I would like to know where these so-called better players are coming from.

It's very easy to say "SL/NRL whatever" but who is available who would be willing to come.

Don't know much about the Australian scene, but as far as SL is concerned it seems to me we'd be picking from existing SL cast-offs or from the team that's relegated. Favourites seem to be Wakey, but who of their players would we want?

Off the top of my head the only lower end SL player I'd be interested in is Aaron Heremaia.

Well Fui was willing to come from a NRL team and Hock has just signed from a SL team despite us playing in Championship and in a Part Time competition so a Leigh team in SL would be able to top up this current squad with 4/5 maybe 6 top class players quite easily IMO.

I know discussions will be taking place and targets already identified and knowing Derek he will be aiming high and not at some of the journeymen type signings we made in 2005.

The key thing for me as I stated above is continuity so order of the day must be quality and not quantity if we are to make the next steps.

If it were down to me id be making enquiries now for Lee Gaskell and also someone like Kevin Brown from Widnes. If Bradford don't get up Gaskell will leave IMO and Brown is related to Hock so will know what's going on at Leigh.

In relation to Wakefield I know Matty Ashurst the back rower is highly rated by our coaching staff and Derek and he very nearly signed for us last year. I personally rate Craig Hall who can cover Centre/ Wing and even fullback. Not to Mention former NRL Half Backs Jacob Miller & Tim Smith. Plenty top quality players at Wakey lets not forget Liam Kay was a Wakey cast off, hes not that bad is he

Few people saying they think we're good enough to get up but not stay up, whole point of The Qualifier Super 8 is that if you're good enough to get up you're good enough to stay up. If we get up would mean going backwards in relation to the other Championship teams to go back down again.

Fair comment Andy, you're obviously better informed than me (not difficult!)

As far as SL is concerned you generally know what you're getting but the overseas lot can be risky. Too many IMO come for a holiday - look at Roy Asotasi who's done nowt for Warry in a season and a bit and Willie Tonga who's already looking like a mistake for Les Cats.

We've been dead lucky with FuMo (either that or Mr Beaumont really does know what he's doing )

Good point about our 2005 signings also - the vast majority were woeful.

I don't think that my opening post looks too far off this morning.

Two players who quickly spring to mind who are off contract next year are Manu Vatavia from the NZ Warriors and Paul Gallen from the Sharks.Manu,s still a beast when anywhere near that try line,and he still has pace.Paul Gallen,well he has cult status with the Sharks and he can play 80mins if needed,and he,s fearsome.

As an outsider from another forum. Really enjoyed this thread. I cant imagine why the team would be changed too much if you go up. The super 8s will be the measure for your lads.

Bringing in so called stars are costly players. Can your setup pay for it over the seasons. Cas could not. Anyway your Maurice voiced on our forum that SL is rubbish this year and I agree with him, with the exception of Leeds who "are" SL at this point in the season. It was an uncomfortable realisation when the Ausies travelled here, in the bad weather and scooped the lot.

On balance you could enter the SL with what you have.

GFB I'm not sure how to say this, BUTTON IT you keep rabbiting on about what Leigh lack,yet keep trumpeting Fax and RM ,we Leythers know what we need for SL we don't need you to tell us ,come along to the LSV in May watch your beloved Fax and see the Mighty Leythers in action, I still chuckle at your view of the Fax pack bossing ours. Have a word with yerself.

The side effect of Salford's injuries that hasn't been mentioned is that they had an extra 2 forwards on the field, so makes sense that we want to get it to the backs while they would win the forward battle. Also we gave ourselves a lot of defending to do for a second successive week, which didn't help.

Was worried that we would be a bit light in the forwards when the 17 was announced. Would expect it to improve as Hock's fitness improves and Likes of Moimoi, Wilkes, Acton come into the team. Emmitt did his job well (workhorse, long minutes do nothing wrong etc...) but we were too reliant on Spencer and Hopkins to drive us forward, thought Spencer did well though.

Considering we were without Wilkes, Acton and Moimoi, and up against a good SL pack that only wanted to try and run over the top of us all day, plus the fact that we're only used to facing mainly Championship, part-time packs every week - I thought we defended amazingly!! Goulden, Beswick are tackling machines. They're like Rocky Balboa. Keep just coming back for more!

I have watched the match 3 times now (live, LCTV and SKY) and rugby league won on the day. It was a great game and Leigh deserved it overall.

And, Leigh are hard as nails. And that's something else team spirit gives you.

Nobody will want to play us in next round.




I could talk all day but I'll shut up now...

Not forgetting our injuries, playing 80 min with 1 hooker, 2 1st choice props missing & only using 3 of our players on the bench, Salford's injuries weren't that big an advantage.
Regardless of who dominated during which portions of the game we've just beaten the 4th place Super League team who have been on a roll with one of the most expensive squads in the country. I'm not sure why people have this idea that if we're promoted to SL this year we have to win the thing next year. Yes if we had to travel to Leeds or w!g@n next week we'd probably loose but so would most teams. Promotion was never a given but I do think it's looking more and more likely; if we are promoted we don't need to avoid the bottom 4 next year, personally if we're promoted I'd take staying up & avoiding the million pound match as a big success. This is why we've got these strange Super 8 groups rather than just straight promotion & relegation now; it's not about going up, replacing your whole squad & dropping down again in financial difficulty; it's about building, we've been building for the last 3 years or so now, every year we just add a few extra players and loose a few and every year we get better, I expect that to continue & I expect us to slowly work our way up Super League over the next few years just getting a bit better year on year, which is how it should be done.