I can understand he reaction of most but I do think people are mistaking the fact they hate him as a person with the fact he's a proven, experienced full back.

He is exactly what we need. Steady, confident, one of the better defensive organisers in the game still.

I see this a a huge positive despite the fact that I think the guy comes across as a massive tool!!!

One year to get us into super league... I'll take him any day of the week over a makeshift full back like Thomas or Clare!!!

Suppose it depends how we use him. Play him in bigger matches and have him passing on his experience to thomas/campbell etc in training with them getting game time against some of easier teams and it could be a clever signing. If we just use him exclusively at FB and he blocks opportunities for younger guys then its nots so clever. Both Thomas and Campbell are already decent championship level FBs and training alongside Mathers and getting benefit of his experience could push them to next level.

I like how people are commenting he will push Oscar Thomas or James Clare out of the lineup but that would of happened if Jake Mullaney was still at Bradford. If the players are good enough then they will be first choice and now they have chance to learn from someone with experience.

I also remember seeing Richie Mathers slotting into the line as a ball handler on numerous occasions, which can only benefit considering we are lacking a true play maker currently. This could actually be a very intelligent signing, which brings a lot to the team.

I was initially underwhelmed by this signing but after a bit of thought I am actually quite happy with it!

Thomas is one for the future, he is a fast and smart player, however he is not an out and out fullback. He is essentially a halfback who can play fullback, ala Brett Kearney. We could see Mathers helping him through this by improving his game by working with him in training.

Caprice, unless I have missed something this bloke isn't even a member of the club? He is a TRIALIST. He has to learn a new sport and be prepared for a faster game. It's good he came from 7's as that is pretty fast, however he will have to learn the rules etc. Could potentially be a future fullback but he hasn't even played again of league yet, Mathers has, therefore Mathers is more logical than Caprice.

Campbell is a winger as far as I am aware that can play fullback? So he isn't really specialised, Mathers again can help in this respect by passing on knowledge and showing him what to do. Also coming back from a career threatening injury it may take him time to go back to how he played before (assuming he does, and psychologically is okay).

Clare is a winger, had ONE god game at fullback then dropped a few games later due to poor performances.

I have personally never been a fan of Mathers, but his signing is beneficial to the club. He does have the defensive attributes (ie. Organising the line) and can pass this along to the younger players. He can attack and come into the attacking line. May not be as good as Mullaney but he can do it. Also I honestly can't see him being on a massive wage, coming out of retirement, betting scandel, already employed by Wire. Anyway I am sure we will see soon enough how valuable (or not) he is.

PS. When it was announced that we were signing a retired player, did anyone else hope it would be Steve Menzies haha?

I think it was Daryl Powell rather than Murray, but I may be wrong.

You're spot on about him at SO though. I saw him play there a couple of times before he broke into the Leeds first team and he was outstanding.

Clough being interveiewed in coral stand. Had surgery on his tonsils reason he's been out

I didn't realise Bradford had money to throw away on a has been like Mathers! We got about 2 games, a big hole in our salary budget and a load of bad publicity from him! One of the all time rubbish signings for London, and God knows we've had a few!

yeahh DrFeelGood I got mixed up with my full backs lol

Leigh sign Lee Smith on a 2 year deal. Their salary cap must be more elastic than Dereks slacks.

Leaving aside sc issues. What I find most depressing about that is we needed a full back to replace our departed quality full back and weve needed a scrum half for 8 months. Our solution to these critical positions was to give a trial to an unknown 7 then release him and sign a retired full back. Leigh get a long term injury to their quality full back and go and get a sl proven current full back.

Our recruitment for assembling a squad as a whole is, IMHO, poor (in terms of competing against sl sides in the 8's, not the 23 game preseason) even though we have signed some good players, it seems a scatter gun approach, id have prefered going for less players of a higher calibre in the positions we needed to replace.
Leigh deserve their favourite tag at the moment despite Rowleys departure.

Never know, Gareth O'Brien could finally sign for us. Played out of position at Salford and had a shocker tonight

According to this report, published in the Leigh Observer, Lows says he is still after a couple of signings. www.leighobserver.co.uk/sport/le ... -1-7711201

According to this report, published in the Leigh Observer, Lows says he is still after a couple of signings. www.leighobserver.co.uk/sport/le ... -1-7711201

Maybe Smith's valuation of himself was far higher than what Lowes or that of Radford at Hull thought he was worth, Wakefield having experiencing him turning down our offers on two different occasions despite giving him the opportunity to get back in SL both times.

Think most people, both inside and outside the club, know what we need. Unfortunately we are not in the same position as Leigh with regards to resolving it.