You seem a cheerful chap ! Is it not enough for you that opposition fans seem to have a downer on us and the Dr ?
( See page 5 of the Kirmond to Salford thread on the Wakefield forum )
I expect forwards to sustain injuries,and of the signings made none appear to have one career threatening injury or weakness that can be exploited.They have had a number of non-related injuries.The players have the mental strength to recover and continue their careers.
Rapira has NOT wasted his time,while injured,but got involved in community work.A welcome addition to Salford.
One of the benefits I see,while the club is both in transition and at the new beginning,is the working relationship we now have with Dean Bell,at NZW,and with Melbourne Storm,and if things develop as they should,the players now at the club can spread good words and the club then becomes more attractive to more players;especially with their former colleagues and in some cases,other internationals.
They may even have good words about the supporters;if we can remember to support !
The appeal of Salford goes beyond what I thought it would,so early under the leadership,on and off the field.
No club making a signing can promise that the player will NOT be injured.
I have no complaints whatsoever about the signings or the way the club is headed.I am just amazed and thankful at how well it is going so soon after January this year and how it seems already to be preparing for 2014 and beyond.

Excellent post.Common sense prevails.

Bless.

Brian McLennan on Steve Rapira “He's as hard a front-on defender as I've come across in the game. If anyone wants to take him front on, head on, well good luck to them."

As a Wakefield fan I check this forum
regulary as TBH I am very interested in who you're signing Im not exactly excited but I want to see who your club signs and think out how it'll work out (just like other fans will be and I guess people are aslong as you dont take their players!! )
I hope you sign some quality players as the fans
of Salford dont just get to see the quality the whole of SL will. It makes the game competitive and thats what I want to see, not a team winning by 40 points.
However I do believe with all these signings some
bigged up players might not perform as well as youd thought but some average players will step up and take charge. I want to know who your pivots will be next season - because if you have 2 who want to take charge everything one of them will suceed and the other will suffer (like Isaac John when he was at Wakefield). You've got to get a good balance throughout the team
and that IMO is the biggest problem you'll have to overcome.
Rapira is a decent forward and I can only see him
improving as he is not even his prime yet.
I wonder if you'll dig into Londons team as they seem to be off downhill quickly.

I found the quote and I liked what I read rlHererl

( his brother must be injury prone - best we don't sign him,then )

I did read on the side of some buses in Salford the other week that the best never rest - and summit to do with Reds.
Reckon the owner and coach have been getting through some real hard work.Well done.

Some of the so-called fringe players we got from Australia in the days of "Starspotter" Simms and before were often - as I'm sure lancetodd will happily verify - the best players we had and, at least in one case (Sean Rutgerson), reached pretty much legendary status. The problem with Steve Rapira is with the [ireason[/i he's become a fringe player - injury - particularly in the context of the squad as it's developing. We'll now be going into next season with [ithree[/i forwards (that's half a pack, kids) about whom there's some cause for concern. At this rate, we'll be rebranding to Salford Red Cross rather than Salford Red Devils.

Still, let's look at the bright side. He's only 24, so the injuries he's suffered are more likely a result of bad luck rather than the inexorable and unavoidable process of ageing, so there's still the very real hope that he'll be a top player for us, assuming he's not been hit by the Curse of Ian Sibbitt, that is.

Fingers crossed.

All clubs in Super League will only be signing NRL fringe players (rookies, has beens, never quite will be's) Salary Cap issues will see to that. Couple that with the change in exchange rate of pound to dollar and it is self explanatory. The exchange rate in 2008 was 2.50 dollars to the pound, it is now 1.50 dollars to the pound. Put simply in 2008 an Aussie earning £100k in Super League took 250k dollars home. The same £100k now only pays 150k dollars. Add in the fact that the Aussie standard of living (including pay) has risen significantly in recent years, and it is little wonder that the top Aussies won't come here.

All clubs in Super League will only be signing NRL fringe players (rookies, has beens, never quite will be's) Salary Cap issues will see to that. Couple that with the change in exchange rate of pound to dollar and it is self explanatory. The exchange rate in 2008 was 2.50 dollars to the pound, it is now 1.50 dollars to the pound. Put simply in 2008 an Aussie earning £100k in Super League took 250k dollars home. The same £100k now only pays 150k dollars. Add in the fact that the Aussie standard of living (including pay) has risen significantly in recent years, and it is little wonder that the top Aussies won't come here.

I do wonder how much of McPhersons injury problems have been caused by being rushed back from his inital injury. He was playing with some pretty heavy strapping on his knee for a good long while, when he probably should have been rested.

There is an element of risk in any player. Steve Rapira does improve the squad, so good signing for me.

Completely different situation though.
Gibson is out of contract and Castleford do not need Salford's permission to announce he has signed for 2014.
Chase still has 2 years of his contract left so as part of the agreement for his transfer Castleford may have put conditions on when any deal is announced.

Be careful, you're letting common sense get in the way of his brain damage.

Not a lot of season ticket sales with this one.Doc.

Its to be hoped we are saving the stellar names till Thursday.