I was just wondering where people feel we need to strengthen to become realistic challengers for silverware on a consistent basis ? Tony Smith`s influence is already noticeable on the pitch, ive seen a bigger will to win games, a far better team spirit where the players look like the are enjoying their rugby rather than it being a slog and a hinderence to their weekends.

I still feel we need a quality left centre that can beat defenders and gain us decent yardage up field along with being a creator for his winger, for the money that Matt King will be on i have yet to see any world class performances, even with his slight improvement in form its nowhere near a good return for the money. I would play Matt King on the left wing and look for a quality left centre.

I also think we need a right centre, when you release a player of the standard that Martin Gleeson was then your replacement should be at least a match for the player your letting go or better, i don`t see Chris Bridge as anywhere near in the same mould as Martin Gleeson. Chris Bridge does some very good things but he also does some erratic things and takes a lot of wrong options.

I`m not a fan of Mr Average at 9, he is a good grafter and little else so i`ll leave it there with that one. Micky Higham was a big influence in the way we came back at Hull, his regular quick thinking runs gained us very good yardage and put the opposition on the back foot and got us on a roll.

I would like to see us sign a back rower in the mould of a Mark Roberts or Anthony Watmough, thats a 2nd rower that can hit the line at speed and has a great pair of ball playing hands with good footwork and pace.

Vinnie Anderson for me is far too inconsistent and along with his poor injury record i wouldn`t like to see him retained, if we intend to keep him then we should use him as a 2nd rower from the bench and for now leave Ben Harrison at 13.

I would like to see us sign a quality, proven specialist 13 though which is a key area in RL and i wouldn`t describe Ben Harrison as any kind of possible match winner just yet, he is having a good season from what ive seen of him, he is strong and is progressing nicely but he is not ready for such a key position of loose forward just yet.

It would be a backward step if Lee Briers is still here next year, he has been a good servant at warrington but he`s had his time, he`s everything thats good and bad about the club, a change of direction is needed. Ideally i would like to see a new approach at 7 as well and touch wood Michael Monaghan is on his way back to the NRL, he has been a big failure overall.

So, two centres, a second row and a loose?

Any names at all, Rob?

Come on mods can't we do something about people dragging up all these old threads.

For a right centre i would have a word with Mark Gasnier`s agent to see if he is enjoying his time in France, if not lets see what it would cost to bering him to SL.

For a left centre, i think Mr Moran should get his cheque book out for Michael Shenton and make them an offer they can`t refuse.

A loose forward, Kevin Sinfield as we need a kicker and a good organising captain.

Not sure on a 2nd rower just yet, all the best ones in the NRL as far as i`m aware are tied up on contracts, Ben Creagh is a player i like a lot along with Anthony Watmough but you wouldn`t get either, i`m sure Creagh has just signed a new deal.

Scrum Half - Monaghan is too slow at decision making or makes stupid decisions, and doesn't have the presence needed as well.

Second Row - I agree we do need another big but mobile second row.

Loose Forward - We require a good ball playing loose forward who can also really take on the line with speed, Harrison or Grix could do that job from the players we have.

Hooker - Either buy one in to spell with Higham or bring Alex Thompson through

Prop - Rauhihi should retire or have a year in the Championship after this year, we will need a prop to replace him.

From what I've seen Alex Hurst will be a good player to bring up for centre in the future.

Its not an old thread at all, we now have a better picture of how things stand since Tony Smith has took over and put his own ideas on the squad, as an example Kevin Penny looks out of favour and he hasn`t been affraid to leave Lee Briers out even when fit etc


Tell you what, lets start loads of threads about Wigan on a Warrington board as that seems the norm, yeh that will be more interesting....Not

I'm not too sure about the salary cap, but surely somebody like King would have to go if we were to try and prize Gasnier away from France.

I wouldn`t lose too much sleep if that happened, he could keep Michael Monaghan company on the way home. Matt King for me is a massive waste of salary cap as is Michael Monaghan.

Dont comment thenn

just go onto another thread.

Whoever comes in, the signing of 'star' players will be a thing of the past, if Smith's recruitment at Leeds is anything to go by.

What you mean like Brent Webb, Scott Donald, Jamie Peacock, Ali Lauitiiti who was in big demand at the time and the big money transfer of Gareth Ellis etc. I hope he can unearth us a younger version of Ali Lauitiiti

What are these erratic things Rob?

As you know yourself he holds onto the ball for far too long at times, he is an individual type glory player that can be far too greedy for his own good.

The Hull 2nd try was down to Chris Bridge`s feeble attempt to tackle Danny Tickle where he just stuck an arm out as if it was tick n pass and Danny Tickle just brushed him off, that was on the back of a poor attempt by Briers as well.

At the end of the 1st half, he put himself in a position where he could easily be tackled over the touchline and was by Kirk Yeaman, he was never going to round a quality defender like Yeaman. He should have stepped back inside to give us the chance of a high bomb on the last tackle which would have been a great time to score as it would have been right on half time.

Ive also seen him throw passes straight into touch or behind Chris Hicks, its as if passing isn`t natural to him which would explain why he hasn`t cut it at stand off and why he hangs onto the ball for too long at times.

King and Monaghan out; Sonny-Bill and the Gas in, Rob?

With the possible exception of Peacock, I wouldn't call them stars. If memory serves, hadn't Lauititi been on the outer at the Warriors when Leeds signed him?

He was on the wing till the second half Rob, when he's at centre he's been bob on which was you original point.

Quote ="getdownmonkeyman"With the possible exception of Peacock, I wouldn't call them stars. If memory serves, hadn't Lauititi been on the outer at the Warriors when Leeds signed him?'" Read what it says about Ali Lauititi on wikipedia "Ali joined the Rhinos in May 2004 from NRL side the New Zealand Warriors on a two and a half year contract. When he was released from his contract with the Warriors it sparked a world wide chase for his signature. However, the Rhinos beat competition from 14 other clubs in Australia and England to secure the second rower." Thats what i call an in demand player. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Lauitiiti

Quote ="getdownmonkeyman"With the possible exception of Peacock, I wouldn't call them stars. If memory serves, hadn't Lauititi been on the outer at the Warriors when Leeds signed him?'" Read what it says about Ali Lauititi on wikipedia "Ali joined the Rhinos in May 2004 from NRL side the New Zealand Warriors on a two and a half year contract. When he was released from his contract with the Warriors it sparked a world wide chase for his signature. However, the Rhinos beat competition from 14 other clubs in Australia and England to secure the second rower." Thats what i call an in demand player. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Lauitiiti

I know where he started the game, you asked me to point out the erratic things, you didn`t ask me to comment on his previous games at centre.

Where ever he was on the field it doesn`t forgive his feeble attempt on Danny Tickle which lead to Hull`s second try.

But it was in reference to us needing a right centre as he does erratic thing;s, my point is that when playing at right centre he's been fine.

You obviously believe that we don`t need a right centre to make us into serious contenders for silverware and i do, thats called opinions. My own opinion is that Chris Bridge is a backward step from Martin Gleeson.

Bridge has always been an individual type glory player where greed gets the better of him sometimes, as i pointed out with the Danny Tickle try he was at fault for that with a feeble one arm, attempted shirt grab, ive seen him do similar before.

Does he give me confidence in defence, No. Does he give me the confidence that he will take the right options at centre instead of hanging onto the ball for too long, thats a no as well. Is he a good squad player to have, that would be a yes.

Quote ="Rob Wire"Read what it says about Ali Lauititi on wikipedia "Ali joined the Rhinos in May 2004 from NRL side the New Zealand Warriors on a two and a half year contract. When he was released from his contract with the Warriors it sparked a world wide chase for his signature. However, the Rhinos beat competition from 14 other clubs in Australia and England to secure the second rower." Thats what i call an in demand player. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Lauitiiti'" Wikipedia! Chased or otherwise, he played less than half the games in season 2003 and the same at the start of 2004, leaving after round ten. Great player, but his star was definitely on the wane at the time of leaving the Warriors.

Quote ="Rob Wire"Read what it says about Ali Lauititi on wikipedia "Ali joined the Rhinos in May 2004 from NRL side the New Zealand Warriors on a two and a half year contract. When he was released from his contract with the Warriors it sparked a world wide chase for his signature. However, the Rhinos beat competition from 14 other clubs in Australia and England to secure the second rower." Thats what i call an in demand player. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Lauitiiti'" Wikipedia! Chased or otherwise, he played less than half the games in season 2003 and the same at the start of 2004, leaving after round ten. Great player, but his star was definitely on the wane at the time of leaving the Warriors.

Here is a simple question for anyone to answer, if Chris Bridge is to become our right centre then would this be a step forward from Martin Gleeson ?

If you answer NO then we havn`t strengthened that position, if you answer YES then obviosuly you feel that Chris Bridge will offer more than Martin Gleeson did at right centre and make us stronger in that position.

I`ll start with a NO hence why i said earlier that we need to sign a right centre of equivelant standard to Martin Gleeson or ideally better to make us stronger in that position than we were previsously, having an inferior player in that position who has replaced a high class player isn`t really strengthening.

I will finish with a YES. Martin Gleeson is past it now wheras Chris Bridge is young, talented, strong, pacey & has very good hands. The more game time Chris gets the better he will become with experience. I personally believe he will be a key member of the squad in 2-3 years.

Long time to wait...

You're 100% right, he was on the periphary at the Warriors. He used Leeds, and the SL as a fresh start and a chance to rebuild his reputation. I think the whole 'Michael Jordan of RL' thing as a kid in the NRL didn't help.