I haven't seen enough of him to make a fair judgement. Never stood out really on tele, apart from seeing him get sin binned. Certainly a big unit though for a centre.

Fair point, can't really argue with that.

The questions gonna be asked sooner or later...what you take a punt on Cross? Did look decent in the NRL?

Personally I wouldn't but would be interesting to see if anyone would and why.

Hell no.

you're getting him

i sincerely hope it never is!

IMHO the one thing we dont need in our squad is another forward, and one that is playing like cross would hardly get into our reserve team!

What would people want to sign, a fullback and a centre, or a halfback and a centre?

Bear in mind we have to consider which people are aailable in these positions, chase (although a huge talent) is under contract so avoiding the suggestion of him.

What is everyones opinion?

Half back and centre for me. Direct replacement for the outgoing Deacon to play alongside Finch, leave Sam at 1 and spell Tommy and McIlorum at 9.

Could Joe Mellor be that half-back?

If the rep is to be believed, yes. he can learn alongside finch and kick on.

He'd be my choice to partner Finch next year. An ideal pairing IMO. The contrast between the two and their varying styles of play are what I'd like to see our HB combination be.

The link of finch and mellor would provide the differing styles we are looking for, do people think he is ready for a first team spot yet or is he still a prospect ?

I think so. At the end of the day the only way were going to find out is by playing him. Look at Lomax and Gaskell at Saints. Both inexperienced before the start of this season yet have gone on to form a great partnership this year. Mellor would have the advantage of being placed alongside an experienced player next in Brett Finch.

Could Deacon and Mellor share the 7 Spot next year? IMO unless we get an absolute surge of injuries this year, Mellor wont really get his chance, it might be worth Deacon signing on to play for one more year on a pay as you play contract, as Mellors mentor throughout his debut super league year?

When?
Can't see it tbh, we have a lot of depth in the forwards already.

www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=39954 Burgess to replace Coley? Would be decent IMO.

www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=39954 Burgess to replace Coley? Would be decent IMO.

shame is has hot footed it to australia

[url=http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/News/Club-News/Rabbitohs-sign-Luke-Burgess-for-the-next-two-and-a-half-seasons-until-the-end-of-2013.htmlIndeed he has[/url

3 down and 1 to go.

As I said yesterday

If the rumours out yesterday about Fielden are true then perhaps Cross has been signed until the end of the season.

It does occur to me that we may not sign anyone for the 2012 season.
Should Coley and Deacon retire and Hoffman return to Australia then their positions could be covered from within.

If Coley retires, we have Fielden, Mossop, Lima & Prescott as our top four props with Davies, Crosby and Spencer to come through.
Deacon to be replaced by Mellor.
Hoffman to be replaced as the left sided 2nd rower by Hock who also plays left.
Our right centre position may well be filled by Joel who could be given the three shirt. He's doing ok now and a full off season could benefit him for the position.
Joel has always played as the right side 2nd rower so it not all that unfamiliar to him.
Wouldn't surprise me one bit if we didn't have any signings for 2012. After all what's the point of having the best U20s for years if then you bring players in rather than promote from within?

That would still leave us short of a centre if Carmont retires, going into next season with Joel and one of either Marsh or Charnely at centre would be asking a lot. There is also a question of the props- whilst I am in favour of giving youngsters a chance I think there would be a worrying lack of experience in the event of one or two of the props getting injured (and both Fielden and Prescott have had significant periods out with injuries in recent seasons).

Mellor needs a few games to see if he is ready, still if Roberts makes a come back to something like it means Sam could be used back at 6 increasing the options.

I've noticed we as a club don't like to spell young players, they only seem to get a chance if a first teamer is injured.

For example, we have Deacon, a great player who's at the back end of his career, with this we have Mellor, a young up and coming talent in the same position as Deacon.
Wouldn't it be worthwhile to rest Deacon more and give Mellor first team experience at the same time? Then we'd maybe get more out of Deacon as he isn't run into the ground and Mellor would pick up more experience. With this the cross over from Finch/Deacon to Finch/Mellor would be smoother in the loong run.

Same applies to Coley/Crosby.

Agreed - but surely that was the whole point of loaning Mellor to Quins, to gain experience of playing a SL level.

I'm sure it was but with the way Gale and Dorn started the season he never got a look in. He's doing well at Widnes now but I'd like to see Mellor step up to SL level on loan before the end of the season, much like Charnley did at Hull KR last year and Mossop at Hudds the year before. It would do him the world of good