never looked owt with us so much i forgot we produced him as well as diskin poss also liam hood

In a salary capped sport the only premium you can "pay" is prize money, and when we paid it regularly we had a loyal squad and were able to bring in other teams better players/international class overseas players to fill in the gaps. GH got lazy when at the top and now we are in a position where we have to try and catch Saints when they effectively have a bigger budget, even our best signing this year, a new coach was a gamble and was probably pretty cheap.
Player wise we continue to gamble on other teams cast offs, lower league maybes and the dregs of the overseas market, its a long shot that rarely pays off. The academy can be a good route, but as a whole the game in this country is played by less and less players, so there is less and less to choose from.

Yes indeed but you get what I’m saying. McGuire Burrow Sinfield Hall JJB etc all home grown and allowed us to spend well in other areas

We *could*, in some kind of alternate reality, have a spine as follows:

1. Hardaker
6. Ward
7. Gale
9. McShane

All internationals on their day, but getting on a bit now...

Other candidates who have come and gone include Ashton Golding, Jack Walker (looking doubtful for him now), Liam Sutcliffe (once touted as Sinfield's replacement), and Jordan Lilley. Corey Johnson still a possible. At one point Jack Broadbent looked to have some promise at full-back.

Think you can say the same about saints, Woolf was a gamble and now they are going with Wellens.

Even getting Hurrell was a gamble for them. I wonder how he'd do in a Rohan Smith team?

Woolf's CV was very different to Smiths, don't think gamble is fair.

They’ve literally the same CV over the last 20yrs. Like almost mirror images.

Id argue Smith’s is stronger given his family ties too.

I'd rank NRL assistant and coaching a Tier 2 nation to wins against Aus and NZ, above the Championship and Queensland cup, but each to his own.

Smith was also an NRL assistant and coached Tonga before all the NRL players signed up to make them competitive. Not that it matters, Woolf did a great job with Sts and Smith is doing well so far with Leeds. Be very interesting to see how Sts go. Is Wellens not getting the gig?

You do realise Smith has been assistant coach for NRL teams just as much, if not more than Woolf. Hes coached NYC and NSW cup teams, just like Woolf. He was also Tonga coach a few years prior to Woolf at a time when it was fashionable to choose Oz and NZ over heritage. Woolf has been extremely lucky with the players hes had at Tonga.

As i said. Pretty much the same CV.

hinoshaund III wrote:
Hopie wrote:
I'd rank NRL assistant and coaching a Tier 2 nation to wins against Aus and NZ, above the Championship and Queensland cup, but each to his own.


You do realise Smith has been assistant coach for NRL teams just as much, if not more than Woolf. Hes coached NYC
******************************************what’s all this got to do with New recruitment ?