We need to sign a scrum half because we haven't got one. If you're saying we need to sign both SH and SO then I wouldn't disagree but alas Adey is probably right on Chase.

Steady on Mr Optimistic

Lets remember Cas have made a point recently about not having a large squad, so to help with this the bulls could offer a selection of players as compensation for the final 2 years of his contract.

If Chase also wanted to leave Cas (Not sure if this is the case), this would also be an intensive for them to do a deal.

I would be happy with the Bulls offering 3-4 fringe players as part of the deal (maybe Sykes, Briggs, Crossley and Crokes (just an example))

As for 'Why would he come to the Bulls' question - Money talks, plus the Bulls are a bigger team than Cas (recent form excluded) with a larger fan base and probably a club with larger potential.

Above is not a solution - just an idea of how a deal can be done - no doubt you will come back with another negative comment, the point I would try to make is, what's wrong with having ambition?? We have a good squad - we just need to bring in a bit of class!

Whilst I think it's a long shot I was surprised when we signed the likes of Newlove and Fox under the noses of much bigger clubs back in the early 90s. Perhaps all we need is to bring Peter Fox back to sweet talk Rangi

OK, at least you have reasoned it out rather than just assume there is some magic wand like too many do. And I take your point re players in exchange for a transfer fee. That COULD address the transfer fee issue. At risk of not sounding "optimistic" (you must be the first one EVER on here to suggest I am a fully paid-up member of the Negative Tendency, since I have usually been accused of being on the extreme reactionary wing of the Positive Tendency - but there you go...) I'm not sure that would be enough to secure a deal though. I wish it were otherwise.

If Bulls offered say four players for one, they would have to replace at least some of those players though (in some form). So you would have Chase's cost PLUS the cost of the replacement players. That would likely therefore move the cost from transfer fee to player costs. That said, ANY quality #7 would result in a BIG increase in player costs regardless.

If, of course, the "discarded" players chose to go, and contract terms could be agreed. Remember, e.g, Sykes has a long contract so he could just sit it out at Bulls if he chose. And if Cas were happy to take mere "fringe" players. their "thin" squad made a pretty good fist of it on Wednesday? The precedent might be when we believed we had signed Ellis from Wakey (till the dirty was done on us) and we offered Langley and Reardon in return. Today's equivilent might be Whitehead and Donaldson or Bateman or whatever? Would the fans be any happier with that than they were over Langley and Reardon (when the generality of the fans, and the head coach, went apoplectic...)?

Last time I looked, Cas were above us in the table. And came close to a shock result this week at the Piedome despite having 11 regulars sidelined. Bulls may have been a "bigger club" once, but you might struggle to argue that convincingly now. IMO they are in a similar situation to us, and therefore Chase would be swapping like for like.

Your suggestion implies Bulls have a lot more money than Cas, though? You say "money talks" - and too bloody right, it does. Exhibit A: Wire; Exhibit B: Hudds; Exhibit C: Pies; Exhibit D:... But sadly WE don't have that much of it. And we have a big old stadium soaking up a lot of it. Why would we be in a position to outbid the likes of Leeds (or Wire or Wigan or Stains or...) who seem to have access to a lot more funding (some doubtless from "unconnected" third parties) for his services? If Chase had a choice of Cas or Bulls, as long as Cas are secure with a franchise (and I suggest they are as secure as we are) then even then I suspect he would need a big financial inducement to move. But since he would have other "big" clubs, with a lot more funding than we have, chasing him then surely our offer would have to be VERY good? That is the key point I am making.

And if we DID manage to secure him, you risk it being for a package so high (relative to the other guys) that their reaction could be the inevitable "well you are so bloody good, YOU run the ball up every time then and YOU take the tackles..." - sort of thing?

I'n not being negative, just trying to be realistic. Go back to the Newlove deal: the history books record which club did much the better out of it. I suggest any deal to secure chase would be similar but in reverse in its consequences? I suspect our best bet will be trying to secure a #7 with big big potential who is not yet commanding a huge package, given the dearth of quality halves around. Not many candidates there. No-one would be happier than me if Herbert could demonstrate, consistently, that he is that man. I fear trying to buy in "a bit of class" in an established qulaity half might now be beyond us. Yet I agree, without some class in the halves we will probably languish in the lower reaches of the table until we get ejected in the 2014 franchising round. As you say, money talks.

Adey

Above posts makes good reading, some valid points.

I think, like most fans, we just want that bit off class and most teams in superleague are now announcing big signings for next year, yet we never seem to attract then same caliber of player.

I then think the thought of Chase coming to the bulls is more likely than and overseas signing as he is established and happy on this hemisphere. That said, im sure a number of clubs would be interested.

It's always worth remembering, stranger things have happened, remember when Michael Worrincey.....

Cas is made up of Chase, several excellent youngsters & a host of mediocre has-beens, never-beens. The last thing we need is more. It's forwards we need anyway, not 3 more average backs (though I think Crookes has potential). You never know, when Nobby is in charge next year he might adopt the Foxy approach.

Is Chase really THAT good? Not been argumentative at all, as I have hardly seen him play. It's a genuine question. Who do people rate him like/compare him too?

Indeed, let's cut to the chase . . .

Miles better than any of our hbs.

If its forwards they need then I'd give them Olbison & Crossley

If you want Chase, which will be near impossible now as he has just signed a new 3 year deal with no clauses in, then your looking at easily £500,000 + which to be honest i don't think you'll be able to afford.

On the other hand of offering 'fringe' players like Sykes, Briggs - Crossley, Crookes, Olbison (who?) RW would laugh, as much as we need players, he is a pure money maker orientated man, he would want pure cash for Rangi, plus id argue that over the last few years, your big club status as gone, the pretty much same way that Leeds look like there going.

He may laugh at Bradford's offer, but I imagine he'd also laugh at your half a million plus valuation of Chase. I don't imagine many SL clubs would be in a position to turn down an offer of 250k for any player (apart from the obvious 5 or 6).

Public Service Announcement


Heads up roger daily can be added to the select band of posters who have form for seemingly genuine insider info

I think you'll find Nostradamus predicted this event first:


Northern wind will cause the siege to be raised,
Over the walls to throw ashes, lime chalk and dust,
Through rain afterwards, which will do them much harm,
Meanest assistance against their frontier.

Northern wind - Gale signs for the Bulls. Siege clearly referring to Fortress Odsal. Through rain afterwards clearly refers to the harm we've done to opposition in bad weather (Leeds, Hudds)

The rest, I'm sure you can attribute your own meaning to, as is always the case with such prophetic missives

heres a point ... if Pryce is off to France to play stand-off!!! what will happen to their current stand off .. who i think is Bosc? ...