I couldn`t agree more.

I was replying to another poster about us not wanting to strengthen Toulouse`s playing rota.

interesting to see the boycottwire twitter account having a real personal grudge against him

It's a strange one this. Billy is definitely one of the more talented NRL players to join SL in recent years. I always liked him in the NRL, he had genuine ability.

I was gutted he didn't join Trinity and TBH despite his failure at the Wire I'd take a punt, Trinity do have a real reputation for fixing broken players.

At the end of the day certain players suit certain clubs. When you took both Wood and Benny from us nobody was overly upset as they really didn't look much at the time, especially Benny who was totally overshadowed by Ellis. Yet what a super player he turned out to be for you lot. Hand on heart had he stopped at Trinity he would have been nowhere near as good. Yet had Ellis stopped he's have been exactly as good as he was anywhere else.

With players you win some you lose some, doesn't make the player, the coach or the club bad, it's just how it is, these players are people(in most cases) and not machines.

Are you serious? Always liked him in the NRL? He was (is) a bang average NRL reserve grader? No more, no less.

I read he was told no contract for 2023. His partner who was back in Australia then told him she was expecting. He then decided he was better off in Australia with her rather than her fly back to the UK to continue with the gestation only to have to fly back to Australia in October.

Oh dear, somebody needs to grow up. Just because their new toy didn't work.

So if he was bang average why do you think people wanted to sign him and I can assure you they still do. Get over yourself.

Far too sensible a reason for the poster Mead

Mr Mead doesn't have anything sensible to post. He's still upset about Karl fitzpatrick stealing his girlfriend or something

Do you watch the NRL mate?

Yes that would be why I said I did.

I now await your predictable punchline

Not sure you’ve seen much of Billy then or if you have then I don’t know what to say. He’s played 17 NRL games by the age of 25. The absolute dictionary definition of a NSW cup reserve grade player. Less than bang average.

Now confirmed that he was told he wasn’t getting a deal for next year so it was decided “to cut ties early”. Oh, and his missus was pregnant.

More genius recruitment.

Now confirmed that he was told he wasn’t getting a deal for next year so it was decided “to cut ties early”. Oh, and his missus was pregnant.

More genius recruitment.

Not sure kisskam or Powell could foresee him fracturing his ankle and then knocking his missus up. Be thankful we signed him on a one season deal and saw sense in cutting it short. Recruitment for next season already seems on a different level.

Today's internet winner.
And we sign him. What a bunch of plant pots. The equivalent of going into Asda in the evening, and buying your stuff off the [iwhoops[/i shelf
Almost as bad as one of Tony Smith's latter day "punts", Wheeler, Bailey etc.

Yep. Classic “Wire post 2016” recruitment. Next year does look better on paper for sure, but I’m so worn down and cynical at the moment that I’ll just renew the season ticket and see what happens.

I'm deeply offended by this statement. I'm a connoisseur of the[i whoops[/i shelf and I certainly don't consider myself to be 'bottom half of the league table'...

So 17 games not enough to get an idea about a player.

You really are a slow learner.

Funny really because Kelepi Tanginoa only played 30 games whilst David Fifita only managed 19 and they have done ok. Fifita in particular was the most sought after prop in SL when his contract came up in 2019.

Stop talking rot, there is no such thing as 'The absolute dictionary definition of a NSW cup reserve grade player'. Also he was 24 when you signed him.

In Dallas’ defence he played 17 NRL games so how many of them did you see to have an opinion that you thought he was a good player? I think I caught one of his games and didn’t realise until we signed him. I only remember as he scored and the commentators seemed pretty surprised. He is reserve grade NRL material.

I’ve watched lots of NRL over the years and I had barely heard of him. 17 first team games by the age of 24 is demonstrably “reserve grade material”, there surely can’t be any arguement. He’s averaged about 3 NRL games a year…..legend

I don’t believe that more NRL games means that you will be quality. I think you can unearth some gems.

When we signed Nigel Vagana he’d only played 1 match of ARL (as it was called back then). He actually turned out to be too good and Auckland got him back.

Toa Kohe-Love had played no NRL.
Danny Nutley had played 10 and he turned out to be great.
Jérôme Guisset had played 4 NRL games.

Then you look at Tony Tatupu 27 games, Anthony Swann 63, Paul Marquet 231, Matt Rodwell 178, Michael Sullivan 63, Roy Asotasi 217, Leilani Latu 58 and they were awful.

I put it to you that Billy was not a “gem”.

Never got enough games or time here to say either way. Behind a dominant pack he might have been superb but we'll never know now. I wish him all the best for the future

I don’t think Mags was a big gamble. He came here cheap as backup with the chance to shine and force his way in as a talented ball-handling loose.

It didn’t work out, but I feel less cheated than after Austin and Roberts broke my heart and my wallet.

Surely the ultimate example for this was Brian Bevan who played about 7 games for the Roosters.

These days though its much harder to find these relative unknowns and get a work permit for them to play here. The NRL is much better now at hoovering up the top talent especially from New Zealand. That era when we got Toa, Nigel Vagana and Wakefield found Henry Paul, was a time when the NRL wasn't as tuned into picking up NZ players.

Most of the NRL players we sign in recent years are guys who are out of contract in the NRL and struggling to get a deal on the terms they want so they look to try and get something in the UK and we're the kind of willing mugs who oblige.