I really think the money could be used elsewhere to greater effect.

Can we afford to have another player on a learning curve? Can we afford such an expensive gamble? I don't think so.

I say we either sign an established player with the money we would have spent on Powell, and we're not talking peanuts here, or use it to blood some youngsters that want to play the game for the love of it. Powell would be switching codes for money and nothing else.

I'm no fan of the Crusaders but a player like Powell should do well.

Big bloke, puts in some hard hits, Welsh, good athlete... what more do you want?

The fact you put 'should' emphasises my main point. It is a big gamble and a very expensive one.

A well experienced top quality prop would go well. That goes for most other positions. If they have proved themselves again and again then it stops being a gamble and adds something to the team instantly. Powell would be on a learning curve for the rest of this season at least. We already have a player that is being wrapped in cotton wool for games and I don't need another as the team has gone right off the boil in recent weeks.

I think the club are being blinded by the 'we must have Welshman' attitude. If that is the case invest in the future. If we want publicity give Tom Jones a call. He'd carry the ball up for ten minutes I should think and think of the headlines, especially if as a result he lost his head with a high shot.

Youth development/Experienced top class rugby league player v. Powell coming to the club because he wants the money. No decision for me.

Wigan didn't offer him enough a year or so ago so he turned them down. If he loved the game that much he'd be playing already. Fact is he is not and is motivated by money. Leave him in union I say.

you wont be saying that when he starts putting the hits in.

Type in 'Welsh rugby crossbar challenge soccer am' into that well known video sharing website we are inexplicably not allowed to mention on here. Check out the size of him! Imagine being the fullback and seeing him heading towards you flat chat!


If a player like Gareth Thomas can pick the game up at his age and make a reasonable job of it a player like Powell will be even better

I've watched an awful lot more of him than you have Barry and watch Soccer AM and have seen the clip you refer to. Yes he's big and in my opinion would have to slim down. He's an inch shorter and 1.5 stone heavier than Jamie Peacock. He's also a stone or so heavier than James Graham. That shows he has some way to go just to hit the right fitness levels.

He would not get a run at the full back because he would never break the line to get a run at them. Skipping past a flat footed flanker is a different prospect to smashing through a group tackle put in by fit athletes like in league. I seriously do not think he would be the revelation everyone is thinking he will be and certainly not worth the money he would command.

He's pulled out of the Wales Squad to face the Springboks on Saturday & the tour to New Zealand. The reason given is a torn thigh muscle, I don't know what the recovery time for that sort of injury is, but if he really is that keen on switching codes & can recover in time how about negotiating some sort of arrangement where he turns out for the Scorpions to gain some experience & the Crusaders management can see how he performs.

I echo these sentiments.

I agree with what your saying but it will never happen,not enough money or publicity involved,could you see Powell turning out for the Scorpions,not a cat in hell's chance.

But it isnt a case either sign powell or have youth development. Youth development is on going but it takes a long time to build a squad from this.

How can you say he is coming for the money? He will earn more in union than in league from internationals

Its ridiculous you are trying to claim it would be a bad signing. The only reason you are saying this is because he is currently a union player

I'm sceptical on this one, size doesn't matter in league, sometimes the biggest players get smashed the most. Is he the player with the dodgy carrying technique? I apologise for my ignorance, but i'd rather cut a toe off than watch half an hour of yawnion.

Not a fair comparison, Peacock and Graham both put in big minutes hence they are more lightweight. He is a stone lighter than Paleasena and he will already have very high fitness levels being a full time professional athlete

I'm not going to pan a player I havn't seen, but could he lose weight, get fit, learn the rules and get up to speed without having a pre-season? Remember Tuiga'mala? It took him nearly 2 years to get up to speed.

Hes a professional athlete so will already be fit, hes over a stone lighter than current super league props and played RL as a kid so will already know all the rules