Re: Trialist | James Donaldson : Sat Jan 05, 2019 11:01 am  

Gotcha wrote:

In an ideal world I want a big front rowers too, and still think one will come in. However, the position described above, Wigan won the GF last year with hardly anything great in the prop roles. I look at the Cas squad, and again, out and out props are very much on the low side.

As long as the rest of the side are playing above themselves, ala Wigan last year, it can be managed. This is where the coach comes in.

Both Teams mentioned still get more impact from their props throw in Wakey Wire & ST'S that puts us way behind.

Re: Trialist | James Donaldson : Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:24 pm  

Gotcha wrote:

In an ideal world I want a big front rowers too, and still think one will come in. However, the position described above, Wigan won the GF last year with hardly anything great in the prop roles. I look at the Cas squad, and again, out and out props are very much on the low side.

As long as the rest of the side are playing above themselves, ala Wigan last year, it can be managed. This is where the coach comes in.

I think you put too much emphasis on the coach.

Re: Trialist | James Donaldson : Sat Jan 05, 2019 5:34 pm  

RHINO-MARK wrote:

To list Ormanroyd as a prop is way wide of the mark he's a BR

Ormondroyd started at prop for Featherstone today, although hopefully we won’t be seeing him play for Leeds as IMO he’s our 8th choice prop.

Josh Walters narrowly missed out on getting mom in the Twitter vote collecting 31% of the vote.

Re: Trialist | James Donaldson : Sat Jan 05, 2019 5:59 pm  

Sir Kevin Sinfield wrote:

Ormondroyd started at prop for Featherstone today, although hopefully we won’t be seeing him play for Leeds as IMO he’s our 8th choice prop.

Josh Walters narrowly missed out on getting mom in the Twitter vote collecting 31% of the vote.

Maybe Walters has found his level, but was not the Fev side pretty much a second string fringe player side.

Re: Trialist | James Donaldson : Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:45 am  

rollin thunder wrote:

Maybe Walters has found his level

Agreed, Walters is a Championship player, so is Ormondroyd.

Re: Trialist | James Donaldson : Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:46 pm  

its ok saying we need to sign a prop but realistically who is available? i'd rather see us struggle this year and then use the cash generated by players coming off contract to get a quality guy rather than take a punt on someone new that we will tie on a 3 year contract and them not be up to scratch
we are expecting a full clear out which realistically can't happen in one off season but its a great chance for the fringe squad players to try and up their game to earn a new contract

Re: Trialist | James Donaldson : Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:18 pm  

southyorksdave wrote:

its ok saying we need to sign a prop but realistically who is available? i'd rather see us struggle this year and then use the cash generated by players coming off contract to get a quality guy rather than take a punt on someone new that we will tie on a 3 year contract and them not be up to scratch
we are expecting a full clear out which realistically can't happen in one off season but its a great chance for the fringe squad players to try and up their game to earn a new contract

I agree.

All quality players will now be tied down. Should one suddenly become available it is likely because we have thrown a load of money at it which we don't appear to have or something has happened between player and club which should raise questions about whether we want them.

On that basis I suspect we are done for notable signings. Donaldson may come in but I don't count him as notable.

We shouldn't lose track of the progress made on this off season and of they all settle well we have a clear view of what needs to be done this time next year.

Re: Trialist | James Donaldson : Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:54 pm  

rollin thunder wrote:

Maybe Walters has found his level, but was not the Fev side pretty much a second string fringe player side.

Bit of a mix, we (Fev) are still waiting for the 3 Papua New Guinea imports and have the likes of Delaney, Wheeldon etc out injured.

There was talk about Fev possibly taking 2 Leeds players on season-long loan and maybe Walters & Ormondroyd playing today suggests it might be those two. Judging from this forum that would make sense to most on here though from a Fev point of view it's the spine where we need cover -we are short at full back, wing, and hooker, and also cover at half back. But I can't see Golding or any of the Briscoe/Handley/Newman trio being released on season-long loan, nor McLelland or Corey Johnson.

I think we will use more Leeds players this year if they are made available on DR, in particular I think whoever doesn't start at 5 for Leeds out of Handley/Briscoe/Newman will be very welcome on a regular basis at Fev.

Re: Trialist | James Donaldson : Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:50 am  

Fallon wrote:

I agree.

All quality players will now be tied down. Should one suddenly become available it is likely because we have thrown a load of money at it which we don't appear to have or something has happened between player and club which should raise questions about whether we want them.

On that basis I suspect we are done for notable signings. Donaldson may come in but I don't count him as notable.

We shouldn't lose track of the progress made on this off season and of they all settle well we have a clear view of what needs to be done this time next year.

This could easily have been avoided had we not given contracts out to has beens & never will bes.

Re: Trialist | James Donaldson : Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:39 am  

Fallon wrote:

I agree.

All quality players will now be tied down. Should one suddenly become available it is likely because we have thrown a load of money at it which we don't appear to have or something has happened between player and club which should raise questions about whether we want them.

On that basis I suspect we are done for notable signings. Donaldson may come in but I don't count him as notable.

We shouldn't lose track of the progress made on this off season and of they all settle well we have a clear view of what needs to be done this time next year.

If you assume we're pretty much up to the cap now (maybe including Donaldson), we probably need to consider that 2020 will be without: Ablett, JJB, Mullaly, Walters, Ormondroyd, Ferres?, Sutcliffe?/Golding?/Handley?, Cuthbo?, Parcell?... could easily be looking at as big a turnaround in personnel for next season as this. It says a lot when I reckon we could shed just about all of these players without it affecting the starting squad too badly. Of course, another thing we've done is sign our marquees on long-term contracts, so we're locked in to paying any new props/other players £150k max is it?
It isn't easy balancing a squad under the salary cap, and it's right the club shows loyalty because that's a big part of the culture which has previously brought success, and hopefully will again. However it's fair to say that the club has made quite a few poor calls over several years now and made the inevitable transition harder than it should have been. The project signings haven't paid off on the whole; the "tall and mobile" forward model hasn't paid off and it was a mistake not to use marquee funds previously.