In fairness though Wilks, that will make him no older than Buderus at the end of his contract?

Must admit this signing caught me totally by surprise. I've always rated Diskin, and IIRC didn't he totally rip us apart at OT in 2004? He's certainly a better 9 than Godwin (not that I'm having a go at Wagga) and can only improve the squad further. But I really would like to see the signings completed (we seem headed towards a completely new team...) so we can better judge it overall. I'll feel much happier (I hope...) when I see who we will actually be playing at 1,6,7 & 9.

As for why he left Leeds...no doubt truth will out in the end, and I have no idea, but I suggest folk don't rule out the seemingly inconceivable possibility that it suited all the parties?

Disko was amazing in 04, injured in 05, when he came back he was a passenger for a large part of the season and thought he was on borrowed time. He picked up his game in 07 play offs and played really well. In 08 disco was solid and showed his strength playing the 08 gf with a broken hand. 09 disco was out played by buderus for the 17 games beds played until he got injured at Wigan. we all said disco had to step up to the plate big time and he did and was a match winner in the 09 gf. in 10 disco went ok but when beds went off and disco came on we lost our momentum and stopped going forward. We often lost the lead we had when disco came on or scored no more points. Perhaps not all discos fault but too regular this happend to be fluke. Its maybe as much Leeds packs fault as discos solid but average dummy half play. But this highlighted the difference in quality between him and beds.

disco signed a new contract at Leeds but then got a better deal from the bulls when his brother in law moved there. Leeds been the club they are realised it will be his last good contract and didn't stand in his way as he has been a great servant to the club and we have beds, mcshane and hood who is also a belter coming through. Disco did what he thought was best for him and his family.

Good luck to him that's what I say!

Wilko - I think you're a year off with your analysis - Buderus was injured for 2009 not 2008.

Anyway, it seems to me that this is mostly about a deal that makes sense for everyone concerned, assuming Diskin is asked to play longer at hooker. The rotation policy introduced since Buderus' arrival at Leeds has suited neither player - we've generally done better when one of our first choice hookers is out.

I suspect what Diskin will bring to the Bulls more than anything else is solidity and experience. He's obviously not the most dynamic hooker in the world, but I for one would have been happy for him to play out his days at Leeds.

not at all. peacock was perhaps the best forward in the world at the time and become the world forward of the year been the best prop forward ever to play for Leeds. Coming to the club he supported as a kid.

sorry you are right it's early. .08 disco was solid,

No you are right but beds was and still is light years infront of anything disco is in attack and defence. but disco is a good signing for anyone.

I have already posted on our forum i would of prefered to of kept Disko and let Buderus leave.
I think he's far from finished at 28 and it's obvious the rotation policy did'nt work for him although heseemed far more comfortable when he started and Buderus was on the bench.
The deal is a very good one for Disko BUT with Le'strange and Godwin still around surely he's going from 1 rotation policy to another???
We do have Mcshane and young Hood who have plenty of potential and will get opportunities to show their worth but i hope it does'nt come back and bite us all the best Disko.

Got to admit that I've never really liked Diskin. Probably more to do with the fact he played for Leeds than anything to do with his ability.

If I had to guess why we've signed him I'd say that its because a quality number 9 has become available and this signing may be instead of signing scrum half cover. With a fully fit squad we have 3 hookers. If our scrum half gets injured again (Orford at the moment) then I bet Le'Strange will provide the cover and we still have 2 quality hookers available, unlike last year.

After this signing I wouldn't expect another scrum half to be signed unless Orford goes. That said, nothing will suprise me this year.

tbh I wouldnt have a problem with that. we need to sign 2 halves now, a quality standoff and a quality scrum half to replace Orford. As nbackup we have kearney/royston/sykes for standoff and l'estrange/addy/southernwood for scrum half. whilst I dont think addy or southernwood are ready to step up and play a full season I'm quite happy to have them as cover.

I thought last year that I thought that in L'estrange and Wagga we had two "impact" hookers, who are handy when coming off the bench to run at tired defences, but neither of them IMO really had the ability to dictate the pace of the game early on.

For me Leeds had the total opposite with two players that I would call starting hookers, who play smart and push the team around the field, helping them to get a roll on and win the arm-wrestle.

I feel that Diskin will play as our starting number 9, and compose the team, then Heath or Wagga, providing they both stay will come on to test the opposition.

when diskin was first mentioned yesterday I thought l'estrange would start and diskin off the bench but the more I think about it the more I like the thought off diskin starting. He's a solid hooker who directs the team round. we then bring on l'estrange (who's best attribut is his breaks from dummy half) against a tiring defence. Potentially a very useful combination imo.

And Godwin?

cant really fault that Diskin is not gonna set the world on fire but he is solid, and will be a good signing. Good luck to him, think this is a case of the best deal for all concerned. He never really worked well coming off the bench for us and i hope he goes well for you

injury cover for diskin/lestrange, maybe give him a go at loose forward? If he isnt happy with that then I expect we'll be seeing him leave. Always liked wagga but he isnt in the same league as diskin/l'estrange imo.

I agree with all of that.

We need some solidity in the middle of the field and Diskin provides that. At 28 he's still got plenty of rugby left in him too.

As for Godwin, I expect him to be back up to the other two and occasionally filling in here and there. If injuries strike he'll be in.