So you think his poor form last year was Radford's fault? What a surprise.

Crooks looked promising in 2012, was terrific in 2013 but poor last season. Some on here were tipping him to be a success at the Eels but is clearly hasn't worked out for him. Maybe it was their coach's fault.

Who are you thinking of? I don't get to see the U19s except for those who occasionally appear for the first team, like Logan.

3rd grade? The reserve grade as such was discarded years ago, when the u/20's was introduced.(Holden cup)
Any player who doesn't make the 17 for first grade plays in the NSW cup if he is too old for the u/20's.
Parra use Wentworthville as their NSW cup team, - Chris Sandow was dropped & played a few weeks ago,
although you presumably think the fans of any super league club that signs him will `go mental'
By denigrating players from the NSW comp' I assume (maybe wrongly) you don't watch the NSW cup,
IMO from the games I've seen the standard is pretty close to the bottom half of Super League & looking at
at our league positions last season & this, ? ? ? ?

Crooks was given a raw deal IMO, same as Miller, and yes Miller wasn't going to improve enough but was still given a raw deal throughout the season.

Crooks was in and out of the side after the first three games in which he did little wrong, it wasn't him that cost us those two early losses, he didn't play in the debacle at home against Widnes and yeah he fell off a few tackles but who didn't last season, we were absolute turb aside from a small handful of games.

In his games we had a higher % win ratio than without (P12 W5 incl 1 CC loss), he made fewer errors per game than Shaul missed fewer tackles than Shaul per game & as a ratio of tackles made plus also had equal metres gained/carry.

Compared to Yeaman (25 games incl CC loss) Crooks had exactly the same missed tackle ratio (to tackles made), Crooks made more tackle busts per game (twice as many in fact), made more average metres/carry, almost identical amount of errors per game yet Crooks was ostricised by Radford and Yeaman carried on playing as if untouchable?

But obviously the word was that he was getting above his station, getting cocky, bad attitude, poor form, you name it the rumours where everywhere about him, where did these 'rumours' originate from?

I really hope we can get a decent centre for next season because atm it looks like Yeaman is going to be first choice again.

Crooks was fifth in terms of missed tackles for Hull last year despite only playing in half the games.

Same evidence I use, and my eyes saw one terrific season and nothing since.

During that one season he was definitely far better than Yeaman and Micheals, but neither of those should be used as any kind of yardstick. During his second season he was barely any better than Yeaman which is a pretty stinging indictment. On current evidence both Talanoa and Sa (when fit) are better centres. Logan I'm not convinced will make it but then I'm far from convinced that Crooks will either.

But he's not getting in the Magpies team, hence he's coming back. Friend of mine has watched him a few times over there and his assessment was - 'can't believe this guy is a rugby player'.

Magpies are Parra's reserve grade and he can't get in that. That makes him 3rd grade, technically.

Hull have released Crooks' registration for a 'nominal fee'. www.hullfc.com/article/40493/hul ... gistration

Hull have released Crooks' registration for a 'nominal fee'. www.hullfc.com/article/40493/hul ... gistration

Cas?

Hope so, think he needs someone like Powell.

Good luck to the kid.

Good luck to the lad but I fear he'll be another Craig Hall. He'll score some spectacular tries for whomever he signs for but he'll make some shocking calls in defence.

Cant see any coach getting that out of his game but he's still young so might prove me wrong.

He's 21. Still has years of improvement in him

I agree with the possible Craig Hall scenario. In the end its Hull's call and on more evidence than most/all of the posters here have available they have decided that he won't reach the higher levels of the game. They may be wrong of course but I very much doubt sentiment, either positive or negative, entered into the decision.

I don't mind Crooks not coming back provided we sign someone better than him and better than we have now because frankly the centres are the weakest part of our squad.