sorry if its already been mentioned taken from [uthe sun[/u ST HELENS have snapped up Anthony Laffranchi. The Gold Coast Titans forward, 30, has signed a two-year deal to play from next season. Saints also have their eye on Roy Asotasi of South Sydney and Wests Tigers' Bryce Gibbs. Laffranchi said: "I'm looking forward to testing myself in another league." Read more: www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... z1LVF9gUSW

sorry if its already been mentioned taken from [uthe sun[/u ST HELENS have snapped up Anthony Laffranchi. The Gold Coast Titans forward, 30, has signed a two-year deal to play from next season. Saints also have their eye on Roy Asotasi of South Sydney and Wests Tigers' Bryce Gibbs. Laffranchi said: "I'm looking forward to testing myself in another league." Read more: www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... z1LVF9gUSW

Aside from Gibbs having signed a contract down under, yea!

What do contracts matter? Wests might have someone else lined up or Gibbs might want out.

Asotasi is about 44 now isn't he?

Will be 30 next Jan according to the ever reliable Wikipedia. Captain of souths would be a good replacement for graham

Asotasi would be awesome.

Asotasi is shot! Can't catch or hold onto a RL ball. Injured once again for 3 months also.

As the old joke goes ... he should fit right in at Saints then!

I hope to god we don't sign him! He's well past it.

Laffranchi asked Gibbs about the rumours of joining Saints on Twitter the other day. Gibbs just sent 'Lol' in return.

Gibbs would be the perfect prop to fill the hole left by jammer. Obviously jammer is better quality but Gibbs brings size, power and aggression. Gibbs and perry would be ideal starting pair of props.

If we keep TP and sign Gibbs I'll be very happy with our pack for 2012.

Perry
Roby
Gibbs
Sia
Laffranchi
Wilkin

Above would be a very big powerful starting pack.

Tony p
LMS
Clough
Moore
Magennis
Ashurst
Dixon

The above would make up the 3/4 forward on the bench.

Royce seems to prefer TP starting at loose forward but I would prefer to see him off the bench.

I agree, he'd be great as impact player. Everytime he returns to the field following his rest period always gives us a boost.

There's very much an Antipodean feel to that starting pack would you not say?



But to be fair to Saints and their recruitment. It's once again a sad indictment of British Rugby league, that Saint's aren't able to recruit quality British forwards because of the such low numbers we produce them in, here in SL. You've not option but to look oversea's.

as soon as we produce good quality forwards they tend to go to australia(morley,ellis,burgess and graham).its the backs we have trouble producing,and if we do they go to union(ashton,robinson,eastmond).so we have to pick up what we can fron the nrl

We'd love to replace every player that leaves with youth but sadly it's near impossible, even the great pies can't even do that



If it's not possible to do that then clubs look abroad. We can't put young kids in if they ain't there and not up to the quality just for the sake of youth.

Asotasi is contracted at souths for next season, you can't sign both of them anyway.

I'd say that now there are a better number of clubs producing decent youngsters, not just the likes of Wigan and Leeds. Clubs like Cas and Hudds are also starting to churn them out, so I reckon in a coupl eof years there'll be a better pool of decent british players.

alot of teams seem to be producing decent backrowers and even quite good halves

What we are seriously low on as a league is good front rowers, the best in the league are Graham, Peacock and Morley. 2 of them are way, way past 30. After that you have the like of Lynch, Carvell, Fielden etc who again are 30+

We have cloughy who seems to be progressing into the front row quite well, but he's not going to put on an England shirt there, Harrison at wire looks like he's pretty good to, Wigan like ourselve have 100's of decent young backrowers, can any step up to the front as they fill out? If it wasnt for the Burgess family England would have no young out and out props!

Mossop should be 1 of the 4 props this year. Having a great season so far.

From his Twitter feed.

And two of them started life as back rowers.

props are a physical extreme in our game, so its only reasonable to expect less of them to be produced.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Clough matured into an international standard front rower.

I'd be made up if he does!

Hubby although now injured has been showing well at Castelford and many are suggesting an England call up for him. He did look dangerous against us on Easter Monday.