Re: Big signing! : Thu Sep 23, 2010 6:05 pm  

I know I am guessing to some extent that Gardner will come at a cost, but they are at least educated guesses. Even if he comes for free, I'd rather see us show some faith in Gibson, otherwise he'll get pushed out of the team.
As for the hooker situation. Ratchford is NOT a hooker, he'd be wasted there and he's not the right build. He is not a loose either, for much the same reasons. Gibson can cover at hooker, but that should only be as a last resort I feel. He did well filling in but we can't have him there every week. If anybody should play hooker then surely it is Matty Smith? That way we can have Holdsworth (6), Ratchford (7) and Matty Smith (9) all playing. However, I don't think McRae will play Smith at hooker as he prefers him at scrum half and Smith did play well at 7 for Saints, so I think we need another hooker. We need somebody to help fill Alker's boots, otherwise I think we are asking a lot of whoever does play hooker.

Re: Big signing! : Thu Sep 23, 2010 6:30 pm  

dann_salford wrote:

I know I am guessing to some extent that Gardner will come at a cost, but they are at least educated guesses. Even if he comes for free, I'd rather see us show some faith in Gibson, otherwise he'll get pushed out of the team.
As for the hooker situation. Ratchford is NOT a hooker, he'd be wasted there and he's not the right build. He is not a loose either, for much the same reasons. Gibson can cover at hooker, but that should only be as a last resort I feel. He did well filling in but we can't have him there every week. If anybody should play hooker then surely it is Matty Smith? That way we can have Holdsworth (6), Ratchford (7) and Matty Smith (9) all playing. However, I don't think McRae will play Smith at hooker as he prefers him at scrum half and Smith did play well at 7 for Saints, so I think we need another hooker. We need somebody to help fill Alker's boots, otherwise I think we are asking a lot of whoever does play hooker.

I think I will go and find a wall to talk to.

Re: Big signing! : Thu Sep 23, 2010 6:44 pm  

Ordsall Quays Red wrote:

Why?? He'd be a better signing than the object of yr man-love Korkidas would be!!

He is just a blocker, good proffessional "average joe" surounded by world players in our team he'd do a job, he'd be solid but as a team we wont give him the opportunity to score 20+ tries and he'd get leaned on more defencivly he'd be around the 6 try mark i recon.

I rather have somebody who asks questions of our oppontents because i want my winger to score tries or have a bit of xfactor and make defences think,

Korki has the xfactor but is a bit of a loose cannon, great yards with loose carries he'll be brilliant or he'll be average,.

Re: Big signing! : Thu Sep 23, 2010 6:48 pm  

Where to begin?

SaintsFan]If the rumour is true then what you need is a centre who can time his final pass well.[/quote]

GIBSON - Hopefully he won't be disgarded next season, as he's been one of our better players.

Not sure about the others: Wigan fans don't class Bailey as a Wingers Centre and Bradford fans seem to have the same opinion of Nero. I'm not sure about Henry, but if anybody think Henry has the ability then please say so.

[quote="dann_salford wrote:

Ratchford is NOT a hooker, he'd be wasted there and he's not the right build.

Neither is Owen, but I'm not sure about Ratchford playing hooker also. Fullback looks to be his best position at the moment. The modern fullback seems to have taken over from the Loose Forward as that extra pivot.

Re: Big signing! : Thu Sep 23, 2010 7:26 pm  

Jim Jalfrezi wrote:

Granted, he ain't Andrew Ettingshausen,

My guess is ET is still faster

Re: Big signing! : Thu Sep 23, 2010 7:34 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

You don't know what you are talking about.
Yes, he is slow, but he is also a good finisher. He has always been slow, for a winger, regardless of who has played as his centre. If the rumour is true then what you need is a centre who can time his final pass well.

So you agree he is slow although I do not know what I am talking about and also that he has done well at Saints as he has always had world class centres next to him.
He will struggle elswhere unless we take your centres as well.

Re: Big signing! : Thu Sep 23, 2010 7:50 pm  

Prestwich Red wrote:

So you agree he is slow although I do not know what I am talking about and also that he has done well at Saints as he has always had world class centres next to him.

I highlighted the bits in the post I was referring to when I said you didn't know what you were talking about.

Loads of people from other clubs make the same comment about most of our players. They wouldn't be as good without a world class *insert position*/team around them, but who the feck makes up this team? Individuals like Gardner.

Meli is not a world class centre. He played at wing on the international scene for New Zealand a millenia ago. However, Gardner has rediscovered his form since playing outside of Meli. Meanwhile, Jamie Foster does wonders outside of Gidley, the 'world class centre' who has had a very poor season this season. He has been pretty terrible sometimes. We switched Gardner's wing a few matches back so he isn't playing outside a world class centre now but he can still pull off some of the best play of his career.

Like I said, and in respect of those points I highlighted, you don't know what you're talking about.

But yes, he is slow. He always has been. Yet he has still been to Old Trafford and got a couple of Wembley winners medals because even with a world class centre inside of him, he still has to catch a ball, he still has to defend well and he still has to score tries!

Re: Big signing! : Thu Sep 23, 2010 8:21 pm  

THE ONLY GARDNER COMING TO THE WILLOWS IS THE NEW GROUNDSMAN

Re: Big signing! : Fri Sep 24, 2010 6:04 am  

Better not be a new groundsman, our pitch is the best in SL!!

Re: Big signing! : Fri Sep 24, 2010 7:00 am  

salfordsno1 wrote:

THE ONLY GARDNER COMING TO THE WILLOWS IS THE NEW GROUNDSMAN

apart from Ade, who will be another step up for us and along with the rest of the signings, for the first time in years and years I and many others have a great deal of optimism about the coming season, things are definitely looking up for us.
Well done to everyone at the club.