Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V2 : Wed Jan 16, 2019 2:56 pm  

FGB wrote:

Genuine question...seeing as tho Warrington have now signed Austin & Widdop, did we aim high enough in terms of our marquee targets/signings?

depends which way you look at it, we have used marquee to strengthen in areas we felt were a priority on players that where available. Warrington have done the same. compare them like for like ( different positions)

Trent Merrin origin Australia player, pack leader steady influence, Blake Austin not Origin player not international player, a bit of a maverick.

Hurrel international player world class centre. Widdop pretty much the same but a half back.

We needed a Half back straight away this year,so signed Lolohea, could argue Widdop is better but he not available this year, maybe if he was we would have used marque to get him this year. but we have also signed Mcclelleand who is one for the future. could argue that Austin is better than both, but a bigger risk as a marque signing and maybe just not what we need right now and probably got two new halfbacks for same money as Austin wanted. so on balance think we have got what we wanted now with one eye on the future. ps Warrington still making big gamble on two marque signings both being half backs. Eggs in one basket or what. and not the first or second time they have been burned by high earning halfbacks, is Austin by reputation better than Tyrone Roberts was expected to be.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V2 : Wed Jan 16, 2019 4:28 pm  

Think I may be in the minority here but I'm not massively impressed by Widdop.

Good player no doubt but I imagine he is on a hell of a whack of cash. Good luck to him and Warrington but even if we had space I'd have probably passed given when we would have had to pay.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V2 : Wed Jan 16, 2019 4:55 pm  

Fallon wrote:

Think I may be in the minority here but I'm not massively impressed by Widdop.

Good player no doubt but I imagine he is on a hell of a whack of cash. Good luck to him and Warrington but even if we had space I'd have probably passed given when we would have had to pay.

Got to disagree. he would of been the exact type of organising, play making stratagist that we needed last year and moving forward. A great player who enhances every team he is in. Yes he is getting on in years but not too old for a half back of his type

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V2 : Wed Jan 16, 2019 6:13 pm  

I see him as a bit of a Sinfield type of player which alongside Austins off the cuff style should go well together.
Widdop alongside Lolohea might have been the same.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V2 : Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:08 pm  

Clubs considering extending the use of the marquee player rule https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-leagu ... adio_leeds

Clubs considering extending the use of the marquee player rule https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-leagu ... adio_leeds

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V2 : Thu Jan 17, 2019 7:58 am  

Not sure how the idea of increasing the number of marquee players fits with retaining the salary cap where it is? I'd rather keep to 2 marquee players and work towards raising the SC.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V2 : Thu Jan 17, 2019 2:34 pm  

HRS Rhino wrote:

Not sure how the idea of increasing the number of marquee players fits with retaining the salary cap where it is? I'd rather keep to 2 marquee players and work towards raising the SC.

Totally agree with this. Rugby League is crap for not sticking in one direction - the whole reason a salary cap was brought in was to stop the same 2-4 teams winning just about everything every year. It probably went too far when implemented as lowest common denominator - the marquee rule is a getaround which just about works.
Acid test is: how many clubs in SL can afford to pay Marquee players as we stand? Pretty much the same 2-4 clubs. If you extend it much more then what is the point of a salary cap, and all the associated admin and compliance costs around it, in the first place?

[Bullseye]

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V2 : Fri Jan 18, 2019 3:49 pm  

All clubs should have top quality academies before they start spending on 3rd marquee players.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V2 : Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:33 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

All clubs should have top quality academies before they start spending on 3rd marquee players.

All clubs should have top quality academies before they are even allowed a marquee player IMO

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour Thread V2 : Sat Jan 19, 2019 8:14 pm  

To be fair, all the club's with a marquee player do have good academies, don't they? With the exception of Salford?