Couldn't agree more, we do have an incredibly youthfull squad we I do fear is that we run the risk of not having a rudder for the ship, both those potential NRL recruits would have offered that.

I said it after Friday I would be exstatic if we got Gleeson from Wigan as watching last week he was there most vocal player on the pitch and would be an ideal replacement for Talau and the voice of experience that the younger players need.

My only worry on him would be the alleged reputation he took from Warrington, & Maguire dropped him a few weeks ago & when asked on radio was he injured, he said it was for a club disciplinary reason?????
As you point out he appears to be a leader on the park, but young lads can be easily led & would hate it to happen of the park with our young guys.

You could well be right but my point is that he is both the on field leader we need but also the type of qaulity player in the centres that i'm affraid Talau has never quite been with his poor injury record.

Huddersfield have signed Luke O'Donnell from the Cowboys as well, a very decent signing for mine. Looks like they've got the knack of signing some of the brighter lights in the NRL, following on from the departing Brett Hodgson and Paul Whaturia also David Fa'alongo.

100% agree with you, we need a leader on the park & a high quality centre & he could fit both criteria, maybe he is the type of player we could do with but what is his contract at Wigan? would he be available? would he want to come to Salford?

The benefits of having a coach who's respected in Oz I suppose.

that young lad from wigan who is on loan at hull kr at the moment could be worth looking at if he isn't gonna get a game at wigan next season.

STEPHEN WILD HUDDERSFIELD...ON HIS WAY!

I'd be happy with that.

menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... sfield_ace According to the MEN we are about to sign Wild (although they have spelt his name wrong). I'd be happy if we signed him, but I don't understand the other people we have been linked with. Reardon and Blaymire are IMO no better that Fitzpatrick so it would be pointless signing them. It also says Vinnie Anderson has priced himself out, yet earlier we were offering contracts to Ryan and Patten? I can't see Henry working out at fullback as I don't think he's very good under the high ball and his positioning isn't great. Ben Cross seems to be past it and I think we'd be taking a gamble on him if we did sign him. I just don't understand how we have enough money to offer contracts to two good Aussie players, yet when we find out we're not getting them we don't seem to be able to sign anybody as good as them?

menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... sfield_ace According to the MEN we are about to sign Wild (although they have spelt his name wrong). I'd be happy if we signed him, but I don't understand the other people we have been linked with. Reardon and Blaymire are IMO no better that Fitzpatrick so it would be pointless signing them. It also says Vinnie Anderson has priced himself out, yet earlier we were offering contracts to Ryan and Patten? I can't see Henry working out at fullback as I don't think he's very good under the high ball and his positioning isn't great. Ben Cross seems to be past it and I think we'd be taking a gamble on him if we did sign him. I just don't understand how we have enough money to offer contracts to two good Aussie players, yet when we find out we're not getting them we don't seem to be able to sign anybody as good as them?

My advice would be, don't believe everything you read.

In fact, if it has Neil Barker's name next to it, don't believe ANYTHING you read?!

I've compiled a list of out of contract players in the NRL and there's a few great options still out there, I'll post when I return from Bradford.

I agree about Blaymire and Reardon. If the package we were to offer Andrew Ryan was enough to get Anderson interested then he could be worth a punt. Especially if he could take Leuluai's non-quota spot, if that ruling is still in place next year and he would count on it.

As regards getting English players to join the club, it could be a case of them not wanting to come. Broughton is one the best out and out wingers I've seen at the club in a long long time, possibly international class. The trouble is, we could be standing in the way of his international honours. This is where our problem lies. Alker and Coley probably would have got more international game time if they'd been at bigger clubs earlier on in their careers.

This is why teams have to build on success gained from using Aussie/NZ/Pacific island players. Once you're at the top the English players will come, as warrington are starting to find out. Atkins and Myler are an example of this.

Moving on to Ben Cross. He may not be up to NRL standards week in week out anymore, but in Super league he won't be playing at that level every week (not that I'm trying to start a debate on the NRL, especially if Barry McKenzie is reading this, sorry if you don't know haven't heard of him), but he may give us that extra bit of firepower to win against teams of a similar standard or a little better than. The problem that is driving fans away.

its happening soon expect some news in the men in the next few days photos have been taken