Most SL clubs don't need to find a prop from the lower leagues, when they do have the need - they do sign them. Loads of examples throughout Super League. Not saying we should sign all of these, but off the top of my head, here's some examples of forwards that looked superior to Dowes the last 2 seasons...

Jack Howieson - Sheffield Eagles
Stuart Dickens - Featherstone Rovers. Proven class year after year, a veteran now though.
Adam Higson - Leigh Centurions. 2nd Rower but bags of potential and could push Lauaki to prop.
Chris Young - Barrow Looks a very useful prop and brought up in Aus iirc.

I'm sure there's loads more I've not seen/can't remember. I remember seeing a good kid at Dewsbury but I can't remember his name. Just because we made an error with Maloney, doesn't mean we should give up!

Dominic Maloney was ripping up trees in NL1 then came to SL and was very average. The truth is while they may look better than Dowes they're playing against far infrerior props.

indeed - maloney came with a good rep but was a bit of a let down. dowes will be alright for us next season

o'meley
moa
dowes
radford

that's not so bad. our 2nd row is also still very good

Craig Hall looked top class playing in the Championship. Hell - even Thorman has looked pretty good since dropping down there.

I've got nothing against signing players from the lower leagues with a view to them eventually making the grade in SL, but that isn't what we needed for next season. Dowes is of a suitable standard for cover prop right now.

It's one of raggytash's funny quirks.

I can remember when he wanted a couple of lower league wingers instead of calderwood.

Many wanted Tuffour in, nows hes NL

What about Austin Buchanan, i hear hes been seen in the gyms in Hull training

I'm not unhappy keeping Dowes - we simply need numbers in the prop department, and he is a good, solid workhorse who can put the long minutes in if needed. The shrewd part of the move was to offer him a reduced salary and a one year deal commensurate with his contribution to the squad. I would have been fine with him leaving but I'm fine with him staying under these conditions.

Radford is a different case for me: he has had only one year as an out-and-out prop and I think he did very well for someone with so little experience in that role. he is a very solid defender and was doing okay going forward by the end of the season. Also, as a prop he is not that old at 30 and so I am happy to have him for another 2 years.

These are just the ones that jump out at me, there are soooo many I could go on and on though. Everyone was signed from the lower leagues, not necessarily for the teams they play for now though.

Leeds - Luke Ambler, Kyle Amor, Ian Kirke
Us - Rich Whiting
Huddersfield - Lee Gilmour, Danny Brough, Danny Kirmond, Shaun Lunt, Greg McNally, Andy Raleigh
Saints - Ade Gardner, Jon Wilkin
Wire - Richard Myler
Kr - Fox

It's a real shame our scouting system don't have any 'funny quirks'!!!

If their good enough they'll get their shot.

Yes they will, like Hardaker will at Leeds, and Gale did at London. The issue is, all these clubs aren't blinkered enough to believe there isn't a pool of talent to tap into. You obviously can't spot any talent in the lower leagues and apparently our coach and scouts can't, but most of the other SL clubs appear to be able to do it!

But we do look and have signed players from there.

In your own list of 14 we've signed 2!

Now this is what I dont understand.
I agree that the whole KR v FC 'my dog has bigger b...ocks than your dog' does gets tiresome after a while but how can you say a playoff game against anyone is just 'another game'?
The biggest game in the world?............No it isnt.
An actual playoff game which is far more important than just a normal league game?............Yes it is.
Oh and BTW this isn't me crowing in any way as we got a good slapping the week after so I have no reason to crow.
I just find the term 'another game' when talking about what is in essence a playoff game and the end of the seaon for the loser is infact BS.

Exactly! That is precisely the reason we should have offloaded Dowes, and gone with potential rather than the mundane!

We didn't need potential. We needed cover for next season.

moaning about a signed player....done...deal with it as it aint gunna change