If the storm win today, id throw as much money as possible at bellamy

If Price and Fitzpatrick can recognise we need 2 props, they can keep their jobs....for a bit.

That's always going to happen because of the difference in quality and grade of the 2 competitions.

You can compare it to the difference between the English and Scottish football leagues.. Celtic and Rangers regularly have to sign players and managers who are simply using them as a rung on the ladder to get them to a better league - For example, everyone knows that Steven Gerrard is using his Rangers job as an apprenticeship for when Klopp leaves Liverpool. Similarly, Brendan Rodgers gets sacked at Liverpool, rebuilds at Celtic and then jumps ship at the first opportunity to get back into the PL.

The Aussie route is always going to be a gamble, but then so is the appointment of any new coach. It's probably where having a half decent chief executive, director of football, or whatever Karl Fitzpatrick is supposed to be, comes in handy.

Surely were all aware that anyone we tried to sign who was any good, didn't sign a contract and wear the P&B., especially in the prop department.

Tbf decent props are like young decent halfbacks, rare on the market.

Its been a complaint at Wigan for a while now, saints have had to bring Graham back.

Leeds have struggled to replace peacock and have held onto cuthbertson past his best.

I think if we gave Anderson a squad number he would still do a better job than a couple on our current roster. Latu and Sita aren't worth the wage, Rob butler has a lot of potential as does Ellis Robson. Philbin is a good player to have for impact but on wet ground imthatbimoact reduces somewhat. We are still light one prop and should be looking for an established superleague prop IMO. Like you say though there aren't loads of options are there.

This is what I find utterly bizarre.

We are always hearing from clubs how much investment there is in junior development these days. Clubs will do press interviews explaining their great infrastructure now, how they take young lads, ensure they get good coaching, alongside schooling, coached in the same patterns that the first team are, to create a seamless experience and so on. Surely a million miles better than anything we had in the 1980s or 1990s in terms of formal infrastructure for developing young players.

Yet back then we had far more talented playmakers coming through than we have in the past decade or so. The argument was always that the modern era of professionalism has forced clubs to focus on guys with great physical attributes and just building athletes rather than talent. Fair enough I can accept that, so why the shortage of front rowers? Why aren't clubs churning out Stuart Fielden style battering ram props?

It feels like there is something obvious missing here. We don't produce the playmakers like Woods, Gregory, Schofield; we don't have exceptional athletes like Robinson, Offiah, Hanley and we don't even have strong front rowers any more. And the worst thing is....it seems to be getting worse! The standard of player coming through today is lower than it was in the 2000s. And yet the infrastructure for coaching and development seems to be so much deeper than it used to be.

I don't think the calibre of player in Australia is quite as good as it used to be either, although still far ahead of us.

There's been a good number of British forwards who haven't looked out of place in the NRL, currently, and very recently. The Aussies seem to believe that we do have talent.

That’s a very fare post.

Seems Ian Watson is a done deal to Hull.

Good luck to him if true.

He has rejected them. Says it wasn't the right time with his family his kids are doing gcses and a levels and he is going to honour his contract with Salford. Looks like he doesn't want to relocate his family. He will be waiting for saints, Wigan, wire or Leeds IMO and he's earnt one of those moves too. The location suits and the profile suits at those clubs, not saying the profile at Hull doesn't as I really think they're going to come good soon but it seems too far away at this point for him.

He also said he'd like to coach in the NRL at some stage too.

I'd like 2 weeks isolation with Susanna Reid, but alas, it ain't gonna happen.
The cheek of it.
Multi winning coaches in SL (Elliott, Milward.....) have gone to the NRL as ASSISTANTS. This bloke hasn't won owt, yet he's pimping himself up for an Aussie role. Got to admire his optimism

I agree but he didn't say as head coach anywhere. Just coaching in the NRL.

That would be a great way to spend isolation.

Cameron Diaz or Fiona Bruce for me,but has you say it won’t happen