[url=https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/v2/blog/2022/04/08/leigh-centurions-confirm-signing-of-nrl-forward-kai-odonnell/[uSigns for Leigh[/u[/url

23, big strong running and tackling second rower. Also looking to make his mark. This is a very good signing.
Just goes to show how much work is constantly going on behind the scenes.

Big strong running and tackling second rower? He has 4 NRL games to his name and he is a similar height and weight to John Bateman, this does not make him a big strong lad. I am not knocking him without seeing him, hell knows we need a larger squad of players.

What is interesting is the link with Rick Stone (Former Huddersfield Giants Manager) and Sam Stone's father. I am guessing he might be one of our Aussie scouts. The overseas players so far have been high quality, so somebody is doing a good job. The alternative is that we sign the entire PNG team - Lammy seems to be a good draw for PNG players (being a living legend in PNG).

on the other hand maybe son stone is going home or off to sl n pops is softening the blow

Never really heard much about him but that’s not to say he won’t turn out to be a good un
I’d never heard of Steve Halliwell Mike Davies Peter Ropati (bit of a throw back) to Craig Stapleton Adam Bristow to name a few.
We have had a few which haven’t set the world alight but for the unknown quantities our record isn’t that bad. It’s the more household name ones which have disappointed

Have you seen him play ?
I have, I watch a lot of NRL. 3-4 live games per week on Canadian sports channel Sportsnet. He was only released by Canberra due to Covid bubble/travel problems or he would have stayed. He was well liked by fans.
This lad is the same height as Bateman but carries more muscle and has great speed, combined with a very good step off either foot for a forward. He will bust tackles with the ball and be very strong in defence.

Looks a good signing, quality so far this year has been good. Looks physical and mobile and knows how to finish. Adding to an already solid pack.

I’ve got a feeling that at Least one of our squad is off to SL. Strong rumours coming out of Warrington about them wanting to sign a Leigh forward. Only Wire and Toulouse have cap space.

Quote ="Vancouver Leyther"Have you seen him play ? I have, I watch a lot of NRL. 3-4 live games per week on Canadian sports channel Sportsnet. He was only released by Canberra due to Covid bubble/travel problems or he would have stayed. He was well liked by fans. This lad is the same height as Bateman but carries more muscle and has great speed, combined with a very good step off either foot for a forward. He will bust tackles with the ball and be very strong in defence.'" Cheers for the low-down, Vanners. Don't watch NRL so had no idea who he was but, for others the same, found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PeHManpv3o

Quote ="Vancouver Leyther"Have you seen him play ? I have, I watch a lot of NRL. 3-4 live games per week on Canadian sports channel Sportsnet. He was only released by Canberra due to Covid bubble/travel problems or he would have stayed. He was well liked by fans. This lad is the same height as Bateman but carries more muscle and has great speed, combined with a very good step off either foot for a forward. He will bust tackles with the ball and be very strong in defence.'" Cheers for the low-down, Vanners. Don't watch NRL so had no idea who he was but, for others the same, found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PeHManpv3o

Quote ="Bent&Bongser"Cheers for the low-down, Vanners. Don't watch NRL so had no idea who he was but, for others the same, found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PeHManpv3o'" If he plays the championship like he did the NRL (yes it was only 4 games I know), he will score a pon’ful of tries and then also draw defensive lines to open space for our back line, which can only be a good thing also. We have a good’un.

Quote ="Bent&Bongser"Cheers for the low-down, Vanners. Don't watch NRL so had no idea who he was but, for others the same, found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PeHManpv3o'" If he plays the championship like he did the NRL (yes it was only 4 games I know), he will score a pon’ful of tries and then also draw defensive lines to open space for our back line, which can only be a good thing also. We have a good’un.

Wire have no space without offloading.

Vanners, Bongser has already admitted his ignorance re Oz RL, so please enlighten him (whilst he gets the thrust of your meaning) on the actual m definition of "pon'ful". Googled it and got mainly references to hard porn plus one to Mozart's supposed twelfth mass which seemed a little incongruous in juxtaposition - unlikely bedfellows one might say.

This is a genuine question so here's a question mark:

The lanky to English dictionary translation of pon’ful is
“ a copious amount that would fill a large cooking vessel such as a pan or cauldron”
The Aussie NRL version is likely something to do with kangaroo pouches or the number of people fighting in a pub that is serving free Castlemaine XXXX.
My apologies, I may have mis-spelt pon’ful as like my accent, my lanky spelling knowledge is not what it used to be.

This is the frustrating but inevitable thing when we do well, Leigh will always be a stepping stone for players looking to progress. I did hear that someone came in for Macdonald but he turned them down as he was on more money at Leigh than was offered .

It is a valid point. Not going to change, is the long term plan is to develop? Good young player, his opportunity now. I think we will be a shop front for some but....

I do think that we have development in us, structure of the club improving.

It’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation i suppose, regardless of which sport instant success is craved for. It’s been said many times we have 2 massive clubs on our doorstep but the reality is they don’t produce many who go on to super league. In no way am I knocking the work they do and it’s not really their job to form the production line for Leigh or any other club but it’s been a steady decline for a number of years.
I don’t get a free paper anymore so not even sure if there still is a Leigh Journal but i never hear of local schools getting to all England cup finals and I’m not sure even if there is a Town Team structure anymore.
It’s not as though SL is swarming with Leigh lads and our argument is why are we missing out. Something has to be done, what that is I don’t know , but it will take quite a while for us to see the benefits

Just need a prop or two now and we look the business

I'd imagine Warrington would have our entire front row but signing any of them would cost them a lot of £££'s currently

Would it though? Most players are out of contract at the end of the year so I can't see the fee being big. Really hope we don't let anyone go. I think some Leigh fans would be very upset with us only having a small squad as it is. 2 props needed soon.

thats exactly why i cant see us selling anyone who we want to keep.. we are working around the clock to add players not release top level ones

Yes it wouldn't make any sense letting anyone go unless they demanded it and downed tools which I can't see any of this squad doing. We look to have a tight knit group here and I really hope they get us over the line. I asked Derek about Asiata the other month as me and my dad were arguing, as I said he was on 2 years but my dad said 1. Turns out he's on 1 but if we get promoted it gets upgraded for another year. I wonder how many more are on that deal.

I would not be surprised if we had a number of players on contacts that are two years, but either party can walk away from if we are not in Super League next season.

Of course, in Super League we would be limited to 7 overseas players, so that restricts us somewhat in which players we can keep if we do get promoted.

How many overseas players have we got on the books? Some of them seem to have links to the UK.

Pass. I really don't know.

Of the En-Zed contingent (5):

Aekins is supposedly of Welsh descent though how many generations.....?
Iaone is Non-Fed.
Hingano ditto.
Inu ditto.
Bell is a Scots international but not on our books.

Aussies (5):

Hitchcox is Non-Fed.
Stone is a Maltese international - not sure how that works.
Amone is Non-Fed.
Asiata ditto.
O'Donnell ditto.

PNG's (2):

MacDonald, errm, sure Bongser read of some Scots blood on the spear side, though can't find it now.
Ipape is Non-Fed.

All this could be eyewash, Bongser needs sleep.