Watched him play out here near his peak for West Tigers. Have seen players coming here from the English game for almost 50 years and he certainly ranks in my top 10. Only seen him play for Hull FC once at Wembley last year. A truly great player.

Still at the top of my ranking is Mal Reilly. It was great to see him again as a pundit on yesterdays TV game at Castleford.

Youngest ever Trinity Captain at 23 (he was either 22 or 23) and came through our Academy.
Exceptional player and a great guy too.

A real asset to the game of RL.

Sheens gave him a glowing tribute was devastated when he left Wests tried to get him to stay but understood why he wanted to come home he has been the difference so many times for you

Ellis is Hull's best signing since Steve Norton. A giant of a player. Will be missed massively.

It's great news that he'll be staying at the club in an important off field role.

forums.leagueunlimited.com/threa ... es.465903/

forums.leagueunlimited.com/threa ... es.465903/

If Cats get relegated could we move for Bird? He's as good as replacement as we could hope for.

No quota spots. But could see some structure goalpost moving should Catalans SL tenure look dodgy.

Weren't relegated quota players exempt this year? Or am I getting confused with the Bradford situation?

Who are our signed up non-fed players next year?

1. Kelly
2. Faraimo
3. Tuimavave
4. Paea
5. Manu

So is that the end for Mini and Michaels?

Mini is already signed up as is Talanoa. So Michaels must be going home or elsewhere.

Forgot about Talanoa! Wasn't sure if Mini was confirmed or still a rumour. Also I just realised I was looking at the 2013 rules where you were allowed 5 non-fed players instead of the current 7. Michaels has been a bit cold for me this year. Not been given an extended run, but when he's played he just seems to have lost a bit of the attributes he carried last year.

HDM stated not so long back that the club had confirmed negotiations with Michaels for next year, so what is happening, is it like last season were it appaeared he was offered a deal but then some were saying the club were letting him go. For the sake of the player one would hope that the club let him know one way or the other sooner rather than later otherwise he'll be in limbo and out of a job with no-one able to take him in their squad which would be a bloody shame.

And in all honesty there are plenty of times when the backline have being average bordering on pants so I think it's unfair singling out SM in that respect. He's been no worse than others over the whole season and doing his usual of filling in in any position required.

He wants to go home as far as I know. Of the current backline Shaul is contracted. Fonua is going home, to be replaced like for like with Faraimo. Carlos has been very good for us this year and is contracted up to 2018. Griffin has improved significantly and, again, is contracted. Only Talanoa was OOC this year and few would argue that Michaels is better. Michaels is out of contract, and many have argued against wasting a quota spot on a back up winger. So all in all we could guess that he's leaving with our best wishes rather than imply we're leading him on to the point of him being unable to secure future employment.

Michaels has to go as we have no non fed places left, he is steady but it's the right decision IMO.

Been a very good signing.

Who has made any 'implying' that the club have lead him on, you should learn to read/understand what has being written before making unfounded accusations of a poster!

You said we were in negotiations and went on to articulate a scenario where he's jobless and unable to get a contract elsewhere. I hope too that this doesn't happen.

You're the one "implying" that the club is leading Michaels on.

It's the old "make up a story" and then "condemn the club" trick again.

It goes round and round in a perpetual cycle.

Make up a hypothetical scenario and bash the club/imply the club are at fault somewhere, then when people rightly pull him up on it and make counterpoints, switch to defensive mode and make claims of being attacked/posters making "unfounded accusations".

Mrs B came back with what was a fair post with lot's of good points - he didn't address them and instead made claims that unfounded accusations had been made against him, despite it clearly being implied in his original post as Mrs B points out.

It just antagonises other posters. Make your point and give your opinion, but don't cry like a baby when you get challenged on it.

He's just an attention seeker, best ignored.

Bang on.
Shame some of our mods have difficulty working it out for themselves.

Again read what was written. THE Hull Daily Mail report a couple of months ago SAID the club were in negotiations, this is in the article from their paper. I've simply said I hope the club don't leave it too long so that he knows what's happening as there was lots of speculation last year with no word from the club even though Michaels himself had come out and said to a fan who asked him he'd being offered a deal. It was sometime after that late into the season we were told he had being offered another contract.

I have made no accusation or implied anything just saying I hope he knows what is happening as early as possible and that the HDM stated that the club were in negotiations. If that's now not the case fine, but why wouldn't the club tell us as they've signed up others and renewed contracts for many.

lol, you're another with a chip that is accusing me of something I haven't said.
I've not implied anything, I've said what the HDM reported and what happened last year and hope that SM isn't left late into the season, how is that any implication or accusation at the club?
Do explain?

Maybe they're not telling because it's of f'k all importance with CC final and Super 8's going on (and, in honesty, it's nothing to do with "us" anyway)

Whatever


Didn't take long for any reasonable discussion about the players and club to be turned into another bitch-fest by the usual suspects over nothing.
How very typical

Quote ="knockersbumpMKII"Again read what was written. THE Hull Daily Mail report a couple of months ago SAID the club were in negotiations, this is in the article from their paper. I've simply said I hope the club don't leave it too long so that he knows what's happening as there was lots of speculation last year with no word from the club even though Michaels himself had come out and said to a fan who asked him he'd being offered a deal. It was sometime after that late into the season we were told he had being offered another contract. I have made no accusation or implied anything just saying I hope he knows what is happening as early as possible and that the HDM stated that the club were in negotiations. If that's now not the case fine, but why wouldn't the club tell us as they've signed up others and renewed contracts for many.'" Well, as ccs just posted you've been a bit selective on the media reports you're citing. We had all this outrage from you last year on the topic of Michaels renewal, calling it "disgraceful", "despicable" and "sh itty" amongst other imagined sleights against the lovely Stevie. In the end it all worked out fine for both parties without any drama at all beyond the imaginary fabrications on this forum. Perhaps the assumption could be a similarly mutually acceptable outcome this time. Of course it's the prerogative of the club and player to make announcements as and when they choose as custodians of the contractual position, apologies for stating the bleeding obvious. i.rlfans.com/forums/viewtopic.ph ... &start=350

Quote ="knockersbumpMKII"Again read what was written. THE Hull Daily Mail report a couple of months ago SAID the club were in negotiations, this is in the article from their paper. I've simply said I hope the club don't leave it too long so that he knows what's happening as there was lots of speculation last year with no word from the club even though Michaels himself had come out and said to a fan who asked him he'd being offered a deal. It was sometime after that late into the season we were told he had being offered another contract. I have made no accusation or implied anything just saying I hope he knows what is happening as early as possible and that the HDM stated that the club were in negotiations. If that's now not the case fine, but why wouldn't the club tell us as they've signed up others and renewed contracts for many.'" Well, as ccs just posted you've been a bit selective on the media reports you're citing. We had all this outrage from you last year on the topic of Michaels renewal, calling it "disgraceful", "despicable" and "sh itty" amongst other imagined sleights against the lovely Stevie. In the end it all worked out fine for both parties without any drama at all beyond the imaginary fabrications on this forum. Perhaps the assumption could be a similarly mutually acceptable outcome this time. Of course it's the prerogative of the club and player to make announcements as and when they choose as custodians of the contractual position, apologies for stating the bleeding obvious. i.rlfans.com/forums/viewtopic.ph ... &start=350

I think this thread was about Gareth Ellis. Haven't seen the press Day stuff but apparently he said we're feeling more confident as a group this year. Hope he gets the performance from his team mates that his final Wembley appearance deserves.