And signing a new name marquee Aussie isn't a guarantee that all will go well or it will bring crowds in which has been proved many times.

On previous threads people have asked who's the best players we've had in 30 years

Best prop - Andy Platt
Best 2nd row - Dennis Betts
Best halfback - Gregory and Edwards were top of the answers.

I'm sure if we went

Best full back -rads and Tomkins would be there or thereabouts
Best loose forward - farrell/lockers would be in the frame along with Hanley
Best hooker - dermott/Newton would be at the top of most people's lists.

Where do they all come from?

Now before people start throwing gene miles/bell/Barrett/renouf or henry paul out there.

The games/cards have changed, not necessarily for the better imo but it has.

And when it comes to 600/700k per year players were out the running.
Do we want to risk 300ks on Tyrone Roberts, Jamie sandow, Blake Austin? Which realistically is about the top we could afford
Even Leeds this year with their acquisitions are taking risks (although merrin I think is a quality purchase).
And would any of those put 2/3k on the gates purely because of their signature?
And those signatures and 2ks would only just about cover their cost and has been proved it doesn't guarantee it will happen or keep those fans.

Promotion of and inspiring of our youth and our own players in terms of making them star names is something we should be focussing on.
Making gildart, Burgess, Manfredi, Williams, Davies, Farrell and the next generations coming through household names rather than making out that these players are 2nd or 3rd best and not worth the money they get is also something we should do at club level and "Game wide".

Again, not the full answer, but part of dozens of things that need to be done.

The overall strength of the game and feeling like you’re watching a top quality product will have the biggest bearing on attendances. I’m somebody who said I felt a Widdop style signing could put bums on seats but that will only happen over a longer period if your side is playing good rugby against other good teams.

Castlefords style of play in 2017 got everyone praising them and they achieved that with some players you’d probably class as journeymen much like Sammut. Their average attendance that year was just over 9,500 in comparison to the seasons either side where it was around the 7,800 mark. Winning helps of course and it was new for Cas to be winning so many games whilst playing attractive rugby but if we could play a more exciting brand then I’m sure there’s no reason why we couldn’t get the crowds up.

You seem to be picking things up that I've not said or intimated. I'm not looking for a row, all I'm saying is that a marquee signing of Thurston would put more bums on seats than a wage increase for Williams. Nothing more, nothing less. At no point have I said Matty Johns is better than Shaun Edwards or Matty Bowen was better than Sam Tomkins... And I've also not said that Thurston is a realistic target. All I've said is that a big name, new marquee signing would put bums on seats. I've also not said that a £500K Aussie would put enough bums on seats to cover their wage. All I've said, and I've said it a few times, is that crowds would increase with a top, top, Aussie signing.

By top top Aussie you can’t mean the likes of Thurston or Cronk. Little left of their careers and wouldn’t IMHO add much to us.

To put “bums on seats” you’d be looking at a top Kiwi or Aussie. Players like Shaun Johnson, Jason Tamaulolo (sp), Andrew Fifita, Valentine Holmes, James Tedesco, Boyd Cordner, the Trbojevic brothers, Kodi Nikorima.

As good as players Thurston and Cronk are or were; I just don’t think they’d be as effective or as good over in SL at this stage of their careers and we’d be better off spending the money elsewhere. No doubt they’d be over on marquee wages and I wouldn’t have thought it to be worth it.

The reality is that list of Aussies/Kiwi’s/Tongan’s will never come over here, especially at this stage of their careers. To rely on a signing to put bums on seats is irresponsible IMHO and a sign of poor marketing.

Crowds would increase if we let everyone in for free.

Equally unsustainable

But if we're throwing ideas out that don't require any kind of logic and long term wont work, then feel free.

Just don't be surprised if someone picks holes in those ideas.

your joking right?

Nothing left of Thurston's playing career-he's retired!

No. What would be their worth? I’m not saying they weren’t amazing players because they were, no doubting that but I don’t see the lure of signing either at their age and stage of their careers. It would be a waste of time and money.

Yeah...I knew that...

I have followed this thread and have seen a lot of your valid points as true, I think Eastside has no underlying plan or idea for me what he is saying is absolutely correct. Whether its affordable to the club or not is not his point his basic flat line point is signing a top player will encourage more people to come through the door than upgrading a current player. No more no less, and he is bang right when fans aren't already coming through the door with say a Williams in the team it will not make one iota of difference his standing as marquee or not as they dont come having him already in the team. When someone like a Johnson was on the market I am sure if it was within budget (which obviously not they cant go throwing any money about) it will undoubtably bring back some stay away fans, however many you could never guarantee but more would buy season tickets on the back of that sort of signing.

We saw it at Bradford last year, dribs and drabs of season tickets sold then Kear was named as coach. Give the whole fanbase a new outlook on the season given the recent troubles and season tickets started selling more due to his signing.

I actually think Sammut will be great for you guys. His last season at Bradford in SL he was untouchable 80% of the season think he got 21 trys in 20 games. I think the debate about him is right on other sides too but Lenegan has obviously made his intentions clear which is absolutely his right given recent losses.

Straw man argument because you are deliberately ignoring the top class overseas players we have had over the years such as West, Botica, Bell, Dallas and Richards. All top class players who were with the club several seasons and arguably well in the mix for the best in their position. Where did they come from?



I bet if we had beaten Wire to Austin's signature you would not be on here slagging the club off because it was "a risk". I doubt anyone would have even thought it. From now on though I expect to see you leading the charge to do so if we ever sign such a player again

Overseas players being a risk is just today's bit of spin to excuse the club signing Sammut.

Beat Saints first up and we should be marketing the hell out of the Leeds/Roosters games now. No reason why we shouldn't start the season with two 20k+ attendances.
That should help the finances along with a home GF fixture.

The skies above are clear again
So let's sing a song of cheer again
Happy days are here again