Gaskell and Ferguson : Tue May 24, 2016 12:08 pm  

Reports in the press that Giants are looking to sign the pair. I'm surprised at Gaskell given he turned us down to go to you, also choosing to stay following relegation. I don't see him getting regular game time with us unless the brough to hull, saints, Wigan Leeds Uncle Tom cobbley and all rumours are finally coming to pass.
Ferguson was a solid player in his first stint with us - but again I can't see him getting regular game time.
Thoughts?

[Bullseye]

Re: Gaskell and Ferguson : Tue May 24, 2016 2:32 pm  

Ferguson is still a useful player off the bench but maybe not Top 8 SL quality. As you say he may be ok as depth. Gaskell is best used alongside an organising halfback, he has improved since his SL days but can go missing if he’s not happy about something. Would go well next to Brough and with Brierley running off him. He’s not the man to direct operations though.

Re: Gaskell and Ferguson : Tue May 24, 2016 3:39 pm  

Not sure why hudds would be after Gaskell now that Ellis has signed a new deal.
Unless they think he can replace Brough? Which I would seriously question.

Re: Gaskell and Ferguson : Tue May 24, 2016 4:59 pm  

Well, Gaskell has been average at best this season.

Ferguson is ok for impact off the bench, but he doesn't really strike me as being a SL quality back rower at the moment. He's also injured quite a lot - but then you can say that about Gaskell....

Re: Gaskell and Ferguson : Tue May 24, 2016 5:02 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

Ferguson is still a useful player off the bench but maybe not Top 8 SL quality.

He'd fit in, then.

Re: Gaskell and Ferguson : Tue May 24, 2016 6:21 pm  

It feels like anyone coming in to sign Gaskell or Ferguson are considering reputation alone, because I disagree that Gaskell has been average at best; I would say he's been below average at best at the games I've attended! I think his best performance was against Featherstone in the first game of the season. Ferguson hasn't been up to scratch neither - he isn't running as hard and his legs aren't pumping after the collision like last season.

Re: Gaskell and Ferguson : Tue May 24, 2016 6:29 pm  

DrFeelgood wrote:

It feels like anyone coming in to sign Gaskell or Ferguson are considering reputation alone, because I disagree that Gaskell has been average at best; I would say he's been below average at best at the games I've attended! I think his best performance was against Featherstone in the first game of the season. Ferguson hasn't been up to scratch neither - he isn't running as hard and his legs aren't pumping after the collision like last season.

Agreed but to be fair I don't think anyone apart from Clare, Sidlow and Clough are playing as well as last season.

Re: Gaskell and Ferguson : Tue May 24, 2016 6:36 pm  

Bull Mania wrote:

Agreed but to be fair I don't think anyone apart from Clare, Sidlow and Clough are playing as well as last season.

I think that's a very good point. We can all knock this player or that player, but with a very small number of exceptions, nobody is setting the world alight for us this season.

Gaskell and Ferguson, when fit, were brilliant for us last season. They clearly have the quality to play Super League. But it is also accurate that neither has been in good form for us this year so far. I would expect if the team as a whole started to play well though, these two may start to shine again.

Personally I wouldn't want to lose either, but I also wouldn't begrudge them leaving for Super League.

Re: Gaskell and Ferguson : Tue May 24, 2016 7:10 pm  

Gaskell has been touted as signed for Leigh, Hull FC and Huddersfield already in the press this year, I think I will just wait and see. I'd rather he stayed with us, mainly as we seem to struggle to replace 6 & 7's but perhaps the new coach will attract a few more players from abroad. He hasn't hit last year's form yet but I'd rather he saved that until the really crucial games later this year. He has been well marked in a lot of games as well, which is the fault of recruitment as he is probably our main running threat now.

Ferguson is IMO a SL player who deserves to be playing at a higher level and I think we've done well to keep him for the full two years. He seems to have had a bit more luck injury wise and I'd rate him as our most effective back rower with ball in hand.

Re: Gaskell and Ferguson : Tue May 24, 2016 7:14 pm  

Theyll both be gone next season I think.