Furner was an Aussie international and had been playing pretty well for Wigan before we signed him. Glanville was always rated as one of the best uncapped players around.

I have no doubts that Cross may well be the best experienced NRL prop currently available when Leeds went looking. My point is that I reckon Leeds didn't even start the recruitment process until they were certain Eastwood was going. Way too late if you want to pick up top end NRL players.

But that wouldn't be the southstander way!

Off the top of my head, players who have been 'knocked' on here following the announcement of their signing and gone on to be a success:

Donald
Kylie
Bai
Furner

Fingers crossed Cross goes the same way.

But until that point they couldn't know whether or not they had space under the SC to sign anyone else.

And as far as I am aware, becasue of the 'live' cap, they would have been unable to register a contract until and end date for Eastwoods had been agreed and finalised. Now, there is an arguement that discussions should still have been ongoing while waiting for the Eastwood saga to conclude, however there wont be many players happy to agree terms, but then wait for another player to be sold so their contract could be put on paper. The players would have to be wary, look what happened to Chris Walker when he thought he had a contract with Bradford. Unless it's on paper, they're not going to agree.

I really dont understand why there is any negativity around this signing. We have been crying out for a hard yards prop all season (and even last year really), people have been posting this all year. GH goes out and signs one, and people complain about his age. And to be honest, 31 is not really that old for a prop. Infact, generally this would be about the age that a prop would be in his prime.

We we're getting battered week after week in the forwards last season. The hard yards only came from JP and Kylie, the latter has limited game time. It a perfect signing if you ask me. He is not a world beater and I doubt he will be on the millions Danny Buderus is on, ( )but he is just a straight forward hard nosed metre maker. Someone to complement JP and give our outstanding back line some actual space to run.

Quite so.

I've not seen such comments either. People have questioned his age, and for me that isn't an issue. Props are in there prime in there 30s. He is not going to be on his own out there leading the pack, so he won't be asked to do long spell 60-80 mins spells.

As for the injuries, JP was injured a lot last season and will still be injured for part of 2011 - Does that mean if JP became available in the transfer market fans of SL clubs would want to stay well away? I very much doubt it. This guy was playing Origin just 2 years ago. That spells quality and I'll take him.

What will be interesting is how the props will be rotated once JP is fit. Will it be a Cross & JP starting partnership with Kylie and Bailey coming off the bench?

This is an oft quoted mantra but where is the proof?
To take one example, is JP better now than when he was 29?
It seems to me that many props, now the game is full-time, break into the 1st team at an earlier age, eg Graham, Fielden, Bailey.

There isn't any. Rhino Neil just heard someone say it and thought it sounded good.

If 32 is the peak for a prop why isn't the NRL palming off their young uns onto the SL .....and desperately offering big bucks to Morley, Peacock....err....and Cross ?

Is there not? Really....


Oh.