Re: Sam Rapira : Sun May 24, 2015 11:08 am  

FARTOWNFORLIFE wrote:

Let's go back to the past re trophies and medals. 1

Maybe Rapira saw that this season is leeds last opportunity to win anything. Maybe he saw how poor you were for 3 games without Sinfield and realised it will only get worse when JP and Kylie leave. 2

Maybe laughed as much as everybody else when Rob Burrow got another 2 years. 3

I'm surprised leeds wanted him any way, he doesn't have many medals, therefore must be rubbish. 4

With regards to Mullally having ambition, that may be the case. Or the fact that he lives in headingley might have something to do with it.

You lot keep mentioning his potential and you might convince yourselves that he's a good signing! 5

1 Go back to the past? OK remind us, in the super league era how many CC's, hub caps and SL grand finals have Hudds won?

2 Time will tell, but the transition looks to be going well from here.

3 I don't think there were many laughing and not as many as when Hudds gave Crabtree another go,

4 A lack of medals is no bar to consideration at HQ, hell its what attracts some of our best candidates. A questionable injury record however can put off the more risk averse

5 Your jilted lover view of Mullally, doesn't seem to be shared by the majority on your own board.

Time to let it go Fartown, if you're right and Rapira is the answer, we'll have missed out on a potential signing but there will be others. You could double, treble or even quadruple your trophy count, in a single season. AND you will still be nowhere near the Leeds trophy count. So on balance I reckon I'll continue to back GH's judgement ref who we sign HTH

Re: Sam Rapira : Sun May 24, 2015 11:20 am  

With Peacock and probably Leuluai both leaving you'd think a former international prop like Rapira would relish the chance to fill the void left by those two, not run away thinking the worst.

Sinfield of course is leaving too which is massive yes. But by the time the 2016 season kicks off Danny Brough will have turned 33 and will be 34 (the same age Sinfield is now) in the 2nd year of Rapira's contract. Huddersfield need to really start worrying that they can't just rely on the Danny Brough show for much longer themselves.

Re: Sam Rapira : Sun May 24, 2015 12:53 pm  

I really don't understand why Huddersfield persist in signing a new prop every season when it's clear that it's their lack of creativity and cutting edge that's their biggest weakness, players like Grix, Wood, Ellis and the current version of Luke Robinson are middle 8 SL players at best. If Brough were to be injured for a significant period of time I doubt they'd win a game.

Re: Sam Rapira : Sun May 24, 2015 1:07 pm  

Charlie Sheen wrote:

I really don't understand why Huddersfield persist in signing a new prop every season when it's clear that it's their lack of creativity and cutting edge that's their biggest weakness, players like Grix, Wood, Ellis and the current version of Luke Robinson are middle 8 SL players at best. If Brough were to be injured for a significant period of time I doubt they'd win a game.

That was my thought too. They seem very insistent on continuing further and further down the same track with their gameplan. They seem determined to simply rely on the speed of the ruck plus Brough to get them through games.

I think they're crying out for a bit of variation in their play. They've got a good centre in Cudjoe plus a good winger in McGillivray yet don't utilise them properly. Get them running onto the ball and they'll cause problems.

I reckon they need another good centre plus somebody in the pack who offers something other than just hard work. An offloading Ali/Cuthbertson type second row/prop would transform them in my opinion.

Re: Sam Rapira : Sun May 24, 2015 1:09 pm  

I'm not naive enough to think we'd not be knackered if Brough got injured.

I also recognise we need a new 7 and put Connor in at 1. I've posted about all that on our board several times.

Folk keep refering to Rapiras questionable injury record.

He has averaged 19 games a season over the past 9 years. That's two thirds in the toughest league in the world. That figure has been massively effected by his current hamstring injury. Prior to this he has generally been fit. So I'm not that concerned.

With regards to Mullally I have said he was an alright player who probably deserved more game time. If he had signed for cas or Hull KR nobody would really pass comment. But as I also said, I'm not that bothered about him leaving.

Re: Sam Rapira : Sun May 24, 2015 1:13 pm  

Him wrote:

That was my thought too. They seem very insistent on continuing further and further down the same track with their gameplan. They seem determined to simply rely on the speed of the ruck plus Brough to get them through games.

I think they're crying out for a bit of variation in their play. They've got a good centre in Cudjoe plus a good winger in McGillivray yet don't utilise them properly. Get them running onto the ball and they'll cause problems.

I reckon they need another good centre plus somebody in the pack who offers something other than just hard work. An offloading Ali/Cuthbertson type second row/prop would transform them in my opinion.

We have had numerous threads on this subject. You are right. We need a plan b and c. Please refer to the Anderson thread.

Wardle is hopefully our future in the 2nd row. He runs great lines and brings us something different. We just then struggle for a centre. We have Connor, but I would prefer him at FB.

Re: Sam Rapira : Tue May 26, 2015 9:40 am  

Just catching up as I've been away and reading this thread I don't see anyone getting too excited about Rapira when we thought he was heading to Headingley so gloat away. It's a big risk so only time will tell whether he's a success or a dobber.

Re: Sam Rapira : Tue May 26, 2015 8:32 pm  

Everyone seems to suggest that the reason Rapira signed for Hudds rather than leeds for a lot more money or a lack of ambition- I would suggest that the fact that hudds have been the nearly men for a few seasons would pose a bigger challenge for a man whos already won the biggest trophy the sport has to offer- and more besides but on the bigger stage-
I also suspect that a huge professional and friend in david faiumu, who is still at the club behind the scenes, probably had a massive input into his choice. But leeds fans can't accept a recommendation from someone who's already made the difficult choice to move his family half way around the world has more pull than winning something that probably means little to him- like it's guaranteed....... This is a job nothing more. I suspect having his family happy and settled in nice surroundings that remind him of home with good schools for his kids and people he knows nearby is more important to him as a person.

Re: Sam Rapira : Tue May 26, 2015 8:42 pm  

jools wrote:

Everyone seems to suggest that the reason Rapira signed for Hudds rather than leeds for a lot more money or a lack of ambition- I would suggest that the fact that hudds have been the nearly men for a few seasons would pose a bigger challenge for a man whos already won the biggest trophy the sport has to offer- and more besides but on the bigger stage-
I also suspect that a huge professional and friend in david faiumu, who is still at the club behind the scenes, probably had a massive input into his choice. But leeds fans can't accept a recommendation from someone who's already made the difficult choice to move his family half way around the world has more pull than winning something that probably means little to him- like it's guaranteed....... This is a job nothing more. I suspect having his family happy and settled in nice surroundings that remind him of home with good schools for his kids and people he knows nearby is more important to him as a person.

I don't think your argument is bad, and I certainly don't agree with fellow Rhinos fans beliving they have a better deal. However, the true position is that Leeds were only looking at a one year deal, where Huddersfield offered longer, therefore meaning Leeds didn't take it further. Can't blame either party, but' that's real reason.

Re: Sam Rapira : Tue May 26, 2015 8:52 pm  

jools wrote:

Everyone seems to suggest that the reason Rapira signed for Hudds rather than leeds for a lot more money or a lack of ambition- I would suggest that the fact that hudds have been the nearly men for a few seasons would pose a bigger challenge for a man whos already won the biggest trophy the sport has to offer- and more besides but on the bigger stage-
I also suspect that a huge professional and friend in david faiumu, who is still at the club behind the scenes, probably had a massive input into his choice. But leeds fans can't accept a recommendation from someone who's already made the difficult choice to move his family half way around the world has more pull than winning something that probably means little to him- like it's guaranteed....... This is a job nothing more. I suspect having his family happy and settled in nice surroundings that remind him of home with good schools for his kids and people he knows nearby is more important to him as a person.

I would suggest it has absolutely nothing to do with "ambitions" and "challenges" and everything to do with who offered the better deal in terms of finances/time (indeed, we don't know if Leeds even did offer a deal). Having a network/personal contacts might also help, as you say, but if you're moving 12,000 miles it hardly matters which one of two places 20 miles away from each other you end up in working at.

Good luck to him. If he stays fit he should be a good signing for you.