So what needs to be done to stop 2017 being a repeat of the 2016 nightmare? - This should be interesting



Guess at two replies in next 2 weeks

Get ourselves a decent conditioner/fitness coach. Keep our fingers crossed that Stone is the guy to put it all right.
With Grixy going to Wakefield and Woody leaving maybe the 2 guys from Newcastle are the replacements but know nothing about them.
With Connor going to Hull are we gonna let Sam Watt have a go there or bring another outside back in?
I would love to see Hinchy going to 13.
But anyway that's all in the future, let's just enjoy the moment and watch the MPG next week completely chilled out.

Simple.. Regardless of the squad we make sure they are fit and dedicated to the giants cause.

Stone has already got us on good attacking structures easy better than last 5 seasons,that is no exaggeration.

but it will always be tough for us coming up against the rugby league towns.

I'd like to see Ellis and Murphy move on along with Crabtree, Wood, Grix, Johnson, Ormsby, Wardle and Simpson. We need a full back and new centre and wing combo, hooker, half and a prop in order to gain top 4 we need a big clear pit and some shrewd signings. I may be tempted to let Brough go to Leigh if rumours are true as well.

Tom Burgess - looking for new club
George Griffin - Been good in a poor Salford side
Niall Evalds - Great potential
Morgan Escare
Eloi Pelissier
Zac Hardaker

All players I would look at given the right price

What about Gene Ormsby,was that a panic buy?

For next year, starting 17 without chucking names around for places I have assumed vacated:

1. *New attacking full back
2. Jerry
3. Leroy
4. Wardle?
5. Murphy
6. Brough
7. Brierley
8. Rapira
9. *New, quality, proper hooker
10. A fit and conditioned Huby
11. Symonds
12. Ukuma
13. Hinchcliffe

14. K Wood
15. Ikahihifo
16. Mason
17. Roberts

Bus driver: Ellis (lucky to get that job)
And the obvious omission at 8 is also deliberate, time is up I'm afraid,and a season or 2 overdue.

That team on paper, although not hugely different from this year, when fit and properly conditioned to super league level, should be a match for ANY team. This season was doomed from the minute our team turned up for week 1 massively out of shape and resembling more of a Sunday league pub football team.

Take some time, write out the 17s of this years top 4 and you will struggle to find a team that has much on them. Depth would also need to be addressed with a couple of decent back ups.

Full back is a huge call if we are serious for trophies.

Brough needs to stick around, firstly and most importantly to bring Brierley on to fulfil his huge potential. We should be building our team around this kid, let the size and strength come with the right pre-season and guidance. Danny's knowledge and experience will be key to his development....and secondly to keep the door firmly shut, bolted and chained to stop that sorry excuse for I'm not sure what Ellis from EVER getting back into our team.

Burgess - not sure either way to be honest.
Griffin - don't see the fit
Evalds - worth a punt, as you say, definite potential
Escare - no thanks, flash in the pan, good half season 2 years ago
Pellisier - hot head and penalty machine, but possible back up to main hooker
Hardaker - never gonna happen!!

Pellisier just from memory is better than that Leeds hooker last week who was supposed to be top class.

Evalds a Siddaler we let slip.

Escare forget it.

Hardaker,no,no and thrice no.Good enough for Leeds once upon a time but not good enough for HGRLFC. Just the brutal truth.

Evalds would be the perfect replacement for Jake Connor. Blistering speed too. 23 can play fullback, wing or half. Lives in Huddersfield as well.

If we are talking salford players, I've always like the look of junior Sau...

Depends who goes

We need a fullback of attacking ability - while Hardacre fits the bill he's also a liability I think but maybe if he comes cheap, might have had some humility knocked into him down under

Escare is quality in attack but strangely out of favour at the Dragons, but then they do things oddly there

Other than am aussie unknown then a promotion from academy maybe


As for hooker...Leeming is quality and will get better, he just needs game time. Ellis maybe? It is his natural position but his passing is awful at times

Pelisier- maybe but not as well as Leeming. Quality hookers are in short supply

Ormsby has impressed at times, maybe a preseason will turn him into the player he can be but then we need a new centre unless Wardle stays

My main thing is we need new props, I'm not sure Eorl is quite done yet personally but we need a new front row forward, though maybe Dan Smith will make a come back

id like to just enjoy the moment of yesterday still for a while longer yet!

but yes for 2017 we need changes, or at least to learn the lessons from 2016

we need to have a squad of players!!!!!!!!!! we went into this season far too light so bringing in the bradford 3 will help on that score

sort the full back situation (maybe mamo?)

sort a hooker (maybe randell?)

sort centre (maybe gaskell)

some mongrel forward/s to bring back the biff we lack

in rick stone we trust, he knows the issues i feel so look forward to seeing what the off season brings!

The Bradford 3 will definitely help fill squad numbers yes. Won't play like but they will help fill up your squad.

For props we could look at Dane Tilse from HKR. Or Koppy back from Salford. Tilse is a beast and quite aggressive. Koppy very reliable ( depends on who is going and staying though)

Sio could be a good shout to move to centre ?

We need to make a lot of changes to strengthen the team in a number of areas. This will require big changes based not just on the quality of the player but also what they cost on the cap.

LE says that wood , josh Johnson and Eorl are off if we can move them on. Connor will be going to Hull.

I would let Wardle go if it helps us get Mamo and Randell ( in stone we trust).

Grix is already going afaik with Wakey and fax being mentioned.


As for sacred cows we could consider moving on two players depending on what it would save on the salary cap and whether we could get as good as or better players in.

Brough. Always rumours around him and never know what to believe. But could replace with Soward. Just as good and might be cheaper ?

Jerry. Wigan apparently are desperate for him. Would be a good swap for Sio if he came cheaper.?

None of these are based solely on playing ability. We cannot afford to be sentimental about this But stone needs to rebuild. Too may underperforming players who are not mentally tough enough. Rebuilding will require skill and making some difficult decisions .

Maybe the slaughtering of sacred cows will be an indication of what we direction we are heading in.

Tilse and Sio are good players no doubt about that.Wouldn't complain if we could get 1 or both of them.

Broughy one more year at least,not sure of his contract situation,but his legs are showing no sign of slowing down.

They are saying a clear out,are we looking at the likes of Ellis,Ormsby. Be sorry to lose Eorl even now his battered body is one that can be relied on,- Jezzler going would be a huge huge blow.

Players are starting to look more confident under Stone,Murphy has run harder in last few games than all season,Hinchy looking better out of acting half.

Halves are so important,bulk Brierley up for 'D' will that slow him down.

It's gonna be interesting to say the least.

Wigan will no doubt take the first pick,then depends who's left.Josh Jones looks a consistent performer. Wouldn't say no.

Wouldn't touch tilse with a barge pole. Dislike him intensly - he's a grub and the sort of player who goes to injure.
Koppy- nope, he left Bradford for money, he left us for money. This year has shown we need players to play for each other, themselves, the shirt, anything else - but not for the money.
We are solid in the back row, we need a prop, centre, fullback and possibly a hooker

Are you hearing owt with regards to potential new signings Joolsy ?

Then Tilse is the sort of player we need and to channel that aggression.

Too many nice players at the Giants. Nice does not win trophies. We have needed an aggressive enforcer for years in te pack. We would also need another one IMHO.

There were rumours about Westwood which I hope are not true

What was the story behind the departure of O'Donnell,he wasn't exactly a nice guy was he

27ngames including friendlies and substitute appearances. Sent off twice ( for doing nothing illegal).

Hardly made an impression at the club bearing in mind the significance of the signing.

Since he left we have needed an enforcer that is 4 years with a powder puff pack.