Done with recruitment : Tue Nov 29, 2016 9:19 am  

Done with recruitment.

According to AP they will be no further signings and the squad is now completed. We are well covered in the backs but I have serious concerns that we are lacking depth in the forwards. Last season we had relatively few injuries which was a major factor in our success but maybe contributed to fading at the end. Next season we may not be as fortunate. If we suffer 2 or 3 long term injuries or loss of form we will have to rely on youngsters who while have potential are unproven at this level. Obviously we have to blood young players but can we expect them to replace Ellis or Mini if they are out for a long time? You could argue that Wigan did it successfully last season but the quality of their younger players may be higher than ours.

Any thoughts?

Re: Done with recruitment : Tue Nov 29, 2016 9:25 am  

We are unlikely to see 5 or 6 injuries at the same time in the pack, so if we have to play a young kid, then he should be surrounded with experience.

Taylor, Watts, Green, Bowden, Thompson, Ellis, Manu, Minichiello, Thompson, Hadley, Washbrook (2nd Row/Loose Man) should be enough with the likes of Turgut and Masi to come in

Re: Done with recruitment : Tue Nov 29, 2016 9:59 am  

Marcus's Bicycle wrote:

Done with recruitment.

According to AP they will be no further signings and the squad is now completed. We are well covered in the backs but I have serious concerns that we are lacking depth in the forwards. Last season we had relatively few injuries which was a major factor in our success but maybe contributed to fading at the end. Next season we may not be as fortunate. If we suffer 2 or 3 long term injuries or loss of form we will have to rely on youngsters who while have potential are unproven at this level. Obviously we have to blood young players but can we expect them to replace Ellis or Mini if they are out for a long time? You could argue that Wigan did it successfully last season but the quality of their younger players may be higher than ours.

Any thoughts?

I wouldn't be surprised if we'd left a bit if cap space to accomodate an emergency signing if needs be. Although thinking about it, maybe we're using some of the money left over from Frank's departure to improve contracts eg Shaul, rather than spend on a new player.

I think if we were really desperate we could recall Abdull (I know they've come out and said it's for the full year, but im sure I read on the rfls operational rules that players can be recall from loans once they've been gone for more than 28 days).

Re: Done with recruitment : Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:02 am  

Marcus's Bicycle wrote:

Done with recruitment.

According to AP they will be no further signings and the squad is now completed. We are well covered in the backs but I have serious concerns that we are lacking depth in the forwards. Last season we had relatively few injuries which was a major factor in our success but maybe contributed to fading at the end. Next season we may not be as fortunate. If we suffer 2 or 3 long term injuries or loss of form we will have to rely on youngsters who while have potential are unproven at this level. Obviously we have to blood young players but can we expect them to replace Ellis or Mini if they are out for a long time? You could argue that Wigan did it successfully last season but the quality of their younger players may be higher than ours.

Any thoughts?

Fully agree. We don't have the best pack in the league like others have suggested IMO and we will get over powered by a few teams in the forward department.

Re: Done with recruitment : Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:09 am  

jamesg794 wrote:

Fully agree. We don't have the best pack in the league like others have suggested IMO and we will get over powered by a few teams in the forward department.

I don't think we're far off though. Didn't we have 4 of the 6 dream team forwards in 2016?

The issue would be if we lost Ellis or Mini. But I don't think that's any different to this year. I honestly think we'd have won that Semi for the GF had Ellis played. They're quality players and anyone would struggle to replace them.

Re: Done with recruitment : Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:13 am  

jamesg794 wrote:

Fully agree. We don't have the best pack in the league like others have suggested IMO and we will get over powered by a few teams in the forward department.

Yeah I think Saints have recruited well in Douglas and Walker which will certainly beef there pack up. Leeds have a strong pack if they gell. Wigan and Warrington very storng contenders again but I do think we're up there with one of the best packs and I have high hopes of Masi making 2017 as his breakthrough year.

Re: Done with recruitment : Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:15 am  

Faithful One wrote:

I don't think we're far off though. Didn't we have 4 of the 6 dream team forwards in 2016?

The issue would be if we lost Ellis or Mini. But I don't think that's any different to this year. I honestly think we'd have won that Semi for the GF had Ellis played. They're quality players and anyone would struggle to replace them.

No we're not far off...where I think we'll struggle in comparison to last season is the interchanges. Last season we blew teams away with our interchanges, thriving in the 30-70 mins mark and I think we'll miss Pritchard a fair bit. Put that along with Radford hinting Connor will be used as an interchange and I think we'll lose a lot of the fire that worked so well last season. Saying that though the addition of Kelly will allow us to play a different game to the power play.

Re: Done with recruitment : Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:20 am  

jamesg794 wrote:

No we're not far off...where I think we'll struggle in comparison to last season is the interchanges. Last season we blew teams away with our interchanges, thriving in the 30-70 mins mark and I think we'll miss Pritchard a fair bit. Put that along with Radford hinting Connor will be used as an interchange and I think we'll lose a lot of the fire that worked so well last season. Saying that though the addition of Kelly will allow us to play a different game to the power play.

I'd like to see Ellis coming off the bench with Mini, Manu and Hadley starting 11-13. You'd then have Ellis, Bowden, Green and possibly Connor/Washbrook/Tuimavave at the bench.

I'm not sure about the back on the bench when you have the likes of Thompson and Washbrook who could do a short term job there should someone get injured. I supposed Connor could just slot into any position in the backs which would eradicate the need to move other players about.

Re: Done with recruitment : Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:28 am  

jamesg794 wrote:

No we're not far off...where I think we'll struggle in comparison to last season is the interchanges. Last season we blew teams away with our interchanges, thriving in the 30-70 mins mark and I think we'll miss Pritchard a fair bit. Put that along with Radford hinting Connor will be used as an interchange and I think we'll lose a lot of the fire that worked so well last season. Saying that though the addition of Kelly will allow us to play a different game to the power play.

I think the addition of Kelly, Connor and Griffin will more than offset the loss of Frank. I comfort myself in the fact that arguably our best performance of the season was achieved without Frank and Sika at Saints in the CC.

Re: Done with recruitment : Tue Nov 29, 2016 1:09 pm  

Marcus's Bicycle wrote:

Done with recruitment.

According to AP they will be no further signings and the squad is now completed. We are well covered in the backs but I have serious concerns that we are lacking depth in the forwards. Last season we had relatively few injuries which was a major factor in our success but maybe contributed to fading at the end. Next season we may not be as fortunate. If we suffer 2 or 3 long term injuries or loss of form we will have to rely on youngsters who while have potential are unproven at this level. Obviously we have to blood young players but can we expect them to replace Ellis or Mini if they are out for a long time? You could argue that Wigan did it successfully last season but the quality of their younger players may be higher than ours.

Any thoughts?

How will be know if our young players are as good a standard as Wigans if we don't give them a chance.

Hard to say about injuries, but I think we are as strong if not stronger this season in the forwards, ok we have lost Frank, but the likes of Masi, Turgut are a year older, stronger etc.

Pack will be fine, always a loan signing if we are struggling.