[quote="Rugby Raider":33uku84y] Teams rarely win when they have to play part of the game with 12 men and that was a contributing factor to our performances last season.[/quote:33uku84y] I believe we only had ten out of twenty-eight games last year when we had thirteen players on the pitch for the full eighty minutes.

[quote="ComeOnYouUll":1nqegqp2]I believe we only had ten out of twenty-eight games last year when we had thirteen players on the pitch for the full eighty minutes.[/quote:1nqegqp2] thats some stat, knew we were playing shorthanded a bit with the raft of cards we were getting but when put like that its shocking

[quote="Hullrealist":3diybtfa]Are you actually an FC fan, swear I’ve never once seen you post anything positive? Holmes has a niggle so you’re suggesting he’ll get paid off. He was signed for experience and to bring young players on. Hes not a bad back up. Chamberlain was hardly ever injured at Leigh and then has had 2 back to back injuries at Hull. The ankle might not even be too bad for all we know. Not a first choice SL player but can cover a lot of positions as a back up. Also managed to start at centre in a CC winning side. Abdull was a risk that went wrong but Myler managed to have clauses which mitigated the costs of paying him off. Add that we see the club doing more community work and seems a lot more in tune to the fans. Some positives there. I don’t think we can comment whether he’s doing good job or not for another 12-18 months[/quote:3diybtfa] Holmes dosent have a niggle,its the same knee injury that kept him on the sidelines for most of last season at Leigh. He wasnt signed as a back up he was signed as a starting second row Myler had clauses in Abdulls contract to mitigate the costs of paying him off? really On that basis Abdull may as well have sat out his last season on contract at KR if that was true,He cant be that daft As for Chamberlain he is just Championship quality even if you use the term utility

[quote="bonaire":3i79bzzs]Holmes dosent have a niggle,its the same knee injury that kept him on the sidelines for most of last season at Leigh. He wasnt signed as a back up he was signed as a starting second row Myler had clauses in Abdulls contract to mitigate the costs of paying him off? really On that basis Abdull may as well have sat out his last season on contract at KR if that was true,He cant be that daft As for Chamberlain he is just Championship quality even if you use the term utility[/quote:3i79bzzs] Cheers doc

[quote="bonaire":1s35yt50]Holmes dosent have a niggle,its the same knee injury that kept him on the sidelines for most of last season at Leigh. He wasnt signed as a back up he was signed as a starting second row Myler had clauses in Abdulls contract to mitigate the costs of paying him off? really On that basis Abdull may as well have sat out his last season on contract at KR if that was true,He cant be that daft As for Chamberlain he is just Championship quality even if you use the term utility[/quote:1s35yt50] Holmes signed as a starting second row but given the 15 number?!

To be fair to Bonaire he's right with regards to Holmes injury. He's been nursed through the pre season and in the first game he's played it's aggrevated it again. It is a concern especially with Chamberlain picking up an injury (despite him being championship quality). We're straight down to Jebson or Kirby already, or shoehorning someone else in. However... We finished joint bottom of super league and aren't the most attractive club to sign for. We (allegedly) were in for Whitehead so I think everyone at the club understands it's an area we're weak (left centre also identified too, Bonaire). I don't understand the constant club bashing from him (unless he is a Rovers troll) but it may just be a coping mechanism from him after many years of false promises and underachievement. There's a balance to be found though. I think deep down all Hull FC fans will be anxious as we approach the new season, but hopefully we'll all start to see some of the shoots we have seen take root and start to build towards getting us back to competing again.

Most teams are carrying injuries into the new season not just us......But again some highlight it as it's just us who it happens to

[quote="hull2524":38x68yxk]Most teams are carrying injuries into the new season not just us......But again some highlight it as it's just us who it happens to[/quote:38x68yxk] I mean we got into squad numbers in their 50s last year so it’s a fair point

That was last season

[quote="Blackandwhitebigdog":1hj8c1m3]Holmes signed as a starting second row but given the 15 number?![/quote:1hj8c1m3] Ashworth signed as a starting front row and has the number 17 Cust signed as a starting 6/9 has the number 14 Martin currently our best wing has the number 22 on the other hand we have Briscoe with the number 2 and Chamberlain number 4 and both shouldnt be starting first team players so trying to make out that Holmes was not signed as a starting second row because he has the number 15 is nonsense.

Signing players over 30 comes with Significant upside risk !!!! We will see injuries and soon Likely 6 and 7 of Kemp and Lane by Easter

[quote="Tarquin Fuego":25gy5pcx]Signing players over 30 comes with Significant upside risk !!!! We will see injuries and soon Likely 6 and 7 of Kemp and Lane by Easter[/quote:25gy5pcx] So what experienced, quality 24-27 year old half backs should we have signed that were willing to come?

Is our squad and team better than last season, I'd say definitely and we still have the scope to bring in 2/3 more players. Last year we had one player who was a top 6 player, now we have a few. Ad mentioned before we tired to sign Lam and Whitehead had those two, it would have made a massive difference and given us another quota spot. Myler is trying and getting us moving in the right direction, think every fan (except one) can see that. It's not a quick fix and not as easy as some fans think, no clubs need to sell, so having money for fees isn't really a benefit right now, so we bring young players through and supplement them with top (SL standard) overseas players.

[quote="ComeOnYouUll":3gdv09cw]So what experienced, quality 24-27 year old half backs should we have signed that were willing to come?[/quote:3gdv09cw] Oli Leyland?

[quote="Steve0":36gpq8gc]Oli Leyland?[/quote:36gpq8gc] Hull or Warrington though? Think we all no the answer to that sadly.

Just checked my bank account the Abdull pay off has not come out yet. Anyone else had money taken out there accounts to help pay Abdull off seen as how it affects us all?

[quote="Dave K.":3r5q1cik]Hull or Warrington though? Think we all no the answer to that sadly.[/quote:3r5q1cik] Depends, he won't get in at Warrington ahead of Dufty, Hayes and Williams, we could've given him the 6 shirt rather than signing Abdul, his brother signed for rovers too so could've helped tempt him.

[quote="Steve0":12ulkoxc]Oli Leyland?[/quote:12ulkoxc] Leyland and Russell were the only two possibilities really. Cust is a similar age to those two and I’d have him better than both so they’d both be squad players. Short term we’d have a bit better depth if we’d have signed one of those two instead of Abdul but long term I’d maybe prefer to give Charles and Kemp game time. That’s assuming either would have wanted to join which isn’t a given at all especially Leyland. Either way I don’t think the Abdul signing had any real impact on who we could have brought in, we still went for our main targets regardless.

[quote="bonaire":nadasm1n]Ashworth signed as a starting front row and has the number 17 Cust signed as a starting 6/9 has the number 14 Martin currently our best wing has the number 22 on the other hand we have Briscoe with the number 2 and Chamberlain number 4 and both shouldnt be starting first team players so trying to make out that Holmes was not signed as a starting second row because he has the number 15 is nonsense.[/quote:nadasm1n] Can't remember Ashworth starting last year. Came on from the bench majority of the games played. You know full well Cust was signed as the player to play 14 and rotate in and out of half back/hooker. Only now Abdul has gone has he been promoted to starting 6. I do agree with Martin however. Strange he's not been given a starting jersey and looks likely to not start.

[quote="DSJ1983":35lpzbc5]Leyland and Russell were the only two possibilities really. Cust is a similar age to those two and I’d have him better than both so they’d both be squad players. Short term we’d have a bit better depth if we’d have signed one of those two instead of Abdul but long term I’d maybe prefer to give Charles and Kemp game time. That’s assuming either would have wanted to join which isn’t a given at all especially Leyland. Either way I don’t think the Abdul signing had any real impact on who we could have brought in, we still went for our main targets regardless.[/quote:35lpzbc5] Big difference between those named is Cust takes a quota spot, very early days, but I'm yet to be convinced he is worth one. Wouldn't have minded Leyland, Russell is awful though.

[quote="Dave K.":2ul22jwb][quote="DSJ1983":2ul22jwb]Leyland and Russell were the only two possibilities really. Cust is a similar age to those two and I’d have him better than both so they’d both be squad players. Short term we’d have a bit better depth if we’d have signed one of those two instead of Abdul but long term I’d maybe prefer to give Charles and Kemp game time. That’s assuming either would have wanted to join which isn’t a given at all especially Leyland. Either way I don’t think the Abdul signing had any real impact on who we could have brought in, we still went for our main targets regardless.[/quote:2ul22jwb] Big difference between those named is Cust takes a quota spot, very early days, but I'm yet to be convinced he is worth one. Wouldn't have minded Leyland, Russell is awful though.[/quote:2ul22jwb] In regards to the recruitment done in this off season as fans we don't know what the clubs plan and strategy is long term. Myler when he came in has had to plug the holes to stop us sinking further so to speak, I don't doubt these signing in the main will have been done to solve issues in the short term but also with an eye on recruitment/retention and promoting from within in mind for the long term. Taking out the fact there were little options available to us as a club at the time, factor in the club probably for once have a long term plan with set criteria so even if the market was awash with a number of players still doesn't mean we'd sign any if those signings had potential to jeopardise the long term goals. Then throw in the new transfer rules which were about to come which has changed the landscape significantly.

[quote="Dave K.":3ge4rprb]Big difference between those named is Cust takes a quota spot, very early days, but I'm yet to be convinced he is worth one. Wouldn't have minded Leyland, Russell is awful though.[/quote:3ge4rprb] Cust and the use of a quota spot is a valid debate but Abdull signing didn’t prevent us using the quota place better, other players just turned us down. As for Leyland yeah in hindsight we could have used Abdulls spot to make a play for Leyland, but he’d still have likely chosen Wire. Hardly a disaster though IMO, if we manage Charles and Kemp properly no reason why one of those l couldn’t be as good as he is at 24, he looked a threat for London but still got a bit to prove.

[quote="DSJ1983":1c086t2u]Cust and the use of a quota spot is a valid debate but Abdull signing didn’t prevent us using the quota place better, other players just turned us down. As for Leyland yeah in hindsight we could have used Abdulls spot to make a play for Leyland, but he’d still have likely chosen Wire. Hardly a disaster though IMO, if we manage Charles and Kemp properly no reason why one of those l couldn’t be as good as he is at 24, he looked a threat for London but still got a bit to prove.[/quote:1c086t2u] Cade has played for Wigan and Salford in Super League and is fully developed. He is unlikely to get any better. Leyland had 1 year in Super League is only 23 and will probably improve as he plays in a more professional environment.

[quote="BOSS HOG":v88gfhaj]Cade has played for Wigan and Salford in Super League and is fully developed. He is unlikely to get any better. Leyland had 1 year in Super League is only 23 and will probably improve as he plays in a more professional environment.[/quote:v88gfhaj] There’s a lot of scope for Leyland to improve, but let’s not forget that it was basically a free shot for London last year, they threw the ball about a lot with no pressure or expectation. When it went well for them they got the plaudits but when they played poorly there was no criticism or analysis it was just expected. Playing as a halfback for Warrington or Hull underachievers with huge expectations is a different kettle of fish, it will be interesting to see how he goes. He’d have been a handy squad player instead of signing Abdull in hindsight for Hull. But we’d have still needed to sign a couple of more experienced/proven halfbacks. It’s a big if, but if Cust gets a good injury free run there’s no reason why he can’t do better than what he showed at Wigan or Salford especially. He’s still only 26, I’m sure Cartwright has signed him on the back of his Manly potential. He certainly wasn’t our first choice though there’s no denying that it is what it is hopefully he might surprise a few people with a bit of injury luck.

Cust also played well in a top side and did well in the NRL, still pretty young too, injuries have caused a loss of form. If he is over those injuries and get back to his first season at Wigan form, then we have a very good player. I'm not convinced that will happen though.