... released by Hull. He'd be a decent addition?

Not for me. We have enough outside backs for starters. I'd rather we looked at half or another prop.

Crookesy was OK for us, and I was disappointed when he left to be honest [ibut[/i if we have any cap and finance available, I don't feel a threequarter is a priority. The one area where we are light on numbers for me is halfback, with Siejka and Gaskell as the only specialist halves it's possible we could be undone by injury or loss of form without some more cover. How's the Sammutt rumour going..?

Crookes only ever got 1 year extensions on his contract. He only really excelled in his final year when he was outside Lulia. He hardly torn up trees at Hull and it's not a surprise Hull have released him given the signings they've made for next year.

As roofaldo2 stated, stick him outside a decent centre and he looks like a world beater. I remember Crookes and Lulia tearing Hull KR apart a couple of seasons ago. Didn't he spend some time at Fev last year?

Not for me. He always looked on verge of breaking through without ever really doing it, apart from last year outside lulia. We've enough outside backs IMO. Any cap space left should to on a half or a prop where we need more depth.

Funny you mention that, i went to the NFL game on remembrance day and was stood next to Sammut in the food queue - Had the weird moment where i recognized him from somewhere but couldn't pin point where struck me after we ordered - just said i hoped he would have stayed at Bradford and he just said "if things had been different i wouldn't have left".

He said he was still at wakey but his tone didn't seem non plussed by it

I am trying to make my way through all the double negatives there. I'm still not sure...

Crookes had some good moments for us (Fev) this year but his defence is very hit and miss (tends to jump pout of the line looking for the big hit, with mixed results). Think the general view of Fev fans was that he'd be useful to have back but only at the right price, seems he was on a fair whack at Hull and he's probably going to have to be realistic about his current market value.

Exactly. I'm not sure why more than one has made the point that Crookes was at his best for us in his last season, well - duh! isn't that what you want, players who improve, and get to quite a high standard? The only counter-argument would have been "so he's been oustanding this year ... but next year he might be crap". A pure pessimist argument based on no evidence, if ever there was one.

Crookes was [ivery[/i good outside Lulia. He is being damned with faint praise unfairly. Yes his centre created chances and half chances - but Crookes finished them off, rarely failing, and crashing through for some great scores that belied his size. Of course, he was also out that season for ages with a bad injury.

We would certainly have kept him, but it was precisely because he had put in such a good season that his stock rose and his agent was able to negotiate a deal with Hull that we couldn't match. That works both ways, he's not on any quota, and if the price was right now I think he'd be very dangerous at Championship level.

I agree prop and halfback cover would be a priority but there's no guarantee anything we can afford and want will come along. I'm not going overboard on Crookes btw, there are significant risks, which would have to be reflected in the wage (he got a payoff from Hull so isn't skint) - I just suggested him as an interesting option. But as someone once said, he's not the messiah - he's a naughty boy.

:1vetpuzf
The only thing I'm not really sure about is why Sammut [i:1vetpuzfmight[/i presumably initiated all that occurred with respect to his transfer. I took it that Broady meant he seemed to be 'cool', or nonchalant, about his current situation. Which, I guess he is, since Wakey are where they are and, well, we are where we are..

So it was you he was talking to, you should have introduced yourself

when you'd gone I asked him if it was true what you had said to him and he said nah what do you take me for I'm not likely to make that mistake again

:35iw37jm

I realise you're joking but I wouldn't have been be surprised had it been true another 'saying what the fans want to hear shock', you know, as in "This is the club I've always dreamed of playing for" and, "It's the only club I'd have left my previous club for", etc etc..yawn..

I also have a lancastrian accent and was in my St Louis Rams jersey, so im not sure he could have been 100% i was a Bulls fan, I merely said you played well there you should have stayed

Yep it's been my childhood dream to play for this club, if you could have a quid every time you'd heard that eh!!.

On the subject of Sammut nobody seems to know what's happening with him, Agar played him unsuccessfully at FB when he came to us and after Agar left Webster did not play him at all, leaving a lot of Wakey fans' believing he's on his way out of the club, personally I hope he stays and see no reason for him to leave as we cannot afford anything better but as you know things are not that simple and you could very well see him back at the bulls.

I was only messing mate, one thing though If I was you I'd get rid of the St Louis Rams jersey and get a Minnesota Vikings shirt, it will make your bum look smaller

and I doubt we would have room under the cap to take Sammut on board - much as I'd be delighted to see him.

Funny you should say that he played FB against the Giants at home, had a poor game in defence but was brilliant in attack scoring two tries' and had two more individual tries ruled out for what seemed like dodgy decisions by the officials', with regards to Siejka he had been injured when he came to us and never got a chance and went to Fev without any chance to get match fit and no game time at all, hopefully he'll surprise a lot of people who have rubbished him when he gets his chance under Jimmy Lowes to show why Wakey brought him over from the other side of the world.

On the topic of Siejka, he's just tweeted from his hospital bed after some knee surgery. So we either signed someone we knew was crocked, or it's a fresh injury he's picked up since he joined the club.
Either way, it's not exactly filling me with confidence. I hope I'm wrong but I feel like we might have made a mistake signing him. Perhaps he was a last resort after the GoB farce. With it being such a pivotal position as well, it could ruin our season if he doesn't gel with the rest of the team.

I remain hopeful Sjieka be ok but we could do with cover at halfback as he’s had a problems with injury and it’s a long season.

On Crookes I was disappointed when he went to Hull as he looked like he was just coming good. He seems to have gone backwards since he left but he’s had a few injuries and some off field issues.. On re-signing him I think we have more important priorities such as halfback cover and maybe another prop.

but given the history it does show how it may be prudent to have some back-up. I know Danny Addy and Jake Mullaney are plenty good enough to fill in at this level but I'd prefer to have two recognised halves for the business end.

So we come back to sammut or are looking at someone else

Has Harry's tweet been removed? Can't see anything on his feed. Might be something and nothing as others have said. Can remember a few players having clean outs on their knees in off season. Seem to remember hape and big les having it done pretty much every year, or so it seemed,and it was a couple of weeks recovery time type thing iirc.

Siejka said it was his second knee surgery, so maybe it was planned? Either way best to have it done now rather than him being on one leg next September!

Why would Sammut come back?

I'd be highly surprised if Sammutt went to Wakey for a pay cut and he has another year left.

I can't see us paying the same wage now, or Wakey paying him off to come to a side they may face in the 8s. They appear to be more financially sound than for many a year and have also released Siejka. I don't see this happening unless Wakey have squad/injury issues later in the season and need to free up salary and cap.