Both were pretty well thought of when we signed them, paid a fee for both of them as well iirc.

IIRC Ambler cost Leeds around £10K when he arrived from Salford. Pretty modest outlay for a 'superstar'.

Do you know of any other 18 year old Prop Forwards to have had a fee paid for them?

I know that 'superstars' don't usually change clubs for token amounts.

I don't think Ambler or Pitts were or are ever going to be what I would term as superstars and as such was surprised to see them mentioned alongside someone who could have become the next Paul Sculthorpe.

If others wish to see them in that category that is entirely up to them but I would question their justification for using the term.

I suspect Leeds paid a small fee for Ambler as he was under contract at Salford and they had a gap in their Academy prop production line that needed filling not because he was seen as a superstar going cheap.

I thought Ambler was OOC when he signed for Leeds

You are right, google is your friend, £12k

rlhttp://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/why-salford-let-ambler-go-976430rl

I think thats a big assumption. If he knuckles down, and plays with better players he could have a big impact

Chase is quoted in this morning's LE and doesn't sound too happy with his performance Friday last.
- lacking composure
- improvising when not needed
- poor kicking
- not smart enough.
I can't fault his honesty but most observers must have seen these shortcomings fairly frequently during his career. He's capable of brilliance for sure but, for a player of 27, these are fairly serious limitations if they're cropping up regularly.

Did someone seriously once tout Joe Westerman as the next Paul Sculthorpe?

Guffaw.

Are you saying such comparisons were not being made between a young Westerman and a young Sculthorpe? www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/ap ... uperleague www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... great.html news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/mobile/rug ... 134560.stm

Are you saying such comparisons were not being made between a young Westerman and a young Sculthorpe? www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/ap ... uperleague www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... great.html news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/mobile/rug ... 134560.stm

I always saw Westerman as a wide running second row, particularly effective down the right hand side. Very different to Sculthorpe who was more a central playmaker, or Farrell who could work as a central playmaker or run wide left.
They all played loose forward, and they all kicked goals. All different in terms of how they played on the field.

Westerman was a loose, who also played six. He could also play centre and back row. Sculthorpe was a loose, who also played six, started career in centres and also played in back row.

Because Sculthorpe was a star player coming to the end of his career, and a new player had emerged with such talent who played the same positions, that was the reasoning for stating the new "Paul Sculthorpe".

Leroy was tagged the new Jason Robinson when he emerged.

In what way were the comparisons laughable at the time they were being made?

Westerman was an outstanding prospect playing a significant role in Castleford's return to SL at the end of his debut season of 2007, winning both the club and league young player of the year awards. In 2008 he also won the Super League Young Player of the Year Award as well as making the initial train-on squad for England's World Cup campaign but missed out on selection through injury.

His till then quite meteoric rise appeared to stall after he suffered an on-field fit V St Helens during the 2009 season.

Ricky Bibey.