I reckon it's more a "trial"

With us likely losing players throughout the season Franny needs to bulk our squad. Permanent signings are out of the question so it has to be loans. However they still need to be smart loans. Franny and the board won't want to pay for a loan of a player then realise its not going to work out after a couple of games.. With money so tight he needs to get the signings spot on. He's probably just gone to all clubs who only have youngsters available. So he's taken these 3 young lads on loan for pre season. If they impress I've no doubt the deals will be extended. If they fail, we let them go back and aren't wasting what vital little money we have. I reckon Frannys been quite clever.

Seems a bit odd. I guess time will tell.

From watching our Under 19's many times these players have always impressed me, I think they will get more first team action with us in the near future. I actually thought they might have made the Australia trip. Tom Walker - Turned 19 on Christmas Day, he is a big prop, however he is very mobile. Here's a video www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgwdx-X347E Joe Philbin - Turned 19 in November, strong mobile second row. Here's a video www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q50QrNfSNWM James Saltonstall - 20 at the end of September, can play anywhere in the backs. Quick, great footwork and strong for his size, here's a video www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm43sKRdDAM

From watching our Under 19's many times these players have always impressed me, I think they will get more first team action with us in the near future. I actually thought they might have made the Australia trip. Tom Walker - Turned 19 on Christmas Day, he is a big prop, however he is very mobile. Here's a video www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgwdx-X347E Joe Philbin - Turned 19 in November, strong mobile second row. Here's a video www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q50QrNfSNWM James Saltonstall - 20 at the end of September, can play anywhere in the backs. Quick, great footwork and strong for his size, here's a video www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm43sKRdDAM

Hmm, Second rowers... just what we need!!

Joking aside, it looks like a good move all round - nothing much to lose either way, and potentially lots to gain.

Let's hope they go the same way as Matty Blythe then

A prop, a back and a 2nd row. Aren't those the 3 areas we could do with a bit more cover?

Though given the timings both of the signings and the length of contracts, I have to say these are guys Warrington don't think are quite up to their first team this season, but would benefit from some exposure to SL.

I think the trial thing is probably the most likely answer, to see if the lads fit in with the club and then extending those deals

Can't really see any of them being in Wire's top 25 earners, so cap shouldn't be an issue for them. From our pov it does seem strange timing and, since we're obviously going to be spending a bit on their wages, it makes you wonder just what the financial situation is, considering we are supposed to be looking to off-load first team squad members to save money. On the face of it, unless we really are paying very little for their services, it seems strange to bring in young players who will be gone not much time after the league starts.

I suppose you could be getting them match fit for Swinton,if they ever sort themselves out

Philbin and Walker have (2013) shirt numbers in the 50's and will not be earning much. But more to the point they were only promoted to training with the first team at the end of last season. I would be surprised if you are looking to take them on, although Walker is a current England Academy player. My guess is that you may need a couple of more players for the friendlies, and we need to keep them fit - with the rest of the squad training in Oz. If they did stand out though ....

Saltonstall is a different matter. I would think you are looking at him with a view to the upcoming season. He is no longer eligible for the U19's (Philbin and Walker are), and needs time at Championship level or SL.

I think Ben Evans was also due to return to you before all the problems. I wonder whether an off season operation to Paul Wood means that we need him for the start of the season ?

I would be surprised if money came into the argument. I suspect TonySmith would view paying playing wages for Philbin and Walker to be a small price to pay for the opportunity to train and play in the pre-season friendlies.

All just IMO

Philibin and Walker will just be there for a month to keep them in training (and Tony Smith rates Cummins as a young coach) whilst Warrington are in Australia before returning to us for the start of the u19s season. I'd imagine that the payback will be that you will get to keep Saltonsall on loan, possibly for the season.

Saltonsall has been very close to a first team appearance at Warrington for a couple of seasons and has been a stand-out in our u19s. Surprised he's missed out on the trip to Aus as he would rank in front of a couple of players who have gone, perhaps there is more to that than meets the eye. He was an England Academy regular for a couple of years and was part of the Italy team that beat England prior to the world cup.

Providing his attitude is right and no reason why it shouldn't be then he could be an useful addition to your squad for the coming season. He's Oldham based as well I think so travelling along the M62 shouldn't be an issue.

a couple of conjectured reasons why:
1. some of our players look like they are going, eg Carvell - and that could allow money for both Evans and Tom Walker, who does from the video seem to always squeeze out that extra metre. Ferguson was in form end of last season and the WC, etc etc
2. smoke screen for the Cas friendly.

also I havent done the sums but does it enable us to have two teams of 13 for training?

they all look very useful, Saltonstall looks on video to be a two or so years younger version of Henry, two jinky outside backs would be brilliant

ps thanks lister for the vids and appraisals

Thanks to our friends in Warrington for helpful comments on the trio.

Mind you, it says something about these forums that I'm finding myself pleasantly suprised when people pop over and don't seem to want to say anything snide....

Whatever next?

Admirable restraint.

The 4 week loan period is the minimum players are away from their own club.
Their club can't recall them in that time. After the 4 weeks they can be recalled at anytime.
Looks like a good move for the players and both clubs.

[url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbulls/10919476.Wolves_cubs_will_beef_up_Bradford_Bulls_squad/Wolves cubs beef up Bulls[/url

[iThe Bulls head coach said the four-week loan deals stemmed from his close working relationship with Warrington boss Tony Smith, which brought Matty Blythe and Ben Evans to Odsal last season.

Cummins said: “I was speaking to Tony about these lads who were training full-time but haven’t made Warrington’s pre-season trip to Australia.

“There was an opportunity for them to come and join us for a month, train full-time, play in our friendlies and then who knows? They’ll probably go back to Warrington but we’ll see where we are and there could be scope for a longer stay perhaps. "[/i

Perfectly good business, Cummins speaks well in that article and seems more focused on adding youngsters to the squad rather than talk about people leaving. The more we stumble from problem to problem and the more I hear from Cummins, the more I think how lucky we are to have kept such a guy as our coach when no-one would have blamed him or indeed any of the players for leaving, there must be something positive within the group. He's level headed, talks sence, understands the problems and always seems to look for the positive - we could do a hell of a lot worse. (and on the pitch next year he only needs to get us to 12th next year in reality!) Just as long as whoever is running the club backs him up and keeps him in the loop.

Agreed - we have been fortunate to have had two very focused and professional coaches who have got on with their jobs in the last few seasons when we have endured all the off field distractions.

I'm glad Wire are helping rather than cherry picking, seem to recall we did the same when Wakefield were in the poo as well.

Interview with James Saltonstall in the Warrington Guardian. www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... ith_Bulls/

Interview with James Saltonstall in the Warrington Guardian. www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... ith_Bulls/

Quote ="lister"Interview with James Saltonstall in the Warrington Guardian. www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... ith_Bulls/'" at a quick glance appears to be identical to article in todays T&A. websites look pretty much same too so suspect both papers owned by same company and sharing stories.

Quote ="lister"Interview with James Saltonstall in the Warrington Guardian. www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/spo ... ith_Bulls/'" at a quick glance appears to be identical to article in todays T&A. websites look pretty much same too so suspect both papers owned by same company and sharing stories.

Is signing these three young chaps a result in missing out on our preferred candidates during administration and letting a number of our prospects slip through the net, Cockerham, McAvoy, Elliot etc etc? Not saying it is just wondering peoples thoughts?

If we were that bothered about McAvoy, they could have probably re-signed him.

He's been released by Leeds now and I think he's back at one of the Cumbrian sides (I forget which).

Real shame about Liam McAvoy,very good player and nice lad.Back playing part time back home,would of liked to of seen him come through at Odsal

Yes but we released him then Leeds so unfortunately both clubs didn't see enough in him to keep him. It needs more than just being a nice lad unfortunately. The three lads coming from Wire shows there are plenty of youngsters around who can't get into first team rugby which means that only the best will be retained by clubs.

Leeds didn't release Liam,he turned down the new contract offer.Did Bulls release him or did he refuse contract offer to go to Leeds,not sure on that one