www.sheffieldeagles.com/News/Article/41481

www.sheffieldeagles.com/News/Article/41481

old news that mate,icon_smile.gif

Yes I know Sean, I just thought the bit about scouring the world was interesting

Not scouring Ireland, apparently ?

Four countries - hardly scouring, is it ?

Blimey Griff, as iv'e said before "put you in a telephone box on your own and you would start a fight"





[size=150=#0000FFAston to scour worldwide for Full Time Players [/size
By Liam Claffey | 27/08/2015


Sheffield Eagles Director of Rugby Mark Aston is leaving no stone unturned as he looks to forge ahead with plans for a full-time roster for next season.

Eagles have just four games remaining as a part-time club before they make the jump to full-time in November. Aston is close to formally announcing which players will be remaining with the club, whilst he is also looking to recruit as he bids to transform Eagles staff for a sustained assault on returning to Super League.

Whilst he cannot formally announce players before September 1, Aston is in talks with agents ahead of the club’s most important ever recruitment drive.

“We cannot speak to players at this stage, but there has been communication with agents” Aston said. “Some of those conversations have been positive and after September 1 we are confident that we can announce a group of players.”

[size=150=#0000FFAston is scouring the world for players,[/size with an emphasis on youth to go with an experienced batch of performers that are expected to be retained. “I have plenty of experience here so I am certainly going to be looking at younger players coming out of Super League that have been in good environments and that makes the transition easier” he said.

“I am also looking for players that haven’t played at this level; there are some cracking players in divisions below. There are some great kids who want to go full-time; there are some great kids coming out of Super League, and in Championship One. We have to get that blend right.”

Eagles have had a high success rate with players arriving from abroad, and Aston will be casting his net far and wide as he looks for the right combinations to take the Eagles onto the next level.

[size=150=#0000FF“We are scanning the world,” Aston added.[/size
“We are in Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, we [size=150=#0000FFare looking all over the world.[/size We have been fortunate over the years that we have done really well with people like Quentin Laulu-Togagae, Misi Taulapapa, Menzie Yere and Steve Thorpe and people like that. We are certainly scanning.”

Are you aware of any players who won't be going fulltime Griff that may become transfer targets for us ?

The ones I have heard, Brambani, Briggs, Smeaton, Tonka, Turner and Walker. Briggs off to Fev, Brambani was going to Fev when Hay was still there but instead they have paid for Thackery.

Anyone like to see any of those at Fax? Theres a couple who would probably improve the squad but nothing that stands out as been better than we have.

I've always rated Smeaton , I think he's a good centre, and we should have never let Tonks go,I'd love to Brierley at Fax but that's wishful thinking,maybe getting Bob Bes back is possible.

To me Beswick is our biggest mistake in the last few years, always rated him, even when we had Penky and Gleeson.

Smeaton and Walker I would give a chance to

Been told we have signed smeeton. Will find out if true in due course.

Jack Spencer is the first player confirmed as leaving at end of this season.

I totally agree with you. A backward step for us when he left the club.

Cant see there been many more tbh.

Totally agree, a backstop of many around that time.

Oh, aye - like you can find a phone box these days.

There's more AA boxes in Yorkshire than phone boxes.

We should have a phone box at The Shay so that RM has somewhere to change into his costume!

Heard the same and possibly a couple from Fev.

Am I right in saying that we can't even talk to players until Sept 1st?
In that case we can't have signed Smeeton.
Nudge nudge wink wink.

Not sure if this is true either but I saw a piece in the Rugby League Weekly "Noisey Parker column this week that a former Fev loan player from Warrington Wolves called Gavin Bennion was coming to Fax. He's a big prop/second rower. I think he played at Fev last year on loan, but this season he is in Australia so Mr Parker said.

Yes you are right HJ but we can talk about rumours anytime.

You can talk to agents but not players.

If that seems crazy, it's because it is.