[url=http://www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/1131I take it these are first team deals?[/url



Just which foreign domestic league would that be?

Interesting signings. How old are they? The prop looks Keith Mason-esque.

Edit:

McCloskey, 23, is a 6’7″ giant prop forward who weighs 19 stone, while Cross, 21, is a 6’3″ stand-off.

I thought it was only while they are over here for experience, they are also supposed to be playing for Swinton.

The way Saints have phased it makes it sound like they've been given proper deals and will be involved with the first team. If they were just being brought into the academy, I can't see why they would spend the money sending them out to a foreign league?

I suppose dual-reg or season loans would be one option. Perhaps someone who knows the internal workings on the club can elaborate?

French.

They're due to start the season in 2012 with Swinton.

They were at the match on Saturday and apparently loved it.

Well there's the big prop forward we want, but do we really need another half?

Depends how good he is. He could be the next Tommy Martyn for all we know.

He may be I suppose.

I doubt it, but I wouldn't write him off so soon

Oh I wasn't writing him off but it is a position we have plenty depth at. Mike rush and his team have brought plenty good players through though so we have to trust their judgement.

This seems really random


Still, if the lads train with the squad through the off season, they'll soon sink or swin at Swinton. I assume they'll be on dual reg, there, so could be called back at any time?

That prop's certainly big enough and reportedly weighs 19 stone. he doesn't look like he's carrying much fat so a full time strrength regeime could knock him up to 20 stone!? That's Baloo territory.

The standoff is a 6ft monster as well looking at him. I'd play him fullback. Even without seeing him play. He looks the part.

Signing mediocre overseas players to stand in the way of young Paul Wellens? It will never work.

Are they going to enjoy the craic in 'tellins? I'm sure the accent will go down well with the local sl.....ladies.

Having watched the big prop play on saturday you can tell he is relatively new to the game, in terms of his positioning and seemed at times to be a little unsure whether he was running for the ball or was acting as a dummy runner, but that will come with time. Again his tackling technique was fine, but it will take time getting him used to some of the tactics surrounding defence. From what I have heard the other guy, who played at centre the week before is very useful and has already asked to be moved more infield so to get his hands on the ball more. Both are a work in progress but have the potential to become first team players

Thought you could only dual reg if you were under 21?

I am still being told the idea is to give them experience to take back to Ireland??

Sorry did someone say 6'7 19st?

No way he signed for Saints, a cross between to Baloo and Crabtree. Blimey!

And who have they played for!? When will they play next!?
Everything seems very surreal with this. It quite excites me.
Without seeing the back I won't pass comment, but when your 6'7" and 19 stone, you're certainly on the way to being a half decent prop!

well i suppose next year we cant complain about having no meat in the pack with that gripper

Sounds to me like the back is the Dom Feunati in all this. He apparently lacks pace.

It's the prop we're really after IMO. He's apparently good enough to play Union for Ireland, but hasn't made it because he's unprofessional, lazy and has a poor work ethic.

Just some opinions I picked up on the tinterweb. Anyone who knows the truth feel free to correct as necessary.

"Sounds to me like the back is the Dom Feunati in all this. He apparently lacks pace.

It's the prop we're really after IMO. He's apparently good enough to play Union for Ireland, but hasn't made it because he's unprofessional, lazy and has a poor work ethic.

Just some opinions I picked up on the tinterweb. Anyone who knows the truth feel free to correct as necessary."


From what I've been told both lads could have made it at union but came a bit disillusioned at the lack of first team opportunities, so decided to give rugby league a go. I think if he'd had a poor work ethic played in the back row in union it would have certainly shown up already in training etc

Do you think they're likely to feature in Friday's U20 game??

Would they count as non-fed trained or would that not apply for Irish players?

I'd assume they'd fudge them through as fed trained.

Yeah that would be my guess. Welsh/Scottish players are fed trained so I'd imagine its the same for Irish.

Given that they are being trained in RL at Saints, surely this makes them Saints academy trained. But at the very least they would be federation trained.