Make as many snide comments as you like about the kid and his choices but the fact is it's not as unusual has you make out for players to walk away from pro sport and you have no idea about the kids personal or psychological circumstances after his illness. He may feel now is the right time to get back to fulltime sport in an environment with not nearly as much pressure as the NRL.

Time will tell whether this is a good or poor signing but for now and every time he (if it comes off) pulls on the jersey he'll have my support.

Well said

My disappointment isn't with Talanoa, it's with whoever signed him.

Give the guy a break

He went from never touching a ball in 2004 to $200,000 AUD contract in 2006.
He must have something about him

I don't blame him for not wanting to play again quickly after having a liter of liquid taken out of his lungs when he had pneumonia.

He's never even played a game yet and loads of you questioning the guy.

Spot on. All the signings will get my backing. My pass money is being invested by Pearson, If it doesn't pay off then that's sport. Not every signing will be a world-beater. Sheldon's not a passholder, doesn't attend games over here either so its not really an issue for him.

We put up with Dowes and Graeme Horne for years and they were the very definition of average.

We have signed Tuson, Paea and Feka. A very good set of forwards and now a powerful centre. We've addressed the Holdsworth issue (at great expense to Pearson) and are signing a replacement. What more do people want?

This didn't happen, he signed for a ru club.

Please, he hasn't played centre for 5 years.

What people want is better recruitment.

No what most people want is to give the Guy a Chance

Why? Are we a half way house?

If you check my posts I don't think I've ever been any thing than positive on our signings.

Happy to give him a chance even if his previous career hasn't exactly set the world on fire.

If he's been sold the AP/Radders philosophy and has bought in, then let's just see what he can do. A player who wants to play for us (even if its all about getting a better deal down under later on) is better than 2 or 3 who aren't bothered.

I'm actually trying to work out what he's actually done to you as your really down on the guy.

This.

For a young guy to have scored 40 odd trys is 90 or so games in the NRL, he must have something about him. Yes it maybe a gamble but with the Club wanting & looking to get in a decent half back and the cap looking as though it wasn't well managed by SM & PG, plus the problems inherited after RA days then its worth a shot.

Lest be honest its pretty slim pickings out there for quality the days of signing top drawer players from the NRL are long gone. Plus even when we have can anyone say we have had value for them? Looking at wingers as an example Matt Sing, Blacklock both prolific and big names when in NRL but didnt do that well for us, Colin Best wasn't a huge name at all and started off here awfully but is still today one of the best wingers we've had in years.

Lets see how he goes in SL before we write him off.

There's nothing to work out, he's not a good signing.

He's playing centre. This from senior coaching last night.

Its easy to ask for better recruitment but the players are NOT available. Name an available 6 or 7 in Super League and NRL that won't blow open our Salary Cap.

How simple it is to sit at a desk and moan about wanting their own choice of players. It must be devastating when the phone doesn't ring from a coach wanting your advice.

He hasn't played for us yet. What a stupid statement.

Quote ="easthullwesty"Nice interview with him here: www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rug ... 6589455147 The guy had made nearly 100 appearances in the NRL and has a try ratio of nearly 1 in 2. He must have something about him, and I'm pretty certain that he'll be an improvement on crookes.'" Sounds like the making of a movie here, welcome to Hull FC Fetuli .

Quote ="easthullwesty"Nice interview with him here: www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rug ... 6589455147 The guy had made nearly 100 appearances in the NRL and has a try ratio of nearly 1 in 2. He must have something about him, and I'm pretty certain that he'll be an improvement on crookes.'" Sounds like the making of a movie here, welcome to Hull FC Fetuli .

Why? Whats that got to do with Talanoa?

Not really, i'm jealous of you though and your contacts.

Well As neither of us have ever seen him play in the Superleague think it's best we wait and see how actually goes before making that decision, there's been plenty of others that have been deemed not good enough for the NRL and have turned out to be good enough for Superleague

and yet again another topic taken over by the d1cks who know absolutely F4CKALL about a person, about the FACTS surrounding the signing and act like little squabbling girls.....I wonder why 99.8% of members don't bother on here.

Why not just shut the f4ck up, support the signing, support you coaches and owners decision making FFS.

COYH

So we shouldn't express our opinions on a forum?

When anyone signs we should just point out the good things that player has done and never criticize or question?

What a great forum that would be.

Most of us are willing to give the guy a chance, There's just one who seems to have a right downer on the guy and seems unwilling to give him a chance in Superleague

You mentioned our recruitment. I'm asking who's available and how you know they are ACHING to sign for us. You don't take into account personal preference. We might have money to spend but if you try and force a player to sign with massive money, they won't bother putting in the effort and won't settle. Their agent will be the only happy person in the deal.

I can't wait to see your meltdown when we announce the new stand-off and the "project". I have a feeling you'll have something to say on them.

Give him a chance? How can I do that? Or do you mean not give opinions about him?

There's expressing an opinion and then looking like you have a serious downer on a player as right now you are.

the problem is and you have to realise is most of us haven't seen him play and are willing to give him a chance and no matter how you look at it the NRL is much tougher than Superleague

What are you talking about? I'm talking about Hull FC agreeing a deal with Talanoa.

I'm well aware how hard it is to attract the top players to Hull.