Maybe getting us & KR mixed up? Swap a Kelly for a Kelly?

Sounds like someone is just working their way through the Aussie phone book....

Widdop doesn't sound too keen to leave Aus according to the NRL website news story - contracted until 2017 over there and playing well

It would appear from the previous 13.5 pages no-one has any confidence in our youth set up, nobody good enough to come through so we don't have to make at least half a dozen signings (the figure that seems to be bandied around)?

For me a top quality hooker is the most important position we need to change, followed by a bad mother loving prop, someone brutal and uncompromising. In known circles there aren't many, none OOC, wonder if it's worth someone trawling the union scene in the lower divisions?

That said I think we need to hang onto Green, he was knocking on the door of the Knights in 2013 but has gone off a bit since then but is still only 25
Bowden is only 23 and is doing ok, we have some relatively young props when you think about it (Watts 25) plus we have BTW (21) add in Paea if he's staying + Ellis if he moves there that's not the worst but certainly not the greatest, we need at the bare minimum 6 props in the squad.

Green and Bowden haven't progressed at all and lack aggression. I think Feka has been a shadow of the player he was when he made his debut last year (though not helped by lack of game time) so that leaves us with Paea (if he stays) Watts who's inconsistent and a 2nd rower turned in to a prop. I think overall we have big issues in the pack unless signings are made, I agree a top hooker is also a big priority though.

I don't think it's a lack of faith exactly, just that we don't necessarily have good prospects in some of the positions where we need to strengthen. Hooker is an example. On the other hand we seem to have two promising halves for the first time I can recall. Swings and roundabouts I guess.

only thing about using the youth is, they have to be ready for the step up. if not, you do more bad then good. so sometimes its better to bring in experience players, give the youth more time and someone to learn from

Got to remember that our u19's are actually mostly u18's. The gap between Bowden & Green to the likes of Logan, Lancaster etc. highlight the chronic lack of investment in the academy Pearson alluded to when he took over. There's only really BTW.
Hooker is an area we definitely will need to invest in, as there's nothing (even at 16's) coming through.

I have been impressed with Cunningham, I just wish that Radford would give him more gametime, than his token 15 minutes, Brad Parker looked good when he was younger, but haven't heard much of him recently.

im with you on that one, he hasn't looked out of place when on and without being spectacular he's done the right things well. It will give Houghton more rest time to keep him fresh and on his toes, which a fresh Houghton can only be a good thing for us

Have said before I like the look of Cunningham and IMO could turn out a gud un

Have said before I like the look of Cunningham and IMO could turn out a gud un

If you look at Green's stats he has consistently been one of our better players for metres per carry over the course of a few seasons. This season he is our strongest forward in this department by quite a distance. He also doesn't make many errors (one this season) and concedes very few penalties (none this season).

If he can up his work rate a little, and if Radford gives him some more game time, I think he can be really effective.

Bowden I'm not sure about.

Paea, Taylor, Watts, Thompson, Green and BTW would be a good set of props imo. We could do with a top class hooker, although I'm optimistic about Cunningham, a centre is a must, and a more skillful second rower wouldn't go amiss (I like Turgut but let's not forget he's barely turned 19). Other than that it's not a bad squad.

We just need a coach.

Pearson has being investing in the youth set-up for 3.5 years, it isn't as if it was non existant beforehand so that doesn't really hold up as an excuse, whilst it isn't long enough to say having the production line that Wigan seem to have we should be having at least 2/3 a year knocking on the door and this year we just don't, next year will be much the same so why the dearth?

If young lads like Cunningham are not getting much game time (as mentioned above) whom already has a wealth of SL experience via London then what hope the like of Adbul, Lancaster, Logan, the Tyson Wilson's? The continual progression of the young guns to become potential first 17 players is essential and that just isn't happening unless we have the direst of injury situations, last year was a prime example by bringing in Colbon and Carvell after just a cuple of injuries instead of trusting to the youth which made no sense whatsoever.

If we are as suggested above binning off the likes of Green and Bowden because they are 'not good enough' what does that say about our development of young players especially props whom as we know don't mature until later. Radford himself stated that he wants to build the side around the likes of both these lads (though he said that about Crooks too..kiss of death..lol) We can't all have a Burgess that is immense at a young age, that just isn't how it works.
Without game time their progression is just going to go backwards compared to their counterparts at other clubs and as a consequence we will yet again be lagging behind and scratching for good level cover when the injuries start to come

We MUST promote the youth in a way that gives them a chance to test themselves & improve, on this thread we are talking about bringing in so many players..yet again, more change, more new faces, you can only buy/import yourself out of trouble for so long.

International class Hooker but Houghton is going no-where so that's a non starter
2 props on the basis of Feka/Paea leaving, Taylor is one if the rumour is true but I'm not buying it until I see the shirt on his back, too many false promises in the past. Do we really want Ellis in the front row..not for me so A.N. Other
Centre if Sa is still a liability
Do we actually need anyone else?

I think that's pretty much it. 3/4 new signings max (depending on what Paea does). Prop & Centre are priorities, then hooker.


With regards to our youth, I don't think we're quite as bad at giving the young lads game time as you make out. We have a number of players on the edge of our squad, most of them having had some game time this year. But they're still very young:

Naughton (20)
Logan (19)
Turgut (19)
Abdul (19)
Cunningham (21)
Lancaster (1icon_cool.gif
BTW (20)

To use your comparison to Wigan & the young players getting game time over there, you'll see that they are generally a year or so older than our lot.

Hampshire (20)
Manfredi (21)
Sutton (19)
Tierney (20)
Williams (20)
Conor Farrell (21)


Be patient, they are coming through. Lancaster, Logan, Abdul and Turgut are teenagers still. Cunningham & Naughton are getting game time, BTW has been out on loan. We're still feeling effects from the years of underinvestment in our youth setup. You can't magic youngsters from nowhere.