available but it's a million miles better state than the same time last year.

There are two benchmarks this side is battling against. One is the current Saints side, who are very good still. The other is the Golden Generation Leeds team - hopefully this group will emerge from both shadows over the next 2-3 years.

As long as Fusitu’a is here a month before the start of the season I have no concerns. No doubt about it he was an opportunist signing, we were on the look out for a prop, no players of a suitable quality were out there, Fusitu’a improves the side and is the sort of player who very rarely becomes available.

If we do get injuries at prop we’ll be using Thompson and Mustapha or we could make a mid season signing if needed with the salary cap space freed up with Gale’s departure.

Re: IN 2022 | David Fusitu’a - Expires: 2023 : Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:11 am  

Sir Kevin Sinfield wrote:

As long as Fusitu’a is here a month before the start of the season I have no concerns. No doubt about it he was an opportunist signing, we were on the look out for a prop, no players of a suitable quality were out there, Fusitu’a improves the side and is the sort of player who very rarely becomes available.

If we do get injuries at prop we’ll be using Thompson and Mustapha or we could make a mid season signing if needed with the salary cap space freed up with Gale’s departure.

Mustapha's an interesting one for me. With King's departure, Thompson's age and our failure to secure another prop in the off-season, he becomes more relevant to retain at Leeds.

You might think he'd be a candidate to farm out to a Championship side but it looks like we'll need him. Maybe a short-term loan deal,

He showed up well for HKR at the end of last season.

Also interesting is that Cats have signed or been linked with several NRL players, but haven't announced Napa yet. I just wonder whether we are in for him and trying to make it work at the last minute. Personally I'm not sure about him but... would he improve our pack? Probably.

Re: IN 2022 | David Fusitu’a - Expires: 2023 : Tue Nov 16, 2021 11:43 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

Mustapha's an interesting one for me. With King's departure, Thompson's age and our failure to secure another prop in the off-season, he becomes more relevant to retain at Leeds.

You might think he'd be a candidate to farm out to a Championship side but it looks like we'll need him. Maybe a short-term loan deal,

He showed up well for HKR at the end of last season.

Is there any understanding of why Hull KR didn't want to keep him on? As you say he did appear to be doing well for them but still they decided not to retain him.

Re: IN 2022 | David Fusitu’a - Expires: 2023 : Tue Nov 16, 2021 12:17 pm  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

Is there any understanding of why Hull KR didn't want to keep him on? As you say he did appear to be doing well for them but still they decided not to retain him.

I remember reading that Tony Smith said that he was sorry to be letting him go and really liked him

Re: IN 2022 | David Fusitu’a - Expires: 2023 : Tue Nov 16, 2021 1:14 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Also interesting is that Cats have signed or been linked with several NRL players, but haven't announced Napa yet. I just wonder whether we are in for him and trying to make it work at the last minute. Personally I'm not sure about him but... would he improve our pack? Probably.

We’d have to let an overseas player go, presumably Thompson, but Napa, a state of origin regular would certainly improve our squad.

Re: IN 2022 | David Fusitu’a - Expires: 2023 : Tue Nov 16, 2021 3:49 pm  

I'd be happy to lose Thompson if we coukd get Napa

Re: IN 2022 | David Fusitu’a - Expires: 2023 : Tue Nov 16, 2021 11:14 pm  

Emagdnim13 wrote:

I'd be happy to lose Thompson if we coukd get Napa

I doubt no one on here would disagree.