According to the T&A Macca is happy with his 2009 squad. The deal with Moi Mo has fallen through. So unless something unexpected crops up that's our recruiting done. So more of the same for us next year, mid table at best. This years squad wasn't good enough so we've lost Hape, Harris, Vagana, Feather, Evans, Finnigan and Matt James on loan to Fax. We bring in 4 players and that's supposed to strengthen the squad? One aging superman, one strong young forward and two unproven players. I just don't see any progression. Maybe it's just me?

No comment.

I agree fully with that. The post/pre- season is meant to be the time fans are their most optimistic about the coming season after the announcement of new signings. But this year hasn't had the same effect the major problem area of the squad hasn't been addressed if anything the area has been weakened.

it says alot that article. is he giving the kids a chance and just waiting for the right player which is a good move imo, or is he not bothered at recruitment because he is more interested in the england setup. which one?

It says to me that his job is safe regardless of results next season.

Yes you could be right.

With the current squad Mid table may be the most we can hope for im not convinced our signings are strong enough to even guarantee that, the bulk of our new recruits over the past 2 seasons have come from mediocre clubs if Maccas statement is correct i dotn hold out much hope for next year or the clubs future, sherrife hardly gonna draw the crowds in is he...

downward spiral continues...
Menzies good tutor for the kids to learn from but IMO wont play enough due to age
Scuton--only positive signing
Sherriffe and Worrincy--average at best, but lets not forget the old "their young and they have potential" funny that as quins were happy to release both....bet Saints and Leeds are papping themselves at our back line....sorry i mean laughing their socks off

I usually am.

My problem with this is that Macca didn't seem to have any confidence in the young lads this year. I don't see why that will change, 3 mins at the end of a game does nothing for the players confidence and only puts more pressure on the rest of the squad. Also as I see it we only have 4 props and we send Matt James out on loan. We can't keep using Lynch and Burgess for 60-80 mins a game. They both played a lot of the season injured as did a lot of players in fact. Newton playing injured or not fully fit because Macca seemed reluctant to play Godwin. Deacs is becoming injury prone and we have no cover for him, Jeffries is inconsistant and we have no real cover for him. What's the point of having a big squad if we don't use them all and regularly rotate them? Surely that's the only was we will ever have real competition for places? Use all the players during the first 3/4's of the season which will allow you to pick the best players for the last quarter.

i think it will be an interesting season next year but we will be lucky to make the top 6 with that squad, I wonder what the odds are for the 1st coach to be sacked macca must be worth a punt.

Given the alledged finances of the club and the pay out that would have to be made Macca may be safe.

Has he been told the wage bill needs to be cut?

We won't be able to judge Steve as a coach in 2009, as he was unable to recruit the players he wanted.

We can't comment on his capability until 2010 at the earliest, when the can build the team he wants.

[size=34Thought I might as well be the first to say it.[/size

How I see it is, as a Club we have nothing to attract quality players. We can't compete with other clubs on wages, we don't seem to be able to compete for honours any longer, we don't have a big name coach that players would want to learn from. We have also lost the Kiwi connection so we don't even have that to rely on. Cap that off with the poor facilities and what do we have????????

And so it should be. Some people can see the bigger picture

Lets face it at the moment, with two new teams entering the competition, the market in players is a 'sellers' market, especially for 'english' players. All that the article says to me is that the Bulls will not be paying the sort of stupid money that some players are asking. Also, that Macca will be using the WC to gauge the worth of some of the 'talent' on display safe in the knowledge that he has cap space and a quota space.

How many people remember the Bulls early days in 95/96? Didn't exactly set the world talking about the 'star' names brought in then!

'Rome wasn't built in a day'

Can't help but feel we are the Tottenham of SL. "Never mind winning anything, look at the balance sheet".

How a good quality centre was not a priority for next season i will never know.

Well maybe it still is on the cards. Maybe the club are waiting to see if theres any eye catching players at the world cup?

It may have been.
Availability and salary demands will always have a huge effect on recruitment though

I've said it all along and it's now confirmed by the club.

Whether we'll ever be able to or not in the future is another question.

The squad looks way too thin at the position of centre with only Sykes and Nero with any regular first team experience in this position. If one gets injured the back up is as follows:

Menzies: Now more suited to centre field as his pace has gone.
Crookes: Completely untested at first team level.
Johnson: Almost as untested as Crookes.

I really hope we avoid injuries to Sykes or Nero as we'll really be struggling without them. I'd hate to have to rely on untested young players, it's far better to bring them into a side when they are in form and high in confidence. If the injuries strike we'll be bringing them in no matter what the situation. That's fraught with danger. Remember when Wigan were forced to blood young players when the injuries hit in years gone by? Their confidence got shot to pieces.

Looking at the rest of the threequarter line it's obvious that it's one of those areas McNamara's on about that he'd like to strengthen. I hope the club's serious about looking at talent in the WC. Hopefully it won't all be talk because a backline of Platt, Taduala, Sykes, Nero & Tupou isn't even top five quality.

With the present squad I reckon we'll scrape into the 6, but a finish lower in the table wouldn't be surprising if we got injuries at halfback or in the backs.

Priceless.

What macca should be doing if top stars aren't available is signing experienced players from teams such as Wakefield and Harlequins. Jees it's so obvious!!

cant really understand how the bulls have got rid of all these players one of which was the highest paid in super league on way over £300k per year, and they bring in the calibre of players they have and dont have funds for more signings...it just does not stack up you are being shafted by your club !

and then he'd be kopping flak for signing players from lower clubs. He cant win no matter what he does. He admits theres areads he'd like to strengthen but if the players arent available at sensible money then imo he's taken the correct option. We're in a very strong position should someone become available following the world cup ( which I'd imagine is having an effect on overseas recruitment this year with players not wanting to jeopardise the selection prospects by signing for a SL club prior to the tournament.