Andy and Kirmond probably fall into that bracket.

I was going to put Bibey but he wasn’t an unknown when we signed him.

I don’t think a lot of people got Bibey. He didn’t huff and puff and he wasn’t flash but if you wanted to show a young player the basics of being a prop he was the man.

He drove the ball in often and hard, went to ground and got to his feet in the blink of an eye. Players like Korky would flay about and wrestle a few more inches but in the meantime the opposition had reset their defensive line. When Bibey played the ball half of them were nowhere near set.

It wasn’t the yards Bibey made that counted it was the yards he allowed others to make. Fans don’t seem to appreciate that there is more than one way to play and wasted effort is not the best imho.

So yes I’d love another Bibey but what I’m talking about here is players who came to us with no real reputation and did a great job. Still think there are plenty of those kicking around who just want a chance.

I’m guessing you mean Raleigh? If so I’d say he’d already proved himself by the time he joined us.

Kirmo yes but I’m really talking front rowers or those who have it a go. Best will in the world Kirmo was never a prop.

Amor was fringe but everyone knew he was going to big things. Leeds signed him as the next big thing and then didn't play him. We were exactly what he needed to push on.
Jacko and Griffin were great punts when no one else was brave enough.
Webster was always a Wakefield lad.
Moore wasn't fringe, as with Bibey. They had both been at the top and fallen foul of off field and other issues. They were Kear projects that worked perfectly for us. Moore may have given the penalty away but he brought so much more with his aggression it was worth it.
Mike Forshaw was already very well known. He wasn't fringe. He would have played in any team.
Paul Johnson I assume you mean the forward not the centre from Wigan? One was unknown and did ok but the other was very well known and came for an end of career season.

Here we go.

So scratch my list, none of it ever happened

Well I apologise, it read like a dismissal to me.

The only one I was correcting really was Webster.
The rest I agree were all successful punts when no one else wanted them I was just explain some were unknown, some where getting old and some had fallen back for other reasons.

Apologies if I didn't explain it very well.

Sorry to be a pedant.

Webster was a Wakey lad but he actually signed for Saints. He was languishing in there reserve team when we signed him.

Hence he was another rescue job from obscurity.

Liked Webster but I don’t think things went well for him post Rugby.

I think we do usually get more out of English forwards. I think the Battye type players/signings are often our best.

I don’t think we’ve had too many disasters in terms of forward oversea signings in the past decade, but they certainly are at the very best on a par with the UK lads. I sometimes think that fans put too much pressure on though and just think because they are quota then they will steamroll the opposition and must be better than their English counterparts. Other than the odd few though I can’t remember many disaster signings.

I know people like Poore came with a big rep and he did give loads of pens away but I’ve been watching some old games and defensively he was very good. I think people just thought he was going to be a blockbuster but really he was just a defensive Prop.

One overseas Prop that I did like and wish we could have come to an agreement with was Stosic. Underrated and played a big part in the 2009 season. Nothing flashy but like Bibey he always found his front pretty quickly. Got through a lot of tackling too.

In balance though for every decent overseas forward we have probably had two/three good British forwards.

I think we have done well with our overseas signings, it's just props that seem to have been a problem. I think we've had an obsession with NRL props for ages and I'm not convinced they are the magic bullet some seem to suggest, certainly not the 30 + reputation ones.

Pound for pound Duncan McGilveray was the best we ever signed in my time and he had no rep whatsoever, even his mum had never heard of him

Poor for me never let the club down and certainly had a presence on the field.
I'm still if the opinion you need amix it up man in the front row. Our pack lacks out and out aggression.

I wouldn't call it a lack of aggression, I'd call it a lack of players who play it tough and just get stuck in, the ones who gove you real momentum. They don't need to be especially big or skilful or from the NRL. There are plenty of those about in the UK and Australian game that don't cost the earth. Personally, I'd go British.

Battye though is one of the best examples I've seen for a while, head down, go forward, tackle hard and get up as soon as you're knocked down, easy really.

Duncan McGillivray was immense. Think he was playing in France when he was linked with Salford but didn't he have a relative already at Wakefield so we got the heads up and pinched him. Love watching the 2004 games.

Sid Domics brother inlaw