True but surely we would have being better with one (quality) new player than 2 average player in Martin/Aspinwall.

I thought the day's of average was behind us.

You got him.

We've got three quality backrowers, supposedly a couple of young playeds pushing for first team selection and a general agitation for the latter to get more chances. This signing brings in very experienced back row cover but not a signing that would signal a lack of opportunity for the academy players. Seems quite sensible to me. I'm not a big Aspinwall fan at all, but understand the signing in the context of our squad.

Absolute sheite signing. We get promised big name signings and cas and crusader cast offs is what we get

Has he still got his tag on?

The Manu deal must have fell through last minute then.

The Mail says that McRae identified Aspinwall as a potential target and sent Gentle tapes of him. Gentle agreed that he'd be a good addition to the squad.

Not exactly over whelmed with this announcement. However he is only on a 1 year contract thankfully and think he is being brought in simply as back up. As with Martin, I will welcome him to Hull FC and give him his chance.

What a sack of cack. So Pearson promises us that he'll show us where the club is heading and we sign Martin and Aspinwall. Well ill tell you where the heading and thats excatly the same as its been for the last five years. Fooking joke!

Another McRae signing for me, average at best. Our recruitment for next year hasn't been bad Seymour, Heremia, McKinnon & Lynch will make us stronger but I am concerned by the this and the Martin signings.

I think you can credit this signing to Andy Hay.

Last year when Aspinwall had being jailed Cas could quite easily have terminated his contract they stood by him. He came back went straight into the team for the CC Cup semi then played the last few games but wasn't offered a new deal. The old coaching staff must have been more impressed by him than the new.

For what its worth I see Aspinwall as the type of player Cas should have kept, he gets the job done works hard and carries with enough strength, a solid player but no more really (I do realise I'm not telling you anything you don't already know). Whilst I would have kept him at Cas I am suprised to see him joining Hull.

Is Gentle wondering why Cas play in Claret and Gold?

I expect so like 90% of the people who live in East Hull, he joined the wrong club.

I dont think its a bad signing. He fits what we required as an experienced back rower to provide back up. Anyone expecting a world class signing at this stage is silly for believing the daft rumours. Like he says in that interview he has had a lot hanging over him lately. If he puts that behind him and works hard to get back to his form of a few seasons ago then we could have made a very good signing.

Judge them on who they sign next season IMO. When Pearson/Mcrae/Gentle arrived most of next years salary cap had already been spent.

I'm not over the moon with this signing, but we need another forward and it is only for 1 season.

Who's his agent?

I was genuinely excited for the coming season and beyond and with the Martin signing i was prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt but now Aspinwall!!!

If the club had signed a quality centre and back rower then the squad would of been lifted to top four next year and then the year after we could of become genuine contenders but these two signings mean 6-8th position beckons and basically another season writen off imo and being genuine contenders is yet another season away.

I bet you've got people rushing to our favourite agents website.

Agree with this. A 1 year deal can be extended, but if he turns out to be poor, we can get rid easily enough.

Maybe Gentle will want to set his stall out next year and challenge for both trophies, but really push on in 2013 when he has his own team...

Not the signing that some thought! But he'll do a job for us next season, as will Martin.
As these are both just 1yr deals is it possible that Mcrae/Gentle have long term quality signings lined up for the 2013 season, when they become available??
Dont understand for some why the season is already over as its not Sika Manu or the like? We'll have a strong season next year and will surprise a few people, by the looks of it mainly our own fans!

We release a quality player in Obst and sign a violent criminal, nothing seems to have changed, disappointed to say the least.

I agree with that!

Obst can play backrow now? What happened to second chances?

Jesus Christ Bomber what are you playing at? awful signing. I would rather we kept the money in the pot until someone decent came along.

The problem is that while Aspinwall is a decent player he's maybe not to the standard us fans [ithink[/i we should have.

That's partly the fault of the Rumours thread. Names get chucked about in there and all of a sudden we're signing half the Aussie squad. When we don't people are disappointed. Madness.

In an ideal world, I wouldn't have signed Aspinwall, but
a) who else is available?
b) who can we afford?
c) who is off quota?
d) who wants to come to Hull FC?