Talent is overrated eh? Well if I'd 'trained the house down' a little more a few years ago, I could have been the next Joey Johns by now, who'd have thought it?

Obviously Noble is pointing to the fact that talent isnt everything. If you read it properly he mentions attitude well talent without the right attitude is useless. Noble is 100% spot on.

Granted we need to sign a prop, we needed a prop before we signed Roberts, we needed a prop even more before we signed Gleeson, and even more when we loaned out Mossop. Either Noble doesn't see that or there aren't any props out there.

I agree that Davies and Mossop wouldn't be bashing super league front rows about, but having said that neither is Fielden, he's dying at their feet or going backwards and it's only a matter of time before he starts getting really smashed about. He needs to be a big fish in a small pond again, and the way to do that is to play him in the reserves, where he'll only be average but might pick up some form.

If we give one of these young lads a chance they'll jump at it, and we'll see some decent performances from them for a few weeks until they get knackered, but that's all we need! All Davies would need to is play reasonably well for the next 6 games then O'Carroll will return and he can have a rest, or Fielden might even have picked up some form again. I'm convinced that the smart thing to do would be to give Davies a run out and see how he goes, we have no better chance than v Celtic, who are pretty poor anyway.

You cant do it. Like it or not Fielden still adds experience and a lot of hard work in defence however blunt his attack is. The front row is already terrible and throwing a lad in from the reserves who has never played a first team game would be like pressing the self destruct button. Front row is by far the toughest position for a young lad whos never played a first team game before to step into. It would be like cutting our nose off to spite our face. I think until we sign a proper experienced prop then we just have to put up with Fielden.

I don't think it would do any harm to throw a young lad in for a game or two. Young lads (like Fielden was once) tend to be confident and fearless no matter who they are playing against. Something Fielden isn't at the moment.

James Graham was only 17 or 18 when he made his 1st team debut at Stains. Unless the youngsters get a shot we will never find out if we have a freak of nature

James Graham was not brought into a team thats pack was being crushed at the sight of anything weighing over 14 stones. There is a time for bringing young lads into the front row and its not when the rest of the pack are being slaughtered.

We want to get rid of the lad, invest in a better player next season, don't know what's happened to him though.

Absolutely correct.

I don't like him. When's his contract up? I think I read this year on here somewhere. Knowing our luck he'll do a Calderwood and play well at the end of season and in Noble's eyes "earn himself a new contract" then doss about for another year or whatever he gets

He's no confidence and he's getting bashed and launched all over the place.

To save his career, he needs to pile on some pounds and use him less frequently. Unfortunately that's the only way Stuart Fielden will make any impact at the moment.

and he was brought on in the back row for very short spells in his first year, he didnt get where he is today by being a starting prop at age 18 and playing 60minutes a week.

Too late imo. He is done.

Maybe the pack wouldn't be getting slaughtered as badly if we threw in a young lad with a point to prove? I refuse to believe that he could do worse than Fielden is now. All Fielden does is tackle, fall at players feet and stand tall with his hands on his hips like he's He Man.

Exactly, the benefits of having a team whose players know they need to perform in order to get picked far outweighs the potential risk of playing a few young lads. Imagine the message it would send out to the rest of the team if Noble's golden boy had to play in the reserves for a week or so.

Fielden is the only one with a past reputation and it is he they target. No one targets Coley as they have 2 row men who can handle him.
What I just don't understand is that since IL bought the club, and before, props were our signing priority.
Since IL arrived we've brought in Mathers, Phelps, Pryce, Roberts, Gleeson, Carmont, Smith & Riddell. Only one forward and he's a 9. Not a prop anywhere.
Why?
We've obviously had the cash to pay a transfer fee and salary cap money available to sign all those backs so the dosh has always been there.
Our pack is getting beaten almost every week and when a signing arrives he's a back.
We can have the best backs and halves around but if the pack is getting steamrollered then none of them will be able to put in a decent game between them.
I just don't understand it at all!

IL is obsessed with attackig rugby and fast wingers. His interview about Gleeson was more about Roberts try v Hudds than it was about Gleeson. I do feel, his obsession in this area, is perhaps detremental to the building of the squad we need.

and knock-on regularly

followed by a really convincing, 'it-wasn't-me-ref-it-was-him' look to the ref.

and the tackler, at the same time, (but with different eyes)

Come-to-bed eyes

He reads this forum on a regular basis so surely he knows the fans feelings on what players we need.

I really hope he's listening because we need 2 forwards, 1 prop and one ball handling backrower imo if we're going to progress.

A scrum half also wouldn't go amiss for next year but he'd be pointless without the 2 forwards imo.

Well if IL is reading we could do with
Ben Cross (Newcastle Knights)
Mark O'Meley (Roosters) or
Luke Bailey (Gold Coast)
Nathan Cayless (Parramatta) and Andy Lynch /LMS for next year.


I would like us to try to sign a good up and coming NRL prop like Justin Poore (Dragons) or Thom Lehroyd Lahs (Raiders).

Add to that the signing of a proven quality halback to partner Leuluai or Tomkins in either Matt Orford/Braith Anasta/Brett Kimmorley.

All these signings I think we are capable of doing, I would like to sign better players but they are still playing rep footy.

Out of them all I think Cayless and Lynch with LMS next year would prob happen TBH. With maybe Orford going to Wire in place of Monaghan who is off the Canberra we should try and get Kimmorley/Anasta.

Get rid : -

Bailey, Coley, Smith, Phelps.

Loan out:- Goulding, Pryce, Flannagan, McIllorum and maybe Prescott/O'Carroll.

I think we need 2 props and a SH

Hansen Hock J Tomkins Lockers with probably Mossop pishing through will be the back rowers I reckon. A big line breaking 2nd rower would be nice but Mossop has the potential to do this so we should give him time and he will probably push Hansen out the side next season IMO

One prop for sure and possibly 2.

I'd like a player abit like Puleutua at Saints or Lauititi at Leeds who can play front row or second row. A player abit like Bryan Fletcher who can mix it in both positions.