Berro has been playing centre all year.

Well one thing is for sure we are going to have tons of cover (ALA Hudds) in all the important thought process areas next year... This lad comes very highly recommended indeed and anyone who saw the 2010 ANZAC test will know he is a stopper too!! good feet, quick from the PTB and a few good years in him...
looks a very exiting and skillful squad for next year doesnt it??

we now have two or three for next year with a proven kicking ability which is nice

He didn't play in the last Anzac day test.

Correct. Fien hooked and Luke came off the bench.

Have they? How?

They've demonstrated distinctly variable judgement in recruitment and retention, certainly. I don't see any evidence of a lack of forward planning though. You may not agree with their plan for the future but there is plenty of evidence that they have one and are sticking to it.


These two sentences are contradictory. You say that you don't believe they are deliberately planning for mediocrity and then say that mediocrity is our long term ambition. Which is it?

Why would a club with mediocre ambitions spend up to the cap and pay transfer fees for player?


Perhaps you don't understand irony?

In what way have they failed to forward plan?

I assume you would rather us throw money at a big name has
been? Great example of forward planning.

Heremaia is currently playing as starting hooker for a team sitting near the top of the NRL, you dont get anywhere in any level of rugby without a decent hooker and the style the aussies play makes the hooker just about the most important position on the field. The guy was a late starter and is currently playing easily the best rugby of his career. He also has a good injury record. This comes in the back of us signing an exciting young 7 and a classy full back who lives to support the ball (arguably our biggest problem in recent years). You might like to put the club down at any opportunity but personally I like where we are going.

I agree but if and when Lauaki and Fitz leave, our pack will start to look incredibly threadbare. We really need one big quality forward or maybe two.

Fairly typical of one of ICECREAMAN's posts.

I thought you were trying to strengthen the side for 2012, then I remebered Richard Agar was your head coach.

I hate half term.

Westerman will step into Fitzys shoes, we'll sign a young English lad as a 5th prop (maybe Taylor) and Green and Kent will be given a bit more of a chance.

sorry pal edditted for acuracy

No bother bud, I suspected a few might not have noticed this years Anzac. It gets played pretty early in aus (may).

He is in the form of his life though and when players take a few years out they can normally add it to the end of their careers.

We now need one/two signings imo in the forwards and the sqaud will be done. We will have a quota spot so that will probably be used for one forward.

We are looking in good shape I feel.

I would agree with you Paul, if we can sign a tough as teak prop and maybe promote a back rower up from the u20`s we would have a strong looking squad.

We don't even have enough non fed spots for all 3 do we?

Don't think so.

O'Meeley, Moa,Heremaia and McKinnon will take up four spots so we will have room for one more which could be a new player or renew either Phelps, Fitz or Lauaki.

Like you say depends who is available but I reckon that lauaki could get a new contract

Personally, think we just need a prop to replace Lauaki.
If Fitz leaves replace him in the squad with Kent/Cunningham/Green.

Yeah man I just miss typed forgetting the last one (which was a bit of a non event to be fair wasnt it) sorry anyway pal.
Know what you mean, the good thing about him is as they say he has been a later bloomer so his body is fairly intact and reports back from Berro seem to state he is tailor made for SL and could just be that missing link we have had for a while

RA , JR & KH do seem to be filling the holes with tailor made guys for next year dont they??? really looking forward to seeing this lad especially comes with great revues... glad you think he has been playing well as you get to see them more often than we do ... PS dont forget the young lad is on sky tonight everyone!!

in one way its a nice postition to be in for a change isnt it to have choices, but wouldnt like to loose any of those to be honest however given the choice i would squeeze another year out of Craig IMO
But then Cam is so versatile, but then Hame is not a prop and has tons to give

like i said .....


the agar out threads have dried up a tad, and where are those funny little banners recently

Lets be honest, when it's all said and done McKinnon and Heremaia are not the sort of signings for a club with serious designs on silverware are they?

One a 30-something full-back who never got near an Origin call-up, even before he had his knee reconstructed; The other a late-developing hooker who never set the world alight in our own national leagues a few years back.

Credit to the club for striking early, but I wouldn't imagine Wigan or Warrington wouldn't look twice at either player.

Just compare them to St Helens' two overseas signings so far. World Cup and Four Nations winner Lance Hoihaha and recently-capped Kangaroo Anthony Laffranchi!

You're right, we should be signing Slater, Marshall, Thurston, Smith, Scott, Creagh and Gallen. Once we tell them of our ambition, they're bound to come.

Wake up and smell the exchange rate and Aussie cap.

Also to add that some of Hull's better imports have been lesser known: Shayne McMenemy is a great example of a player who we signed from struggling Halifax and got more than our money's worth out of him.

Really happy with this signing, been saying we have needed an experienced hooker to interchange with Houghton since Berro has left. Seems as though he was a slow starter, but by all accounts he's in the form of his life and playing really well. To have experienced players in the same positions as our current younger players is great for the future, too.

The club are clearly being proactive about signing more creative players in our pivotal positions for both medium and long term. To be in a situation were we have too many halves/hookers can only be a good thing, putting the the club in a position to pick and choose the players who they want.

Busy week for Hull, brilliant stuff!