Rory kettlewell! 18 years old, signed on two year contract from wigan warriors, previously with gloucester ru. good reviews when playing in warriors academy....

Not good enough for Wigan, but we'll have him. Are we the new Bradford? Great.

Said like a true whino.

Very good passing game but no pace.

www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... Leeds.html

www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... Leeds.html

"He is a nice young man and it was great to find out that he has been a fan of the club since he was young. Although he is relatively new to rugby league, he has the base skills, like speed and elusiveness, which are great natural attributes for a young half-back."

Someone is lying...

I think he is one for the future and wont be in the team yet as he is still recovering from injury. We'll see what happens to him but good luck and hope you do well

Our new scrum half is......sexy?
Our new scrum half is......an apron?
Our new scrum half is......allergic to napkins?
Our new scrum half is......allergic to orphans?
Our new scrum half is......allergic to tippex?
Our new scrum half is......gay?

Well I've seen him play, and Wigan didn't offer him a contract, so I'll leave you to make your own mind up.

Rory Kettlewell is a remarkable signing and one of the best and most joyous Xmas presents I could have hoped for. A common sense signing for the future and a huge well done to Mac and GH for saying "Sure! You can sign for us". My glass isn't half full... it's overflowing.

Wrong. Wigan did offer him a contract, but it was for one year, as he had only been on trial for three months, and they wanted to see more of him before giving longer.

Leeds offered him two years, and he opted for the two year one.

I haven't seen him play, so can only comment on what I have been told, and that is that he does have pace but not the pace of Rob Burrow like player, he does however have the elusivness of a Harris type player, who you would always find beating players who were faster than him.

I am also told the kid has an excellent kicking game, which is something that could really add to the Leeds squad.

McDermott says he has pace....you say he doesn't...we don't know the reasons why Wigan didn't sign him. So I would say he does have pace. Logical choice really.

Because of 'limited opportunities for him at Wigan' he wasn't signed....Who is ahead of him? I mean he is only 18 and just come from RU, so we are talking at least 2 years for SL level....

And you know this because.....?

I'm not getting into those games this year. But just to say nobody at Leeds, but a player who played with him at Wigan, a player who might yet also be at Headingley in the future.

Ok thats was all I was asking...no games.

Look this kids left the current SL champions to join the previous triple title winners.

So the lad is held in high regard.

Hardly a Christmas turkey.

New blood is welcomed by me.

Mark O'Neill was captain of the NRL Champions when he left to join the SL runners up, he was a one fooking fat Christmas turkey.

Joking aside, I'll give him a chance, but the fact Wigan didn't break their backs signing him does put a damper on it. Hopefully it will turn out to be a huge blunder for them.

Deal 1
Duration: 2 years
SL Pedigree: Champions in '04, '07, '08 & '09
Half Back Situation: Current first choices both signed for the club at roughly the same age as him, within 2/3 years had been handed the 6 & 7 shirts, and have both had nice long, stable, mortgage paying, secure jobs ever since.
Notes: The team he's supported since he was six.

Deal 2
Duration: 1 year
SL Pedigree: Champions in '98 & '10
Half Back Situation: Going through them like they're going out of fashion. Change half backs at the same rate they change the kit. 10 different men in 10 years.
Notes: One of the arch rivals of the team he's supported since he was six.


Anybody got any idea which deal looks the most attractive to an 18 y/o lad??

In other news... The pope is a catholic, A Wigan fan doesn't think a player Leeds has signed from them is very good, and Frankie Boyle hasn't got a Christmas card from Katie Price.

Wigan may not have tried too hard because they need a scrum half capable of playing at the top level sooner than we do. I can't see Deacon contributing for too much longer (although in fairness he went a lot better last season than I'd thought possible).

Or alternatively, Wigan have two young half backs who they rate higher than this lad - Joe Mellor and Sam Powell

Spot on. He's probably taking up a chunk of salary cap too. What a waste of time. When are we going to act and behave like a proper big club?

I seem to remember Sean Long being regarded as surplus to requirements by Wigan, who didn't offer him a contract. Whatever happened to him?

I'm not quite sure why people feel the need to judge a player as soon as they are signed and before they see what a change of club and training regime can do, or even judge at all being that several highly paid individuals at the club have already done all the judging with regard to players ability, availability, finance and squad requirement - its their job to do all that and they stand or fall by those decisions.

By comparison anyone who simply pays their money at the turnstile generally knows nothing at all of any relevance ...

He grew some silly hair, made a few bets at the bookies and then got paid lots for sitting on the sidelines at Hull?

Or alternatively, they will let these two go as well



But it's a fair point you make; I know virtually nothing of what's available to wigan's in terms of young talent.

Totally agree.

I mean, even if Wigan think he's a load of old tosh and threw him at Leeds, he could just totally click with Mac, enjoying playing for us and do really well. Alternatively, he could have gone on to be Wigan's best ever player had he stayed, and turn out doing nothing for us at all.

You're second point is spot on too... it's our scouts/coach job to find these players and make sure they fit. Why people don't just let them do their job and get on board with their choices is beyond me.

I support Leeds. To me, that doesn't just mean turning up and cheering on match day, it means SUPPORTING the club. Like I would support my Mrs-to-be if she was moving jobs, or like I'll support my mum when the t'old man goes (assuming it's that way around). It doesn't mean, "blindly following" or "just agreeing" (Before Rhinos Feckwits gets involved!). I don't agree with everything the Mrs does, but I'd support her wholeheartedly once she'd decided to do it. That's how it's supposed to work IMO. I support this club, I might not agree with every decision they make (like at times last season when we played Smith over Donald?! WTF!? Anyway), but hey ho, they're much better placed than me to make the decision in the first place. Our job as supporters is to do just that, support. Not just f##king moan all the time and argue for the sake of arguing. Really gets my back up.

Back to the kid... he's followed us since he was 6. I know if I was hoping to break into RL, playing for the club I supported would be the ideal. It can't always happen that way (ask Ryan Atkins!) but if the contract is offered... it's a no-brainer if you ask me.