sergeant pepper wrote:
Genuine question, what do you think we need & what do you think of the recruitment? I'm genuinely intrigued if some fans think it's anything above acceptable.
I'll admit that I'm happy with the potential of the props, I like the look of Miski as a project too. I'm unsure on Thornley, but think it's an absolute joke that they've not announced it. As a side note, the club today did a "things go look forward to in 2022" and don't even mention him in the new signings section.
Putting the Hardaker question to one side (which, if he does go complicates things further)
I do believe that for 2022 we're 2 players short - centre/halfback of being a pretty/very good team with chances, but I also think the coaching and culture change "could" get that 10% out of us and maybe balance that a touch.
Previous year's under Lam (with the players brought in and squad available) I'd have backed us for top 2/3 finishes, it was the culture and the coaching that bothered me and manifested itself in 90% average to poor performances over that period.
2022 I think 3rd/4th based on squad at best to 5th/6th if the coaching doesn't improve us is what I see.
I'm a bit like Jonh though
A few weeks ago I went back to 2008/2009 RL Fans threads and our current period seems a bit like that.
It seemed a bit Jam Tomorrow, but last time it needed 2 year's to turn around the Whelan/Lindsay/Millward debacle of 05/06/07 and restructure.
Same thing, people wanted answers immediately, some were ambitious more patient and could see the potential.
This time I do believe Leneghan created a lot of this himself
We've done the Edwards debate to death, but ultimately it was his job to get the signature over the line, he didn't
He also backed himself into a corner extending Lams contract after 2019 (when imo it was blindingly obvious we were poor with him in charge) and even the GF appearance of 2020 he would have still gone for me.
But, it is what it is, and I'm not.gping ro criticise the club for average player signing rumours that aren't even true, as I'm not going to praise them for very good player signing rumours that arent true
And the reason I say that is I se it everywhere people saying "were not even being linked to good players".
Because being "linked" to players that we eventually don't sign is pointless
IL & KR were criticised imo for the squads we had in 2019/20/21 and I dont think there was a great deal wrong (1 prop imo short, but more about that later)
My criticism wouldn't have been the squad
The resigning of Gildart
The resigning of Bateman 2021
French 2019 into 2020
Hastings for 2020 and 2021
Hardaker for 2019 and that whole period
George Burgess (and again we've done this to death)
Plus others, were real positives
All the above and some other things were really positive but still the accusations of being tight, not spending money etc continued.
For me, the problems lay, and its a 2 sided coin, back in the Edwards debacle
I have no doubt that if Edwards had come we would have had a great lift 2020/2021 and been on a Hugh in 19 waiting for him to come.
It didn't happen, and the inability of Lam to get the best outnof the above for 3 years has been awful.
But as I said above IL etc should have spotted that mid 2019 imo
Now, ironically enough, we've changed the driver, bit the Bus he's driving isn't quite as good as the last one.
As I said before, I think 2023 onwards they'll get it right, but a bit like Jonh says we have to be careful not to get 2023 wrong by rushing into signings for 2022 that aren't long term the right ones, and compounding the mistakes already made further.
