Bailey I will agree with.

Goulding, like others have said he has not had a proper run in the first team. We have let too many decent players go under the same circumstances and they have gone on to be solid superleague players.

Smith was most people's MOM on Friday and Amos has only played two games for us since having hand surgery.

Exactly, with respect a 'solid SL player' is fine for Huddersfield or Warrington (:winkicon_smile.gif but we need more than solid if we want to win anything.

Smith isn't an average player and Roberts has played two gamesicon_rolleyes.gif It's quite feasible to imagine if either became eligible for GB they would both be snapped up in an instant.

So if they are already better than most English players who is it you suggest we should sign? Shall we swap one Aussie for another then? But last time I checked Smith is a former Daily M young player of the year and Roberts try scoring record in the NRL is 2nd to hardly anyone? They are the type of players people have been calling for us to sign for ages now but when the come we label them as average?

You'll struggle 2 find better players in the NRL unless you get the real cream like Inglis etc which will never happen. The next band down are players of the calibres of Smith and Roberts.

I'm sorry also but i'd rather keep Goulding than sign an average 27 year old Aussie who is a little better at the moment but won't get any better and doesn't offer anything long term. Goulding will get better, his wages won’t sore and we could do far, far worse (e.g Keving Brown) put him next to a quality centre like Gidley and we easily have a centre partnership that is good enough to win SL imo.

Not many players of Gouldings age have got the better of Hape, Senior & Yeaman when they’ve played against them.

I would go further and say too many so called world class players on world class wages meaning the cake was cut to thin for the rest of squad.

You need a team of solid players, backed up with a sprinkling of youth and a couple of star names. Leeds and Saints have this and are the two most successful teams in the country at the moment. We have a youth system as good as Leeds and better than Saints imo. The big difference is they bring their young players through and mould a team around them while we go for the easy option of big name players.

It has not worked for years so why do we still think it will? Even Huddersfield have cottened on to the fact about having good young talent (mostly ex Wigan) and blending them with other more established players.

We are very close to achieving this imo a lot of our current team is very young and talented and if we get the balance right then we could have the team we've been calling for;

1-Richards/Roberts
2-Ainscough
3-World class centre (on par with Gildley is a must)
4-Goulding
5-Richards/Roberts
6-Tomkins
7-Smith
8-Fielden
9-Riddell
10-New prop
11-Hansen
12-Lockers
13-Tomkins

Prescott
Hock
Feka
Leuleui

Plenty of youngsters like O’Carroll, Mcilorum, Farrell, Mossop, Thornley, Vievers to step up for CC games and injures.

We realistically only need a new centre and a good British prop and we then we have a quality team for the next four years. It’s very achievable all we have to make sure is the new prop is a good $hit house one and a world class is brought in.

You are right mate, this is the closest we have been for a good few years in getting the balance right.

IL said when he took over it would be a good couple of years before we are ready to be at the top again. Whilst I don't think we will be the top team this season I still think we can win some silverware or at least be there on the day with a chance.

I think with one or two good signings the balance will be right in 2010. We do need to blood a few certain youngsters this year to achcieve that though.

We haven't got any.

Hock, Smith, Roberts, Pryce and Riddell do have the potential but I dont think Noble is picking the right team or tactics.


and we have a world cup winner in the squad so he must be a superstar

Till you have any facts or evidence about Smith and Riddell on king street nobody is going to believe you.

Ok they like a drink...so what? They can do what they please in their own time as long as it doesnt affect their performances on the pitch.

The fact is Smith was our MOM last week! Not only have we been praising him but Hull fans have also commented just how good he was 2. He must be doing something right. He's got undoubted potential and is already a cracking SH. Do i think he's a 6? Probably not but his skill set is perfect for the SH role and if he's stays at Wigan with Tomkins as his HB partner we can all have something to look forward to.

What are you basing your statement about Ainsough being twice the player Roberts is on? Is it all the SL and Challenge cup games he's played? Or is it Ainscoughs try scoring record season after season like Roberts has?

Untill he’s played a SL all he can be is good prospect and nothing more. You don’t become a good player until you do the business in the full league.

Defiantly. Sam T and Ainscough shouldn't be playing every week but hopefully they’ll play a good number of games to aid their development this season. The more experience they get this season the better we’ll be going forward next season

My only concern is Noble may not be the person to achieve the team we could potentially have or make the most of it either.

I really do feel we are on the cusp of something with the squad we have, two major signings in the prop and Centre spot and we could easily be challenging.