Correct, Bateman at 3 and Davies at 4.

This isn't strictly how we play our outside backs numbered is it?

It isn't, but he still operated at left centre. Didn't stop him popping up on the right hand side for a set play however.

Just watched a youtube video of his Warrington tries - lovely stuff.

It was in 93-95, before squad numbers were invented. I only ever remember Jiffy on the left or at full-back when Bateman was playing.

Apologies, I’ve not read the full thread but surely it’s time you moved away from this type of signing?

Interesting you should say this as on Redvee this was said

"Let Wire sign him - you can prety much write the scipt already:-

Eastmond signs in a blaze of local publicity (the Warrington Gazette)
Wire fans will hail him as the new messiah and claim they're going to win everything
He'll score on his debut sending Wire fans into a frenzy and start a flurry of RL chatroom trolls gloating how they signed the best player ever
3 games later he'll get injured and will limp is way through the remaining 2-3 years of his contract keeping the treatment table warm."
Substitute "Luke Walsh" for " Eastmond" and "Saints" for "Wire" and I can see what you mean. But what if you substitute "Barba" for "Walsh"?
I'm not suggesting for one minute that Eastmond would be as successful as Barba, but that sometimes a risk will pay off. Don't forget Barba was anonymous last season.

Yeah sod it let's get Lilley, Drinkwater or Finn instead. Why gamble on quality when we could be guaranteed mediocrity instead. Stupid board with ambition.

What, big name signings? Like Morley, Matt King, the Monaghans, Daryl Clark, Ben Barba?

No no and thrice no. Ive heard Roberts is off back home at the end of the season as he cant settle in england but your club must resist this time of signing to appease the fans. I watch a lot of union and have seen a lot of eastmond. Well I say a lot, his injury record in union was just as bad as league and I just cannot believe a super league club would want him. Hes lost his pace and that jason robinson esq pace from a standing start due to bulking up so much over the past few years. He has zero bottle, which you can get away with in union but not in league. I am very surprised that a club on the up, such as yours would be interested!

Regards

King James

So much negativity.
He's a duel code international without a transfer. A 2 year deal with a 50% and 25% cap relief, in a £2m limit, provides a low risk acquisition. The facts completely out balance the what if's.

Strangely the more opposition fans say what a rubbish signing he will be the more I warm to the idea. Still it's nice of them to show such genuine concern for our Clubs' well being.

Exactly. It's not as if we don't have the cash either.

Imagine if he went to Wigan and tore it up. There would be angry comments on here as to why we didn't go for him.

I’ve no inside information, but here are my observations;

Brown, although playing well this year, is at the tail end of his career and out of contract come November. Over the years he’s suffered more than his fair share of head knocks and I would put the chances of him hanging his boots up at the end of this season at >50%

Roberts, supposedly our marquee signing (has this ever been confirmed by the club?), has failed to shine and, were he to claim that he were homesick, would the club stand in his way? Chance of him being in primrose and blue next season <50%

Patton has been doing alright coming off the bench at dummy half, I also think that Price sees something in him based on interviews, but would he be your choice as senior partner in next year’s halfback combination?

Smith has dropped off the radar and Ratchford is looking more suited to the full back role with each passing game.

In short, we probably need at least one new, quality, half back for next season - and they don’t grow on trees. Eastmond carries risk. He’s been away from League for a long while, he has struggled with injury and, if he didn’t perform, his high salary could be a disruptive influence within the team, however. The rules surrounding players returning from Union mean that we could afford to take the risk without damaging the salary cap.

I think that we are serious about signing him, let’s see if he is serious about a return to League.

Pretty spot on assessment from St Helens Wolf.

I 100% agree with the lack of available and attainable quality players being the key issue for us (and other teams TBF).

We've endured too many years of not getting it right in the halves, which I think has been our biggest barrier to seriously challenging the likes of Wigan and Leeds for the big honours.

My big concern with Eastmond is that he's a punt. If KB and TR are leaving at the end of the season, a hypothetical HB pair of Eastmond + Patton scares me.

There are obviously a lot of ifs and variables still, but if we were signing Eastmond to play, say, FB or , I'd be more comfortable with that. If it doesn't work out, we've not screwed ourselves over too much.

If we're signing Eastmond as our next leading halfback, I'd be a little nervous.

I'll tell you what makes ME nervous -comments like "we've got the money let's spend it" like we're a footballers WAG off the leash in Tiffany's.

Just because we've [icurrently[/i got financial clout doesn't mean we should fritter it away on projects, whims, experiments and speculation. Even if a marquee signing, be it Sandow, Roberts or Eastmond, works financially the disruption and discontent it causes if they fail to deliver represents a risk not worth taking.

For me, bring in a Robert Lui or Jarrod Sammut plus a dangerously aggressive prop and save a few quid.

Oh [ialright[/i maybe I was pushing the point a little, and maybe thats going from Tiffany's to Poundland but I stand by the point.

And I bet either of them would have beaten Mr Roberts clean break ratio by now, but then who hasn't?

Which shop did we get Hiku from? I'd be rushing back before they're sold out!

Not for me. Talented player, always looked like he picked up knock when tackled. Thought his attitude was disgusting for saints once he had signed for bath. Basicly stopped playing for saints. Just about went through the motions for them.

Exactly

Hardly played in 2 years, hardly scored any tries and hasn’t played League in years. Those are facts not a “what ifs”. It’s a gamble which if it is successful is against the odds (in my opinion). But it isn’t my money that’s being gambled!

You just contradicted yourself. It's either a 'what if gamble' or its not.

I'd rather keep Roberts, he will come good especially if he carries on from yesterday.

It could be Brown and not Roberts that he would replace.

One of us has clearly misunderstood the other.