I don't need to "re-define" anything thanks.

If you read my post again, you'll see that I said that they are not necessarily "bad players" but that they are very poor signings for a club that, AP would have us believe, wants to challenge at the very top of the game.

We needed a couple of quality signings (not world superstars) and IMO Aspinwall and Martin certainly do not constitute quality signings.

BTW, I won't be getting a pass but I will be going to the majority of games as usual.

why would anyone think that?? both are at clubs miles ahead of us in terms of winning things for a start...

Brilliant.

I am trying to think when anybody was actually excited by any of our signings.

Maybe someone can enlighten me.

Im a little underwhelmed by the last two signings but overall we have a stronger team than last year imo, finally a proper scrum half and good cover. Hopefully we will have a good season and be competitive in the bigger games instead of folding.

We have a squad with a little more quality in it but less depth, especially in the pack. I'm expecting improvements in the quality and brand of rugby that we play and our ability to win "must win" games.

Not having Agar in charge has to be worth a place or two in the SL table on it's own.

The biggest disappointment is that McCrae is now saying that the cap is full and no player comes in without a player going out. How the hell our squad is worth £1.6M (or whatever it is) is completely beyond me. If we didn't have much room to manouvre in the salary cap, AP should have just said that instead of building up fans hopes of quality signings coming in.

He didnt say when they would be coming in tho did he?

No, you're right, he didn't specify exactly but he did give the impression with a few of the things that he said that we could expect some quality coming into the squad in November for the 2012 season.

Fair enough, a lot of us got carried away a little (a lot) and expectations hit the roof but I don't think that AP has managed fans expectations very well.

I'm still looking forward to the season starting but I can't help feeling a little deflated and let down over the last two signings and the fact that our cap is now full. Something doesn't seem quite right to me.

I see your point but in my opinion we have a good enough squad to make the top 6 and make a go for the cup,im not expecting a trophy in 2012 as i think its all about re building with the big changes from top to bottom,i also expect a massive improvement from the team and a new brand of rugby with gentle in charge,upto now ive been very impressed with what hes had to say,there is a lot of pressure on him to succeed as us hull fans are very impatient roll on 2012 i say,will be interesting next week aswel at the season pass forum,are you going?

well said...

I think we probably are at full cap, and the reason our squad doesn't look as good as other full-cap squads, is due to youth development IMO.

It'll cost more (not much more) to tempt an Aussie to come to the UK, or a player at another club to come to Hull than it does to keep your home grown players.

Heremaia, Seymour & McKinnon won't have come cheap.

Lynch, Tickle, O'Meley & Manu will be on good deals.

Yeaman & Briscoe are current internationals.

Horney.

Westerman & Houghton (England Knights), I think Houghton got a new deal?

I'd [iguess[/i they'd be our top earners. Add to that other
players like Aspinwall, Moa, Martin, Whiting, Turner, Sharp, the paying off of Gleeson & Obst, O'Carroll & Ellis, plus afew other fulltimers to get us to the 25 - we won't be far off.

agreed, I think Aspinwall is average (at best) because I've seen him play, not because he's 30, the fact that he's 30 means he's unlikely to develop from being average.