Being honest, if we can't bin Agar after one incredibly poor game (and two abstractly shoite seasons), nor can we extend Fitz after 3 decent ones, I mean, we'd end up successful then!

We didn't know Raynor was leaving, and centre is not a priority IMO. It's certainly not a position where we're struggling.

If we were looking for a back I'd hope it was a backup SH.

To be fair to Agar, he wanted to sign a utility back and only signed Sam Moa when his search came up empty. The extra money from Raynors contract would have opened up more possibilities though i would have thought.

There's plenty knocking about in Australia, our problem is we only sign "names" as weve got no contacts overseas who would work for the club in pointing us in the right direction towards blokes who could do us a job. There was one on sunday for example who played against us. I even mentioned it to Rule as soon as we signed Long and stressed that we needed another one to go alongside him and not to put all our eggs in one basket, he just skirted round my suggestion but hey, what do i know? We'll see at the end of the year and i hope im bloody proved wrong! Agar is telling us "t' balance of squad wunt rart last year but weve addressed that t'is year and think we'll be alreet"

Btw i wasnt in the very vocal majority on here who wanted Moa signed up.



I

Hence the opening phrase "in hindsight". We did know there was trouble ahead with the court case though.



I disagree. We've got Hall, Yeaman, Whiting, Turner, so quantity, but not proven experienced quality. If we had a big quality centre playing outside Manu to put either Calderwood or Briscoe away we'd be more threatening.

If you cant get the ball to them, theres no point how good they are

I think the other reason we only go for 'names' is that Hull fans tend to get a bit feisty when a quota spot is used on anyone other than a major signing.

Witt would have been a very good signing but I'm not sure we would have had the cap space and I'm also not sure when he signed for Crusaders. He may not have been available when we were looking.

The last issue is that with the reducing quota we're better off looking for an English halfback if we want someone to build the team around for years to come, although granted a young Aussie SH would have been a very useful addition for this season.

I'm surprised that we don't have [iany[/i contacts in Aus given the number of ex players we have there. Needs fixing if that's the case.

You're right, but I'm going on the basis that Long is fit, in which case we have a quality scrum half available. We don't have the experience/quality in the three quarters that we should in the squad even if everyone is fit, and have a quota player sat in the stands.

If we had contacts in Oz, that would cut down on the annual jolly, so that wont change soon.

That and not ing off ex players

hence the reason to sign another one to work alongside Long

the cull shouldnt've stopped at the 11 players that got the boot

Wigan look a lot better this year with Tomkins, Leuluai and Deacon to get them around the park with what looks like an even better signing in coach Maguire.

3 of our 5 quota players are hardly "names"

If we had a team of superstars in each position we'd be even more threatening.



You can always improve a squad, but you have to prioritise. Centre simply isn't that weak an area compared to Half Back and Pack, especially as we have young English players who can play there for many seasons to come. There's plenty of threat in our centres provided we get them quality ball - and to do that we need a good pack and half backs that can create.

If Long would have been fit sunday, 95% of posts on this board since would not have happened

3 of 6 or 4 of 6

We have an International centre and two International wingers. We have a full back who's played in the NRL.

Not sure how much more experience and/or quality we need at this point in the squad's development TBH.

But we've prioritised the pack such that all our quota spots are used on it. We've also got, on paper, 2 very good halves in Horne and Long. I don't see that Whiting and Yeaman as 1st choice centres isn't weaker than both those areas. I take the point that we have more cover in the centres, but not that we have more quality.

but he isnt and without him we'll be shafted on most occasions and whats knarks me off is that this situation couldve been avoided if the club had any foesight

roll on the next forum, plan b plan b plan b plan b

then again the coach will be gone by then

and thats what its all about

tbf Moa is only here because Willie shoved him in his suitcase and brought him over because he was his mate

[size=200Plan B[/size

We have one creative half back. You saw on Sunday what happens when he's injured. If we lose a centre we have ample cover of good quality.

Moa will be a good signing and could be a good signing for years to come. It would have been better for squad balance to sign a backup half back, but in the absence of one (whether through not looking properly or unavailability) then he was certainly a better option than another centre. Assuming that he gets used correctly, of course.

the pressure's on already



think we'll skip round plan b, anyone got advance on plan c?

Bring back Thacks again but this time get Brough with him

come on wolfie, i know your reading it

I'm just hoping that we don't hit double letters by the end of the season.