In which case, I'd feel a lot happier about things if he did sign.



Maybe they would but I don't see Agar moving Briscoe to centre (no matter how much I think he would excel there).



Perhaps so. I know choosing a player is a balancing act between who is actually available and what they bring to a team. There's no doubt that Meli is proven but for me we ought not to be looking at signing players who are on the slope to retirement. I think it sends the wrong message, a negative statement of intent. What his injury record like ??

no point doing it anytime soon, i just want to hear about some signings really just to keep from being bored during the week

Pretty good appearance record. Missed a few at the beginning of 2009 due to visa issues.

[urlhttp://www.slstats.org/p734/Francis+Meli.html[/url

That's something that would be taken into account then. Although previous performance is no guarantee of future performances

Surely signing a long term winger will send the wrong message to Reece Lyne or to any other of the young players coming through at our club? Did signing Fitz or Long send out a negative statement of intent?

I think so. The rumour is a two year deal for Meli. If I'd had smoke blown up my young backside by all and sundry about my emerging talent and being the future of the club, I think I would be interpretting the signing of a player such as Meli as being the wrong message.



In a fashion, I think it did. And I'm not doubting the class of Fitz or Long here and their ability to influence games. I wouldn't put Meli in the same bracket as those two. Like I said in a previous post, it's a trade off between who is available and who you'd like. Signing a top draw player who is in their prime is a genuine statement of intent for me. I freely admit I don't have the inside track about who gets paid what and for how long (unlike some

), but the general consensus is that Long has a lucrative deal so money is available to be spent on other players. Whether we could afford transfer fees is another matter. We have this wage stucture and Agar is loathed to break it - fine, but at which point does something like this become a barrier to signing a player who you could build a team around ?

Meli on a two year deal does not make him a long term winger.

I don't think Lyne is ready to be a first choice winger yet, in two years time he will be and could use two years as understudy to Meli to his advantage.

But relative to signing a long-term winger e.g. Will Sharp signing Meli could be seen as someone for you to learn off. Meli's got one of the best tries per game ratios in the league this year and averages more than a try a game.


When was the last time any team signing a player in his prime and built a team around that player? A lot of teams are built around their youth e.g. Our team in 2006, Leeds' team of the last 3 seasons, Wigan this year. To be succesful with youth you have to bring in experience too, something we desperately lacked last year. When is a player is his prime? late 20's is said to be the age a prop hits his prime, is O'Meley not a geniune statement of intent?

Our team will be built upon youngsters like Tom Briscoe and Danny Houghton not on a signing of a player in his prime IMO.

That's my point

Richie Myler ?? Tony Smith has stated he's building the Wire team team around him and he's probably some way off his best rugby yet.

I'm sorry, but it doesn't matter what you post I just start sing childishly at your user name.

So he's not in his prime?

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... eague.html

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... eague.html

Alright mate !
I thought if an exempt player changed clubs , Then he would count back on his new clubs quota ?.

This is how I understand (and I use the term loosely) the quota system rules

Realise why he has to be there for now - we've little other option - but Agar himself has repeatedly said he sees Briscoe ending up as centre.

Just think a talent like that is wasted on the wing. A player of this potential needs to be inside amongst the play. Frustrates me almost as much as seeing Whiting on the wing.

Just goes to show how much the national press pays attention, so much wrong in one small paragraph.

Maybe we could sign kieran cunningham to replace berro if he decides to head back home?

If Berro did go home I'd really like us to sign Chad Randell, but he'd count on the quota

Well if berro went we would have a spot but would rather have rangi chase

I thought that rule had changed and that once you are exempt you remain exempt regardless of whether you change clubs or not, of course i may be wrong

Really don't want us to sign Meli. Will be 32 a couple of months into next season, has played progressively less games over the last 3 seasons, yet will still likely demand a big salary and only come for a 2-year deal.

I could see the benefits of the Shaun Long signing outweighing the risks, but I'm afraid I just can't with this one.

Agree with this. always liked Chase - a smart half back with lots of pace.

So people have to reveal who told them what, but you say nothing about yours

You be a good poker player