Julien Rinaldi really is scrapping the bottom of the barrel.

He's been the reserves best performer out performing the full timers in the team.

Maybe worth a shot before we spend any precious cash then.

Who was the last stand-in hooker we signed mid-season... how did that one turn out?

Is that a rhetorical question?

I'd say he is.

It made sense to me when I typed it!



The point is, this seems a very similar signing to Ian Henderson (to me at least), and I think that one turned out ok.

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Quote ="Visage"Is there a link, I've looked on the T&A site and can't find anything '" www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... de_to_pay/ Last paragraph

It's at the bottom of [url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/4287789.It___s_criminal_as_Bulls_are_made_to_pay/another article[/url.

If we're signing him short term until the end of the season then I think it's a good signing. But I don't personally think he's a good long term investment

provided its only till end of season (maybe with an option to extend if he impresses) then it seems a reasonable enough signing. We can only bring in players that are available after all. We cant expect newton to carry on playing near enough the full 80 indefinitely and it would also provide cover for the halves which we are desperately short of.

Whilst we have horton who could potentially step up and cover in godwins absence are the academy halves anything like ready or good enough to be considered for first team?

Unless they are given a go who knows but signing an average player who Harlequins didn't want that's not going to happen.

Really hope we dont sign Rinaldi, i'd rather stick with what we have got.

thats why I asked the question- you're the resident academy expert, are the halves capable of making the step up or not?

One thing with rinaldi that a lot of people are overlooking is the visa situation. Any nrl signing would take 6-8 weeks to get a visa and season would be virtully over before we saw them. Rinaldi being from another EU country shouldnt require a visa and could be in the squad very quickly and covering for the injuries we have now. Can't see us getting him on a long term deal due to his age but as a short term deal to cover injuries then I dont see a big problem with him.

I'd sooner see us give a shot to our academy lads first before spending any dosh.

If Horton's not up to it then fine a short term deal until the end of the season for Rinaldi may be the right thing to do.

Hooker is a key position, arguably the most important in the team. If we don't re-sign Newton we're going to need a top class replacement. A combination of Godwin and Rinaldi isn't good enough IMO.

Suppose he might do a job for us, but adding him to our squad won't make a huge difference to the side. We have enough 'solid' players already and anything longer than until the end of this year will be baffling.

Godwin has been a bit injury prone too, so he could fill the interchange hooking role we've been missing. I really do hope the club are doing everything possible to bring in a quality 6/7 for 2010. Surely they can see that Deacon is past his best?

We can't sign a whole new side for 2010 but we do need to bring in some quality. We need it at halfback for sure. Deacs ain't going to last much longer and our better academy/reserve prospects seem to be forwards.

Having said that we do need to make sure we have a quality no 9 next season. If that's Newton on an extended deal then that'd probably do given his current form but he's not been without his critics.

As Cibaman said, I'd like to see us model our best prospects and existing players around 5 or 6 proven players.

I don't know enough about him to comment really but as someone on here has already alluded to, the last time we brought in a "journeyman" hooker (Hendo) it didn't work out too bad did it? Perhaps we should give the club a bit of credit?

I'm not sure you could call Hendo a journeyman. More of a rookie who had yet to make an impression in the NRL. I am sure if he does indeed sign, most on here will give him their support.

I'm not sure some on here know what support means....

I hope the lad does well,but...
we do seems to be inept at making signings happen. Things just seem to pass us by while other teams with ambition (and perhaps more cash, although the sal cap should be a leveler, shouldn't it?) sign good players, thorman, gleeson to name two imo.

To say it's harder than it looks is a weak argument, that's what the club management get paid for!

Yeah, he didn't get a break in the NRL, came to Bradford and got himself on the radar now he's back down under. Wonder if we could convince the Warriors to let us have a loan. Just for a few months



Actually, thought occurs. Warriors only signed him for 2 years. That means he's ooc end of the season. would he be interested in a 2nd run at bradford?

Everything I have read indicates he wants to stay and is working hard to continually improve his game. The fans and management appear to like and rate him at the warriors and did he not move back because of GF/wife wanted baby back in Oz. I doubt he would want to come back with a young familly whilst its still working out over there.

Blimey you really are becoming Quins Old Boys - Bradquins? Bradford Broncos?

Love it on Good Friday - Past Quins 10 Leeds 6

on his way
[urlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/apr/14/hull-kr-justin-morgan-rfl-super-league[/url