Re: 2017 Squad : Tue Aug 09, 2016 11:40 am  

I don't want us to lose Pitts or Olbison. You'd think that with Addy leaving, Jay would be a shoe in for the 13 shirt and could really make that position his own. Perhaps he just wants a change of scenery.
Olbison is a solid second rower, but forget all this nonsense of playing him at prop. He might not be a stand out player but he's dependable, a decent defender, runs hard and he's also homegrown (can't be too far off a testimonial?). I hope we offer him a deal and I hope he stays.

I wonder if any of the Batley props fancy going fulltime. Doubt we could get Hirst, but Rowe or Lilycrop would do. Plus Lilycrop is ex-Bulls isn't he?

[Bullseye]

Re: 2017 Squad : Tue Aug 09, 2016 11:44 am  

Lilycrop is ex Bulls.

IMO Olbison lacks a bit of size and can get mullered when he takes the ball up. We need more go forward from out pack.

Pitts has a good workrate but for me lacks the size and aggression needed.

Championship rugby is very physical and we've seen our pack get bullied more and more this season. Leigh, Fev, London, Batley and Fax have all beaten us up front.

Major surgery is required. It's a shame we're losing Clough and Clark who are quality. We could do with a couple of players that "play on the edge of legality".

[Bulliac]

Re: 2017 Squad : Tue Aug 09, 2016 12:13 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

Lilycrop is ex Bulls.

IMO Olbison lacks a bit of size and can get mullered when he takes the ball up. We need more go forward from out pack.

Pitts has a good workrate but for me lacks the size and aggression needed.

Championship rugby is very physical and we've seen our pack get bullied more and more this season. Leigh, Fev, London, Batley and Fax have all beaten us up front.

Major surgery is required. It's a shame we're losing Clough and Clark who are quality. We could do with a couple of players that "play on the edge of legality".

There might still be a few Barlows about...

You didn't say which side of the 'edge of legality', you meant.

Re: 2017 Squad : Tue Aug 09, 2016 12:56 pm  

Regarding the four London players reported to be coming to us. I assume some of them were there when Rohan was working there and saw something in them. I trust his judgement e.g. Chisholm and Moss but we need a couple of older established players to work with them on the pitch and some aggression up front.

Re: 2017 Squad : Tue Aug 09, 2016 1:39 pm  

Alex Foster is definitely not at London next season, don't know yet where he's going. I know he's spoke to the Bulls.

Re: 2017 Squad : Tue Aug 09, 2016 1:59 pm  

Nothus wrote:

I don't want us to lose Pitts or Olbison. You'd think that with Addy leaving, Jay would be a shoe in for the 13 shirt and could really make that position his own. Perhaps he just wants a change of scenery.
Olbison is a solid second rower, but forget all this nonsense of playing him at prop. He might not be a stand out player but he's dependable, a decent defender, runs hard and he's also homegrown (can't be too far off a testimonial?). I hope we offer him a deal and I hope he stays.

I wonder if any of the Batley props fancy going fulltime. Doubt we could get Hirst, but Rowe or Lilycrop would do. Plus Lilycrop is ex-Bulls isn't he?

I think Lilycrop for all his aggression lacks size also. Rowe is as tough as they come and Hirst was actually in our academy too at one point when Geroge Flanagan was here.

One prop I would be interested in depending on his fitness would be Scott Anderson, experience of grand finals tough and uncompromising and seems to be on the outer at wakey

Re: 2017 Squad : Tue Aug 09, 2016 3:47 pm  

Was at a function on Friday and was told from someone within the game that we had signed Ben Evans for next year. Interesting that Warrington have anounced today that he will be leaving at the end of the year

Was also told Mitch Achurch has signed. Think Smith had him at Penrith

Re: 2017 Squad : Tue Aug 09, 2016 4:13 pm  

I've just told my daughter Jay Pitts could be leaving... Didn't go down to well. Doesn't want a season ticket for next year now!

Re: 2017 Squad : Tue Aug 09, 2016 5:16 pm  

Nothus wrote:

I don't want us to lose Pitts or Olbison. You'd think that with Addy leaving, Jay would be a shoe in for the 13 shirt and could really make that position his own. Perhaps he just wants a change of scenery.
Olbison is a solid second rower, but forget all this nonsense of playing him at prop. He might not be a stand out player but he's dependable, a decent defender, runs hard and he's also homegrown (can't be too far off a testimonial?). I hope we offer him a deal and I hope he stays.

I wonder if any of the Batley props fancy going fulltime. Doubt we could get Hirst, but Rowe or Lilycrop would do. Plus Lilycrop is ex-Bulls isn't he?

Hirst is following Kear to Wakefield.

Re: 2017 Squad : Tue Aug 09, 2016 6:11 pm  

RagingBull wrote:

Was at a function on Friday and was told from someone within the game that we had signed Ben Evans for next year. Interesting that Warrington have anounced today that he will be leaving at the end of the year

Was also told Mitch Achurch has signed. Think Smith had him at Penrith

I'd take Ben Evans, cracking player. Or at least he was when he was here a few years ago.
I also said earlier that I wouldn't be surprised if we signed Achurch and Falloon from Leeds. They could probably both go well at this level but Achurch is supposedly on a huge salary at Leeds, hopefully we aren't paying over the odds for him.