Tom Burgess (Bulls), Sia Soliola (Saints) and Mike Cooper (Wire) are all out of contract in 2012. All would be good signings and would strengthen the areas that we need to strengthen (Soliola as a right-centre, Cooper or Burgess for Prop).
All are good ages, too (19,25,23 respectively).

Opinions on these guys?

Not overly convinced by Soliola as a centre, personally, looks better when he plays in the pack IMO. Is Burgess staying in SL or is he another heading off to Souths?

Soliola was one of Saints' stand-out players when we played then a couple weeks ago, along with Puletua, but based on who I know is OOC at the end of the current season he seems the best option available, even if he probably is better in the back row.

Not sure about Burgess, I thought that he'd said that he'd turned Souths down because he wanted to establish a name for himself in SL? Can understand why he'd go if they offer him again, though.

But again, I thought Soliola played in the pack against us. Hasn't it been Meli at centre with Foster on the wing most of this season?

According to the Rovers Board, they have several World Beaters coming through their ranks and Scott Taylor won Man of Steel on today's performance alone.

Apparently, Taylor is a lifelong Hull fan and therefore some of their fans are expecting us to come calling soon. Anyone rate him and if so is there any truth in his allegiance to Hull?

In Rovers defence, one of their fans does point out that Paul Cooke was a lifelong Rovers fan, but played for Hull! They forgot to mention the transfer.

I'd rather have experience on the right with Crooks as back up. I like/rate Arundel but just asking questions. If we are happy to play a youngster then why not Crooks? Probably not ready but not sure Arundel is our best option.

Maybe he is, he is highly rated and I think his signing would be another coup for the club. I mentioned him in the off season as a player I liked.

Maybe Crooks will be Briscoe's replacement on the wing if he goes?

Crooks should be the backup I accept that, just not sure inexperience on the right is the best thing for us and if it is then why not try Crooks.

Also got told by a Cas employee that Arundel is coming to us. We'll see.

Completely understand on all of those points, and don't disagree on a couple of them. I just didn't get why yourself and easthullfcfan seemed to be saying that Arundel would affect Crooks' development but still wanted to bring a centre in. It doesn't really matter who the centre we bring in is from Crooks' point of view, as long as he has the right coaches and players around him to learn from.

We need to sign Manu up, would be a massive loss, we easily get into every SL's 13.

Get him tied up for a coup of years, I wouldn't swap him for any other backrow Forward in SL and would rather have him than Ellis.

Be great if in the next couple of weeks we announced the extentions of him, O Meley and Whiting.

I hope we wait and see how Turner and Crooks go before we sign Arundel, Turner looks much improved under Gentle and Crookes is scoring trys for fun in the reserves.

Unless one of them is going to play on the wing if Briscoe goes to the NRL.

Yeah, Soliola was in the backrow. I meant to say this in the last post but I didn't quite explain it properly.


I think Meli's played at centre every game for them but they keep swapping their wingers around. So far they've had Makinson, Gardner, Foster and Wheeler starting on the wing for them at one point or another.

If we're going to replace Briscoe with an under 20's player than surely it will be Lineham and not a centre come winger?
Lineham looks the bee's and expect him to make the break through within a few years.

Scott is indeed a big Hull fan, I think he would like to come to us one day - but Rovers treat him well when he finished school and got him into coaching youngsters and then full time training very quickly. IIRC he was also released from Hull FC's scholarship so maybe he will hold a grudge to prove them wrong.

On the other hand, remember that Briscoe himself was a centre in the 20s.

Soliola would be a great signing in the centre.