Any suggestion that Agar did not want Westerman is very far from the mark. Anybody who has ever spoken to Joe will know that the kid, whilst a bit naive and possibly has a touch of arrogance (needed to become a great player IMO), is certainly honest. He knew Rich personally and Rich was the driving force behind bringing him in, it wasn't something that just happened overnight and was a long drawn out process. He nearly went to North Queensland Cowboys last year instead and we were in talks with him at that point too. Ultimately he didn't want to move that far away from his little girl and that is why we won the race.

Joe is the first to admit that he has had issues over the last year, what 20 year old wouldn't have had though who was going through a break up with the mother of his child?

Joe Westerman has the ability to be a stand out palyer for many a year at Hull FC and I am sure that the club will do everything in its power to help him. 3 games in is not the time to judge him, there is doom and gloom surrounding everything at the minute and people ready to spout rubbish just to push their anti Agar points. I personally believe that Rich does lack the personality and media awareness to make a really top level coach but he does have a very good rugby league brain and used correctly is an asset to the club. Perhaps a case of being promoted beyond his capabilities, who knows really? Having said all of that to suggest that he does not have a significant say regards to recruitment and that in this instance he wasn't the driving factor is just plain wrong!

fair point, i especially like the bit about the authority he simply shouldn't have, I wonder if leneghan has sold his harlequins shares yet?

We wouldn't have got Westerman when his contract expired for nothing or indeed at all . Other clubs, including Saints, were sniffing round him. That's why we decided to move when we did and were willing to pay a fee.

you can't know that for a fact just because james rule says so, its well documented you got sean long ahead of wigan by offering a more attractive deal, i would have thought o meley and fitzgibbon would have had other suitors apart from yourselves as well. sure you might have had to up his contract offer to beat other competitiors but would have saved on the 6 figure transfer fee.

Ok I'll put it another way. There was no guarantee we would have got Westerman when his contract expired. That's why we moved when we did and paid a fee.

A bigger contract offer may not have been enough to secure him in the face of an offer from someone like Saints.

The difference being that O'Meley, Fitzgibbon and Long already have collections of winners' medals, Westerman does not. At other clubs he could end up that way as well as being well-paid.