wall_of_voodoo wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 9:21 pm
My take on it.
Well it was different and kept me looking to see if there was anything I wasn't already aware of
Mitch Clark. agent/player/whoever had already let this out of the bag so was no shock just confirmed the rumour
Jake Bibby. As above with Mitch Clark. Is being talked up as a centre so is obviously going to compete with another player I shall mention further down for Sarginson's spot
Joe Burgess. Obviously we have taken up the one year option and he was fine taking it. The real issue I have is if he does well he will go on a free to the NRL and we will be left running around for a replacement
Chris Hankinson. Another player we took the one year option up on. Obviously re-signed because there has been no decision long term where the club sees the players
Morgan Smithies. No problem with although contracts mean nothing to IL so if Canberra come calling will be off like the rest - sadly.
Oliver Partington. Decent tackler, Needs massive improvements when in possession otherwise he will find a future in the Championship soon enough
Jack Wells. Lifeline thrown. This bloke must be Noel Cleal in disguise or have something totally and utterly far superior to the likes of Samy Kibula or Liam Paisley who are being discarded despite not spending all their careers on the treatment table. I haven't seen it and further injuries and excuses are over for him. Time to deliver or go
Tony Clubb. I posted a while ago he was signing a new 2 year deal. I hope he's being paid peanuts because this was the worst part of the recruitment. Our forwards stink and when the ability to let them leave and use the salary cap on players who would improve the side, what do we do? Re-sign the utter sh7te because we are so damned lazy or pathetic in our scouting/recruitment
Now. what we have are two players in Burgess and Hankinson that are likely to leave after next season. An impact prop who was the last thing we needed as an addition to the pack. A centre cum winger that can't get into a rival team on a regular basis yet who the recruiting man @ Wigan thinks he will be first team quality for us. The juniors means nothing because anyone comes calling and IL will take the money and give the usual excuses as to why they left for pastures new (talking Smithies here). Wells and Partington are so far behind the ball game as first teamers for a SL it is frightening, I am hoping the coach will bring out their development. Tony Clubb was and is a massive mistake. I hope he makes me eat my words but somehow I doubt he will and in two years time we will all be holding parties when he finally leaves.
Radlinski mentions further announcements.
Without anything else. It is obvious that the "biggest" announcements would have been made in the first wave. With that in mind the news press from Australia must be correct stating Jackson Hastings has signed for an NRL team so WILL NOT be coming to us. Kallum Watkins - not a chance! We have signed Bibby and taken the option on Hankinson, we have not done that and then signed another centre to provide yet further competition when we haven't even bothered to get a half to replace George Williams. Burgess etc realistically, if all our recruitment is now down to pinching squad players from rival teams, actually paying and signing top line front players has not been an option this season despite promises of major changes last season.
The next wave of announcements will be:
1. Sean O'Loughlin signing a new one year deal
2. Chris Atkin from Hull KR when it is announce Hastings is going home
3. Adrian Lam two year deal with fingers crossed all the problems are down to the "interim" appointment and the injuries he has had to contend with
4. Having been linked with an NRL forward from one of the poorer teams, I think we will pick up at least one
5. Cameron King - Aussie hooker currently playing for Featherstone (depending if TL goes around again)
No idea about Thomas Leuluai but do you know? being honest I can see him signing a new deal also and us all as fans having to go through all this again next season