He never said that or not in that context.

One thing MCJM have learnt and something I remember Ted eventually learning is that Trinity must NEVER give the impression that we have scored a coup.

In the past I know for certain that we have been out bid at the last moment on a number of players because somebody got to know we wanted them. Other clubs know Trinity are good at scouting talent, especially in the NRL and they know they can usually outbid us.

When we signed Solomona (the only real marquee signing we've ever made in SL) it caused an earthquake in the game at the time. He was easily the best signing of that season and could have gone anywhere. Gary Hatherington was spitting feathers with his own staff as he just couldn't believe how this had happened.

It actually happened because Solomona was an oddball on a mission and Ted actually stopped going out and drinking for a month so he didn't blab.

If we do sign a star player directly from the NRL, opposed to one already here, we the fans won't know about it until the moment it happens IMO.

I remember years ago we were meant to of signed Michael De Vere from Brisbane only for him to sign for Huddersfield instead, going back on a verbal agreement. He was an SOO and Aussie test centre at the time. Tbf he didn’t pull up trees.

Yep there is a long list.

TBF 90% were not signed and sealed so nobody was doing anything wrong, but the moment we showed interest so did others. 10% were pure skullduggery.

A lot depends on the player, some make a decision and stick to it, but like in normal life most can be tempted, just how it is, essentially it's a free market.

Hence we have to be more careful than most, we can't afford a bidding war and for now we've not much else to tempt them with.

If you listen to the podcasts a lot of the Aussie ones have one thing in common, they didn't know much about SL and didn't look too hard.

I seem to remember we signed Quentin Pongia but couldn't secure him a visa or work permit.

He signed for Wigan not so long after and they managed to sort the visa.

TBF that was as likely to have been pure incompetence on our part, hopefully those days are gone

Well, all what has been said is good. BUT, the proof of signing a play maker in his middle 20s has been proved again by Salford a club similar to us ! In that Brodie Croft, @ 25, is the man of Steel, one has to ask, why we cannot, no excuses, they can do it !

Because they signed him with money they didn't have, which is why their team is about to be ripped apart



Have you ever heard of history?

What a silly comment, no where did I say every player, ie a full team you implied, you always need a play maker even if it costs two players wages, at least the team has a rudder & leadership !

Mason Lino imo needs to step up next season. He’s 29 years old before season kicks off and it will be his 3rd year or superleague. He is one of our senior group and plays in a pivotal position.

Overall I think he’s been a reasonably solid find but he needs to lead the team and present us with more try scoring opportunities especially close to the line. I’m all for bringing in a quality halfback who can control a game but Lino needs to step up a gear too.

You really have no idea how finance works. It's not a case of what we need but what we can afford. You asked why we cannot have a Brodie Croft and I'm telling you it's because we probably can't afford a Brodie Croft and because our BOD don't believe in going into the red then I doubt we will get one. I may be wrong but that is the excuse, we live within our means.

Very sensible comment from me in all honesty.

You being the fountain of all things financial what have we used the large sum of money saved by releasing 10 players, if not to sign a Brodie Croft type of player if we can find one. I have no confidence they would do so but not because we would go into the red but because they have clearly decided for a reason best known to them to reduce the salary budget.
I look forward to your explanation of how one so financially astute is reverting back to what he did when he took over from his employer 10 seasons ago. It is not much of a legacy is it and don’t revert to insults just try answering it for a change.

How have we "clearly" decided to reduce the playing budget.
If we haven't spent any of that money yet you have no idea what they are going to do.

Or do you have some insider info?

The thing is, we don't know how much Brodie Croft cost.

I remember saying at the beginning of the year that Croft was a star and would change Salford. Your reply Vasty was that one man doesn't make a team, but I think he's proved he can make a team a better team.
And that, I'm thinking is what Trin Trin is after.

We can try for an unproven playmaker to develop like we did pretty successfully with Miller but its a risk. Croft was never a risk. He was just behind big names at Melbourne and Brisbane

Great post

I think we can agree that Fifita, TJ, Miller, Batchelor and Arona for example will be at the top end of our salary structure. They have indicated that they hope to secure five signings and have decided to wait to see what bargains are available.

"Bargains" is your word not theirs.

The term practice what you preach springs to mind here, and for clarity can you name the 10 (ten) players we have released please.

Are those 5 (five) of the players according to you we have decided to let go, plus Aydin Making it 6 (six), or is it the way you tell em

Like PT likes to say work it out yourself.

Which part are you referring to?

I don’t want to stretch you so here are 10 first team squad members that have left
TJ, Topou, Miller, Arona, Batchelor. Walker, Aydin, Adebiyi, Minns and Fifita.

Walker,Adebiyi, Minns we’re not first team regulars and BT AND TJ hardly played last season so I hardly think we’ll miss them !

Were they in the first team squad, YES and did we still pay them regardless of their fitness YES.

There are four players in that loss we will miss.

Bill hasn't been a first choice since 2019. Walker never was. Aydin was not a regular. Sid and Minns, seriously did we ever even have them.

Fifita and Arona were knocking on and retired. They will be hard to replace but that was simply unavoidable, you can’t wind the clock back.

TJ, well by a piece of pure good fortune the lord provided us with a perfect replacement, well two actually as Kershaw is also the business.

So basically we’ve lost two players we’d rather have kept, Miller and Batch. Well you win some you lose some.

Still if you want to spin that into ten players then you do it.

Quite right pimps, but the phrase you used was WE LET GO, Adebiya and Mimms I concede and were a mistake, the rest were either retiring or refused new terms, hardly let go but once again it suits your narrative to make mischief.