Tom Burgess : Wed Oct 05, 2011 6:47 am  

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... r_Burgess/ For heavens sake get this kid signed long term. This is the second time he's publicly said he wants to stay and in the absence of a 'signing to whet the appetite' what could be better than signing 'England's future number 8'. Come on Bulls. This would be a massive boost and one in the eye for those saying we're a selling club.

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... r_Burgess/ For heavens sake get this kid signed long term. This is the second time he's publicly said he wants to stay and in the absence of a 'signing to whet the appetite' what could be better than signing 'England's future number 8'. Come on Bulls. This would be a massive boost and one in the eye for those saying we're a selling club.

Re: Tom Burgess : Wed Oct 05, 2011 6:55 am  

I agree, it does seem that Tom wants to try and break out from Sam's shadow and it's crazy that the club aren't offering him a long term deal.

However, I'm wondering if the club are keeping their powder dry over this issue. After all, do they want to offer him a deal just for him to say "i want to move to aus to be with my family" in 12 months?

Re: Tom Burgess : Wed Oct 05, 2011 6:59 am  

Roofaldo wrote:

I agree, it does seem that Tom wants to try and break out from Sam's shadow and it's crazy that the club aren't offering him a long term deal.

However, I'm wondering if the club are keeping their powder dry over this issue. After all, do they want to offer him a deal just for him to say "i want to move to aus to be with my family" in 12 months?

I would imagine any contract would have some sort of get out clause for the NRL?

Re: Tom Burgess : Wed Oct 05, 2011 7:11 am  

I think Tom is keeping his powder dry too, as hes seems to be saying that he wants to see how both he and the Bradford team goes next season, and if both are progressing then middle of next season he will get on with it. He has 20 SL games behind him with visible progress over those games and 2 tries, George on the other hand has been playing in the B team and he is supposed to be the better of the two. So maybe for Tom the prospect of 2nd team rugby in Aus is not as appealing. So imo the real danger is that he plays and progresses next season but the team doesn't, and he goes off to another SL or NRL team. So the next couple of signings are critical, a prop that can mentor Tom and bring his game on as well as the team, and a winger with strong defence as well as finishing.

Re: Tom Burgess : Wed Oct 05, 2011 7:50 am  

M@islebugs wrote:

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/9286511.It_s_Bradford_for_me__not_Sydney_says_Bulls_youngster_Burgess/

For heavens sake get this kid signed long term. This is the second time he's publicly said he wants to stay and in the absence of a 'signing to whet the appetite' what could be better than signing 'England's future number 8'.

Come on Bulls. This would be a massive boost and one in the eye for those saying we're a selling club.

Agree 100%

Get him signed long term asap, it wont be just NRL clubs interested in Tom being in his last year of his contract, every SL side with cash will be interested in offering him the opportunity to make a name for himself. Even if he does want to go to the NRL within the term of his next deal, we can still sign him up to a long term deal with NRL clauses, which would at least make it more expensive for Wire/Shudds/Wigan/Hull/leeds should they take an interest.

It would be a reletively simple way of sending out a really positive message about where the club hopes to be heading too after the departure of Lynch.

Re: Tom Burgess : Wed Oct 05, 2011 8:47 am  

Duckman wrote:

Agree 100%

Get him signed long term asap, it wont be just NRL clubs interested in Tom being in his last year of his contract, every SL side with cash will be interested in offering him the opportunity to make a name for himself.

thats the other point about a good year next year for the team, more money to ensure that any offer can at least be matched. But assuming the money is the same, he is going to go where he feels is the best environment for his own development, so Bradford have half a season to make it a one team decision for him. They do not want to overplay him, but from the Radio Leeds interview he played much more last season than he expected, so his expectations for the number of games he plays this coming season will be reasonable.

[Bulliac]

Re: Tom Burgess : Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:33 am  

martinwildbull wrote:

I think Tom is keeping his powder dry too, as hes seems to be saying that he wants to see how both he and the Bradford team goes next season, and if both are progressing then middle of next season he will get on with it. He has 20 SL games behind him with visible progress over those games and 2 tries, George on the other hand has been playing in the B team and he is supposed to be the better of the two. So maybe for Tom the prospect of 2nd team rugby in Aus is not as appealing. So imo the real danger is that he plays and progresses next season but the team doesn't, and he goes off to another SL or NRL team. So the next couple of signings are critical, a prop that can mentor Tom and bring his game on as well as the team, and a winger with strong defence as well as finishing.

Much to agree with.

With regard to who is the better between Tom and George, I would have said George at the start of the last season before he went to Aus, but since then Tom has come on in leaps and bounds since his introduction to SL, so right now, on the basis that it would be unlikely for both to have made a simultaneous massive improvement, I'd suspect Tom has the edge.

Personally I'd like to see him tied down at the Bulls. Not only does it show confidence from the club, if he were to get 'wanderlust' at a later stage we would have a greater chance of some 'compo'. A win-win, however you look at it.

Re: Tom Burgess : Wed Oct 05, 2011 11:01 am  

Tom has really answered his critics this year in my opinion. From watching both the twins last year it was clear that George was the player who was ready for the step up. In some ways George leaving may have been the catalyst for Tom to knuckle down and step out of the shadow of his siblings.

The club must do everything in their power to keep Tom at the club (that's if he wants to stay in England though).

Re: Tom Burgess : Wed Oct 05, 2011 12:01 pm  

just read my posts and realised that i have only focused on potential problems with getting him to resign, clearly I believe he is a key element of our pack for as long as we can keep him. Wherever they are it is clear from the Radio Leeds interview that they all keep up with each other all the time, at one point they commented that Tom was the only one to score that season, and one of them got a text from their mum to say George had just scored in the playoff game. So they are well aware of the progress Tom has made. So Bulliac I agree, I should have said George was rather than is the better, and he knows where to play to do a bit of catch-up.

Re: Tom Burgess : Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:24 pm  

Wouldn't care if he went to Sydney, a prop isn't a prop when he has no ball handling skills. Once burgess learns to pass, offload and not put together a short spell strewn with dropped balls then he can be considered a credible option. I'd have Langley as our 4th prop and bring in a new powerful front rower. Let burgess and crossely go to a lower division and get experience and game time.