FC fan here, i just wondered if you guys had heard anything on you signing him? As reported in our local rag Hull have offered him a deal but he is reported to have stalled on it and rumours are that its a 1 year deal when he is after a longer one and Saints are waiting in the wings to capture him. I'd be gutted if he leaves and can't understand Hull quibbling on his deal to be honest. Like i said i just wondered if you guys had got a whiff of any Manu rumours????

I would love Willie at Saints.

I love Willie.

Would an outstanding signing for you, forget his age, can't remember the last time he missed a game, best attacking backrow in sl who can play 80 mins and has good defence. Massive loss for us if he leaves.

Manu = Jonkers/Bennett

We have super Dixon and don't need him

A future Wakefield player if ever ive seen one.

We'd have the biggest Willie in the land. (again)

Over on Redvee there's some rumours that Manu and Turner will both be at Saints next year

I heard that the Manu deal is done..

Aren't we still within the anti-tampering deadline and therefore in breach of Super League rules by approaching two Hull players already?

Not that I'm complaining mind, but I wouldn't want to see us hauled over the coals over this. If this is true, we just have to hope it causes such a severe impedement to Manu's relationship with Hull, it's staff, players and fans that he is forced to leave them early.

With Flannery going I think Manu would be a great replacement...cant see us signing Manu and Turner though as we wouldnt require them both:

Soliola, Wilkin, Flanagan, Dixon plus Magennis who is really a back rower not a prop seems to me like we have enough cover there

Turner is a centre.

Swap you for Meli now if you like?

Couple of years ago maybe, we are rumored to have signed joe arundal from cas as a direct replacement and have Ben crooks (lee's son) who looks an exciting prospect a centre coming through.

You mean, the site that announced all but the cast iron certainty of Jamie Lyon's signature ... [ion the very same day that Royce Simmons was canned?[/i

It seems to happen across the league; the club would just contact the agent and say they are interested and then the player would ask the club for permission to speak to other clubs...that's how I assume it'd work anyway.

The are obviously ways round it as I've known players we signed and players we've lost way before.

I don't think it's illegal to contact their agent I don't think which is silly really.

It's definitely not illegal, it's just against the RFL's bylaws I believe. I'm sure Rogues could quote us chapter and verse from said to prove we're in the wrong here.

I started a rumour ages ago about Manu coming to Saints in the hope it would come true.
Would be a great signing.

I don't see why it is illegal/against bylaws etc to approach a player in his last year of his contract; it just seems to be a pointless rule that is regularly 'broken'

goes well to putting a bit of bulk in the pack:
Perry Roby LMS
Manu Sia
TP
bit of go forward, and then having flash, dixon, wilkin, le frank, mcguniess

Yea the same site that broke the news about Simmons.

If a player is in contract negotiations, then whilst he can't sign for another club, is there anything to stop him checking?

I would imagine it goes Hull offer Manu a contract, his agents goes , hmmm I can probably get better for you (ME) elsewhere. They turn down the offer. At this point the club can
1. enforce anti-tampering
2. offer a better deal.
3. Say that's our best deal but you are more than welcome to have a look and see if you can get better

My understanding of the deadline means he cannot sign for another club, so Hull will always get the last say, in that they can offer a contract at the last minute to snatch him back, as he will not have been able to sign anything till after the deadline. But maybe a check on the rules is needed.

I wouldn't expect anything less.

I'd bet you 10p I was the first person to name Manu on here.