This is what I dnt get,everyone said we had dodged a bullet not signing costigan cos he was injury prone,and we then sign a player who has played 13 games in 3years including 2games this season before an extremely serious injury,dnt tell me Phil Bailey is signing next!

Think we're taking a big gamble with our forwards and their fitness if I'm honest. Morley, McPherson and Steve Rapira!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Costigan- 28 ""good but chequered career with injury and his best days are clearly behind him."
[url=http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/costigan-wont-be-offered-a-new-contract-10150/costigan-wont-be-offered-a-new-contract[/url

Weyman- 28 "good but chequered career with injury and his best days are clearly behind him."

[url=http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/weyman-on-way-to-super-league-10455/Weyman-not being re-signed by the St George Illawarra Dragons[/url

I see your point , definitely not fringe.

Roy Asotasi is the only signing you could quote IMO

Think Rapira and Costigan (and McPherson) may have very similar seasons next year.

I wouldn't necessarily get too excited about signing someone just because they have played in a GF. Salford fans will tell you about Mauro. Will Keating be as good as Dobson? The fact that Dobson is going to NRL as a back up after being one of the best halves in SL supports Butcher's point.

Weyman is a bit of an unknown. He may turn out like big Ray did for us, or he could be just average.

But really the players signed from NRL are players the clubs don't mind losing.

Don't think for a moment we will sweep the board next year. I'll settle for some progress and the youngsters continuing to show up well.

But if you think swapping Dobson,Patterson and Paea for Keating, Weyman and an injury prone Costigan will improve Rovers, you are being very optimistic.

How very selective of you.

Costigan-"there had been some interest from other NRL clubs but finishing his career with an English Super League club was the most likely scenario."

Weyman-"Weyman was a chance of a start at the Newcastle Knights under his former mentor, Wayne Bennett." but he chose us instead.

Costigan and Weyman are hardly the sort of signings The Butcher was alluding to. Good signings who I'd have been happy for us to get and definitely above the label of being simply 'fringe' players but they're not huge coups by any stretch of the imagination.

Paea and Dobson couldn't get a game in the NRL yet they rip it up in SL.
Patterson was surplus to requirements and ripped it up as well.
Costigan has played far more NRL than Paea did.
Weyman has played more NRL than Patterson did.
Keating has played more NRL than Dobson did.
Patterson hasn't played enough games this year to be classed as having a great influence anyway and I have a feeling we are going to have a running 7 next year as Dobson has done more running at the line in the last 12 months than he did under all his time under Morgan and Keating is more of a running HB with a good kicking game.

His statement was 'NRL fringe players are the best that SL Clubs can pick up from down under due to the amount of wages top class stars can earn in first grade.'
As you say my 2 examples disprove this.

I’m reliably informed Steve Rapira is a really good signing for Salford and had it not been for injury he would have been in the starting 17 week after week, despite contending with 4 international props. He’s described as a hard hitting and straight lined running prop. Obviously he has a poor injury record in recent times, but he is only 24.

You are being pedantic, or fail to understand the point I was trying to make. The names you've mentioned are not top quality NRL imports. If they were top class, they'd still be there. Ok, fringe was maybe not the right word to use in context, but my point still stands. There's nothing wrong with picking up NRL cast-offs. Chase being a good example. Salford have also had quality 'fringe' signings in the past with the likes of Cashmere and Rutgerson for example. A couple of examples of NRL players that are no longer wanted in Australia do not disprove it. Even if Thurston signed for someone in SL it does not disprove it. The most any SL Club can get from Australia are those players no longer needed/Got into trouble/or Fringe. Whether you judge certain players to be world beaters or also-rans is your judgement. It doesn't negate the fact that no big name NRL Star will come to SL unless he falls into one of those three areas.

Suppose it depends on what you really classify as a fringe player. Is it someone who plays the odd 1st grade game here and there, or can it be a player who plays quite a few games but mostly only gets limited minutes and comes off the bench (like Costigan does and probably what Rapira would have been doing if he hadn't have been injured).

I'm a little less sure about this. It seems that the much maligned previous administration were able to pick up decent players (Hodgson, Robinson, Myler, Smith, etc. from the UK, Houldsworth, Patten, Moon, etc. from Australia) but our new, ostensibly more professional administration, is struggling. The signings of Morley and Rapira have got me concerned that one of the major announcements next Thursday will have to be about an extension to the treatment table.

Still, let's stay positive. There are (presumably) more players to come in, so, as a dismal songwriter and public slashery onanist once sang "You gotta have faith". However, it's getting harder (which, I believe, is what he also said).

The guy is still only 24.Yes,he has had some injuries,one of those being nearly having his ear ripped off,but injuries can happen to anyone.
He only made his NRL debut in 2009 and was named the Cowboys rookie of the year so he obviously has a good amount of ability.
At least the club are now signing young players from the NRL who are coming here with something to prove rather than just a last pay day.
So give the kid and the club a break and lets at least wait and see him play before everyone starts passing unfounded judgements.

Hodgson, Robinson and Smith were pretty much unwanted at their old clubs weren't they. We got lucky with Myler given the situation Widnes were in.

Holdsworth and Moon were what could probably be described as 'fringe' players. We signed those players before the NRL salary cap was increased and it's set to go up again soon (I think). Couple that with the fact that they're also in talks to introduce a marquee player rule and we're faced with a situation where UK clubs don't stand much of a chance of enticing star players over here because of the larger amounts of money that clubs over there are allowed to spend. It's a shame this situation coincides with us coming into a bit of money!

I'm not saying that fringe players are bad. Far from it. But the days of SL Clubs signing the Golden Boot winner (Gary Jack for Salford at the time anyone?) or tempting a first grader away when he's in his prime are some considerable distance away. If at all.

You seem a cheerful chap ! Is it not enough for you that opposition fans seem to have a downer on us and the Dr ?
( See page 5 of the Kirmond to Salford thread on the Wakefield forum )
I expect forwards to sustain injuries,and of the signings made none appear to have one career threatening injury or weakness that can be exploited.They have had a number of non-related injuries.The players have the mental strength to recover and continue their careers.
Rapira has NOT wasted his time,while injured,but got involved in community work.A welcome addition to Salford.
One of the benefits I see,while the club is both in transition and at the new beginning,is the working relationship we now have with Dean Bell,at NZW,and with Melbourne Storm,and if things develop as they should,the players now at the club can spread good words and the club then becomes more attractive to more players;especially with their former colleagues and in some cases,other internationals.
They may even have good words about the supporters;if we can remember to support !
The appeal of Salford goes beyond what I thought it would,so early under the leadership,on and off the field.
No club making a signing can promise that the player will NOT be injured.
I have no complaints whatsoever about the signings or the way the club is headed.I am just amazed and thankful at how well it is going so soon after January this year and how it seems already to be preparing for 2014 and beyond.

Excellent post.Common sense prevails.

Bless.

Brian McLennan on Steve Rapira “He's as hard a front-on defender as I've come across in the game. If anyone wants to take him front on, head on, well good luck to them."

As a Wakefield fan I check this forum
regulary as TBH I am very interested in who you're signing Im not exactly excited but I want to see who your club signs and think out how it'll work out (just like other fans will be and I guess people are aslong as you dont take their players!!

)
I hope you sign some quality players as the fans
of Salford dont just get to see the quality the whole of SL will. It makes the game competitive and thats what I want to see, not a team winning by 40 points.
However I do believe with all these signings some
bigged up players might not perform as well as youd thought but some average players will step up and take charge. I want to know who your pivots will be next season - because if you have 2 who want to take charge everything one of them will suceed and the other will suffer (like Isaac John when he was at Wakefield). You've got to get a good balance throughout the team
and that IMO is the biggest problem you'll have to overcome.
Rapira is a decent forward and I can only see him
improving as he is not even his prime yet.
I wonder if you'll dig into Londons team as they seem to be off downhill quickly.

I found the quote and I liked what I read [url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10811202Here[/url

( his brother must be injury prone - best we don't sign him,then

)

I did read on the side of some buses in Salford the other week that the best never rest - and summit to do with Reds.
Reckon the owner and coach have been getting through some real hard work.Well done.

Some of the so-called fringe players we got from Australia in the days of "Starspotter" Simms and before were often - as I'm sure lancetodd will happily verify - the best players we had and, at least in one case (Sean Rutgerson), reached pretty much legendary status. The problem with Steve Rapira is with the [ireason[/i he's become a fringe player - injury - particularly in the context of the squad as it's developing. We'll now be going into next season with [ithree[/i forwards (that's half a pack, kids) about whom there's some cause for concern. At this rate, we'll be rebranding to Salford Red Cross rather than Salford Red Devils.

Still, let's look at the bright side. He's only 24, so the injuries he's suffered are more likely a result of bad luck rather than the inexorable and unavoidable process of ageing, so there's still the very real hope that he'll be a top player for us, assuming he's not been hit by the Curse of Ian Sibbitt, that is.

Fingers crossed.

All clubs in Super League will only be signing NRL fringe players (rookies, has beens, never quite will be's) Salary Cap issues will see to that. Couple that with the change in exchange rate of pound to dollar and it is self explanatory. The exchange rate in 2008 was 2.50 dollars to the pound, it is now 1.50 dollars to the pound. Put simply in 2008 an Aussie earning £100k in Super League took 250k dollars home. The same £100k now only pays 150k dollars. Add in the fact that the Aussie standard of living (including pay) has risen significantly in recent years, and it is little wonder that the top Aussies won't come here.

All clubs in Super League will only be signing NRL fringe players (rookies, has beens, never quite will be's) Salary Cap issues will see to that. Couple that with the change in exchange rate of pound to dollar and it is self explanatory. The exchange rate in 2008 was 2.50 dollars to the pound, it is now 1.50 dollars to the pound. Put simply in 2008 an Aussie earning £100k in Super League took 250k dollars home. The same £100k now only pays 150k dollars. Add in the fact that the Aussie standard of living (including pay) has risen significantly in recent years, and it is little wonder that the top Aussies won't come here.

I do wonder how much of McPhersons injury problems have been caused by being rushed back from his inital injury. He was playing with some pretty heavy strapping on his knee for a good long while, when he probably should have been rested.

There is an element of risk in any player. Steve Rapira does improve the squad, so good signing for me.