Well Monoghan was bought as a half back wasn't he?

As for Chase playing at hooker?...you would be curbing his natural game...and as for bringing him in as cover

Firstly where not called Leigh Centurions, as Millward as said, we want quality not quantity, and I thought you signed Ratchford to eventually replace Briers.
Also name any stand offs better than Chase that Warrington could attract.

And you wasn't when you had Cooper off us last year either....



I think the jury's still out on what Ratchford's role is going to be.....At the moment, utility back is looking pretty much odds on for the next year or two.

Most folk still anticipate another signing to take the Briers role eventually.

No disrespect to the players but Cas need a better quality of player than Blythe, Evans, McCarthy etc.., and like I have said before if Warrington want Chase, they must pay full asking price which could mean a couple of your decent players being given to us.

Unfortunately, clubs like Cas are the ones that suffer most from the simple fact that there is not enough quality to go around a 14 team league.

You are inevitably going to end up in a situation where you end up with the bigger club's cast-offs and fringe players, coupled with, perhaps, 1 or 2 'big' names from down under.

Look at last season, Mathers from us, Fozzard from Saints, both cast offs....Both decent enough players, but neither ever likely to be involved in a trophy winning squad in the future.

Until you get your stadium up and running and some serious investment, then you will continue to be the small fish in the big pond, especially when it comes to recruitment.

False, Cas at full strength showed they were more than good enough to compete - it's just unfortunate 4 of the injuries were all season ending and for prop forwards.



That happens at EVERY team, there is not one team that has a team full of the clubs home grown players.



The same Richard Mathers Tony Smith and most Warrington fans wanted to keep? There's also a chance he will only be a squad player next season for Cas, Fozzard was brought in as cover.



Could you actually be any more patronising? I remember the "small fish" was top of the table a quarter of the way through the season before they lost 4 props, both wingers a centre, the fullback, 3 second rowers and 2 hookers.

Hey, I don't mean to patronise and I apologise if it seems that way...Wire were in a similar position to you not so long back, so I can understand your view.

However, your post actually backs up what I meant......Yes, you made a great start to the season (as did Quins if I remember correctly), but once the first choice 17 gets disrupted, then the wheels came off and you began shipping some big defeats.

Ultimately, your main problem is that you are still viewed as that 'small fish' by the most important people - THE PLAYERS.

Why did Mathers quit Wire for Cas?....Money, simple as......Yes, he came out with the usual stuff of wanting regular rugby, but I'm betting he got a bigger offer from Cas than he did from us....Thus, you are overpaying for average players, which is inevitably what happens to the clubs lower down the table, as these clubs are less attractive to players.

Could you actually be any more patronising? I remember the "small fish" was top of the table a quarter of the way through the season before they lost 4 props, both wingers a centre, the fullback, 3 second rowers and 2 hookers.'"

So missing 13 players and losing games mean Cas aren't good enough to compete in the long haul? Any team in world rugby minus 13 players would struggle.



Mathers is one of the lower earners of the "regular" first teamers apparently, so he isn't being overpaid based on that.

Mathers quit Wire for Cas because he wanted to play rugby, which he wouldn't do being behind Hodgson.

that wont happen.... smith has his players... they are his team and he has given most of them contracts... he wont simply 'give' some of them away to a team they wont want to join... he has the money to make the transfer happen if he needs it without having to even entertain the idea of a player exchange..... if the rumours are true we have paid you £320,000 for him in a straight deal.

Where has that money come from? More fiction from a deluded dire fan.

Probably from the Take That show you and your boyfriend went to this year....

Dont forget dita .... any mug with money can buy a squad, but they will never be yours , just mercenaries.
I wonder if Smith could coach without a chequebook

bradford for a start. kearney,lestrange,lulia,purtell,sammut. The quota doesnt reduce next year. this was the last year it reduced.

Sammut as all of this years crusaders squad are exempt

not yet he isnt. we've asked RFL for clarification whether he's exempt or not. he was signed before the dispensations were awarded. As such he'd have put us on 5 quota players and RFL registered him before they decided to grant dispensations. Quota is definitely 5 Overseas and 5 non-fed trained.

Armstrong from Saints, is rumoured, to be being lined up by Millward after working with him on dual contract at Leigh. Can play either centre or either wing.

I would say why would Saints allow him to leave if he's any good. But Emmitt left, he was quality for us this year. Fingers crossed. Dont think we'll see any activity until Leigh's season comes to an end and Millward joins us. could be a month + yet me thinks.

Armstrong is quality, everyone is raving about him. Especially Millward

Emmitt and Armstrong both surplus to requirements at Saints both sent out on DR to Leigh, both called back into Saints team and both possibly at Cas 2012 - Millward gets the best from average players.

In his Saints team he had Stankevitch and Jonkers in the pack, and they were winning pots.

There are a lot of internal politics at Saints, as in all clubs, that fans don't often get to hear about. The circumstances of Ellis, Emmitt, Ashurst and Armstrong have been governed by such forces rather than playing ability. Under different management/coaching, they will all turn out to be very good players at other clubs. Emmitt has proven this during this season. If Ashurst goes to Salford, he'll have more chance of developing than at Saints. Ellis has proven that he is too good for the Championship, and will be a good acquisition for Hull. Armstrong has only ever played one game for Saints in his best position - centre, and showed how good he was, only to suffer a really bad hamstring injury. Since then, he has been asked to play 2nd row, wing and fullback. Under Millward he has been excellent at Leigh playing centre, and would also develop into a very good SL centre with the same coach.

1. Having a 'mug with money' is the difference between success and mediocrity.....Let's be honest, if a Simon Moran character walked into Wheldon Road, you lot would be ecstatic and wouldn't mind the odd mercenary (Saying that, the only difference between us and you, seems to be our mercenaries are a bit more talented, as I don't see a full 17 of local-born lads in your line-up either).

2. Cullen and Lowes had the same chequebook that Smith currently has access to, yet won nothing....Smith has 2 Challenge Cups and a League Leaders Shield in just 28 months in charge....He can't be that bad??

Branson & Caddick both tried, Fulton told them both to get lost





Cullen & Lowes are idiots though.

No argument against your assessment of Lowes, however, its a bit harsh on Cullen....He did a good job in the early days of his tenure, but simply got out of his depth as our ambitions rose....I feel sorry for him that he obviously has this poor reputation among Super League fans, he isn't a poor coach and we were never in danger of losing our Super League status with him in charge, which can't be said of your incoming saviour's reign at Wigan, when he had access to similar funds to Cullen...



Tony Smith is obviously fortunate to have such a supportive backer in Simon Moran, but you only have to look at our style of play and complete change in culture at the club, to realise he is a very good and very intellegent coach.