Since I heard that we are rumoured to be signing him for next season I have made a point of watching him play and I have to say that I don't know why ??
He looks very average at best as he doesn't seem to create very much at all, either with ball in hand, or with his kicking game, or am I missing something ??
Surely if we are aiming for Super League top 6 then we can do a lot better than him ??

Top 6 is a journey, its not happening immediately, unless we have a Leigh type season. Slowly improve positions to get to a point where you have good enough depth to compete in the top half regularly.

I must admit, he's OK from what I've seen but nothing special.

Didnt Ellis say when he first came, he'd like to be in a position to bring in maequee players.

Personally, if we were, I'd like to see us bring in a real top quality half.

Only time will tell.

All the shuds team are underperforming.

Russel was much better last year so maybe the comments came during pre season. Not many Shudds guys have shone yet this year but they have managed a couple of wins. Be interesting to see how they fair next week v Hull FC in t'cup.
Hull looked inept today v Leigh. Very sad to see.

Rumours that Huddersfield are now looking to send him out on loan, wonder if we have enquired,

Last I heard he was going to Hull FC on loan, but that was a couple of weeks back.

They specifically said we wasn't when the news first came out as they only had 2 other half backs but maybe its gone on too long without him playing.
It would be good to see him playing along side Lino now.

If you watched the try time podcast fixing Hull, they discuss who they would sign for them. The players available are pretty average with all the better ones been the ones we have signed. Russell was very highly rated but Watson doesn't play him and he is very frustrated I think. He never gets a decent run out and I feel he is a player with a point to prove.

Ste Mills hasn't got anything wrong up to now so if Powell and Mills rate him at least give the lad a chance.

Huddersfield said they wouldn't release him whilst still in the CC. Does look like FC are favourites to get him. If Gale is going to be prone to having on going groin problems we may be looking, Huddersfield originally said that they wanted him to play in SL but as he is off contract at the end of the season they may now not be so fussed. If the rumours about him joining us next season are true, it would make sense to me to get him in earlier and let him work with Gale as something of a mentor

we are riding our luck with Gale injury wise. Also having seen our remaining options of Kaye, Lawford and Max as stand ins at half, I believe getting Russel would be a wise move.

Agreed, we are weak in the halves, which isn't hurting us too much due to the dominance of the forwards, but at the business end of the season it could back to haunt us.

yup, if we have signed Russell already for next year we surely should be in the market to take him earlier, makes complete sense

suspect Johnson would be a marquee size wage but only counts as 50 k on cap , mckmeeken also on significant money. Ellis has said he will spend cap but that wouldn’t put us in top 4 on wages paid. We also are starting from a very low base

I'd quite happily take him but if he really is the guy to take us forward in SL, he is probably better off showing his worth at Hull rather than playing half a season in the Championship.

If rumours are to be believed, he's signed regardless, and we need a decent half now. If it's something that can be sorted I'd rather get him here this year and develop the partnership with Lino ready for next season.

This club as made some shocking signings at 6,7,and 9 over the last 2 years no pace no idea how to make a gap Just hope we are not going down the same path this season Leigh got there spine back together after a poor start to the season ,and they have turned there season round, you can not coach speed

nothing changes on here so grateful i see.

That's not what I mean.
If he's a SL player of the quality we need he shouldn't want to play in Championship.

?

Should Ky Rodwell not want to play in the Championship either?

Well that's a good example as hes clearly SL levelbut he isn't currently contracted to a team in SL.
He may have turned out to be good but he wasn't certain of playing NRL this year. This is his route into SL.

I'm not saying it's a bad idea but I'd prefer him to be good enough that he's wanted in SL. Like TJ and MM.

was it better when Carter was in charge of recruitment im sure we would be even better than we are now if he was still in charge.

Who's criticising recruitment of the current regime?

Apparently on here we are not good enough for SL our halves are crap. But Carter signed lino unconditionally on a 3 year 130k a year deal so thats a handicap to deal with. Half backs are not the easiest position to recruit in, plus we potentially have 7-8 new players coming in next year so where is the logic its a project not a fast fix.