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morley pie eater wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 9:41 pm With Eseh, Chan, Hirst, Makin coming through and Walters still quite young, it's been said that we should sign an older, experienced prop for next year.

On another thread, Josie posted a link to stats, and looking at props, McMeeken is tearing it up at Wakey: top tackler, few missed tackles etc. I was surprised that he's "only" 30. What a signing he would be for us! Experience to guide the youngsters, whilst contributing massively to our prop-dominated squad.

Thompson, Harvard, McMeeken, Dupree, Mago, Walters plus a host of younger ones coming through! Unbeatable, or as near as you get!

Ive always quite liked Mcmeeken. He's a big unit, tough, gets through plenty of work and has a decent try scoring record.

Just had a look at his stats this season and he's averaging some decent meters. However he's given away the most penalties at 10 in 8 games. That equates to around 25 if he played for us!

No chance of getting McMeekan out of Wakey. They gave him and Johnstone big contracts to join by all accounts and I think he's tied down for another few seasons. He is a fine player mind and has really stepped up this season. He's be in my starting 13 for the Ashes.

In terms of us, I don't think there is much we need other than an experienced second rower. We'll have to see what happens with Keighran. If he goes, I'd be happy with Eckersley taking the starting shirt but we could do with a bit of back up at centre.

Flash wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 11:36 pm

morley pie eater wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 9:41 pm With Eseh, Chan, Hirst, Makin coming through and Walters still quite young, it's been said that we should sign an older, experienced prop for next year.

On another thread, Josie posted a link to stats, and looking at props, McMeeken is tearing it up at Wakey: top tackler, few missed tackles etc. I was surprised that he's "only" 30. What a signing he would be for us! Experience to guide the youngsters, whilst contributing massively to our prop-dominated squad.

Thompson, Harvard, McMeeken, Dupree, Mago, Walters plus a host of younger ones coming through! Unbeatable, or as near as you get!

Isn't McMeeken marquee at Wakey?

Someone further up was wondering whether Paddy was illness or hamstring. It's definitely hamstring as he said so after the Saints game. Obviously he hadn't had scans or anything but he said "hopefully not too long out" when I asked how bad he thought it was so maybe precautionary like Jai's a couple of weeks ago? I doubt he'll be playing this week though.

Cheers Flash. i'd heard a bit of both at the game, but havent seen anything post the game v Saints, so weakens us again this week, albeit we ran with 16 on GF

NICKYKISS wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 8:30 am No chance of getting McMeekan out of Wakey. They gave him and Johnstone big contracts to join by all accounts and I think he's tied down for another few seasons. He is a fine player mind and has really stepped up this season. He's be in my starting 13 for the Ashes.

In terms of us, I don't think there is much we need other than an experienced second rower. We'll have to see what happens with Keighran. If he goes, I'd be happy with Eckersley taking the starting shirt but we could do with a bit of back up at centre.

If we're losing Byrne and Hill and the club clearly don't seem to rate Eseh or Chan then I think we need another front rower. We would be left with Thompson, Walters, Dupree, Mago and an injury prone Havard.

MadDogg wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 11:22 am

NICKYKISS wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 8:30 am No chance of getting McMeekan out of Wakey. They gave him and Johnstone big contracts to join by all accounts and I think he's tied down for another few seasons. He is a fine player mind and has really stepped up this season. He's be in my starting 13 for the Ashes.

In terms of us, I don't think there is much we need other than an experienced second rower. We'll have to see what happens with Keighran. If he goes, I'd be happy with Eckersley taking the starting shirt but we could do with a bit of back up at centre.

If we're losing Byrne and Hill and the club clearly don't seem to rate Eseh or Chan then I think we need another front rower. We would be left with Thompson, Walters, Dupree, Mago and an injury prone Havard.

Josh Papali'i would be my vote for a few seasons, the guy is a beast

medlocke wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 1:09 pm

MadDogg wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 11:22 am

NICKYKISS wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 8:30 am No chance of getting McMeekan out of Wakey. They gave him and Johnstone big contracts to join by all accounts and I think he's tied down for another few seasons. He is a fine player mind and has really stepped up this season. He's be in my starting 13 for the Ashes.

In terms of us, I don't think there is much we need other than an experienced second rower. We'll have to see what happens with Keighran. If he goes, I'd be happy with Eckersley taking the starting shirt but we could do with a bit of back up at centre.

If we're losing Byrne and Hill and the club clearly don't seem to rate Eseh or Chan then I think we need another front rower. We would be left with Thompson, Walters, Dupree, Mago and an injury prone Havard.

Josh Papali'i would be my vote for a few seasons, the guy is a beast

Looks like Papali'i has signed a 3 year extension at Canberra so that's another dream shot down in flames lol

I see that Chan and Makin are both named in Salford's squad for the weekend. Not certain what our plan is but I hope we don't miss the opportunity of getting revenge for the challenge cup loss.

MadDogg wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 11:22 am

NICKYKISS wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 8:30 am No chance of getting McMeekan out of Wakey. They gave him and Johnstone big contracts to join by all accounts and I think he's tied down for another few seasons. He is a fine player mind and has really stepped up this season. He's be in my starting 13 for the Ashes.

In terms of us, I don't think there is much we need other than an experienced second rower. We'll have to see what happens with Keighran. If he goes, I'd be happy with Eckersley taking the starting shirt but we could do with a bit of back up at centre.

If we're losing Byrne and Hill and the club clearly don't seem to rate Eseh or Chan then I think we need another front rower. We would be left with Thompson, Walters, Dupree, Mago and an injury prone Havard.

If they don't fancy Eseh and Chan and they went, I agree we'd need another. I'm not sure that's the case though. I just don't think there have been many opportunities to get them games, as in the main guys like Thompson, Havard, Byrne, Dupree, Mago etc have been fit and available and if one or two have been missing, we've then seen Hill and Walters come in.

If we went in to next season with Thompson, Havard, Dupree, Mago, Walters, Eseh, Chan, Makin and McDermott as our prop rotation, I think that's fine 'if' we then sign a second rower (in additional to Vaughan) and don't need to move Walters back there. You can also use Ellis in there if needed, with the option of using O'Neill, Chan, Kerr etc going to loose forward (Moving Ellis would be a last resort though).

Peet is reporting that Paddy is likely to miss 4 weeks. It will be interesting to see what permutation he goes with on Sunday, in particular.

Forever Warrior wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 3:59 pm Peet is reporting that Paddy is likely to miss 4 weeks. It will be interesting to see what permutation he goes with on Sunday, in particular.

i think this week will show how strong / good the depth of our pack is, and why the recruitment over the last 18 months or so has been bang on, and why we may need to recruit, subject to how we see Eseh and Chan fitting in for next season if we are losing Hill and Byrne

can you imagine Saints missing Walmsley, Lees, Paasi and the young lad who runs in hard, but makes no yards (sorry cant think of his name), they'd be on their arses, and have not front row