Matty Russell

Quote: Dita's Slot Meter "Am I the only person who is slightly underwhelmed by our new signings for next year?? - It seems to me we have lost 4 proven players and replaced them with an overseas player that many of us have some doubts about and 3 players who have previously had problems at Super League level (Granted Russell is young and never really got a proper prolonged run).

I know we should be positive about our side, but weren't people similarly positive about some of our signings in 2002, before it all went boobs up?.... From where I'm looking, these four signings could easily have been made during that disastrous period and would have been met with similar fanfare.

Of course, the core of a decent side is still there and we certainly won't be anywhere near as bad as back then, but I have a sneaky feeling that we might be next year's Saints - The odd glimpse of a very good side, plenty of mediocrity.

I know quality players are difficult to find, but I find it odd we seem to have been trawling reserve grade and Championship RL for replacements for some high quality departures.... Is there a possibility that the likes of Ratchford, Myler and Hill have been a bit lower paid than many might think in the last couple of years and now with Morley & co's departures, their contracts have seen them increased to a more senior level - It could explain how we kept such a high quality squad under the cap, despite the protests of many outsiders?'"

There aren't the quality players on the market that there used to be, because the NRL has a higher salary cap and the exchange rate has gone against us so the Aussie market is more or less shut. Guys like Langer, King and the Monaghans aren't available.

This time last year we were all sing at Wigan for making signings like Matty Smith and Blake Green, hardly ones to get the fans excited were they. Wigan lost a lot of quality last year with Finch, Carmont, Lima, Leuluai and Hock and they weren't able to find quality replacements. Now we are in that position too.

Other clubs are not exactly making major moves in the transfer market either: look at Marvan Koukash's signings, Rangi Chase is a good player but some of the other guys they are signing have a bit of a 'typical Salford' feel to them.

It is the new reality. The quality of Super League is at a low ebb and is declining further with better players leaving SL than are coming in. In order to be in the mix for trophies we just need to decline at a slower rate than our rivals.