Rhyse Martin is okay, whereas Nicholson is just becoming world class. However, there are good options available at second row coming through the ranks. Martin is a filler who is excellent at converting tries.

If we'd spent big cap space on a world-class second rower, we might have lost Ashton (international class winger) and not been able to bolster the centre positions (and I have a feeling we'll have to spend big on one of those for 2025).

I trust Burgess' judgement on this. He seems to have moderated KFP and reigned him and the board in from spending silly money. One prime example would be Tom Burgess... imagine how Hudds fans are feeling now, knowing all their filthy lucre is going on one prop (for three years!) who is past his best.

Surely we should be looking at taking Nikorima for the rest of the season at least? He's twice the player Drinkwater is and Drinkwater has a rejected a new deal and off to Salford next season.

https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sp ... on-wolves/

https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sp ... on-wolves/

I know nothing (think Manuel in Fawlty Towers) but whilst he may have talent he's been binned off. Why would you potentially disrupt the team ethic when all of this squad building should be part of a managed plan both in cap and building from the junior ranks?

You may say that for half a season what's the risk, if we've £space fill it but I think that it sends the wrong message AND you never know we may actually have a plan.

BTW no matter how it pans out I'm enjoying watching a group with better balance and a team ethic

Probably not. Decent enough but not going to figure in a team that wins trophies.

No!

27 years old with less than a dozen games in the NRL and only a dozen games for Catalans.

For a comparison see Lachie Miller at Leeds (age, lack of NRL games). Would you want to sign him, I think I know the answer.

On top of that, Nikorima seems happy enough to break club protocol ... surely not a signing Sam would even consider.

100% spot on. Think it’s crazy if this even entered into Chambers head. Given what’s come out regarding the contracts being torn up they should be lucky if they get a contract anywhere.

Well Burgess and Co were happy to sign Zane Musgrove. He makes Nikorima look like a church choir boy.

I hardly think Nikorima pulling a one off sickie is going to disrupt team chemistry. Deary me.

Is he a better player than Drinkwater? Yes. Will he improve us? Yes.

In other news, I believe Luke Yates has asked for an early release from his Hudds contract to join us this season.

Hope not.

"Deary me" what's all that about??

In the case of Musgrove perhaps Burgess thought that it was an area of the team that needed strengthening, he may have a relationship with the player or his advisors, it was a planned piece of recruitment and he might even had the time to speak with the player to set the club's stall out and to get some reassurances from the player themselves.

IF it was a one off sickie and this guy was squeaky clean in other aspects of his attitude and behavior I'm not so sure that's a sackable offence and it's still a no from me.

And yes I get that and quite like the fact that rugby league teams aren't generally built with "church choir boys" (I'm a big Boyd fan) but to rush into something like this a risk for a potential marginal gain doesn't seem like good business.

I did wonder when Watson leaving was announced whether we could get Yates in earlier somehow.

Be good if we could, that way he would be well used to our systems well before the 2025 season kicks off plus give us good cover while Philbin is recovering.

1. I am not sure that buying in players was curtailed by Burgess. I suspect that the Board 1) doesn't have the cash to spend as much as they did in the past , and 2) They recognise that bringing through our own Academy talent is a far better route to success anyway.

2. I agree with Rico, we do seem to have engendered a fair bit of team ethic / playing for the badge with the current squad and that needs to be carefully nurtured when we bring in new players. Signing journeymen and players that are being shipped out for various misdemeanours should surely be a last resort ?

3. I don't think we have a surprising number of injuries within the squad over and above what we have seen over the last few years. And yet we are struggling to cope, with a lot of forced positional changes. That's good news for the kids coming through, but makes it difficult to compete at the top table. I personally think Burgess needs to strengthen the squad over the next few months and bring in more experience. At the moment I think the squad is un-balanced with too many 'hopeful' players like Wood, Bruin, Thomas, Okoru etc ( plus the Academy starlets). Some of these will doubtless turn out to be really good signings, but not necessarily in the next 1-2 years.

Not really sure what you are referring to here. If it's the game where Currie and Nicholson ended up in the centres, that was because we were unlucky enough to lose both King and Wrench in the same match, so inevitably had to shuffle the team around. In general, I think we have been coping very well with injuries. This is the first year in a long time that we can have six or seven missing and I am still confident in the 17 we put out.

Whilst I agree with your post, sometimes gambles pay off. We are unlikely to progress deep in to the playoffs/win the GF with the current halfback pairing as the next few games will likely underline*.


[size*Having said that this season looks a lot better than I was expecting. [/size