I will say that Sandercock is clearly his own man and has told the board that he is picking his team.
I for one am glad to hear it.

I have to agree with your last comment. I hate the fact that all clubs will seemingly do anything to fill their squads with 2nd rate overseas players (hull included). Until we get away from this mentality, the quality of the British players won't improve

The link you make between opportunities for British players and their quality, is arguably a logical fallacy. It is just as possible (more possible IMO) that the dearth of quality explains the reliance on overseas players rather than vice versa.

Giving young British players more opportunities makes sense as an end, more so than as a means.

If we put aside the goggles of patriotism for a moment, we know, deep down, that '2nd rate overseas' is by SL standards 'quite good'. That's why those whose livelihoods rely on results sign them.

That said - 11 is a lot. As long as they win games, I suppose.

Players like Mika are the ones you should be signing.
NRL clubs have about 30 under 20s players each year, of whom maybe 10 could go on with it to be NRL standard, but at each club there are about 3 or 4 spots in the senior squad to fill each year.
There are a lot of 21 and 22 year olds like Mika who could still be anything.
Signing old guys who are on the downhill slide is why your comp is going backwards.
If you changed the rules and plundered the NRL for promising 20 year olds you would improve rapidly.

Where does everyone reckon he will be playing then, my guess after looking about is 2nd row - a decent size with decent speed with a great offload in the tackle.

2nd row makes sense but coming off the bench to make an impact. I would say the same for Paea as well, which would mean playing Galea at loose, his best position in my book.

McDonnell is all but signed up, and like the signing of Meeks I don't expect Rovers to officially announce it until they both get visas - but you never know with Smithy lol!

Looking at some of those clips i think he has the look of Sam Stewart about him. I will be very happy if he turns out to be as good as that great backrower we got from Newcastle.

Maybe, or maybe clubs could invest some of tehat cash which is going overseas into improving their youth systems and likely improving teh output from them.

Not sure I agree that 2nd rate overseas is quite good by SL standards. There are plenty of overseas players in SL who are garbage

Ton... No, mustn't do that.

Who's this chaps agent?

Whilst on that subject, who is McDonnell's agent too?

Could be anyone know the Howes and Riolo days are over.

McDonnell, some bloke called Steve Gillis back in 2009, couldn't be bothered looking Taulapapa, not your researcher am I?

No.

I didn't ask for Taulapapa, asked for Con Meeks didn't I?

Yes. Well, assumed I did on the basis it's his very own thread. :-p

meeks-good god

Don't know if anyone has seen this, but here are some clips of the guy in action, looks good off loading the ball and a big hitter too.

No YouTube please
GML

So, the Mika career so far asI remember it.

In 2008 he was one of the best players in the Warriors under 20s with a reputation as a fearsome defender.
In 2009 he was the big junior recruitment for the Newcastle Knights and played many roles in the Knights under 20s, including games as a playmaking 5/8 (he wasn't as good as he thought he was).
In 2010 he joined the senior squad and played some good games in firstgrade, including a few in the starting team. At the end of the season he had a leg injury i think, which meant he took virtually no part in the off season.
In 2011 he played in the last pre season trial, which was basically the reserve graders against some local players, and he was so unfit he was owned by the local guys. As the season went on he improved to the point he was selected for NSW residents (basically the best players in the NSW cup who aren't getting any firstgrade games) and played against Qld residents. When Wayne Bennett was appointed coach for next season it became obvious he wasn't wanted for next year, but to his credit he picked up his game another notch and was playing his heart out in the reserves.
I'd say he is now fully fit and in career best form. An off season under Sandercock would see him up to NRL starting standard IMO, since he was near that standard before missing the last off season, so I think you have a bargain.

I could swear you asked about girls name Shannon.



Ah, you did.



You expect me to talk about people on the correct thread?

You're gangster tripping boss man.

I know what you mean [ihomie [/i(might annoy 'the worm thing' that), I can hardly find the motivation to reply let alone stay on topic half the time. The majority of topics just end up dull - It was dire here while you were on your jolly hols, appreciated the cheeky visits toward the back-end though.

A media update re Mika & McDonnell www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 22119.aspx

A media update re Mika & McDonnell www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 22119.aspx

Quote ="Paul T - HKR"A media update re Mika & McDonnell www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 22119.aspx'" Quote ‘‘There were a few clubs, then Sandy called me at the last minute ... Obviously I’ve known Sandy for a couple of years now and there’s a few other boys there, like Shannon, so it looks like that’s where I’m going to go.’’'" What a statement to finish on, does this confirm Shannon?

Quote ="Paul T - HKR"A media update re Mika & McDonnell www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 22119.aspx'" Quote ‘‘There were a few clubs, then Sandy called me at the last minute ... Obviously I’ve known Sandy for a couple of years now and there’s a few other boys there, like Shannon, so it looks like that’s where I’m going to go.’’'" What a statement to finish on, does this confirm Shannon?

Con says a few blokes?????

Don't know if you guys can fit in more players, but i'd love to see you give Sinbad Kali and Simon Williams a run.

Both are in their early 20s and would kill it in the ESL.

Sinbad played one firstgrade game for Melbourne as a 19 year old, then missed a season and had a slow recovery after getting injured playing for Tonga in the WC. He is a 112kg prop who hits like a train.

Williams has been the best back in the Knights reserves for 2 seasons since coming up from the juniors. He's scored 30 odd tries, and he is great at setting up his winger. Wingers outside him score a try a game.

I assumed he just meant people he knew rather than people who are going with him.

Have you seen any SL, from reading your posts you think to seem that every reserve grade NRL player will "kill SL? Think you are being a bit disrepectful to the compeittion. Hopefully most coachs in Sl don't think the same and will only try and sign decent NRL players for the future, they are some reserve NRL players come and do a good job like Dobson and Moa, but lots others fail.

I have.
It's .
You are kidding yourself.

Kali and Williams are young guys who are very close to cracking NRL firstgrade, but due to Newcastle suddenly having deep pockets and a choice of all the young talent going around, are not wanted for next year.
These aren't old reserve graders looking for a pension in the ESL, they are guys with a future.

Your system over there of signing guys with firstgrade experience means you will only ever get has beens and never was's.

If I were a coach over there i'd be looking for guys like Kali, Williams, Mika, McDonnell and maybe even younger guys like half the Warriors under 20s side. All young guys looking to improve.

Quote ="dum-dum" appreciated the cheeky visits toward the back-end though.'" off to new York in a couple of weeks, won't be happening again, cost me a flipping fortune in roaming. Silly goose. Quote ="Paul T - HKR"A media update re Mika & McDonnell www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 22119.aspx'" Sounds positive, obviously never heard of them before being linked but agent roopy has more than sold Mika to me. Quote ="roopy" Don't know if you guys can fit in more players, but i'd love to see you give Sinbad Kali and Simon Williams a run. '" Doubt we can, although we should sign Sinbad purely because he's called Sinbad. Love those films me, especially when the skellington's pop up out of the ground. Brill. If we did sign Sinbad, I'm going to go in a Sinbad costume to every game, I don't think it says anything on the signs outside CP about not being able to take scimitar's into the ground so that should be fine. Quote ="roopy" I have. It's poop. You are kidding yourself. '" Cut to the chase mate, no need to be ambiguous! Quote ="roopy" Your system over there of signing guys with firstgrade experience means you will only ever get has beens and never was's. If I were a coach over there i'd be looking for guys like Kali, Williams, Mika, McDonnell and maybe even younger guys like half the Warriors under 20s side. All young guys looking to improve.'" I've seen you make this point a couple of times and I think it's potentially got legs, maybe it's worth having a scout out there? I suppose the biggest thing would be getting youngsters to move half way across the world with no real guarantee of first team football. We did it with Lovegrove, so why not a few others?

Quote ="dum-dum" appreciated the cheeky visits toward the back-end though.'" off to new York in a couple of weeks, won't be happening again, cost me a flipping fortune in roaming. Silly goose. Quote ="Paul T - HKR"A media update re Mika & McDonnell www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 22119.aspx'" Sounds positive, obviously never heard of them before being linked but agent roopy has more than sold Mika to me. Quote ="roopy" Don't know if you guys can fit in more players, but i'd love to see you give Sinbad Kali and Simon Williams a run. '" Doubt we can, although we should sign Sinbad purely because he's called Sinbad. Love those films me, especially when the skellington's pop up out of the ground. Brill. If we did sign Sinbad, I'm going to go in a Sinbad costume to every game, I don't think it says anything on the signs outside CP about not being able to take scimitar's into the ground so that should be fine. Quote ="roopy" I have. It's poop. You are kidding yourself. '" Cut to the chase mate, no need to be ambiguous! Quote ="roopy" Your system over there of signing guys with firstgrade experience means you will only ever get has beens and never was's. If I were a coach over there i'd be looking for guys like Kali, Williams, Mika, McDonnell and maybe even younger guys like half the Warriors under 20s side. All young guys looking to improve.'" I've seen you make this point a couple of times and I think it's potentially got legs, maybe it's worth having a scout out there? I suppose the biggest thing would be getting youngsters to move half way across the world with no real guarantee of first team football. We did it with Lovegrove, so why not a few others?

This might come across as a bit gay, but Sinbad is built like a god.

I've stood next to him, and he makes me feel like 110kg of marshmallow. He looks like a cross between Brad Pitt and big Arnie carved out of ebony. That guy is cut.