Richie Mathers anyone?

We already have players who are wary of going for bombs, why would we sign one that freely allows them to bounce rather than even to attempt to catch them?

Mathers would be a retrograde step and I think would go down like a fart in a spacesuit with the fans.

Preferable to Schifoske

H ewould be 35 before he even pulled on a Giants shirt

You'd have to think that particular rumour is just piffle. The reason we only offered Brett a year was his age and he's got years in the bag on him. Some of these rumours are just total pap and the journos need to have a word with themselves and think before they re-print what they read on the internet.

Let's put an end to all this speculation.

It's definately Billy Slater for next season. My mate swears he saw him in the Chippy in Elland last week buying pudding chips and gravy.

Or does that mean he's signing for Fax ?

it was a steak pie IIRC according to a mate of a mate of the chippy's daughter who is a cousin of the driver who delivers the potatoes to the chippy down the road from the said chippy where Billy was.

Well one guy who isn't coming to play full-back next year is Shaun Briscoe, was talking to him on Saturday at York Races and he was aware of the rumours about him coming to us and to FC but said he's contracted to KR for another 18 months and isn't planning on going anywhere.

AWWW you mean one eyed jack, well if id known he's seen BS i'd have goe down the bookies and put a pony on it being true. (turned a little lock stock for a second then)

A world class centre is top priority for me. At present our centres can be any two from 4 or 5, we need at least one centre who we know will not only hold his spot down week in week out but add some real class there.

Luke Patten offered a [url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/huddersfield-offer-canterbury-bulldogs-luke-patten-a-three-year-deal/story-e6frfgbo-1225873790651three year deal[/url according to his agent.

Nice mention of Skando in that article too!

This is a joke right? We won't offer the current man of steel two years, yet we offer a thirty year old with "chronic back problems" that same position for three years? Give me a break! He's an inferior player to the one we had, he's never played any rep footy and has been in Hodgson's shadow his entire NRL career! We had a full back who was desperate to stay for two years, who was settled here and committed to the club for the long haul. Instead we get rid of him to try to PERSUADE Patten to play for us for three years. Problem is, he's worried "he won't be able to handle the punishment until the end of 2013" due to his back problems. This makes absolutely no sense to me.

Nicko, the fact of the matter is that Brett Hodgson would have signed for Warrington Wolves no matter how many years Huddersfield Giants offered

Why would that be then?

Also if Patten is on a lot less money than Brett, leaving more for other positions then it could be a good move.

Money.

If the club are looking to sign him he would have to pass a medical first so i am not too worried about his fitness.

He looks a handy player and safe under the bomb.

It's a crucial position for any super league club and one that we have to get right if we are to push on. I agree that we need a top quality centre, wish we could have offered a deal to Shenton before Saints got to him...oh well. I'll probably get shot down here, but I've always been impressed by Fitzpatrick of Salford when I've seen him play and to be fair I believe he is the same age as Patten and he certainly won't have issues adapting to the weather and lifestyle...might be worth a punt.

Fitzpatrick? Nil point!

I don't know, I don't mind him. Patten has said himself he is not sure his body will be able to carry on playing Rugby fro three more years. Not sure he is what we should be going for. Pat Richards would be the perfect choice though, would love to sign him. Have to say the transfers I have heard should be coming our way are not filling me with confidence, especially when you think about the calibre of player who may be leaving the club alongside Brett...Wild, Whatuira, Kevin Brown, Kirmond

Kirmond has 3 years left on his deal here. He may well be enjoying it Wakey at the moment but do you really expect him to leave us for a club who may very well not get a franchise next time round? Can Wakey afford to pay a fee for him? I'm far from convinced he's going anywhere.

Keving Brown, again, is under contract. If he goes a fee will be required. And why would he go to Wigan?

Fitzpatrick isn't safe as houses under the bomb and that is what we need. We may as well play Leroy at FB than get Fitzpatrick in.

Who is to say how long the deal Patten has been offered. It may well be three years with an option after two. It may only be two. It may all be just rumour. Who knows. The club have done alright the last few years and as a squad we have improved year on year for a good long while. It'll be right.

Danril, Luke Patten's agent, George Mimis, has released that information to try and get other clubs to look at him and possibly get a better deal for Luke. Nathan Brown is continuing to assist the club in the squad selection for next season. I for one am quite happy with this as he only wants to see the team do well. Along with Richard Thewlis, I'm sure they know which players would be best for the team

anwar1983huddersfield, Pat Richards is a player that was nearly signed by the Huddersfield Giants before he penned his contract with Wigan. A last minute turnaround decision which was probably accompanied with a large brown envelope and a deal which could not be matched

Yea, well Wigan's gain and all that....I definately think we are going to see some huge changes in playing personnel next season and would be shocked if Kevin Brown is still at the the club this time next year. As I posted on the pies board, a deal involving Kevin Brown and Wigan's Goulding would be very tempting IMO.

Does anyone but me think all this rumour mongering is not only useless but actually getting to a counterproductive stage?

Why speculate negatively? It's like the antithesis of Wire fans this season, or Hull KR fans a couple of seasons ago.

I dont know Danril, it baffles me completely.

I heard that cos Thurston is always getting into trouble with the NRL we are going to sign him