I carnt see the club bring some one from NZ not to play !..Strange signing indeed.

Do we know he's definitely a quota player?

So, so far. Two of; Lauaki, Fitz and Phelps have gone. So no more overseas then.
Maybe Scott Taylor to come then and another prop???

The way we play he won't be playing loose forward.

Well either way he's overseas trained so we can still only have the 5......

I am wondering this. He is currently in the best form of his career and recently got a test call up so must be doing well. If he has been signed as a hooker then he and Houghton will share the role, that means no need for Obst to play there. If he is signed as a half then along with Ellis I would imagine one of Horne or Long won't be here next season.

Assuming he will play hooker:-

9)Houghton/Heremaia

6/7) Horne, Long. Ellis and Obst

One will leave I would imagine.

We certainly have cover in the halves now!!

I hope he does play 9 as I think it will benefit Houghton not playing the full 80 every week.

He was Leigh's No. 7 in the 2006 season, so Webbo will know all about his limitations in that position. I still recall the little ginner completely outplaying him at Craven Park on Easter Monday when we thrashed Leigh. Saying that, he clearly has improved his game with a switch in positions. Certainly better at hooker than anything we currently have at Rovers, but no way a SL standard 7.

May get an exemption as per manu due to him playing here before

You've got Heremaia at 13???

He'll play 9, Agar already said he gives us option around the ruck.

Quote ="Sheldon"The way we play he won't be playing loose forward.'" Not sure where he will play, judging by the NZ warriors fans he had a great season last year with them. forums.leagueunlimited.com/showt ... p?t=376606 But this was at hooker. He will be on quota depsite him being here early in his career. As I think it only counts if you had a contract signed in the UK in 2008. He would be a great signing if we needed a hooker.

Quote ="Sheldon"The way we play he won't be playing loose forward.'" Not sure where he will play, judging by the NZ warriors fans he had a great season last year with them. forums.leagueunlimited.com/showt ... p?t=376606 But this was at hooker. He will be on quota depsite him being here early in his career. As I think it only counts if you had a contract signed in the UK in 2008. He would be a great signing if we needed a hooker.

Couldn't think of where to play.

End of Obst then?

No point of having 3 hookers (well paid ones).

Let's see here... looking forward to working with young hooker Houghton, will give us options around the ruck.... I wonder where he's going to be playing? Now let me go and finish off that rocket I've been working on.

Or the end of Horne/Long.

Ellis will be back up and won't come straight into the side imo.

So it leave Horne/Long/Obst to play 6/7 with Heremaia/Houghton sharing the hooking role.

McKinnon
Briscoe
Yeaman
Gleeson
Sharp/Whiting
Horne/Long/Obst
Horne/Long/Obst
O'Meeley
Houghton
Moa (Hopefully)
Tickle
Manu
Westerman

Radford
Dowes/A N Other
Heremaia
A N Other backrow

Maybe gives us plenty of options at halfback and hooker which can only be good.

Can't wait to hear what the pitch announcer makes of his name!

I personally think this will be the end for Longy, can see Obst been the starting 7 with Ellis covering for him with Horne at 6, time will tell i suppose.

think its better than blowing money on another shaun berrigan, lets hope he is a similar player to rangi chase

I doubt he's on the non fed list, quota yes but I don't think we'll have wasted a non fed spot.

It means we could re sign both Moa and Lauaki and still have a space on both lists.

More half backs hookers and play makers than you can shake a stick at next season....That'll do for me! I remember he has a superb kicking game but not much more from his appearance in the Anzac test and for the Warriors. There's a pattern here, perhaps someone has realise at last that we don't seem to have a decent kicker!!!

This is the main question really. being here 2006-08 may create that dispensation as he didn't play MRL until after this date.- I am not saying I want us to go down this route its just a query really.

Manu is exempt because of the residency rule. He's effectively English as he's been in the country for 5 consecutive years. Heremaia hasn't!!

I'd be staggered if Obst was our replacement for Long. Obst is a hooker and half-decent cover for 7 (which is way better than we've had over the past few years) but he is not a first class 7. You just have to look at the Huddersfield game to see how leaderless we were and to demonstrate Obst's lack of a kicking game - particularly long kicks - hell, he couldn't even find touch with a penalty kick (wrong option again). With Long we'd have taken Hudds to the cleaners.

Long for one more year for me to ween Ellis into the role.

If you're getting rid of Obst we will have him please. Exactly what we are looking for!!

Long is not under contract and Obst is, whichever one it is we also have Ellis to back them up so there are options.