I think we've seen enough lack of effort from our team this season. They really need to knuckle down. The only people who seem to be showing any effort at the moment are:

Halley
Scruton
Lynch
Nero
Newton

You could possibly add Beaver, Burgess and BJ to that list, but not every game like the others.

Sheriffe and Sykes are apalling and shouldn't be in a SL side, seriously, Sheriffe must be in the 3 worst wingers in the league. We've gone from TV and Big Les to Rikki Sheriffe and Semi Tadulala?????

Edited for accuracy

I'm not disagreeing.

Semi is as good as any winger we've had in my books. But yeah, Sheriffe falls well below standard. How many tries were scored down the right again today?

2 of them I think. Whilst Tadulala is a hard working, solid winger I don't think you can put him in the same class as Vainikolo or Vaikona tbh. Every team we play knows to run either at Sykes and Sheriffe's wing or at Deacon. Giving Sykes another contract was a mistake, he should be somewhere in the NL's.

How hasn't Terry Newton been given a two year contract. He'll be sorely missed.

Agreed, But if the L'estrange rumours are true, he would be a good replacement.

I think you'll struggle to replace Newton with anyone to be honest. L'Estrange is an average hooker from what I've seen, and he won't carry anywhere near the same influence in that team that Newton's been doing all season.

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That's a fair comment, and there's probably some truth in it. We miss Morrison and if we are going to be without both Newton and Morrison then we will feel the losses imo aswell.

Tadulala would easily have had the same impact as both of them playing outside the centres they did. I doubt wether Vainikolo would have had the same impact as Semi does today though.

The fact that we've gone from recruiting the level of recruiting the current GB hooker (Newton in 2006) to recruiting a reserve grade NRL hooker speaks volumes.

If we do sign Heath L'Wotsit I hope he proves me wrong but I'm worried we could end up with another 2nd rater.

It doesn't get the blood pumping does it?

Oh well..if L'estrange does not get it pumping..Have a look at my missus (she's the one in my Avatar) Like Ewwenorfolk..she will get it pumping....well. Ive been told that a few times...

by the way..seeing him few times now..he's not too bad..Played against Leeds in World cup challenge?...if it was him, he seemed ok...

I was about to do the same mate.

Sure we did ok with Henderson, but he was the missing piece in the jigsaw in 2005, elsewhere in the side there were matchwinners in most positions.

The 2009 Bulls aren't the complete package by a long chalk and really need a dependable, consistent hooker that's got a good pedigree.

While L'Strange may be as good as Henderson there's a possibility that he'll be anther average joe - our ability to recruit hidden gens hasn't been great these recent years. I would prefer to see us go for a proven player for a change rather than try and chance our arm on someone on the cheap. I know we may have less money to include in a deal due to our policy on offshore payments but hooker is one position that you really need a proven performer.

What I wouldn't give for another Shontayne.

Our scouting has gone off the boil since those days!

Noble bought all our success though, remember.

He isn't a reserve grade hooker from the NRL though!!

He is a 1st team player at the reigning NRL champions, just because he is used off the bench as back up to Matt Ballin doesn't make him reserve grade. There are a few highlights of what he can offer us on you tube.

I still can't figure out why people seem to insist Newton is irreplaceable. He is a good hooker but he certainly isn't one of the best in SL anymore. I think L'Estrange will compensate for the loss of Newton pretty well.

Macca has supposedly 2 very good friends in Australia in Matty Elliott and Brian Smith surely these two could provide some inside info on players.

On this basis James Roby is a reserve grade hooker. I think we'd have him wouldn't we?

Yup. I'd probably have Diskin too.

When we signed Newton he was Test hooker, Roby is now. Has L'Strange played for Austrailia or Origin or even City/Country?

That's the point I'm making. He might be a back up hooker to the NRL champs but I'm just saying he doesn't have the pedigree of Newton when we signed him.

We should be going for Chad Randall if anyone. He is up there with the best.

Yes definitely a quality player.