There are always exceptions to every rule but I bet we had more who like O’Brien (may have got that wrong) than the Ray Price’s of this world.

LMS will be 37/38 this season and still gets another contract . It’s not the age but the size of the heart that matters in this sport

Yawn

Paul O’Bien was a quality centre… just didn’t settle into life in the UK .. but the world was very different in the 1970s

Ray price was 36 when he joined us and had been retired for two years. Proctor is 34 and a current (almost) NRL regular. There is no comparison actually, Price was a far far bigger risk.

So what about big Ali?

Paul Sykes?

Liam Finn?

And all the others I can’t remember off the top of my head.

I mean we have this discussion every time a player who isn’t in nappies turns up but people like you and Trin Trin never learn. It would be funny if it wernt so tragic.

You make a bet on someone you don't even know. Classic.

My system will not allow me to quote but in reply to PT I was not betting on any single signing just the fact that for every Ray Price we signed there will be another who failed. The one I was thinking of was a prop from the NRL who came over but with busted knees who I think played only a few games and then retired and no not Tronc.

Clinton o Brian I think .

Definitely Clinton o Brien, came to us from Newcastle knights, to be fair to the guy he came to us with knee issues and there it was always acknowledged by both the club and the guy that it might not work - effectively a paid trial - after 4 games he put his hand up and said he couldn’t perform.

Was a shame but don’t think it cost much to the club

Exactly. Clinton O'Brian wasn't exactly a failure
We tried. It didn't work. But he didn't stay so no harm.
As you said "I bet there's more" I assume you have others in mind ?

If I remember correctly apparat from the injuries O’Brian was also hit by the homesickness bug.

In the last 15 years with zoom and social media etc the world has shrunk even more. Yet even now coming to the North of England in the middle of winter is still a shock and I totally get that having experienced it.

Why it affects Aussies more than people of Somoan or Tongan decent I don’t know, but it does. You’d actually think it would be the other way around though I suspect it’s there support networks that help them through the transition.

I have full sympathy and it happens both ways, the majority of English players in the NRL return home at some point.

So it’s not just age or injuries, it’s deeper than that, you basically either like it here or you don’t. If you do you will probably do well even at 34.

All signings have a risk and reward factor. Proctor has plenty of risks, age and lifestyle. However the rewards could also be great. Such signings can also be less risky if you have the capacity to absorb the 'hit' if it dosnt work out.

My worry is not so much Proctor,it is that we have put too much of our budget on the line to sign him. Our squad is still pretty thin in a number of areas and there are some promising young players who need new contracts. I just hope we are not cutting back the depth of the squad to sign him

That doesn't count to that other poster though Pat - because they dont play for us.......

I’m fine if Proctor signs and if he comes with the motivation of leading Trinity’s pack then we could be getting a very good prop forward indeed. There is a degree of risk but if the coaches believe he has the motivation then they will take the plaudits or criticism for it.

If he has signed then I will be looking forward to seeing him and expecting big things from him.

TBF we've just lost Fifita, I'd imagine Proctor would command similar at this stage in his career. So yes its a big sum relatively speaking but it's still within budget and allows for other signings.

I'm not having a pop at you here, but we can't accuse MC of being tight on one hand and then accuse him of paying over the odds for players the next minute. The truth is in between. Most of our signings including Gaskell are on exactly the right market rate as far as I'm aware, whether they are worth it is subjective. Lineham is the only glaring error, not the wage, just the fact that he has totally lost it.

If we sign Proctor, I'm certain we won't have paid over the odds in any way. Whether he works out, it's that hindsight issue again.

My problem isn't his age as such, although it should always be a factor alongside many others when looking at signings. My problem with this signing is his form for the last 3 years has been poor and his attitude has matched that. He has not looked even close to the player he was and to hope he is just going to be able to flick a switch and turn it on is hopeful at best. Reading up he also has personal problems in Oz which quite possibly would affect his ability to settle, it would most people. It may be a great move for him and reinvigorate him and god knows we need it to. But it's a lot a cash for us tie up for 2 years on what in my opinion is a big gamble. Still thats what opinions are for and i very much hope i'm wrong.

Personally if it was a choice between the two experienced back row forwards (and i'm not sure we need both) then i'd have gone for Elijah Taylor. Already over here and settled, good attitude and excellent form as captain for Salford during his time here.

Proctor isn’t a prop forward. He’s second row.

And plays on the right.

Couple of things I like about this signing, 1. He is quite obviously desperate to play, he was desperately looking for a NRL club and when there were no takers he was willing to look for clubs over here, you would assume, with his CV, that financially that he doesn`t really have to do this (although I concede that is an educated guess) so that is a good sign that he`s coming to play 2. He gives us leadership that I think we have desperately lacked for some time now, the bloke has captained in the NRL for the only 2 clubs he has been at, this should tell you something about his leadership qualities.

You pick teams on form, whether that be in training or as the season starts, games. You don't have to sign players on form, it's a total red herring IMHO. You sign players because you have a role you think they can fill.

It's the oldest saying in the game, form is temporary, class is permanent. So the Titans have not been great for him, Cronulla was not great for Fifita. Whitbread did nothing at Leigh and so on. Probably the most striking ever was Solomona. You just can't tell for certain.

Could be a disaster, but any player can be, it could be the lads Indian summer, he may come here and just love it, a lot of older NRL players do. But the truth is all these parameters apply to all players, regardless of age, form or even perceived ability.

Generally agree with the principle, but he has played for the Titans for 5/6 seasons and made over a hundred appearances… and was capped by NZ during that time.. hardly a toxic relationship…

I didn't say toxic. TBH I don't really follow the NRL in a deep way like you do, certainly not the off field stuff, so I wouldn't really claim to know how he has been at the Titans, I'm going more on what others say.

As a player he's always impressed me and even if we only get 75% of the player he once was I'd be happy with that. Nobody, not even Saints can sign NRL players at the absolute pinnacle of their game,

Clean slate as ever for me.

It's official. Well... someone has updated Wikipedia lol

That generally means it's a done deal doesn't it...

Yeah, I didn't realise how easy it is to update Wiki...anyone can do it, so who else would you like me to add to the Trinity Wiki playing roster then...Tedesco, Cherry-Evans, Mitchell ????

TBH, I'm certain that's where League Express gets it's stories from.