Back and to the left...

I really hope that we get something finalised quickly. I'd be over the moon if we did sign Taupau, however I still wouldn't want to get too excited until it was an actual reality. If this does fall through we need to be targeting existing super league players who actually want to play for us. somebody of the calibre of Walmsley if we are happy to throw around the marquee money.

Agreed. Sounds like we have money to spend and money talks.

I'd prefer to see Walmsley off the treatment table and back on the field before we start to look in his direction. Otherwise we might be back in the salary cap sitting in the stand scenario once more.

I've been informed that Wakey have held talks with Ashton Golding.

Watch this space

I didn't mean Walmsley himself - I know what you mean about his long term injury. I just meant somebody of that calibre. The England forward pack is the most feared on the international scene. There was an article running in the Australian press before the last world cup saying that also. I don't see why we always have to go for NRL imports when we have some fantastic forwards already in super league.

England first choice pack: George Burgess (Souths), Josh Hodgson (Canberra), James Graham (St George), Elliott Whitehead (Canberra), John Bateman (Canberra), Sam Burgess (Souths).

What was it you were saying about great SL forwards?

Correct me if I'm wrong but Bateman isn't even in Australia yet - he will be joining up with Canberra later in the year so you can't use this as basis to your argument. George and Tom Burgess aside they have all made a name for themselves over here before the NRL takes a chance on them. There has been a big influx of English forwards joining the NRL in the last few years which shows just how good the super league forward talent is. I don't get why we have to pay marquee money for somebody from the NRL when we have the likes of Hill / O'loughlin / Walmsley / McMeeken / Luke Thompson / Currie / Scott Taylor / Milner / Greenwood / Roby / Clark already here. Not all of these are gettable but the talent is here.

I think you seem to be missing the point by mentioning our starting pack. I'd argue that George Burgess isn't guaranteed starting pack - he's only recently come back into the fold due to injuries and didn't make the last world cup due to poor form. All of the above mentioned players are in and around the team when fit so the squad has a lot of super league forwards in it.

More to the point, where’s this announcement?

Hopefully as a make weight with Tom Johnstone coming the other way.....

it would be so funny if he did, not that i particularly want johnson, bit to see wake fans melt down and start to back track on his best winger in game tag if he came to us, but if he did come to us he would get an England shirt, which he never will at wakey

Technically he has had one once



, it will turn to BJB if that ever happened