And I also know for a fact from first hand info that Smith rates Briers. This was 18 months ago, but still, I know that Briers HAS been one of the best players in SL and has been very highly rated by many people in RL with much more knowledge than the bigots on here. So I'm not arguing with them any more.

He'll have you for that! I agree with you though. People genereally want proven names, then when they disappoint them they want young upcoming talent, then they berate them and demand proven names etc etc...The circle of Wire.

Apart from Van Dijk at Celtic, he's the worst half back in the League.

For the billionth time; clueless.

Where are these halfbacks who are actually ball players? I haven't seen a british one for years. If you are fast and slight, you can play at halfback, in fact, thinking about it, the only prospect knocking about who seems to have the skills is Myler, and even he seems to have a reliance on speed.

PS

The fact these people roam the streets unattended scares me half to death.

If the people who come through our academy system are good enough they will get a SL contract if they are not and in the past we have not produced much from our own academy they will not get a contract.
Under John Bastian it seems as our academy may flourish similar to what he did at Leeds fingers crossed this will happen .
The fact is though at the moment we have not got the talent at the right stage of their development in our academy that is anywhere good enough to step up to Super League level ,we have a few forwards That are getting near it like Harrison and Blythe but we do not have any Backs and that is what we are short of!
I agree with the poster who says we have been guilty in the past of holding onto players and Cullen far to long due to there long standing with the club and when you reach a stage in your career when some one younger and quicker is needed we should let them go ,and yes I am talking about Briers and if we have no one in the academy ready to come through we should look for the best,our fault has been that we have repeatedly signed hookers from the NRL to play as half-backs we now have a coach that can tell the difference I hope and that won't happen again we need 2 Quality half-backs and 2 Quality and a Quality loose FWD for next season as a minimum ,And no I don't think Harrison is a loose fwd he will make a good 2nd row eventually or even a prop same with Blythe And I am not sure yet if Mitchell has what it takes but time will tell he certainly isn't ready or anywhere near ready yet !

But for some people it doesn't matter if they're to standard or not, which is sort of the point I was making.

Because with him in the past 12 years the trophies have been endless, I heard they had to buy a new trophy cabinet from ikea

We haven't had a pot in 18 years, who should carry the can prior to that?

hmm well we can't blame wolfie, erm there must be something in the water

Pryce and Long
Maguire and Burrow
Brown and Robinson
Brough and Drew
Cooke and Dobson
Dorn and Orr
Bosc and Bird/Maguire
Tomkins and Leuluai
Chase and Sherwin
Smith and Myler
Thorman and Horne
Jeffries and Deacon

You really think those 24 players are better than Briers?

I don't understand where all this Briers is crap stuff comes from.

He has played in the top flight for 12 years, for most of that time in a beaten team.

He has a kicking game second to none in SL.

When he is on form we generally win.

He is one of the most naturally talented half backs I have seen play anywhere.

He has let himslef down with his application and attitude sometimes, had he avoided this he would have been a regular international player.

We have been a better team with him on board than we would otherwise have been.

The fact that we have not won anything in 18 years is not down to Briers. It is a combination of poor financial management, poor coaching poor recriutment and sometimes just poop players we have put out there

Its a shame

What a legend briers is very sad to see him go if this is true.

So his contract is up, do you

(a) give him a 1yr deal

(b) give him a 2yr deal

(c) give him a 3yr deal

(d) release him and sign a better player probably from the NRL as there are few Half - backs that are English that are good enough !

Why is it a shame ,every player comes to a time in his life where he is past his best we need a younger and better players to replace him.
He has given us many years of good service and was rewarded for that in his bank account through his wages and his testimonial season his time is over imo time for pastures new !

Your having a laugh, surely.

if barrow get their way, and with all the money they are pouring into their team there is a chance they may get a 2012 licence, he may well be playing top flight rugby in the last year of his barrow contract

Looking at that least of players 21 are better than Briers.

What would I do?

It depends what else is available. If better is available in the overall scheme of the cap and recruitment then let him go, sure.

It does not mean I think he is a crap player and I am still thankful for 12 years of service.

It will be a sad day when Briers leaves this club, people on here who have slated him clearly have no knowledge of rugby league. As stated by other posters, he has one of the best rugby brains we will ever see, his kicking game is superb, he can actually pass the ball left and right, something many superleagues other halfbacks struggle to do. As for not doing it against big clubs, what a load of tosh! He's been a thorn in many of the big teams over the years, mainly Leeds, Bradford and Wigan, he's done it against Saints aswell, but always against Saints they have had to much for us. Its been a privledge to watch Lee Briers in the primrose and blue and he's going to be bloody hard to replace if and when he goes.

Out of those 21 players which ones are ball handlers?

You are clueless y'know, blinkered & clueless.

You're saying that 21 halfbacks are better than Briers, the three you exclude, Borwn is having his best season in donkeys, maybe ever. Jeffries has probably been Bradfords best player too, i'm sure you don't watch the rugby.

Matt Orford is 31 today if we signed him what message does that send out ? .....we are potentially waiting to laugh at Saints fall from Grace when their 30 somethings finish........and here we (well You Actually) are pinning our hopes on another over the hill over hyped aussie.....

manly are at the ar$e end of their league when will we ever learn.....

Signing someone like Jamie Soward the 24 year old Five eigth from St George would be proper "massive signing"

Wise idea. I may follow your lead on this one as my blood is beginning to boil.

All true, worth adding his superb performance against the Aussies for Wales, further proof than he can and does perform against the top teams.

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