Widdop signed for Wire in 2020.

Signed for Wire from 2020

Never mind, We'll still have Sammut

My thoughts exactly

Widdop and Austin are similar players, either Widdop to 1 and Austin to 6

or

Austin going home after 12 months.

Don't think it's a great signing for Warrington considering their current playing staff.

They need a seven not two sixes.

Would much rather develop Smith into a world class 7 than buy Widdop who’ll be a 31 year old who’s best days are behind him

Widdop could go full back if need be

Given the state of our finances in SL we could easily be forming Smith to be packed and shipped off to Aus. He has a three year deal which will need upgrading inside two years if he fulfilled his promise.

In three years time Smith will still only be 21 years of age. I doubt very much if the Aussies will take a chance on him then. Who was the last player to leave and go to Aus at that age?

Matty Russell went when he was 20.
Sam Burgess was 21. As were Tom and George.
Ryan Sutton was 22 when he signed and NRL clubs had been trying to get him for over a year.

It’s not out of the realms of possibility.

This is the down-side to the argument that we no longer buy overseas stars like Widdop because we're building a new dynasty from within.

A few years ago, that would've been a genuine way to go. But now, we know that any genuine stars are going to leave sooner rather than later.

Something has to give, or this game of ours is doomed to be a permanent home for has-beens and also-rans.

I see that the Kyle Amor romour will not die. Are we getting desparate yet?

Is it that bad? A year ago I would have said this was a good signing, he is coming off a poor season and is now coming up to 32 but at a low wage I wouldn’t be too dissatisfied with this signing, he’s a better option than Tautai imo.

Not a step up but not a step back either. It just would seem another example of fitting a budget rather than pushing onwards.

Tt has been disappointing for 18 months now. He needs a big start to the season for certain. I would be fine if we brought a player like Amor in. Just give us a bit more strength in that area, flower isnt getting any younger, clubby is just clubby. Navarette was brilliant last year but didnt play enough minutes not sure if that was him tired or just tactical??? But with less interchanges this year in might matter?? We dont know yet what Lam’s intentions are but we soon will.

It’s a step up from Tautai IMO and I think he’s a pretty solid prop. Gives 100% and doesn’t do a lot wrong. I’d be content with his signing, I think it would offer us a good boost in the pack.

If we are seriously looking at Amor then I would be worried.

Rather go with what we have and give Kibula limited game time rather than look at him.

I understand Sammut as he could be the wild card we need. Amor though really really brings nothing to the table in my opinion.

Saints want shut to make room on their cap. It says a lot and I wouldn’t be the club to do them that good turn, especially considering that we’re talking about a pretty average player.

Lam must have some knowledge and connections down under that could snare us a decent prop/backrower.

I think it may be done, and we may be waiting for work permits / international visa etc before making any announcements. Lam must be pretty confident of bringing someone in as he wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise

Oh don’t get me wrong it’s far from being a “super” signing but with limited options at the table and a rapidly fading back up prop in TT, I think signing Amor for a year or two would make sense. He’s far more effective than TT, has better hands and a better work rate. He wouldn’t cost the world either.

Also a change of club would probably do him a world of good, as it has done other players in the past

Come on Rogues, you seriously can't be comparing Barba's SL record to their NRL record, Barba scored 27 in his previous 3 seasons before super league so Naiqama could be on the money. I for one think they have made some shrewd signings, Paulo will offer a lot more than Wilkin and in my opinion is a very under rated player

Amor staying at Saints thankfully.

No chance, Wilkin gave away a lot of penalties but got through a stack of work defensively. Paulo is as average an NRL signing as could be possible. He will be the scapegoat of the side by the end of the season. All thats wrong with the way SL sign over the hill players from the NRL.

Agree
Paulo is a decent defensive player, but a ball player, I'm not sure. Seven try assists in the last five years would suggest otherwise.
In the same period Wilkin had fifty four try assists.