Re: Recruitment rumours and links : Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:14 pm  

Well you normally start very well and then tail off - so signs are good for this season. Hull get their players back and act together and they can easily make the top 6.

Though they could save us all the bother and just jump to a Saints-Wigan GF right now.

Re: Recruitment rumours and links : Tue Feb 27, 2024 2:15 pm  

ratticusfinch wrote:

If Sam can unlock Bullock's inner beast then there's a player in there I think.....but then again he'll probably never play for us again.

I know these loan deals are sensible of a fashion, but is assisting potential top 6 rivals with squad issues wise?

Yeah with Bullock, he's a big powerful guy but from what i've seen of him he lacks the aggression needed to really be at his best.

Re: Recruitment rumours and links : Tue Feb 27, 2024 4:21 pm  

Maybe Bullock is conscious of aggravating a previous injury & it holds him back from his best.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Recruitment rumours and links : Tue Feb 27, 2024 4:22 pm  

well it seems like that thumb injury has been a problem for nearly a year or so.

Re: Recruitment rumours and links : Tue Feb 27, 2024 9:20 pm  

I think, from memory, Powell (or the administration during his tenure) signed 19 players (not including the re-signing of Mikaele). 10 have gone, 3 are now out on loan with 6 remaining. One of the six is Dudson.

I do hope this ends now. I don’t want these three to be let go and replaced by journeymen and friends of friends.

Re: Recruitment rumours and links : Tue Feb 27, 2024 10:19 pm  

Burgess and Chambers beginning to realign the squad. Telling that Burgess mentioned the amount of work spent on squad numbers 20 and above in pre season. They are clearly going to progress with an emphasis on the younger players. Telling that Ratchford is yet to be involved so far despite being available.

Re: Recruitment rumours and links : Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:38 am  

RoyalWire wrote:

Burgess and Chambers beginning to realign the squad. Telling that Burgess mentioned the amount of work spent on squad numbers 20 and above in pre season. They are clearly going to progress with an emphasis on the younger players. Telling that Ratchford is yet to be involved so far despite being available.

Burgess also mentioned that weaker defence on the right side with Holroyd, Wrench and Thewlis and how he wanted to persist with it to get them used to working together. He definitely has a longer term plan based on the potential he sees in the academy, and it's nice that he's not taking the easy option of journeymen to fill in the gaps for a year. He wants to build a core of a team that will play together long after he's gone. This current crop of academy lads are getting big raps from outside the club, so it's nice to see us patiently building on similar foundations to the Wigan and Saints path to success. I guess that we as fans also have to be a bit more patient too. It might be next season before we begin to see the policy bear fruit.

Re: Recruitment rumours and links : Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:54 am  

easyWire wrote:

Burgess also mentioned that weaker defence on the right side with Holroyd, Wrench and Thewlis and how he wanted to persist with it to get them used to working together. He definitely has a longer term plan based on the potential he sees in the academy, and it's nice that he's not taking the easy option of journeymen to fill in the gaps for a year. He wants to build a core of a team that will play together long after he's gone. This current crop of academy lads are getting big raps from outside the club, so it's nice to see us patiently building on similar foundations to the Wigan and Saints path to success. I guess that we as fans also have to be a bit more patient too. It might be next season before we begin to see the policy bear fruit.

Quite a refreshing change from Powell - who was the young player he tore a strip off and dropped in similar circumstances? I'm sure Chambers is also having influence in this longer view.

Re: Recruitment rumours and links : Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:56 am  

easyWire wrote:

Burgess also mentioned that weaker defence on the right side with Holroyd, Wrench and Thewlis and how he wanted to persist with it to get them used to working together. He definitely has a longer term plan based on the potential he sees in the academy, and it's nice that he's not taking the easy option of journeymen to fill in the gaps for a year. He wants to build a core of a team that will play together long after he's gone. This current crop of academy lads are getting big raps from outside the club, so it's nice to see us patiently building on similar foundations to the Wigan and Saints path to success. I guess that we as fans also have to be a bit more patient too. It might be next season before we begin to see the policy bear fruit.

I'm absolutely loving this new approach - going to make the season interesting/enjoyable just watching the youngsters inevitably improve.

Re: Recruitment rumours and links : Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:00 am  

Alffi_7 wrote:

Quite a refreshing change from Powell - who was the young player he tore a strip off and dropped in similar circumstances? I'm sure Chambers is also having influence in this longer view.

The young player was Riley Dean.

Absolutely crass man management by Darryl Powell.

Ironically he ignored that his own favourite Matautia was a turnstile in defence for all the same season.