With regards to SA being OOC i doubt he'd get a visa he's got form down under and was also charged for brawling in Leeds not long ago.
Ls14 When did Cooper sign a new deal?

You guys .... shucks ! It's taken you all a long time for you to come around to my idea of trying BJB and Hall in the centres in preference to Delaney and Senior, but you all got there at long last. With Watkins and Wilson we have more starting options to complement that highly anticipated major new threequarter signing ( Tom Briscoe ? )

However, you're all forgetting to throw Chisholm into the threequarter mix for 2012 ... An apparent classic archetypal type winger with pace to burn.

Hardaker should be starting stand off for 2012.....forget Chase now.

No more average at best Aussies please.

A new Ali would be good.

Hardaker has never played stand off in SL. There is no evidence that he could be a good one - certainly not enough to make him starting 6 for next year. Watkins should be one centre for next season IMO (assuming that's where he wants to play). Wing is probably the one position we don't need anyone for - even with other movements we have some combination of Hall, Watkins, BJB, Hardaker and Smith. That's far more quality than any other side. As for Hall, it should depend in part on where he wants to play. If he fancies a go in the centres he should start there now, not wait for next year. Same with BJB and Watkins when he's fit.

Agree re Chase and an attacking second row though.

Was that you watching the Skepta vid earlier?

i'd like to sign Steve Matai from Manly

We seem to have a fair bit of talent in the backs at the moment. I still think Watkins is a centre, largely because of his handling skills. He needs some polishing, but if some of the rough edges (especially defensively) are ironed out he could be a very, very good centre. Hall is doing fine (better than fine) on the wing, and I see absolutely no sane reason to move him from there. The only reason anyone has given is that "he's quite big" as far as I can see. As if that's a bad thing for a winger. I mean, when did a big winger ever do anything worthwhile in SL?

Hardaker and BJB also look very much like back 3 players, so the trick will probably need to be to phase them in over next year with Webb reaching the end of his career now.

There does still therefore seem to be a vacancy at centre to fill. I'm not aware of anyone from the academy who's ready to fill that slot immediately, so perhaps we do need to recruit? If so, whether it's NRL or SL doesn't really worry me. If we can get a quality English centre that would be grand, but they're in short supply at the moment (see England Team, the).

So if there is a vacancy at centre while the club have an excess of wingers what is wrong with the suggestion of trying one of the wingers in the centre?

It could save having to find a centre externally and prevent one of the wingers missing out on a merited 1st grade opportunity at the club.

Hall, Watkins, Jones-Bishop and Smith are all basically wingers, I've excluded Hardaker on experience - he's enough on his plate already. I've seen what Smith and Watkins have to offer at centre (and to a lesser extent Jones-Bishop at Harlequins), I'd like to see what Hall could bring. Could be a disaster, then again it could be (like Meli at St Helens this season) a huge success.

What have the club got to lose this season by having a look?

There will of course be those who will talk about him not possessing the correct skill-set for the role but those people have been wrong before.

No problem in principle with trying it. My worry is that I'm not convinced that just saying "we have loads of wingers, but few centres" is actually the best basis for moving a player who is very successful on the wing to a position he's never played before. I'm always open to experimenting (ooh-err, matron) but I still think Watkins looks the more natural centre. I may, as you say, be wrong.

Also, Meli was a walking disaster as a winger at times, and most Saints fans would have had him out of the door before having him at wing again. I don't think the same is true of Hall.

If they are going to try it, it needs to be soon because if he's not going to be a centre, we may need to find another one from somewhere.

Abolutely...this is the season to try these potential options. If Webb is to be considered the first choice continued holder of the FB shirt (and if he plays as he did in his last game then he has every right to remain the incumbent) then BJB should be tried at centre a la Cudjoe. Hall, as has already been pointed out elsewhere, could be the next Meli.

Watkins should be given every opportunity to claim the no.4 shirt, but if he ends up on the wing so be it. The club should experiment from now in all league mat ches if not the CC.

I repeat I also believe Hardaker shows enough promise to be a top class SO and he again should be given every opportunity [ithis[/i season to make the position his own for 2012.

BJB would be a more natural centre than Hall IMO as he is a more natural footballer with better handling skills.

(cough)

Weller

(cough - splutter)

dint know briscoe played for u!!!

I hope it's Matt Cooper but don't think it will be. Ben Pomeray of the Sharks has been mentioned as the best out of contract centre who is available in the NRL. I think Kirk Yeaman would be a good signing. Whoever the signing is has got to be an improvement on our current players and add quality and experience to the squad. Who counts as a "big name signing" ?

Judging by the quality of our overseas signings over the last 12 months it'll be someone with a long name.

You mean like Ben Cross !
Long or short name we need a quality centre.

Just judge our last overseas centre signing......

Point taken. But Delaney might prove a success in the second row!

I know he might. I called it first ages ago. People just take time to catch up with me.

Even so, square peg - round hole.

Any ideas who GH might sign as Senior's replacement?

No, but based on recent recruitment I wouldn't hold your breath.

Look at the last centre he got! we're now having to hide him in the 2nd row.

With this idiot in charge of coaching whoever we got would not improve things!

.... or in the sin-bin. That's at least two visits in there this season.

As far as NRL players go, you pay peanuts you get monkeys. Especially in outside backs.

Pathetic that.

He had the chip on his shoulder and you could see he was going to blow up somewhere. When he was running at the kicker, I called it and said keep your eye on him - that WHACK.

Idiot.

Shame James Child couldnt have made his own rule up on that one, and sent him off. Waste of space.