I'm not sure how many games we've played with all 3 missing but we beat Warrington without two of them.

I get your point but we are where we are.
If we go down then those players weren't good enough.

And I'm not sure which forwards you'd have rather signed that were available to us.

I think it’s agreed by most that Trinity needed SL standard props to be signed not wingers (Lineham, Minns & Davetanilavu) or back rowers at the end of last season.

The squad appears unbalanced and doesn’t appear to have sufficient strength in depth in key positions in the pack and clearly struggle when the best 17 aren’t available…

I know plenty who were astounded that we took Gaskel as it was common knowledge within the game that his hamstring was literally hanging by a thread.

Signing Linham was desperate and a total head scratcher when we had Murphy coming through, Kay who was signed as a winger, Croft who could play either centre or wing and we let Olly Greensmith go despite his try scoring form playing on the wing for Doncaster. We still have Bill Tupou and we could also have retained Hampshire

Signing wingers when we had so many other options smacks of the ridiculous signing of Alex Walker when we already had Jowitt and Hampshire, it’s a stupid waste of the small player budget when we desperately need strengthening in other areas of the team.

In the meantime we have desperately needed at least 2 SL standard front row forwards for around 2 to 3 years and we sign Battye from relegated London and Whitbread from relegated Leigh. We’d have been better off signing their namesakes Nora and Fatima.

I don’t know who’s making the decisions on recruitment but whoever it is or was got more wrong than right.
It’s not being negative PT, it’s calling it out for exactly what it is

Quote: The Avenger "I know plenty who were astounded that we took Gaskel as it was common knowledge within the game that his hamstring was literally hanging by a thread. Signing Linham was desperate and a total head scratcher when we had Murphy coming through, Kay who was signed as a winger, Croft who could play either centre or wing and we let Olly Greensmith go despite his try scoring form playing on the wing for Doncaster. We still have Bill Tupou and we could also have retained Hampshire Signing wingers when we had so many other options smacks of the ridiculous signing of Alex Walker when we already had Jowitt and Hampshire, it’s a stupid waste of the small player budget when we desperately need strengthening in other areas of the team. In the meantime we have desperately needed at least 2 SL standard front row forwards for around 2 to 3 years and we sign Battye from relegated London and Whitbread from relegated Leigh. We’d have been better off signing their namesakes Nora and Fatima. I don’t know who’s making the decisions on recruitment but whoever it is or was got more wrong than right. It’s not being negative PT, it’s calling it out for exactly what it is'" viewtopic.php?f=33&t=634241

Quote: The Avenger "I know plenty who were astounded that we took Gaskel as it was common knowledge within the game that his hamstring was literally hanging by a thread. Signing Linham was desperate and a total head scratcher when we had Murphy coming through, Kay who was signed as a winger, Croft who could play either centre or wing and we let Olly Greensmith go despite his try scoring form playing on the wing for Doncaster. We still have Bill Tupou and we could also have retained Hampshire Signing wingers when we had so many other options smacks of the ridiculous signing of Alex Walker when we already had Jowitt and Hampshire, it’s a stupid waste of the small player budget when we desperately need strengthening in other areas of the team. In the meantime we have desperately needed at least 2 SL standard front row forwards for around 2 to 3 years and we sign Battye from relegated London and Whitbread from relegated Leigh. We’d have been better off signing their namesakes Nora and Fatima. I don’t know who’s making the decisions on recruitment but whoever it is or was got more wrong than right. It’s not being negative PT, it’s calling it out for exactly what it is'" viewtopic.php?f=33&t=634241

I don't think your comment is negative at all.
But it does ignore tge fact that most of the wingers you talked about were injured and we didn't know Murphy would transition so well to 1st team.
A metre gaining winger is pretty much as valuable as a metre gaining prop these days. You need both.

But as with Scarlet, you link a perceived bad signing and say recruitment is terrible while ignoring the good recruitment.

For a guy who has such ‘knowledge’ you’re another one who bends the truth to suit.

I could argue most of what you say to but opinions are opinions but the most laughable comment regards Murphy. Absolute tosh I'm afraid.

When we signed Lineman virtually nobody on here had heard of Murphy. I was one of the first to mention him and all I said was he looked promising.

Nobody had any idea he’d be cementing a place at this stage and in truth, he wouldn’t have had Lineham stayed fit.

Murphy was in nobody's plans including yours for this season so stop it with the hindsight stuff. You’re definitely not telling it how it is your spinning it in that regard.

When people come on the forum to suggest we sign a player in an attempt to increase our survival chances you are the one who constantly quotes the fact our finances are not like the other clubs therefore even you must accept that this increases the importance that we use it wisely. I think that this is not always the case especially this season. I would believe that the majority of clubs can make an error and just go with it we cannot. I am afraid that whoever is responsible for player signings have failed in the majority this season and now leaves us open to the possibility of relegation.

Learn to use quotes please, nobody has any idea who's post you are answering

So if it was aimed at me as I'm still confused, what's it got to do with Murphy?

But aren't you saying the same thing?
Club finances are an issue when recruiting.

We can't just go for anyone we like.
What you call a failure might actually have been the absolute best available to us.

Just look at the props we have signed in the last 2-3 years, Green, Battye, Navarette, Tangata, the guy from London who's just another anonymous player. It just annoys me when certain people constantly say it's lack of funds for our constant being in the bottom 4. We had similar funds when we were knocking on the door of the top 4 just 4 years ago. I understand players in certain positions don't just fall out of the sky, but I think it's pretty obvious we've needed props for quite some time now, but have wasted money on players we just simply didn't need, i.e Atkins, Gigot etc. The squad always seems unevenly balanced to me.

Spot on

No we can’t but what money we have should be more carefully spent. It was obvious we lacked a prop or two. The lad in the academy is too raw, the one we signed from London was unknown at SL level and Whitbread is not big enough. I would say the same for Arona and Battye, but we chose to spend the money elsewhere and we are now facing the consequences and if these are the best we could muster then we are in big trouble.
What I was pointing out that it is not correct to just say we do not have the budget when someone suggests what we need because the money we had was spent by the club with what appears to be no thought on what most people knew we needed.
I note Vastman quotes Salford because they managed to sign players which he finds implausible considering their earning potential. I don’t know if they are pushing their luck financially but they are still going.

Tolouse have announced they have signed an nrl prop for the relegation battle.