On what basis? Haven't Bailey and Cockayne both been convicted of assault? Joel and Sam Tomkins are both excellent players, but think they're bigger than the game - I wouldn't say that of Gleeson. He's had his off the field problems and (from what I've seen) long periods of indifferent form. But there's no doubting the fact that he's an excellent centre on his day.

Good opportunism though surely? We have got what we needed one way or another.

Pretty much my position as well. I really hate to be less than enthusiastic about signing someone of Gleeson's talent but I can't help being concerned about where his head is right now. Wigan released him primarily because his private life was interfering with his professional life and we don't have a stellar record of dealing with that kind of situation.

Hopefully I'm being overly pessimistic and this will turn out to be the cracking signing it has the potential to be. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing him run out against Rovers.

I agree that there was no pre-planned strategy.....but then that's how it works sometimes....Warrington didn't plan to sign Joel Monaghan but look how good he has been for them.

I think Gleeson could be just what we are crying out for down that right side...however talk him being the final piece of the jigsaw is slightly premature IMO....we need to add a decent kicking game to our play before we believe we are capable of challenging.

Great signing though, yes he's a risk but so was Todd Carney for the Roosters.......

Completely agree, getting someone like Glesson for less than £60k a season (if it's true) is sharp, I do worry who will be moving on to make way.

It does also prove droolers point that we aren't really that close to full cap, or weren't.

Cheers for that

wonder if they will all come on and say sorry!

Likewise, but I some are getting far too carried away. Whiting's best position probably isn't centre, but the difference between him and Gleeson in that one position isn't going to solve all our problems overnight.

It won't you're right but it help to fill a hug hole defensively and give us more edge in attack on the right hand side.

We keep getting caught down the right in defence and having a player of Gleeson's experience and quality will help shore up the defence and make us harder to break down. If our wings are solid and our middle ius usually pretty solid then it makes us harder to beat.

Going forward it will give us more punch too. So not it won't solve all our problems but it's our weakest position imo.

I disagree on the defensive thing. We get caught out on the right hand side in defence no matter who is playing in the centre and wing positions (granted it's worse with some than others). The reason for this because we keep leaving our centres and wingers exposed. Whiting is as good as anyone in defence, so I don't think Gleeson will make a massive difference in this area unless we sort out the underlying problems.

He'll certainly add an extra dimension in attack - not least of all with his pace. I think he'll improve the side (if he plays to his potential), but he's not the messiah some are making out.

Exactly how I see it. You should have been on here last night, expro was in meltdown





Hopefully gleeson will turn agar into a super coach

turner to widnes next season I reckon.

I disagree a man of his experience should not be getting dragged in like other players have and will be telling the defence he wants them to shuffle along. I think it will make a huge difference once he settles in. Whiting has been poor in defence this season and has been part of the reason Sharp has been getting exposed, unusual for him.

Never made him out to be the messiah, ICM was getting excited but he's a good player so why not.

We'll soon find out.

It's a calculated risk. If he fails to overcome his personal issues what is the worst that could happen ? We finish up where we were on Wednesday of this week with regard to playing personnel. It's been strongly hinted by Agar and others that the "due diligence" we've done and the laying down of the club's disciplinary policies suggests Gleeson can be in no doubt as to the agreement he has entered into. I'd be surprised if the contract doesn't explicitly include riders etc. He wont bring the club down if he fails to overcome his problems.

On the other hand he is international class in a position we are not strong in. Haven't really seen anyone questioning his talent and ability on field (and I know you don't) so the potential positives outweigh the potential negatives IMO. It might not work out but if it does we are hugely strengthened. I'm glad we've taken this calculated risk on as I believe it would have been too risky not to.

Droolers point was that we haven't been spending anywhere near cap for years. This proves nothing other than we had some spare space due to player movements and contingency this season. Plus we spent it as soon as an opportunity arose.

That's how I see it. If we go with what we had for the rest of the season we'd be 7th at best and out of the play offs in round 1. May as well take the risk.

Too risky not to take a risk? Interesting one

Oh I understand the reasoning behind the deal and I agree that even if it goes pear-shaped it's hardly season-breaking. We just don't have a good track record with previous calculated risks and that's tempering my enthusiasm.

We'll have to disagree on that (although I have only seen three or four games this year). It's been such a long standing problem that I think it's impossible to lay the blame at one player's door. Or even two players' doors.



I never said [iyou[/i did.



Excited? That's a bit of an understatement. He seemed to have made a few warm, salty deposits in his y-fronts from the bits I read. Mind you, he thinks finishing 7th would be 'superb', so an event like Gleeson signing was always going to tip him over the edge.



That we will.

Indeed

IMO watching Gleeson become available then go somewhere else for a relative pittance when we haven't had an international quality right centre since Barnett would risk Gleeson ripping it up at another club while we're sat watching and wondering. Far too risky

The thing is, if something like that [idoes[/i go pear-shaped, it's not just a case of 'as you were'. There's usually an amount of upheaval and disruption that goes with it before the player is eventually removed. Hopefully he'll be on a 'one strike and you're out' kind of contract to minimise the potential for problems. All in all, I think it probably is worth the risk, but it still makes me a little uneasy.

I'd guess that Turner, Washy, Whiting and Dowes might all move on next season.

Three of them for definite.

It would be foolish to get rid of Whiting. There isn't another player in the competition that can play the range of positions Whiting can to the standard he can.

id keep turner and whiting but washy and dowes can go for me, i saw on another forum that whiting has been linked with leeds probable not true though

I'm not even getting into the Whiting debate again but the simple fact of it for me is that he owes it to himself for regular 1st team rugby to move on. I said it 12 months ago too. It's not a case of us getting rid of him, it's a case of him needing to be playing in a set position like 13.

Don't think Turner and Whiting will leave.