: Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:57 am  

Atkins is a prospect at the minute but no more. He looks like he could potentially be a good player but he's still to produce enough on a regular basis to suggest anybody with sense would pay out 150k for him.

We paid 100k for a 28 year old international in Gleeson who's proved over the course of 7 or 8 years that he's a top quality player. He may not quite have hit the heights at Wigan yet but there seems alot more sense in paying a fee for a fully fledged international then there does for a guy that 'may' get to that level.

I can understand them paying big money for Myler because he's already showing signs of real class even in his first superleague season but Atkins has been around a while now and the improvments haven't been that great.

A mssive gamble for 150k imo and one i can understand Leeds not taking.

: Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:24 am  

Ryan Atkins is almost 24. If he was going to be a world class centre he would have shown us by now.

He will be a solid SL centre. Nothing more, nothing less.

: Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:38 am  

Eric_Cartman_is_a_saint wrote:

Ryan Atkins is almost 24. If he was going to be a world class centre he would have shown us by now.

He will be a solid SL centre. Nothing more, nothing less.

See, Warrington paying over the odds, how easy was that.

: Tue Sep 08, 2009 11:15 am  

roo wrote:

The problem with Atkins and to my mind all the centres in the SL (except Senior and Gridley) is they don't feed there wingers, watching Shenton, Yeaman and Lee Smith, they will rather go for the line themselves than feed there wingers.

Your right to an extent.

Donalds try scroring has vastly improved over the last 10 weeks, how many of these have directly come from Smith?

: Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:22 pm  

in response to Trimalchio prehaps I should have been more specific, I was trying to point out that young english(or welsh or scots or irish lets not be racist) centres I mentioned who are being touted as replacements for senior and yes other wingers score tries, but ryan has scored 30 this year outside keith and I think Richards is 10 or 11 tries behind him outside Carmont who is not english(etc)

[Ex-Swarcliffe Rhino]

: Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:43 pm  

I can see Myler gaining in confidence and ability behind a dominant pack that Warrington are building, possibly moving him on to his next career plateau before Offiah starts touting him round the houses again.

Atkins does show real potential and although i certainly wouldnt have minded him at Leeds if Warrington are going to throw silly money around then thats fine with me.

: Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:43 pm  

Senior's replacement will be Watkins aged around the twenty mark if he keeps his head down and corrects the faults that are in his game at present.

Smith will be replaced at right centre by Brett Delaney. Coady will be a work in progress, potential back up for Delaney if he doesn't settle etc.

I'd have probably preferered Atkins to Delaney on the basis of their respective nationalities but expect Delaney would be the cheaper option at this time and that works too if Delaney is any good (I haven't seen enough to judge.)

: Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:33 pm  

the word on the rumour mill at our end ( Wakefield ) is that Wakefield and Leeds have an excellent relationship with both sides respecting the way each other approaches the business of Rugby League, boxing day friendly, Ellis deal, Pitts deal etc etc with both parties always happy with the way deals are undertaken.

The tale goes that Leeds approach Trinity re Atkins at the same time as the Pitts deal was going through. ( No doubt agents would have instigated the approach ) The price was agreed by both clubs but Leeds were unable to reach agreement with the player. His wage demands did not match Leeds value or fit in with the Leeds wage structure.

Not sure if there is any truth in this but I have heard that Leeds stick to their wage structure and only want players to come to Leeds for the right reasons. Ellis signed for less money than Wakey offered him and I understand that Pitts is on less money at Leeds than he would have been with us.

: Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:42 pm  

bellycouldtackle wrote:

the word on the rumour mill at our end ( Wakefield ) is that Wakefield and Leeds have an excellent relationship with both sides respecting the way each other approaches the business of Rugby League, boxing day friendly, Ellis deal, Pitts deal etc etc with both parties always happy with the way deals are undertaken.

The tale goes that Leeds approach Trinity re Atkins at the same time as the Pitts deal was going through. ( No doubt agents would have instigated the approach ) The price was agreed by both clubs but Leeds were unable to reach agreement with the player. His wage demands did not match Leeds value or fit in with the Leeds wage structure.

Not sure if there is any truth in this but I have heard that Leeds stick to their wage structure and only want players to come to Leeds for the right reasons. Ellis signed for less money than Wakey offered him and I understand that Pitts is on less money at Leeds than he would have been with us.

As a Leeds fan that is really refreshing to hear.

: Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:49 pm  

I have been saying this (not on this forum) for some time so when scruton left for more money at bulls I had no problems.