Newcastle might move for Long, he wants to play in the NRL and the Knights need a Scrum-Half.

At the minute Newcastle Knights are playing loose forward, Abraham at 6 with Stand Off, Mullen at 7.

Kurt Gidley has established himself as number 1 Fullback this season.

First thing I will establish before I post this, I'm not to bothered if we lose long, I am confident we can replace him.

Thing is why on earth would Warrington want an old geezer? Lee briers is no spring chicken so why get another old 'un? why not look at signing the future next big thing? why not sign someone like dobson or robinson, someone that is not going to be around for a season or two and then retire?

Also if you were to be getting johns then it must be a fair wedge you have available. Spend it on a few players rather than one, that way you have back-up if you have this seasons situation again.

I think we should go for either Matt Orford or Luke Robinson.

add dobson to that list, any three of them would be great

We have no chance with Matt Orford, he could be pushing for an Origin place if he carries on with his form for Manly. Personally i think we were used to ramp up Orford`s wage demands in the NRL on our last attempt to sign him..

Luke Robinson is a good player but he is not good enough to take us to the level we need to be realistic challengers for silverware, i doubt he will ever seriously threaten the GB set up either.

If not those two, who do you realistically believe to be a target?

If we sign Long and Robinson signs for Saints, Robinson GB squad.

If we sign Robinson Robinson not in GB squad.

Just a hunch.

It all depends on who we release at the end of the season and how much that would give us to spend in the salary cap, this is just my view but i would seriously dangle a decent amount of money in front of Darren Lockyer as we need that type of player who would be a constant threat to a team like St Helens.

I don`t know what Rob Burrow`s contract situation is but he is a player i rate, he would be a great foil for Lee Briers and other teams we play couldn`t just target Briers as our danger man as a player like Rob Burrow is a nightmare to defend against and he makes a serious amount of yardage for Leeds and he also wins a lot of penalties. He is also a player that is a back up kicker.

Either would be great signings but I just can't see Lockyer either coming to GB yet (if ever) or being released by Brisbane.

I think Burrow signed a long term contract not long ago at Leeds but with a new coach coming in and Gary Hetherington being the only man ever to make money out of running a rugby league club he may be tempted by a big transfer fee. I would certainly be happy with Burrow.


What is clear is that the market is not awash with quality, let alone available, half-backs. I would therefore be tempted to blow the big money we will have spare on a bid for Buderus and look at a more "safe" vfm signing who could cover half-backs and other positions possibly, such as Matt Geyer.

If it is a half-back we are going to go for as an import then perhaps Sherwin or Gower may be available and are generally considered good NRL players.

I can`t disagree with any of that.

I`m not Craig Gowers biggest fan but like you say its a struggle to find any decent half backs that are available, i think i read somewhere that they were complaining in Australia about the lack of quality half backs around.

I can`t see the Knights letting Buderus leave especially after Andrew John`s has retired, Johns and Buderus have been the backbone of Newcastle for a good few years now and without Danny Buderus and Andrew Johns they look a very average side. One player i would have loved to have seen in a Wire shirt is Steve Simpson, thats impossible now as i think he recently signed a new contract with the Knights.

In the back of my mind I've got the tought that Buderus may be coming out of contract this year, I'm sure Wire Ando will confirm for us.

If we are talking players in the Simpson mode who we should of signed and who have just committed to a long term contract then Paul Gallen is the man.

Buderus would kill two birds with one stone. Shit hot hooker and a player for the opposition to focus on as well as Bryars.

Yeh Paul Gallen is another no nonsense player in the Steve Simpson mould, they are the type of player i like to watch.

It really does make me laugh at how much Wigan paid for Stuart Fielden, i wonder what Jason Ryles would be worth if Wigan paid 450k for Fielden as Ryles is twice the player IMO.

Its frightening the strength in depth that the Australian test team have to choose from in the forwards, never mind the backs.

Havent we posted a near £190K cummulative profit on the last 2 financial years, or were my eyes deceiving me.

Sherwin would be a good shout, strugggling to get in at the Dogggies at the moment with Roberts and Holdsworth playing well and Gower may well be looking elsewhere....does he have a British Passport.