I don't get why everyone is convinced we'll be getting a prop, i honestly don't think we will sign a prop.

Think Luauki will be the bad ass impact prop everyone keeps going on about needing.

I reckon we'll extend the contract of the 'project' Moa and i reckon with him and Luauki you have 2 impact players that given a little bit of time could match any teams in the league.

Props

8. Dowes
10. Cusack
18. Thackray
19. Luauki
24. Moa
25. Maloney
'"

So basically for me:

1. New Full back
2. Calderwood
3. New Centre
4. Yeaman
5. Raynor
6. R. Horne
7. Long
8. Dowes
9. Berrigan
10. New Prop
11. Radford
12. Tickle
13. Washbrook
14. Fitzgibbon
15. King
16. Manu
17. G. Horne
18. Thackray/New British prop
19. Lauaki
20. Houghton
21. Briscoe
22. Tansey
23. Lee
24. Whiting
25. Maloney
26. Burnett

Released:
Motu Tony - too injury prone, and not the star full back we need. Good servant to the club though and will be sad to see him leave if he goes.
Todd Byrne - Already gone.
Chris Thorman - Because he'd rubbish. Would have maybe kept him as a back-up half-back, but we've got Tansey in now who can cover this position (unless we've signed him as a permanent FB, in which case I'd consider keeping Thorman as back-up).
Peter Cusack - Need to use our quota positions better. Cusack has been solid, but so have all our props. We need more than solid. We need tackle busters and yard gainers. We need to replace Carvell.
Craig Hall - I know he's contracted until 2010, but he just isn't good enough. If he's as good as people say, I'm sure someone will be willing to take him off us. His future does not lie at Hull FC I'm afraid, and with so many people in front of him in the pecking order for centre, not to mention I never wanna see him at FB again in my life, what's left for him?
Sam Moa - Could do better. Maloney is also a project. We don't need two projects.
Possibly Thackray if we sign Lynch, but only because he'd out of contract. I'd prefer to keep him over King, but we'd struggle I feel.

Not seen Josh Hodgson play so won't comment.

6-7 out. 6-7 in. All better players in. Could even say 7-8 out if you include Crocker!

Before the injury last April he only missed 4 games in over two years, one of the best records at the club.

Fair point, but I stand by the rest.

I cannot understand why anybody wants the club to sign Mark O'Mealy, he has been terrible for the last 3 years and is living off his reputation. The Guy cannot even get in the 2nd worst team in the NRL at present. Plus he has a bad reputation off the pitch as well. AVOID HIM !!

Beat me to it!

We need someone like Kite.

Lauaki is a second rower. If we play him at prop, we aren't guaranteed a big tackle-busting prop.

Yes I know Luauki is a second Row, i'm saying i think that is Hull have signed him to use him as an impact prop. Hence i don't think we'll get another.

Moa is a project, but so is Maloney. How many projects do we need? Only so many squad places.
We also have King until the end of 2010.

Moa and Maloney are 2 props from different moulds, both defo worth keeping for a couple of years minimum as i feel they'll develop there games well imo. Especially if we are to continue the out with the old in with the new after this season too. ie end of 2010.

I think King will defo go some how some way.

I'd release Cusack and Moa and bring in a big bad prop on the quota to replace Cusack. If we sign Lynch, I'd still look to bring in an Aussie enforcer prop (and then don't sign up Thacks if we do). Thacks has been good for us, but Lynch is better, and given the option of big Aussie prop+Lynch or Lynch+Thacks, I know which I'd pick.

8. Dowes
10. New Aussie prop
15. King
18. Thackray or Lynch
19. Lauaki
25. Maloney


Don't forget...

23. Lee

I never forgot Lee he was down in the utility back slot with Hodgson.

Not to mention Lauaki, although we're probably gonna play him at prop.
Do we really need 5-6 second rowers?!

Like i say i think Luauki has been signed as an impact prop. So 5 for Second Row, yes why not. It would keep all of them on there toes fighting for a spot in the team, enough to cover injuries even if we get a couple, all of them are capable of doing a job so wouldn't need to worry. Keep them rotating throughout the season so they remain fresh for the full season with nobody burning out half way through or come business end.

It's a shame that loose forward at Hull now means "third second-rower". Whiting will never get a shot there as they seem to prefer a second-rower there before either of our actual loose forwards.

Agree with this but, i can see us reverting back to a ball playing Loose as opposed to an extra Prop/Second Row for next season.

Wonder how much we have left to spend on next year's cap?

In

Fitzgibbon
Long
Tansey

Out

Crocker (his wages at least)
Byrne
Motu?
Cusack?
Thorman?
Thacks?
Hall?
Moa?
G Horne?

Byrne, Motu and Cusack will have been on a decent wedge, with thorman not far behind I reckon, but the other 3 won't be on a stack so unless we can offload some more then I'd have thought we'll only see 1 more top class signing with another lower profile one maybe

I don't think we will keep all the props we've got, which is why I think we'll get another. And we need one. We never replaced Carvell.


I think we should release King, but like I say he's contracted. If someone comes in for him, great. But we'd have to pay him off otherwise.
Suppose it's the same with Hall.


He's pretty much a hooker now. If not, we'd have to question what role Berrigan has out of hooker and utility




Yes, 5 second rowers fighting for a spot is good, but there are only 2 spots (3 if we have one on the bench), where as we always have 4 props in the 17. Having more props in the squad is better than second rowers IMO.


I personally can't. We've got Radford (captain), Tickle and now Fitzgibbon, with Manu off the bench. I can't see us dropping any of them.

couple more to come in and a few to go out,as the saying goes you cant polish a turd

we will be very strong next year in all positions and should be up there competing with the big boys with agar in charge,the team will then be the one that hes assembled and he will of got rid of the players he thinks are holding us back,then we can judge him.

before anyone says owt this is only my opinion

I did read somewhere that we were close to signing a well know prop.. and the deal was almost done

I have look for it but cannot find the statement ..I think the next 2 signings will be a prop/and centre ..just my opinion

Mark O'meley? Brent Kite?

Notice we are signing English players .... leaving room for a couple of Quota signings still TBA.

And I agree with that. I had the same opinion after Sharp was sacked. You had to look at the players he'd brought in, and how long we'd be stuck with them before you could truly see what sorta job Agar can do. He's taken us from 2nd bottom to CCF and play-off contenders in a year with a squad that is still not what he's fully after and some nightmares in the recruitment department (i.e. Visas!). Next year will be a good year for us if the signings continue.

The deadwood is being cleared out.

To be announced after the State of Origin?

I hope the two to come in are a prop and a centre, then imo our squad would be complete and we should be right up there challenging next season. I hope RA can turn it all around in 2010.

Exactly so how do we plan for him being our first choice centre? We can't. we can try him there and see how he goes but imo he won't be first choice centre next season.

Which is exactly what happened with Yeamo, during Eagar's year of injury. Briscoe needs time playing at this level in the centre first.

What if we signed a Lee Gilmour/Chris Nero type player, predominantly as a tackle-busting second row, but who can play centre very well if needed. That would give us options in the pack with Lauaki and Fitzgibbon (who can play prop or second row), plus provide some cover (along with Whiting) if Briscoe is struggling in the centre.

I'd sooner sign a Jamie Lyon type centre.

I heard last week his visa worries were sorted and he would be announced this week.
Wonder what happened to that then !!!!!!?!?!?!?!

FWIW i think Briscoe will make an outstanding centre. The yards he makes from acting half from a realtive standing start should give us encouragement for when he is bursting onto passes from Long. Calderwood will have a field day outside Briscoe

Don't worry, Alan Johnson as just become home secretary ..... might even be worth trying to get Crocker in again now.

I still see Briscoe as the answer to a centre position. Depends if next year will come to soon but i'd like to see him given a go. Briscoe and Hall sharing the role. Spend the spare cash on another quality halfback.

not necessarily as we have not seen any sort of ball handling skills from Briscoe which all top centres have (gidley for exemple). Not saying that he can't/will not do it but without seeing him play there we may have just another finisher at cetnre