Total diifferent ball game playing at Super League level

Didn't we get Spruce from that level?

Yes but at that time the gulf between super league and the lower leagues wasn't as big don't forget it was the first year of super league when he signed.

The reason Groom only made 6 appx for the Doggies last year is his size IMO. He has nothing on him and wouldnt last long with big 2nd rows running at him.

Surely he's bigger that Burrow

Christ, it certainly shows our ambition, or lack of when reading threads like this.

Indeed

Not really. Widnes were expecting to be IN SL in 1996. Indeed, IIRC their chairman had apparently been assured of that and indeed had announced it to their crowd. Then he got told a few days later that Paris were in instead. Old heads on here will remember the legal challenges... upshot was that with Widnes' declining fortunes we picked up Spruce for a substantial fee (out of the Newlove money) as a stand-out player from a club at a similar level.

why exactly? are you suggesting that there are no players at NL level capable of stepping up to SL

as already mentioned kirke and add to that mcnally (although unproven so far) and brough. Theres always going to be players that SL scouts miss who come to prominence at NL level. we're being very short sighted if we refuse to look at players purely on the basis that they are playing in NL.

Richard Whiting aswell, Jamie Rooney, Karl Pratt. There is a few hidden gems.