Orford's better than Deacon, so I don't see what the problem is? At least Bradford are being ambitious.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

So 2 of your players are on the best part of £300k a year each and you dont even operate at full cap? What do you play the rest of your players with? Buttons?

I cant believe for one minute that any player in SL is on the best part of £300k a season and I bet you could count on one hand the amount that earn £150k a year.

If you ask me, THAT's the problem. Too many people jealous of Bradford's sucess during SL and laughing now they've fallen on hard times and now throwing their toys out the pram because the Bulls might become a force again

You're wrong. It's Burgopodes.

£280k per season has to put him as top earner in SL??

£280k a season is a hell of alot of money for a guy of his age.

I think everybody would say money well spent if it was for Inglis,Slater,Falou or Benji Marshall...but Orford?

Also with respect he is used to guiding the likes of Lyon,the Stewart brothers,Watmough,Matai etc around the pitch.

I think he could be in for abit of a shock at Odsal,but with that money he'll get over it

V.Tiger is miles off, nobody at Cas on Ordfords money...not even close

Not whilst Danny Buderus is still at Leeds

Or ODSAL...the official retirement home of Manly-Warringah

Yes, 24 & 28 are really close to that. And Orford is 3 years away yet.

Has there been some sort of collective lobotomy carried out on posters on here? Why, all at once, has everyone simultaneously lost all their critical faculties and chosen to accept, without question, a sportsman`s salary as mentioned by newspapers??

I'm not singling out Bradford, they are just the latest in a very long line of clubs who don't produce enough quality jnrs to replace retiring or leaving players. And given it is at the same time as yet another Int failure it seemed poignant to raise the matter!

I think people are barking up the wrong tree.

It's not the Gildleys, Buderus and Orfords of this world that we need to stop playing over here, regardless of age. It's the Flannerys/Talaus/Tadulalas/Phelps/Jeffries/Neros/Melis etc.

Signing players who could well be the best in their position is not detrimental to Super League, or to the young players. It's signing average joes and downright heaps of s*it that stunts our competition and leaves us playing at a standard that means we cannot challenge for trophies at international level.

The only issue I have with this signing is the reported salary, but that is Bradford's problem.

Its exactly the same people as were saying Bradford are financially fooked and can't afford a penny to buy anyone

Well said that man.

Signing overseas "also rans" just shows superleague's quick fix mentality. Franchising is supposed to give our kids a chance but will greedy/desperate super league clubs care less? It has already been suggested that a team will get the boot from Superleague so the quick fix merchants will be out in force.

Its much easier to get an "off the shelf" product than to take the effort to plan and to train and to nurture our own youth. - it makes my blood boil.

Then we get the complete numpties who come out with - I don't like smith cos he won't pick the young guns. Then another bigger set of numpties that complain that he has picked the wrong young guns (ie not from their team). Even worse you even get those who complain that he has picked young guns and not played those tried and tested (and failed) players.

Its time for RL and superleague to front a massive investment in youth and stop being an antipodean retirement home.

It will be interesting to reflect on the state of the game come the next world cup. I really, really hope that we have made some progress. A vibrant international team is the catalyst that raises the profile of our game and makes kids want to play.