Phil Kinsella (Radio Manchester) has tweeted that he has spoken to Jeffries recently about his move to Leigh, and he is now moving out of the Newcastle League to play for Jason Demetrious's Northern Pride in the Queensland Cup comp for the rest of the season.

Will be a good signing. We could do with a bit of age in the halves, riddy is experienced, as well as being the best 6 in the league. But did anybody see what we looked like without him that second half on sunday? Rudderless! Average age of the squad is about 26, Jeffries addition won't even budge that average. I reckon Jefferies will add a different dimension to the halfback pairing when needed, and will be a good game manager. (something we've lacked previous weeks, and seems something we're short of if anything). Jules O'neill? Fair enough he went off the rails, as he did at most of his clubs, but how old was he when he signed? Providing Jeffries drinks less bundaberg than him, he should be a player in the same sort of mould, and hopefully take the panic out of situations at times. This is a good young team, all gaining experience together, introducing players of Jeffries class whether he plays much or not is a key part of their development. Halves like him don't need to be able to go through the gaps themselves, chances are he'll have three runners lined up in single file in order of ascending height to go through it for him! This game isn't all physical you know.

Great post and right on the money, well said

Just out of interest, what level of rugby in England does this equate to?

See below I messed up!

Serious question, is it relevant the guy is proven at the highest level so not like he will be taking a step up to join us?

If memory serves me right, it is the highest competition in Queensland beneath the NRL and has generally been considered pretty much equal to the Championship over here.

I think it is relevant to be honest. It's 2 years since he was proven at the highest level, and no one could doubt he was a great player. I am just interested to know the level of rugby he has played since then, if you don't mind me asking.

I am told it is equivalent to Championship, especially the comp he is going to play the rest of the season (Queensland Cup) they (Australia) have a number of feeder leagues but the Newcastle League and Queensland Cup are the two 'better one's' in Queensland.

Thats 3 people I make thats told you the same thing I think Advocatus

For those asking about the Queensland cup, players such as Tyrone McCarthy and Rhys Williams are playing in it this year, Ty told me its comfortably Championship standard, The PNG Hunters are in it for the first time this year, so it won't lack in the physical department

Including yourself haha

Gordon Bennett

PMSL at this thread

You're all big enough and ugly enough to shake those off (none of which are my quotes BTW) - seriously, if they upset you, you need to grow a thicker skin.

Quote ="advocatus diaboli"Just out of interest, what level of rugby in England does this equate to?'" According to this, just like the Shaw Cup of hold Mind you, who can blame him wanting to come back to England. The Championship will be a stroll in the park. I also read similar to this in the Daily Mirror on Tuesday. Ben will definitely arrive in Leigh battle hardened. [i Jeffries said some of the culture attached to the Newcastle Rugby League was also a deterrent to playing on, including unsavory incidents on and off the field. "Coming from a professional background and dropping down in standards and seeing what happens on and off the field this year was a bit of an eye opener in the Newcastle comp," he said. "There's a few thugs in there who just want to knock your head off, and I don't believe footy should be played like that. "Then you have guys running off the sideline to hit players and people fighting in the stands. You don't encounter this sort of stuff as a professional, and I guess I've been shielded for a long time. "I don't really want my kids exposed to that sort of stuff either." Jeffries is the second former professional to criticise the competition in recent seasons.[/i newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/vi ... F5CP31T3A0

Quote ="advocatus diaboli"Just out of interest, what level of rugby in England does this equate to?'" According to this, just like the Shaw Cup of hold Mind you, who can blame him wanting to come back to England. The Championship will be a stroll in the park. I also read similar to this in the Daily Mirror on Tuesday. Ben will definitely arrive in Leigh battle hardened. [i Jeffries said some of the culture attached to the Newcastle Rugby League was also a deterrent to playing on, including unsavory incidents on and off the field. "Coming from a professional background and dropping down in standards and seeing what happens on and off the field this year was a bit of an eye opener in the Newcastle comp," he said. "There's a few thugs in there who just want to knock your head off, and I don't believe footy should be played like that. "Then you have guys running off the sideline to hit players and people fighting in the stands. You don't encounter this sort of stuff as a professional, and I guess I've been shielded for a long time. "I don't really want my kids exposed to that sort of stuff either." Jeffries is the second former professional to criticise the competition in recent seasons.[/i newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/vi ... F5CP31T3A0

Sorry wrong comment quoted. My eyes are pot these days.

Andy you just have to accept that this signing has split ALL the fan base 50/50 not just posters on here I can assure you. The fact remains everyone I speak to(including myself) are cpmpletely behind the BOD, Paul and the team 100%.

Just finalised my travel plans to Doncaster on Sunday as it happens. See you up there.

Will agree to disagree Harold, enjoy yourself Sunday mate.

We are all in this together.

Blimey, 17 pages about ONE signing!

We are all going to have our opinions about every single signing we make. ([i As Franklin D Roosevelt said, "There are as many opinions, as there are experts." [/i)I can understand comparisons with 2005, but the circumstances are completely different. In those days we could only start signing players in OCTOBER/NOVEMBER, after just about every decent player had been snapped up. (and those that were still available, were usually offered ridiculous contracts by the likes of London, after we had shown interest.)

This time round, we are signing players in JULY, well ahead of many of our opponents, and have the 'luxury' of choosing early from what's available. Is Ben's signing a 'risk'? Of course it is, just as most signings are. Our recruitment team have made some successful signings, this season - Pitman, Armstrong, Kay, Spencer, Wilkes, Sarsfield, Haggerty, Barlow, Emmitt, and Acton for instance. It's also fair to say that not all our signings have broken into the first team - e.g. Brown, and Govin, plus a number of re-signings from 2013. So, you win some, you lose some but, on balance, our recruitment team has got it right - as proven by the 'promising' start to the season.



However, what is absolutely important to me is that people are allowed to express their opinions on this message board. I can understand members of the BOM taking umbrage at opinions that don't coincide with theirs - especially given the 'hard-earned' and time they are pumping into our club, but my advice to them would be not to rise to the challenge of slagging off folk for expressing an honest opinion. I think it's great when the BOM use this board as a means of communicating factual information, but it unfortunately becomes awkward, when they express personal opinions - which they are just as entitled to hold, but are maybe less 'entitled' to express on a public forum. Personally, I feel it's best for them not to 'rise to the bait' and shoot down someone, who cares as much as them, but who expresses what they perceive to be a 'negative' opinion - but hey, that's just my opinion!



As for Ben, well I confess to having doubts, but am prepared to back the judgement of our recruitment team, given their recent successes, and am certainly prepared to back Ben, once he dons that cherry and white shirt, and steps over that white line on match day. ( a sentiment echoed by just about everyone else on here, who has expressed concerns at his signing)

Agreed Alan, we have the luxury of that we will finish TOP of the league (barring a miracle) and can plan ahead of others. SO WHAT if one signing may not be a 'wise one', personally I am looking forward to seeing Ben Jeffries in a Leigh shirt.
Can only be better than Robbie Hunter Paul....if you wanna compare ex Bradford players in their 30's
I cannot believe some Leigh FANS (?) being so negative, before seeing the guy play in a Leigh shirt. Our 'Board Of Directors' know what they are doing, no need to be a 'doubting thomas' !!!

I'd like to second that and even though I am on a fixed income I don't want a free ticket to any game' but I think our present BOM has been great and' I leave it to our coaching staff to target the players they think we need.

They haven't done too bad either.

agreed Frank....we are on one helluva ride, my glass is HALF FULL !

I can see the advantage of having him, we're very fortunate to have several young up and coming halves and a player with his experience will be very useful in helping to develop them. I can see why people are dubious though about signing a player so old, who has retired from full time RL but I'm sure of one thing, if he's not good enough he won't be playing & it won’t matter. We'll just have to see what he brings & what Rowley plans for him.

Yep....he will only play if he is good enough and brings much to offer.