WEll said Ian the Voice of reason!

I would concur with all that and put most of what is in here down to people having too high expectataions. Pearson will buy big as he promised but he'll do it when there is cap space available and when a quality player is available.

Agar has screwed or tried to screw Hull Fc over this one because Obst was going there before either of our last two signings were made and he thought he would try and throw a spanner in the works. Sam is happy with the outcome because Pearson has Shelled out big style to compensate him so that Gentle starts today with the squad he wants.

Both the last two signings are just stop gap cover they may come off and if they do they get another contract if they dont its bye bye. AND remember we now still have a quota place left and two players on low wage one year contracts if we need to get rid before the end of the season! As for Washbrook going well he was stale and old hat like Dowsey and he would never have settled for a one year deal anyway.

I'm not a big Aspinall fan but I am still very optomistic about the future although I think we might take a couple of weeks to settle in next year. But I think I can see the reasoning behind these signings! Some of the names on here in the last few days were Hans Chritian Anderson stuff at present IMHO. We don't have the cap space simple as! As for Lauaki well at least Aspinall has a better attitude, is a better tackler and is reported to be a much better trainer.

Give the new regime a chance!

Is there not a better prospect playing in the academy than Aspinwall?

I'd be surprised if Gentle even knows who Aspinwall is.

Give Aspinwall a chance to prove his worth.I'm sure he will prove an astute signing,providing cover in the back row,AND remember,we played Whiting on the wing last season,and if things aren't going well,Martin started as a winger when he was at Wigan,so provides cover there too.

Does Bomber know that he is back at Hull and not still at Salford judgeing by the quality of the last 2 signings.......we would have been better off keeping Washbrook than signing Aspinwall.

Roll on 2013 when its "Gentles" iwn team....how long have we been hearing that.

spot on,nobody realy knows what goes on behind closed doors,do people think gentle has just been twiddling his thumbs in aussie since he was announced as our coach,hes watched every game from last year been updated on all the players,id say he is well up to speed with goings on and that inc fringe players etc,he seems a very clever man and along with mcrae and pearson plus changes in the other coaching staff,i see exciting times ahead,its not just about 2012 it goes well beyond that,im not expecting trophies in the cabinet straight away i just want to see more consistency in our performances and im sure with gentle we will see that,roll on feb.

Precisely my point from earlier, expectations need to be managed. The problem with the last 5 years is that we've been mediocre but if you'd read the propaganda coming out of the KC you'd have thought we were world beaters.

Guys, having watched Aspinwall at Huddersfield he could be a very decent squad member for you. At Huddersfield, after his knee injury he was ineffective on the wing but Nathan Brown got him really fit and turned him into a very decent second row. He did not seem so fit last year at Cas. I believe if you get him fit he will prove a really reliable squad member.

Not a sexy signing but the sort of player every squad needs. I hope he goes well as his attitude at the Giants was spot on. Give him a chance and he will win most of you over.

Cheers buddy.

Like everyone else very underwhelmed and did not even see this coming.

However I have enough confidence in McRae and Gentle to give them the time to prove me wrong. We will be having a long 2012 anyway IMO as the squad is still too far away from a top 4 team IMO.

Aspinwall will get my full support but I doubt he will be a starting player anyway , he's more of a depth signing. We needed a back rower so it makes sense to release a SH/Hooker for a back rower.

McRae sometimes does have a habit of underwhelming fans with some signings but he can be very shrewd at times. How many of us wanted to sign McMenemy when we did and he turned out to be a very good player for us. Most of us with half of Brain cell realized any new signing wouldn't be jaw dropping anyway, so people who got excited by Sika Manu only have themselves to blame for believing there own hype.

To late everyone is queing up at the humber bridge

he won't be a starting player in the back row - manu, tickle and westerman will be our starting back 3. could go well as a sub. let's give the guy a chance, he's a good worker with a decent defence. the comments from hudds and cas fans on here are encouraging. he's a decent superleague player nothing more nothing less and will be fine for a year. not really worth 24 pages of moaning, and i hope he dosn't read the forum, its not much of a welcome. problem on here seems to be at the moment if we don't sign thaiday or galloway we are doomed to failure

I hope Aspinwall is not reading this thread,he will feel as welcome as a pork chop in a synagogue.

In the context of the squad and the current market I don't think it's that bad a signing.
It's a one year deal to add some depth to the backrow.

I do agree, but just trying to look at both sides of the coin as it where. The only way we will tell is when the young lads get their chance, as Gentle has said if they're ready, they're ready.
Ultimately I just dont understand all this negativity by some. Aspinwall might be a revelation under Gentle, then again maybe not. Who knows? I'm just looking forward to the start of the season.