Does he join us next season ?

Let's try that (although I like Radders) with who we've got (plus known signings) - you'll have to remind me who I've missed.

1 Tony
2 Calderwood
3 Yeaman
4 Briscoe/Hall
5 Raynor
6 Horne/Washbrook
7 Long/Lee
8 Dowes/Thackray/Moa
9 Berrigan/Houghton/Hodgson
10 Cusack/King/Maloney
11 Manu/G Horne
12 Tickle/Burnett
13 Fitzgibbon/Washbrook/Whiting

Sounds lovely dunnit?

Finch Long Berro sounds better.

Lauaki.

d'oh

Crocker...... oh wait.....

try again

1 Tony
2 Calderwood
3 Yeaman
4 Briscoe/Hall
5 Raynor
6 Horne/Washbrook
7 Long/Lee
8 Dowes/Thackray/Moa
9 Berrigan/Houghton/Hodgson
10 Cusack/King/Maloney
11 Manu/Lauaki/G Horne
12 Tickle/Burnett
13 Fitzgibbon/Washbrook/Whiting

Shaun Long Background information

As it is a while till the next Diary I thought you might find this interesting it comes from various friends over the pennines and although you might not believe it I know it to be 100% true because i know the folks involved.

late last week the Wigan Chairman flew back to this country from a signing trip to Aus. empty handed. He had found as many clubs have, that aussie players are holding us all over here to ransom and using a possible move here as a tool to increase their own contracts back home. He had decided that he would go with his coaches views and grab Shaun Long from their local rivals. On Sunday when our club thought everything was sorted, it came to light that Shaun had been visited by Noble and their Chairman to sell him the 'Wigan Dream', they even sent a couple of Wigan players to see him at home on Sunday afternoon. however although their offer was a very good one, Long, declined and decided to come to Hull. This decision I am told by folks who know the Saints players was solely based on the way he had hit it off with Agar and the vision and ideas that our coach put to him. He is truely excited by the move.

Richard Agar I believe has been instrumental in both our last two signings , and has sold the club by having a vision and a interesting list of possible aquisitions that the club are chasing. I critisised him recently for his tactics but on this occassion he deserves some praise I think!

Good and intresting post Wilf.
Certainly agree about praise for Richard Agar.

yeah he deserves some credit both fitz and longy spoke really highly of him .Also to longy as he could have took easy option to go to wigan with it being alot nearer.

I'm not accusing you of anything Wilf because I know you believe this but I reckon it's a load of twaddle. Long has signed with us because it offers the best chance of prolonging his career.

Of course it's a chance of prolonging his career. What should he do, retire? He is a quality half-back - there are few in the world and some of the best halves and five-eigths can still play at the top level in their mid-thirties (in both hemispherese). I hope we get more than two years from him if we're challenging for honours with him - I don't care if he retires at 50.

Why is it twaddle, he had the same length of contract offered to him by Wigan but chose Hull because of what Agar had sold to him

I agree. The only thing that worries me is that he gets injury after injury but as far as i am aware he has never had major injuries recently...i am sure sopmeone will say if i am wrong lol

Because something positives being said about our club (I personally think he's a Rovers troll by his OTT negative posts)

Would prefer him in the centres than at second-row

TBF I find that story as it stands very beleivable. Why at this stage of his career would Long want all the hassle and pressure of signing for Saints bitterest rivals?? Makes much more sense to sign for Hull imo and he'd clearly made a commitment, so good on him.

I agree with that but you'd think that someone who is well in the know would also know how to spell his name correctly.

Sean, Shaun? They all sound the same to me.

So if Wigan drew a blank in Australia and were knocked back by Long, I wonder where they will look next. A former player of their's springs to mind!

Tickle?

Just to put your mind at rest, Raggytash is no troll and has been a season pass holder for many, many years. He has earned the right to be cynical about the decisions made by the club.

Perhaps Sean will announce how much extra cash he turned down from Wigan so that he could play for Hull/Agar. He will have made the best decision for him and his family, and would not have turned down significantly more money from Wigan.

If its true as Wilf says and also as Agar says on the website its been hard to recruit this year more so then others but we have to be on the front foot. Then it looks like we finally realised Orford etc are pipe dreams in terms of them coming to England so we got the Best of available british where-as last year we were left with having to aquire Thorman due to waiting to deal with the Dykes situation.