We handled it badly and we lost a champion player - no doubt about it.

I think he said as much in his book. If he'd been paid what he was worth, then he'd never have given up playing at the successful bulls.

That side of 2003-2005 was awesome, and with the exception of deacon is all but gone.

Leeds have kept their core together for that whole time, whilst allowing others to leave for whatever reason. Saints have had a similar approach.

best hope for bulls long term is for a couple of the average journeymen to get injured, and allow some youngsters a chance.

the comparison here is easy to make. Both Huntley and Sculthorpe have had an unhappy time at Wakefield.

Excellent post IMO and quite similar to some conversations I have had today. I expect McNamara was looking for a hardened SL Prop as a bit of an insurance policy on Crossley/Burgess. If Crossley is to make it to SL then next season has to be it, however it would have been a massive gamble to have him as our 4th/5th choice Prop. With Sculthorpe we get a pretty average Prop but someone who is proven at SL level.

With the quota places reducing, our budgets seemingly getting smaller then I think a few Bulls fans will have to get use to this sort of signing. At least until our Academy is able to supply the 1st team in a similar fashion to Leeds for example.

I'd like to have seen the club re-invest a decent % of the Burgess cash into the 1st team, it is pretty clear now that we simply cannot afford to do that. That is a worry for me..

Isn't Sculthorpe a bit lightweight for a Bulls second row? Surely he'll be centre or wing.

Agreed, and the thing is peacock says if the club had told him they didn't have enough extra money because of the harris signing he'd have been happy with that as well.

Basically a lack of honesty was the reason he left.

Peacock is a champion and when he retires he'll leave a massive hole in the leeds team.

Me too. One wonders how bad things really are.

Dont you remember me predicting this 3 weeks ago? And also saying you are the next Widnes. its all coming true.As for Jefferies and Newton being poor signings for us hahaha. Dont forget you wanted to keep them and they turned you down.They could see what was coming.You wanted moore but he seems to have turned you down also

Yep. I know McNamara didnt want sam to go and certainly not when he did. So we just have to make the best of where we are. The suspicion must be that things are tighter than have been let on and we really need to get our own products into the 1st team ASAP (and then not let them leave for Oz

You make good points, and Im sure the club will blood the lads they can when they can. Point is though we are still in offseason and an experienced (although unpopular) prop is available, why would you not pick him up and have an insurance policy against gambling everything on a few youngsters making it? They can still be blooded (and will be) but now its through choice not nessesity.

Im not a fan of this signing, and I dont like where the club is at the moment, but the negative reaction has been way OTT IMHO, and I can see why the club did it, even if I might not agree with it.

All this talk about 'the Burgess' money...

Before you can buy something you need someone prepared to sell.

From the signing of Sculthorpe I'd guess that there isn't anyone out there prepared to sell the sort of player the Bulls would actually spend transfer money on.

What an absolute bloody joke.

this is a sad state of affairs.


replacing Sam Burgess with Danny flaming Sculthorpe?
its curtains for the Bulls.

McNamara you idiot what have you done.

I don't think McNamara has any issues with blooding the youngsters. In fact I know he has high hopes for Kopzcak in 2010 and I am sure Crossley will get some games if he can get himself ready during pre season. But we're not talking about an injury crisis at the club, we are short on numbers for a 25 man squad. You cannot expect a Reserve grade Prop to take on regular 1st team duties when he has barely featured in the 1st team in his career. Our Props for next year before this signing were Lynch, Scruton, Kopzcak and then possibly Glen Hall.

We were lacking size and experience.