SKOLARS ANNOUNCE 2009 SQUAD NUMBERS This week saw the announcement of the 2009 London Skolars squad numbers. All Cooperative Championship and Championship 1 clubs have moved to squad numbers this season and all clubs must announce their initial squad of 25 before the Northern Rail Cup. The Skolars initial squad is as follows..... For more information log onto: www.skolars.com/index.php?option ... &Itemid=57

SKOLARS ANNOUNCE 2009 SQUAD NUMBERS This week saw the announcement of the 2009 London Skolars squad numbers. All Cooperative Championship and Championship 1 clubs have moved to squad numbers this season and all clubs must announce their initial squad of 25 before the Northern Rail Cup. The Skolars initial squad is as follows..... For more information log onto: www.skolars.com/index.php?option ... &Itemid=57

This not aimed at being nasty just my opinon on the squad that has been announced:

# We look short of depth and talent in the outside backs- if we could get Pete Hodgo & Tozer back that would look alot better.
# Forwards look okay however i am yet to be convinced that Dene Miller can be a 2nd Rower (just squad number i hope). Hopefully Al Barker will come back however the young guys look good and good to see that they have picked up a couple of Quins boys.
# Chad Iles- halfback looks like a great signing....played at Leigh last season and had good reports from them.

All in all, not a bad squad. Very young which is not a bad thing. Best thing is to see so many London youngsters in the squad. I reckon the visa rule could be a blessing in disguse for the club and may be abe to shed the "Backpacker Club" status we have amongst the league.

Depth will be the key this season however I think the club is going forward with Callum in charge and getting back to what it should be after the Latham years.

Looking forward to the game next Sunday.

I would like to think so in that squad numbers are purely that....numbers.

I think Jermaine should move to lock to add more flair on the edges and if Pete Hodgo come back then he could go to fullback.

I like Oli Fountain as a player although he needs to add some more size to his frame. However he is strong for his size and he has got speed. Ball skills is not his strong point but he can work on that.
He does have bundles of energy which the team will need. Smokie has a great mentor in Corey and i am sure he will feature sooner rather than later in the 1st team.

Frankie, I am sure will team up with Gareth in the hooker role and also cover in halves if needed.

Oliver is a skinny runt! He costs a fortune to feed.....food bills at home are massive, but still can't keep weight on..it is so unfair he even burns it off in his sleep!!!!!!!! Hopefully under Callum & BJ's watchful eye things will change

I just saw on that Lamont Bryan was released by the Quins. Is he not an ex Sth London Junior and if so any chance at trying to get him to the Skolars for the season.
He would be a excellant addition to the outside backs.

I spoke to Lamont and put him in touch with Callum, not sure if Skolars spoke to him though. He shot through the ranks at Quins and was given a SL squad place last season. Has pace to burn and could be a useful outside back covering full back, wing and centre at skolars!

i remember lamont when he was in london broncos academy, when he [ithought[/i that he was better than everyone else on the pitch!! it seemed back then that the players had to tip toe around him. he was bought in to the squad as being the next ade adabesi............ i also saw him play for quins and didn't think that much of him. but maybe he has changed and a spell at a lower league club will give him a touch of reality.

so why did Quins release him if he is such a talent?
Not as if they have an overly big squad.

He has changed massively. Was a South London bad boy turned Rugby League professional and struggled to cope. The attitude and arrogance was a cover up and a front because all of a sudden he had to play alongside Private school Union converts. During that season he was put in his place and earned a super league contract. No, he wasn't ready for Super League but the gulf between SL and Championship 1 is huge! He'd be able to manage a stint in the lower leagues. Might even help the Skolars-Quins partnership. Surely loaning young academy stars to Skolars would aide the London born player route Callum Irving is pursuing.

You would think so but at this stage they would struggle to get anyone to play for them when they are getting smashed the way they are.
Recruitment is a big issue and I dont think this helps when you are constantly changing coaches.

After seeing Gateshead just secure the signature of Russell Akien (former Australian Schoolboy who play hooker for Melbourne Storm in the GF last year and is now playing in France), I cant help but wonder how we are not able to mirror what Gateshead have done over the past 3 years.

Gateshead have also been able to secure Kris Khaler, Paul Franze and Nick Youngquest - all former NRL players playing in France.

Gateshead have gone from strength to strength over the past couple of years while we have gone backforwards.

Surely the signing of a couple of players coming out of season from France in key areas would be a good move unless the club does not have the money to sign players like this up.

I am hoping (like all fans) that there is a vast improvement this weekend from the boys.