Re: Kopczak, Elima..... : Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:25 am  

Bulliac wrote:

Peacock definitely said he wasn't looking to leave but felt "disrespected" by not getting, what he felt, was a rise commensurate with his standing in the game and then being told effectively to go forth and multiply [he claims put more succinctly] by then chairman Caisley. Not getting the rise was, I'm pretty sure, tied in very directly with the Harris signing.

Agree with most of the others; Ferres was one I would have liked to keep even though he never gave the impression he was going to play for England. We were out bid for Wardle from a club with no real success in their own academy. Bridge, say no more, as least said soonest mended. Cook never really showed 'top' quality at the Bulls, Higham was a ruse by us and Wigan for them, to get Higham and us to get Newton. Losing Pryce was a disappointment, though in some respects I think the change of environment helped his game.

Ferres had a superb season the season prior to him being a makeweight for the disastrous signing of Solomona. The older end at the club who saw him playing for the England acadamy against the Aussies years before knew he was something special. Seemed to lose his way a little after leaving us but thought he was top notch in the world cup (slight negative is he does try to offload too often when it really isn't on) and looks a monster running out wide in super league now. A bit uncanny really as sure the signing of Solomona was meant to bring us an xfactor in Mcnamaras words yet now Ferres has that himself with the bit of mongrel in him which he has always had from been a kid. He has developed into a top top player that many thought he would.

[Bulliac]

Re: Kopczak, Elima..... : Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:45 am  

Solomona was a super player in the wrong team; we really needed some grafters [like Ferres and Cook] rather than fancy ball players like Solo, imo. Leaving aside academy teams, Brett was always a steady player, to me. The sort of 'bread and butter', solid and dependable bloke who provides the backbone to every team, but I never saw anything to suggest an England call-up, but credit to him, he upped his game and deserves credit.

Matt Cook was similar in a way, he was even better as a junior and became the same sort of 'solid' SL player, even though both were regular players for us, neither ever really kicked on to become 'indispensable' in the first team whilst with us. I guess some decisions would have been better with hindsight..

Re: Kopczak, Elima..... : Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:59 am  

Yeadon Bull wrote:

Ferres had a superb season the season prior to him being a makeweight for the disastrous signing of Solomona. The older end at the club who saw him playing for the England acadamy against the Aussies years before knew he was something special. Seemed to lose his way a little after leaving us but thought he was top notch in the world cup (slight negative is he does try to offload too often when it really isn't on) and looks a monster running out wide in super league now. A bit uncanny really as sure the signing of Solomona was meant to bring us an xfactor in Mcnamaras words yet now Ferres has that himself with the bit of mongrel in him which he has always had from been a kid. He has developed into a top top player that many thought he would.

wondered why we signed ferres from cas when we did but wow im glad we did! one of the top forwards in super league now.

Re: Kopczak, Elima..... : Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:06 am  

Bulliac wrote:

Solomona was a super player in the wrong team; we really needed some grafters [like Ferres and Cook] rather than fancy ball players like Solo, imo. Leaving aside academy teams, Brett was always a steady player, to me. The sort of 'bread and butter', solid and dependable bloke who provides the backbone to every team, but I never saw anything to suggest an England call-up, but credit to him, he upped his game and deserves credit.

Matt Cook was similar in a way, he was even better as a junior and became the same sort of 'solid' SL player, even though both were regular players for us, neither ever really kicked on to become 'indispensable' in the first team whilst with us. I guess some decisions would have been better with hindsight..

I agree hindsight is a wonderful thing but I would argue Ferres always looked like more than just a steady player he certainly knew his way to the line whilst at the Bulls and something he has continued throughout his career unlike Cook who I agree was just a steady grafter (similar to Donno).

Re: Kopczak, Elima..... : Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:23 am  

These debates never really get anywhere. Look at what we have right now. Donno, Olbison and Addey. Some supporters think they are good but still talk about bringing in two ne back rowers. If we keep these three and they do not get any better the coach gets condemned. If we sign new players and let them go and they become top internationals the coach gets condemned. There is a very fine line between keeping and letting go. You win sometimes and lose sometimes. Leeds fans must have this problem with all of the players they have let go because they bring so many through. You just have to accept that some don't fully develop with us but a new club does bring it out of them and they probably wouldn't have done the same with us. Would Deacs have been the same player with another SL club (a bottom club) who didn't have the stars we had at that time?

Re: Kopczak, Elima..... : Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:32 am  

What you Bulls fans must get used to , is you are NOT a Big Team in the SL anymore , that's history , next season you are more than likely to be playing in the Championship , wake up , this is how life is .

Re: Kopczak, Elima..... : Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:52 am  

Good point, well worth making.

Re: Kopczak, Elima..... : Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:04 pm  

Peacock was telling people he planned to join Leeds at the start of the 04 season well before Harris joined. He then used the Harris signing as more than convenient smoke screen to move on it took all the heat off him.

Re: Kopczak, Elima..... : Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:06 pm  

For every Ferres and Atkins, there's a Parker and a Moore.

Re: Kopczak, Elima..... : Sun Mar 23, 2014 1:47 pm  

It's funny because I was talking to my Dad about this other day about the amount of players who have left us and that are doing well at other clubs but has we now know most of these players were let go because of the lack of money at the club or mismanagement I remember been so annoyed when we let Ferres go after he had such a good first season with us and then to sign someone like Solomona who was average at best.