: Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:54 pm  

For a team without a scrum half, such as Hull this is an excellent signing.
Provided you have someone lined up for two years down the line.

Paul M's comments seem to indicate that this is the case. So it could be a very good move, with Long providing experience for the young half back at Hull to learn off.

Long hasnt got the pace of old, but he is far more intelligent a footballer than in the old days, and should be able to lead you around the park well.

He isnt a great punter of a football, but his short and medium kicking game is deadly.
He hates goalkicking, but despite that has kicked 1000 for Saints.
These days though he is very much a big game kicker. His kicking has been awfull in matches against so called lesser opponents, but strangely when he comes up against the big guns his ability to pull kicks from the gods out of his bag of tricks re-appears.

My main fear for Hull is the fact Longy is very much a home town boy. Its been stated on more than one occasion, lastly by Daniel Anderson, that Long hates travelling.
His infamous GB walkout was based around homesickness.
It will therefore be interesting to see if he settles, or if the travel, or change of scenery is too much for him.

: Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:54 pm  

Hope Longy goes really well at your place, a true saints legend.

But, in McManus we trust and IMO rightly so. Kyle needs to play now, I think regardless Eastmond would have got a lot more game time at scrum half in the second half of the season.

Longy has been very inconsistant this season, has at times been shocking with his distribution and kicking and is falling off tackles more than he used too.

Im glad that nostalgia didnt rule the boards head, and am looking forward to some real pace in the middle of the park in Roby and Eastmond part of our new look triangle.

Good luck Sean, genuinly hope he goes well at Hull and doesnt go on too long and tarnish a quality career. He certainly wont lack for confidence.

: Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:57 pm  

As a Saints fan I think Hull have got a very good buy.

Yes he might not have the speed of old but his passing, decision making and reading of the game still all make up for this. Lots of Saints fans are gutted he is going including me.

Remember Alan Langer had a cracking season at Warrington and even played for Queensland in State of origin at 35.

Whilst some posters seem to think that he is being cast off it isn't the case. Saints these days have an unwritten policy that when a player comes off an existing contract at 30 years of age they only offer 1 year deals. Willie Talau was in the same posiiton last year he wanted two years and Saints only offered him 1. Kieron Cunningham has also been on 1 year rolling contracts for the last three seasons.

Best of luck to him and hope he continues to do well.

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:04 am  

I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do for us next season

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 6:24 am  

Im not so sure about this one, he fits in with our recruitment policy of going for big names, he does bring a bit of an x factor but his kicking game is inconsistant and that was what we needed the most, personally I would have rather gone for a younger player from the NRL which would have took a lot of scouting and would have been a big risk. I dont think anyone can deny though that he will have a positive impact.

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 6:59 am  

my only fear is that he seems to be picking up too many injuries,dykes style,the odd niggle here,odd niggle there.we need a player who wont be attending physios corner every couple of weeks,which was certainly the case with dykes and i am worried will be the same with long.saying that,if we were to sign a younger player aswell,(myler from salford for example)who he could help nurture then it would be different,but as we all know kath & co wont open the cheque book for that!!as far as nrl players are concerned i think every sl club would struggle as i cannot see any of the top half-backs coming over here,hence hull looking closer to home.

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 7:28 am  

The Chair Maker wrote:

For a team without a scrum half, such as Hull this is an excellent signing.
Provided you have someone lined up for two years down the line.

Paul M's comments seem to indicate that this is the case. So it could be a very good move, with Long providing experience for the young half back at Hull to learn off.

Long hasnt got the pace of old, but he is far more intelligent a footballer than in the old days, and should be able to lead you around the park well.

He isnt a great punter of a football, but his short and medium kicking game is deadly.
He hates goalkicking, but despite that has kicked 1000 for Saints.
These days though he is very much a big game kicker. His kicking has been awfull in matches against so called lesser opponents, but strangely when he comes up against the big guns his ability to pull kicks from the gods out of his bag of tricks re-appears.

My main fear for Hull is the fact Longy is very much a home town boy. Its been stated on more than one occasion, lastly by Daniel Anderson, that Long hates travelling.
His infamous GB walkout was based around homesickness.
It will therefore be interesting to see if he settles, or if the travel, or change of scenery is too much for him.

The good thing is we won't need Long for his goal kicking, we have Tickle and Fitzgibbon so he will be free of that responsibility. His game brain and kicking game will be a valuable asset as will his creativity and decision making when we have the ball.

I don't know how good the young lad Williams is but he has been showing some good signs this season from all accounts and having someone with the class of Long can only help him. It certainly helped Horne and Cooke having Jason Smith around the place.

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 7:55 am  

Can you just post a link please and not paste the article - thanks PM

Er...yeah then just thought it would save people time but whatever

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 7:59 am  

Good artical in the HDM today. http://www.sporthull.co.uk/rugby_league ... p?ID=12872 The guy is a winning and hopfully this will rub off on some of the other players. I would be shocked if he wasnt captain next season.

Good artical in the HDM today. http://www.sporthull.co.uk/rugby_league ... p?ID=12872 The guy is a winning and hopfully this will rub off on some of the other players. I would be shocked if he wasnt captain next season.

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 8:01 am  

I can't help but cast my mind back to the early 80's (1981 perhaps) when we signed a half back from Wakefield Trinity who although younger than Long is now, was widely thought to be past his best after a few injuries.

His name...........David Topliss!