If GH intends making a big name signing surely it makes sense doing it asap to help season ticket sales;

I'm pretty sure that there's no big name signing.

THis happens almost every season. Mid-season everybody starts to sign up players for the next season. We see relatively little activity, but say, its ok Gary has something up his sleeve, wait until September when the tampering deadline has passed. Once it gets to september with no signings, we say, we'll be waiting until the season is over. Then it'll be wait until the internationals are over. Then its the week before the season ticket early bird renewal deadline. Then its boxing day. The in January we announce that we've promoted some younger players into the slots left behind, but have some space left on the cap for a big name signing, which never materialises.

Meanwhile the team keeps winning titles based on the model that GH has been running for over a decade of success. The moral of this story is that GH knows more about running a sucessful SL squad than probably anyone in the world. Certainly more than the people on here, with their projections of which players are up to it, and which are not. which players have potential to make it, and which ones are past it. Just enjoy the rugby, and the successes and failures, and leave the team building to the people who are paid to build teams.

I completely agree, I just wish that GH wouldn't fill us with hollow promises year after year.

I'd respect him even more if he just came out and said "We don't need any fancy Aussie players, we're just fine on our own thanks"... although that would mean an end to his all expenses paid trips to Australia every November.

It makes more sense not to pay over the odds just to bring someone in to appease fans. He could've easily got Lulia if he threw enough cash about but he'll of offered a sensible amount instead. Whilst its frustrating not seeing new signings I don't want someone signed just for the sake of it, he has to be the right player at the RIGHT PRICE. That's how other teams have got into trouble before, by taking chunks out of their salary caps on quick fix solutions.

Also I doubt that many fans decision on buying a new ST hangs solely on the possible signing of a new centre, or at least it shouldn't.