Tom Armstrong anyone? www.loverugbyleague.com/news_218 ... ip-34.html

Tom Armstrong anyone? www.loverugbyleague.com/news_218 ... ip-34.html

It's a yes from me. I was hoping to sign him up this year when they signed Tonga and it was reported he was unhappy about losing the no.4 jersey and moving down the pecking order... A great player!

not a patch on the player he was last season so far this season

That's probably why we are 'saving' Tonga - for next season! He's only played one game for us, so far!

Seriously, Armstrong has been something of a shadow of the player he was in 2014. Last year he was studying for his masters degree, (yes, a RL player with brains!) and this season he has been injured.

Well he's better than Purtell & Blythe, so would improve our squad. When looking at potential signings, surely the primary question is always "Does he improve the first choice 17?". If answer is no, then you can ask is he a worthwhile backup player. IMO with Armstrong, the answer to that primary question is Yes.

Can we read anything into the fact that Marc & Robbie seem to have headed up the Skype interviews in Australia? Ferres sidelined on this? or Robbie just better reputation down under?

Robbie and Marc in Australia?? Am I in a time warp?

Oh sorry, the sonic boom the other night- that must have been the pair of them overhead. My wife just reminded me.

Isn't Ferres going to the Wolfpack next year? Maybe his influence is now on the wane?

Smith is gonna have the shock of his life when he gets here and evaluate some of the dross currently on our books.

Going by the T&A he's already started doing his homework by watching videos of the players.

My guess is that when he arrives there's going to be a number of departures announced followed by a few incoming new faces.

Doubt that. (a) his dad and his uncle will know all of them (b) he will have watched them all on Bulls TV (c) he will already know some of them

Just because a new coach comes in, doesn't change the fact that you can't just release a player from his contract and not pay him off (therefore still counting on salary cap). He'll still be in the predicament of having to find a new club for the players he doesn't want, in order to get them off the wage bill.

At the end of the season, sure, some players will no doubt be off. But I can't see it being immediately after he arrives. What club in their right mind would take Lauaki off our hands?

No, but you can sit down with a player and his agent and say "You're not going to play here again. Feel free to go find a new club and we'll do whatever we can to help"

True, some won't move on, either because they're on a sweet deal or because they've no where to go. However, if your contract was up at the end of this year and you've been told your not going to play again and therefore aren't going to be able to put yourself in the shop window for next year then players are likely to push to leave as they've got themselves and their families to consider.

Smith’s certainly got a lot work to do to go through the 35 different players we have in the squad. It’s amazing to think we hve so many yet no halfback.

We have 9 props by my reckoning, 5 wingers and 7 centres.