I think it's daft to imagine that the club are deliberately positioning themselves for 6-8 finishes from now on. I also think that next year's squad is shaping up to be better than that already and our recruitment isn't finished yet. In short, I think that your post has zero merit.

You said someone is coming from the other side of the city. I assumed you meant Hedon or similar

Can't see it mate.
I think he still wants to play, and if its a choice between coaching here and playing at somewhere like Widnes, it's no contest. He won't get another deal as good as the one he's got now from us, he may from Widnes.

Pretty sure Heremai was playing as a makeshift scrum-half when Leigh upset Rovers in the 2006 Northern Rail Cup Final, but I don't think he pulled up any trees at Halifax.

Worryingly, he did the "dirty" on Fax and reneged on a contract to return home early to the New Zeland feeder leagues because he was allegedly "homesick".

I know it was a surprise when he resurfaced at the Warriors but, from the few games I saw last season, he certainly 'did a job' in their problem position of hooker.

Will be pushing 30 when he arrives and wouldn't have been looked at twice by a side with designs on the top four under normal circumstances. But is this a sign of lesser-quality Aussies returning to the fold (in view of higher salaries in the NRL)?

I just hope Heremaia's head is ok after the tragic loss of still-born twins recently?

Hes not even 29 now so how can he be pushing 30 ?



Thats tragic about his twins

goo.gl/v0oF8 Looks like there is method in the madness, is Longy feeling the pressure of Hull signing another 6/7/9? Keep him fit and get us to Wembley

goo.gl/v0oF8 Looks like there is method in the madness, is Longy feeling the pressure of Hull signing another 6/7/9? Keep him fit and get us to Wembley

I thought Obst signed a 2 year deal anyway?.

He did,so won't be going anywhere.

6) Obst,Nicklas
7)Long,Ellis,Williams,

9)Houghton,Heremaia

Possibly the end of Horne,and use the £50k ruling on Yeaman?

So is Heremaia.

The Smith is not only a 80 min player he kicks goals!

It doesn't always work, take Lockyer.

I think so, definately. And Hull have done well to get in early - pickings are going to be thinner for everybody. The so-called 'has-beens' will be a year or two older, the 'never-going-to-be's' slightly poorer. It'll be interesting to see if some clubs go for perhaps just 3 non-fed players, spending big on them, and make up the numbers with kids or go for more depth. Certainly, developing your own players and signings like Ellis have become economic necessities, rather than requiring virtue and selflessness (always unlikely in a competitive environment). None are jaw-dropping, but I think these three signings are a decent blend.




Turns 29 in 5 weeks though. By the time he debuts 29 and 1/2, which tbf is pushing 30. Late developer though so his body shouldn't have been put through the mill too much and on a two-year deal shouldn't be a massive concern.

I think its a real good signing , can play 7 or 9 and is a good age . We were never get a Cronk or thurston and he got bags of experience .hope he sees it as a fresh start maybe due to awful tragedy that happened to him

Very strange signing. Seems we've gone for who's available rather than who's needed. The only positive for me is that he can kick in open play, and we're crying out for someone that can do that. Unfortunately, it's looking like when all are fit, Long and Horne will still be our best two half's, and Obst and Heremaia will both be competing with Houghton for hooker. I just can't see the logic in this unless we're fully aware of how injury prone McKinnon is, and we're expecting Horne to play lots of games at fullback, forcing one of the hookers into the half's. I can't see Ellis getting too many games next year.

Be slightly surprised if you keep both Long and Horne now, tbh.

Think Ellis might play more than some are anticipating - he'll be 22 in October and is a stand-out player at table-topping Leigh.

Halfs - Ellis and Long [ior[/i Horne.
Hooker - Houghton and Heremaia.
Cover/competition for both (and if Horne stays, maybe indirectly fullback) - Obst.

Bit of a head scratcher this one, and has been mentioned, it must surely signal the end for Long or Horne.

When Gleeson signed for 18 months, I was convincd that Long would get another 12 months out of us and that feeling intensified when we signed Ellis earlier this week.

If this is to be the end of Long or Horney, I hope it is Richard who gets a new contract. He is younger than Longy and has looked more like his old self this season compared to the previous 2 years, plus we might need him to cover at FB when McKinon IS injured. Longy struggles to string half a dozen games together and maybe knows his body is telling him it's time to ring the bell on his career and move on to his next venture, hopefully a coaching position with us.

sounds like a good signing to me.

berro rates him highly, as does kearney...which i wouldn't go against their words. he's recently been caled to play for NZ (world cup and 4 nation winners) has experience in the UK and NRL(playing 40+ times this season and strong defender), mainly hooker so rotate with houghton, leaving obst and horney or long to fight for a contract and ellis as cover...plenty of ball handlers in the squad, which i've not seen at FC since i started supporting FC.

The Lauaki, Phelps and Fitzy looking like theyre heading out, Moa, Obst not on O.S.Q we will have another spot free...hoping for a new forward, Moa sign up and rumour is Taylor is waiting for FC to make an offer as he is a FC fan an wants to play for us...

Seems to be a strange signing to me and just another obst type player (although may be better). Signifies to me that obst will be one of our 1st choice halfs next season

If thats the case lets move quick, not seen much of him but gets good reports from kr fans i know

Hes a good player, defo just a 9 though. Big and mobile so hope he plays like a cross between Swain and Houghton and I'd expect him to start with Houghton coming off the bench and running the ball a lot more as an impact player.

I think people are looking to far into it.

We'll re sign Long or sign another Half, We'll re sign Moa and Lauaki and either re sign Fitz or replace him.

FB McKinnon - Whiting - Briscoe
W Briscoe - Sharp - Lyne
C Gleeson - Yeaman - Turner - Crooks
S/O Horne - Obst - Nicklas
H/B Long - Ellis - Williams
H Heremaia - Houghton - Newton

Good cover in the backs and hooker.

Looks to me that we have planned for plenty of cover for next season, and given lots of space to patiently develop these youngsters, without putting pressure on them.

I now hope that Long stays at least another year in some sort of capacity, to help with their development.

i agree with you about ellis, he hasn't been signed to play in the u20s, brough was also 22 when he starred in the cup final for us, so i think ellis has been signed to play

all the new signings so far are decent without being stand out, hopefully we'll mould everyone into a decent team without a big star name

I don`t see us re-signing Lauaki and i think Fitz will retire

Lostyorkie wrote:Lol do you think I'm being optimistic Kosh?

I think it's daft to imagine that the club are deliberately positioning themselves for 6-8 finishes from now on. I also think that next year's squad is shaping up to be better than that already and our recruitment isn't finished yet. In short, I think that your post has zero merit.


Kosh our coach and directors have demonstrated their inability to forward plan consistently over the last couple of years. So we agree that the club are not deliberately planning this. However their inability to plan for the future results in our slow and steady decline. This signing is hardly inspirational and I feel reflects our long term desire to be anything but a mediocre side. Hence my ironic comment re planning for 6-8. Perhaps my irony is guilty of being to
subtle.?

well i am a optimist ,think the signings are a mix of young and old, hopefully there can jell,and with rumours of more to come hey lets roll, at least we are getting our half back and kicking game sorted,and getting our signings early,comeeeeeeee onnnnn uu uulllaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I think the coach has taken a gamble by signing McKinnon and Heremaia but hopefully both will turn out to be decent acquisitions for us. If Long does go though, we haven't got an on-field general in the squad. I know Ellis is highly rated but will leading the team be dropped on his shoulders in his first season at this level? I'm not so sure. I personally think that if he's good enough then he should be given that chance but during the past two or three years we've rarely seen any of our promising youngsters (Danny Houghton excepted) given a proper run in the side.