Are you stating a fact or asking a question?

I quite clearly said "players LIKE Rangi Chase" anyway. A halfback is more of a priority to us ATM so no matter how much I might like Westerman as a player it would be a poor decision to pay a transfer fee IF it then means the cash isn't there to pay a fee for a halfback.

As I said previously, on the whole it is a good signing and shows we are prepared to spend I'd just rather we spent it strengthening in more important areas.

As said in the hullfc.com article it gives Joe a real chance to be mentored from one of the games true greats, for that reason it had to happen this season.

I tend to think it's a position we do need to strengthen. In order to play more exciting rugby and look more dangerous in attack we need a more traditional 13. There is Whiting although he has never been tried there so we don't know about him and there is also Washy who seems to me like he will now be the backup hooker to Houghton. For me the key pivots are 1, 6, 7, 9 and 13 and our starting players in those positions are all quality players and british, Tansey, Horne, Long, Houghton and Westerman. We do need cover for the halves and we need good recruitment next year for the haklves but players like Tansey and Westerman will be crucial in our style of play assuming we are trying to change it.

He also kicks which helps to backup Tickle and Fitz.

Well he is arguably their best player so I doubt they would get rid especially after losing Sherwin. We have tried with halfbacks as we offered money for Myler but I don't see too many other we could bid for now especially considering they might not be first choice this season. We all know we need at least one new halfback for 2012 and I know the club have already started looking in the NRL for such a player, there may be no need for a transfer fee to be paid.

So.....stroll on CARDIFF..........can't wait.

It will nice to see our new players in the flesh and not on a tv screen "wishing I was there" syndrome.....

Magic weekend....such a rip-off.....in the middle of winter....

Come on you true Hull supporters (looks for the fishing line...AGAIN)

It's ok people saying they don't think it's an area that we need to strengthen at the minute but sometimes you have to bite the bullet, we've got him on a 4yr contract so it's as much for the future as it is now. Who's to say if we hadn't have struck now we would have been able to get him in the future.

Completely agree with that. Didn't understand the rumours linking us with Westerman at all at first due to Agar's insistence on a prop at 13, but surely this must mean Fitz to prop now and a "proper" 13, and if this is the case it's a good investment, again, in young British talent. My hope is that the club join him at the hip to Fitz all season, as there is literally no one better to mentor him both on and off the field - and from Westerman's perspective this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from a legend. Well done FC on going all out to get him.

I've said before that i'm not totally convinced by this signing but i look forward to Westerman proving me wrong.

Looks like the writing is on the wall for Washy and Whiting. Can see them both leaving over the next 12 months.

Cas need the money so my gut feeling is that if the money was right they would have accepted an offer for Chase.

Anyway it's still a signing to be pleased about so I'll await further recruitment developments before commenting too much.

An excellent signing IMO. A young British player with a big future and someone we can build a squad around in the long term.

Good for the current side because this indicates a move to prop for Fitz and a more balanced looking pack for next year.

Hope Fitz takes Westerman under his wing over the next year and teaches him all the good habits needed to reach the very top because Joe has all the attributes.

Good luck to him.

Whiting won't be going anywhere.

good signing, Rangi Chase next, come on FC spend some money and another prop

Depends if he wants to be a bit part player or if he has the ambition to nail down a 13 shirt somewhere. Disappointed he's not been given the opportunity here.

Washy, maybe. As Paul says, though, Washy could rotate at hooker with Houghton this year and Whiting's contracted until 2013 IIRC and can cover anywhere bar prop but mainly cover for the backs, particularly FB and centre. Although that then leaves Turner, scrapping with Whiting for a back-up centre spot, and I think Turner needs gametime to develop.

One other thing, its good to see we signed a contracted player using the correct procedure rather than get the player to rock the boat, upset his club/team only for the third party to plead complete innocence when the said player demands a move from his employer.