Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jan 13, 2023 5:48 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Jonh, what are your thoughts on Wesley Bruines who has signed for Saints after a couple of years in Aus. I believe he was a former Wakefield academy player, but I can't remember him at all.

He is obviously a late developer but he is a player who continues to improve year in year out.

Not seen anything of him in Oz but assume their systems have accelerated that improvement.

He’s tall and looks to have developed his athleticism further whilst away.

I love stories like this though. All too often kids are overlooked at Scholarship and that is then written off which is ridiculous.

The College system is a great way for the late developers to bloom and Trinity probably use it better than any other SL club as a pathway into the pro game.

James Batchelor another lad who wasn’t deemed good enough for a scholarship but became an Academy international and a very good SL player so far via that route.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jan 13, 2023 6:51 pm  

jonh wrote:

He is obviously a late developer but he is a player who continues to improve year in year out.

Not seen anything of him in Oz but assume their systems have accelerated that improvement.

He’s tall and looks to have developed his athleticism further whilst away.

I love stories like this though. All too often kids are overlooked at Scholarship and that is then written off which is ridiculous.

The College system is a great way for the late developers to bloom and Trinity probably use it better than any other SL club as a pathway into the pro game.

James Batchelor another lad who wasn’t deemed good enough for a scholarship but became an Academy international and a very good SL player so far via that route.

Sam Powell & Dom Crosby only got picked up by Wigan when they were playing u18s for St Pats and Hindley respectively.

Most of the players in that age group who got their scholarships between 13-15 years old at the big clubs never actually made it to first team.

I recall Tom Makinson getting picked up later on by Saints and possibly the same for Ryan Brierley?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:06 pm  

Regarding the BIG announcement, Is it still going to be announced or has it already been announced and I missed it due it being not very big?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jan 17, 2023 12:11 am  

It was that big mortal mind’s can’t comprehend it so it’s gone unnoticed

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:01 am  

There's your big news. The return of Hampshire

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:14 am  

Stu M wrote:

There's your big news. The return of Hampshire

I fear you are probably correct

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:22 am  

As a kid, Rocky was a sensation. Don't quite know what happened after that, except that rumours were rife he was being very badly advised by someone unconnected to the club.

I presume he's now got over the 'No. 6 shirt or nothing' business, in which case he can certainly cover across the backline.

Not the megastar signing we were lured into believing was coming our way, but I think most of us had given up on that by now. Plus, he probably didn't cost us very much.

I think him and Matty Peet are mates, so we might get a bit more out of him this time round. I'm not cutting my throat about it just yet.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:35 am  

Dan thinks this may be a tantalising starter for the main big news later in the day, though he has no insider information

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jan 27, 2023 10:36 am  

Didn't see that one coming

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Feb 01, 2023 8:45 am  

Lewis Murphy to the NRL.

Not sure how we can stop the player drain.

If a player wants to go to Aus and the NRL team wants them - they go. It’s that simple.