Re: Recruitment & Retention Latest : Sat Jul 09, 2016 7:42 pm  

hindle xiii wrote:

Players currently contracted for next year, in squad number order, are the following:
Thomas, Caro, Purtell, Welham, Chisholm, O'Brien, Sidlow, Clare, Kavanagh, Halafihi, Haggerty, Lumb, Mendeika, Campbell, Lovegrove, Moss and Keyes.

I think a few from that list won't be here next season

Purtell - wasn't there talk of him retiring?
Halafihi - probably will just be quietly released and sign for Swinton permanently
Campbell - wouldn't be surprised to see him head back to Batley or similar
Lovegrove - probably retiring due to head injuries

Might also find a way to get Mendeika off the books as well

Re: Recruitment & Retention Latest : Sat Jul 09, 2016 9:50 pm  

Bully_Boxer wrote:

Though Blythe had a decent game against Leigh to be fair.

I disagree. He knocked on for Clare's try, no doubt about it. How that was given, I'll never know. Other than that, it must be awful for a winger to hear he's playing outside Blythe. The bloke never passes. He catches and runs the ball in himself. If he doesn't knock on, he makes a couple of yards and plays the ball. The chances of a pass or offload are slim to none. Total waste of time.

Re: Recruitment & Retention Latest : Sun Jul 10, 2016 2:46 am  

What we need is a better team than we have.

I'm not sure we'll get it, but the people that are going are a part of why we are a mediocrity rather than outstanding, and the decline has been painful.

You can't logically completely absolve any of the players apart from the newcomers, whether they're staying or going, because they as a group got us to the sorry place where we are, but the other thing we definitely need is only players who actually choose to be here. To me, they tend to be the ones that I can't ever fault for effort, such as O'Brien.

Re: Recruitment & Retention Latest : Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:13 pm  

I know Johnny Campbell had a bad game (against Sheffield IIRC) but I do hope we don't let him go as I think once fully fit and given a fair crack of the whip could be an excellent player to have in the squad next year. Noticed he got MOM for Keighley at weekend and scored a 100m try.

Re: Recruitment & Retention Latest : Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:42 pm  

Stockwell & Smales wrote:

I know Johnny Campbell had a bad game (against Sheffield IIRC) but I do hope we don't let him go as I think once fully fit and given a fair crack of the whip could be an excellent player to have in the squad next year. Noticed he got MOM for Keighley at weekend and scored a 100m try.

Totally agree. He was very good when he was at Batley

Re: Recruitment & Retention Latest : Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:18 pm  

Well Moss, Pryce and Chisholm, Howarth is certainly better than what we have had this season. Fingers crossed for Pryce too. Keyes, Charnock, O'brien and Lumb would provide competition too.

Ferguson, Clough, Addy, Clark would be big losses.

Re: Recruitment & Retention Latest : Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:28 pm  

Not a fan of Stuart Howarth, he's a way to go before I'd have him here permanently.

Re: Recruitment & Retention Latest : Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:36 pm  

I think he has better a passing game and better vision than O'B. For me that's more valuable than one that just picks the ball up and runs from dummy half.

Re: Recruitment & Retention Latest : Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:56 pm  

Bulls4Champs wrote:

I think he has better a passing game and better vision than O'B. For me that's more valuable than one that just picks the ball up and runs from dummy half.

I disagree. I think his distribution is far too slow, he has absolutely no pace and is nowhere near aggressive enough. One thing is for sure, Adam O Brien would have scored if it was him in Howarth's position in the first half (when Howarth defied the odds and managed to be held up by the Whitehaven defenders). A lack of aggression stopped Howarth getting on the scoresheet there imo, he just needed to get his head down and drive but he stayed too tall.

Re: Recruitment & Retention Latest : Mon Jul 11, 2016 8:27 pm  

I think Rohan Smith might just tend to share Bulls4champs opinion .
He is starting with Howarth.
I also think he rates Charnock and will try to retain him