www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... story.html

www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... story.html

If it involved Lee Smith going the other way then it would make sense. If not then we would have too many young threequarters who would end up getting upset by the lack of first team action.

What's the odds he'll be in the Blue and Amber next season? Lee Smith and Weller Hauraki as make weights I wonder?

Weller Hauraki, surprise, surprise, another overseas player.

You can keep him thanks.

For me it's a no brainer. We should always be in the market (salary cap permitting) for any RL player who could bring something to our squad, and this lad has just had a very good season.

Could be a chance for Smithy to resurrect his career as well, as he must be favourite to be offered up as part of any deal. Nice bit of business if GH can pull it off.

Transfer story with agent quotes appears in local rag while player attempts to renegotiate contract shock.

It also doesn't say when the alleged approach for Welham was. If it even happened, I'd wager it was halfway through last season.

Absolutely. Would appear a very good signing, and good age, that would enhance our squad.




Dissagree. No need for Smithy to leave this club at all. Leeds problem was resigning Webb, which was a poor and unnecessary decision.

We could have had a perfectly good all british backline as it stood, and an addition of someone like Welham would have really complimented that.

Agree Gotcha my thinking is IF we follow this up with a player + cash offer then thinking long term that player should be Webb.
i think a back line of
Bjb/Smith
Hardaker/Watkins
Watkins/Hardaker
Welham
Hall

Theres pace skill and plenty of versatillity within that back line plus we still have depth with Smithy ,Delaney and Ablett more than able to deputise.

Plus the backline has longevity - all these players are still in their early 20s

I'm in agreement with craigizzard. This sounds like agent-initiated propaganda to me.

If (big if, given the above) we were to sign him, he's a good attacking player but has a lot to work on, particularly in defence, which has been pretty poor on the few occasions I've seen him. If he can work on that he'd be a good acquisition, but I'd question whether he'd merit being above Watkins or the emergent Hardaker for a starting shirt.

If there was an offer made, I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that it was before Hardaker surprised everyone with just how quickly he adapted to life in the centres at the end of the season.

Agree entirely.

I'd rather Welham continue to develop at Hull Kr and Leeds continue to develop Hardaker and Watkins as centres.

I mentioned this a few months back, and said he would be quite a good signing. But as been pointed out, people viewed his defensive side as poor.

With the young players we already have at the club in his position, I'm not sure the signing is needed.

However, with the signing of griffin and moore already in the bag, and the rumoured interest in welham, one thing these players all have in common is that they are english.

With nrl clubs now better placed to outbid super league clubs, going for british is a smart strategy. GH once again 1 or 2 steps ahead of the game.

Thought Leeds would show more ambition.

First Richard Moore now Kris Welham.

Surely you have better prospects already at the club?

To be fair, I think every club in Super League would like to follow that route. It's just that with such a small quantity of quality it usually comes down to money, and therefore the richer clubs competing. And in some cases transfer fees involved. That put's a lot of the clubs out of the running, especially when going for someone more like this type of quality.

I'd be underwhelmed if this comes off - presumably he'd expect to come here and be starting in the centres, and IMO the club already has three better options.

Young , English , above average and likely to develop into a top quality centre .

The kind of player the club should at least show an interest in .

Who are you referring to, Zak Hardaker or Kallum Watkins?

With 24 tries coming in 27? appearances I suspect that apart from Ryan Hall there's not a Leeds back within a cooee of him.

Defensively weak? Well, given the amount of time and effort our own young squad players will be putting into that particular discipline this off season, I'm sure the defence coaches could fit in another one!

Garry still has my confidence when it comes to spotting potential.....

I wouldn't dispute his potential, but he is top dog at Hull KR, and would have to fight for a shirt at Leeds. I'd further dispute whether we need to be paying transfer fees to cover a well-stocked position. If he was OOC, that would be different.

I'm not saying he wouldn't be a good signing, but as ever GH will have to balance cost against added value. I'm sure he'll do that just fine.

I still think this is just his agent trying to boost the bottom line number on his client's new contract though.

Wasnt John Gallagher the last ginger you signed, look how that turned out.

Mind you, i heard you did try to sign G1 once, he would be ginger if he had any hair

Wouldn't be too unpleased if we signed him however I personally would like to see hardaker and Watkins develop, I assume this interest was near the middle of the season, and is being used to gain a new contract with KR

Strawberry blonde you swine, strawberry blonde.

Well stocked? every man and his dog has said on here all season we needed a centre for next season and replacement for Senior.

We have got lucky in been forced to put Hardaker in there, and he has come up trumps. Ablett shouldn't have to be playing centre for us, he's doing a job and very well done, but it's unfair on the lad himself who would like to play his natural position. Delaney is wasted as a centre, which brings us back to Watkins (the prodigal son and was heir apparent) whom is injured more than playing, and Hardaker who could play anywhere across the back line and star.

We are far from well stocked.

However, with the ridiculous news last week about Senior, I suspect that you may be correct on the agent thing, and that Leeds probably tried to do a deal a couple of months back rather than a couple of days back.