Does anybody have any idea when our Australian contingents are arriving?

Heard before weekend.

They should of been back with everyone else in the middle of November like every other clubs Aussie contingent

Why? It seems that the Aussie lads have been training hard at home in Aus, in much better weather. They will probably be in much better shape than those here struggling in the snow, slush, ice and mud.

But considering how many new players there is wouldn't it have been better for the team to gel rather than only 4 weeks and how do we know they have been training hard in aus

Thats Mcrae for you.

Lets hope they have been training harder than their Cricket Team has..

Has always puzzled me why our ozzie players don't come back till after Christmas do other clubs do this? I can see the advantages of training in better conditions in oz but I also can't understand if the weather is bad why they can't go to jjb soccerdome / DW sports and hire a pitch f
or 2 hours.
Or is it purely a financial thing that the club doesn't have to pay them a full wage if they aint here.
The ozzie do seem fitter when they return but that maybe because they have been flogged better I suppose.

or maybe everton1 is a current squad member who is spitting his dummy out and trying to unsettle the camp before we have even started. !

I just think its pretty pathetic and if you look at Everton1s posts a lot of them are inside info, so for me it sounds like sour grapes as the british lads are back in training early. For me the Aussies are welcome to train in Oz and return in New Year as it gives them chance to say there Goodbyes to friends and family and tie up the loose ends with property and schooling etc, so to the whingers suck it up and work hard for god sake!

R u serious I don't think so.

Why is it pathetic apart from patten the other Aussies have been in this country for years or at least 12 months in holdsworths case it just comes across has amateurish if u ask me ,I live in Ashton and wigans Aussies have been here since the start of November the team needs to gel and it will be difficult in 4 weeks.And with regards to the British lads how do u think they feel when they return to training and McRae tells them the Aussie r still sunning it up in oz

Firstly, I'd be most disappointed if that was actually the way Mcrae said it, and secondly, I'd be disappointed if that's the petulant way that the English players see it - from that it sounds like any problem with the team gelling in time may come about due to the attitude of dummy spitters. There's a fairly valid argument that we should get the players together as long as possible, but your comments suggest that the main concern is that the English lads are cold and the Aussies are not.

Couldn't of put it better myself Iain

Didn't the Salford club invent the words, along with rotten apple and player power ?

Iain's comments are absolutely right. And whilst it would generally be good for any team to spend plenty of time getting to know each other, a brief introduction didn't seem to harm Godwin's performance at Leigh

The fact of the matter is that "traditionally" the Aussie's return after Crimbo and New Year after spending time with relatives and as pointed out, tying up any loose ends. I'm sure this isn't the case if an Aussie has there family here with them, in which case they have no or very little need to return.

This is the script right across the board.. Not just Salford. You cant tell me that Wigan and Saints Etc stop there oversea's players from visiting there family at Christmas and New Year.

And I very much doubt any of our English or local based players are upset the Aussies only return in the new year, if so, they'll continue to be upset for many years to come.....

and looking at the size of feca today is extra stay in new zealand did him the world of good

oh get a grip we knew what we were getting with Feka, He is an impact prop who needs to be utilised properly and at the moment Mcraes game plan removes him from what he does best. Did you see Widders last night! Now he is FAT, but effective non the less, because his coach uses him correctly!