My thoughts also. Surely this isn't going to be our 1st choice hooker?

We best get the shop hours extended to cope with the pass renewal queue once this is confirmed.

How can you be underwhelmed if you've never heard of him? For all you know he could be a good player.

And for all we know he could be crap. Unproven player in a higher league as apposed to an England hooker that we've just got rid of. As I say underwhelmed.

He must have something about him, he's in Agars French squad as one of only two specialist 9s.

Yeah the French are known for there prowess in the number 9 position! Paul T I like your positivity but dear god we have lost an England hooker and brought in a unknown? Just who are we gonna sign at 6 and 7? I'm sure we can double the West Hull halves money lol.

Seriously disappointed if he is JHs replacement! Clearly not reached the standards required by the age of 24 to make the break into the Catalan squad behind two hookers are about average.

I'm now worried if this is the sign of things to come!!!

Of course no one we are able to sign is good enough for our club. Only internationals will do for us. Not just any international however, they must be top drawer, current Aussie or NZ. I don't know if we will sign this player but if we do I suspect that CC will have more knowledge about his abilities than some posting on here.

Maybe you guys should look at Mitch Williams.
Best mate of Josh Mantellato.
Captain of the Wyong Roos.
3 times member of the NSW cup team of the year.
Player of the year in the NSW cup for the last two years.
Basically a little guy who is too small to play NRL and doesn't have the sort of defence needed for NRL, but a magically creative hooker with a running game that reminds me of Rob Burrow and the vision to set up plays and run a team from dummy half.
He played one season of reserve grade for the Newcastle Knights in 2012 and was named the reserve grade player of the year, but was cut because he is too small.

Edit - he wasn't cut from the Knights. He was offered a second tier contract, but chose to captain his junior club, Wyong Roos, in their first year of NSW cup instead.

Obviously not been good enough for SL up till now! Thats what is clear.

Or not been given the chance. There are many examples of late developers and players being plucked from lower divisions. There are also those that make a success by moving to a new club when they don't fit into their coach's plans for one reason or another. I don't know if he will be a success or even if we will sign him. All I was commenting on was that as usual on he he is damned by some from the start.

He may be good but chances are he Catalans have seen a lot of him and they don't want him plus even if he is good he isn't as good or likely to be nearly even as good as josh hodgson that's where the complaining is coming from

Stunned at Jarryd Hayne news, maybe a good time to go back in for Chris Sandow?

You seem to have hit the panic button.

I recall NH saying the club would invest the transfer money in an experienced 9, and as far as I am aware this has happened although still to be announced - I thought once Old Trafford was out of the way we might have heard something.

All I can think of is Boudebza is a squad player to cover the development period of young Connor Robbo. In other words, it will be (1) TBA (hopefully Robinson) (2) Carlile (3) Boudebza with Robbo getting a couple of games. IMO this makes sense, and its not as if the French lad has been playing reserve grade - ask Feka how intense that league is.

As for 6 & 7; Ricky Stuart is back from holiday and is busy sorting his squad out for 2015 (if his activity in the SMH is anything to go by) so a decision might be expected soon re Campese. The other prominent name, Dureau, might take longer whilst the Catalans coach finalises his plans. Apparently Rovers relationship with the Cats is somewhat tenuous re Larroyer so that might also add to the delay especially if a transfer fee or loan is part of the deal. Assuming, of course, Campese and Dureau are Rovers main targets.

I guess all will be revealed in the next two-three weeks, so patience is needed. . . it will be what it will be

Hull once deemed Josh Hodgson as not as good as Danny Houghton and surplus to requirements.

Plus, Larroyer has done alright?

Hodgson was not a 24 year old who has already showed his hand.

Suppose we need to see the full extent of our recruitment before we hit any pancic buttons or dive into despair.
I must admit a 24 yeat old who hasn't managed to break into an lower 8 side doesn't on the face of it seem inspiring but if its as a back up type gamble then fair enough.
We need to hear some signings of note tho to end some of the uncertainty.

Who's he shown his hand to? I bet you've never seen him play



The point was that both players are/were known to the coaching staff at the clubs they are/were at, not getting a shot at first team and deemed surplus to requirements. 24 is still young. Larroyer was also around that age when he moved to you.

Larroyer is French. That's the only comparison. He was a regular in the Catalan side in 2013 before joining us. This kid is playing for the French equivalent of Whitehaven (no disrespect). His career trajectory is going the wrong way, until we step in and make ourselves look daft. If he is our starting 9 then we had better prepare for life in the 2nd tier come 2016.

If that happens then I trust Whitehaven fans will welcome me with open arms! Whatever happened to Dixonsbabe?

the other comparison is that they didn't want him either.

The other possibility that we are going with Carlisle and Connor Robinson as our starting hookers with this lad as back up. I still think this could see us ending up at the wrong end of the table next August.

Another scenario is we are going for Campese, at 7 a new 6 and a Luke Robinson / Rob Burrow type starting 9 with Carlisle as interchange. Knowing full well we'll not get a full season from Campese and at some point have to move our LR / RB 9 to 7. This would then give us plenty of cover.

The last bit is wishful thinking btw.

Blake green hadn't broken into the 1st grade in the Nrl and was a virtually unknown 24 year old when he came to us and he hasn't done too bad,and a certain michael dobson has yet to become an Nrl regular.Only time will tell but boudebza has been picked by agar for the french squad along with pellisier,as the 2 hookers, give him a chance to show what he can do.

miller.on loan.

Comparisons with Hodgson aren't fair or realistic, IMO. We have to realise that there is a big talent drain afflicting SL right now and success can be built on getting worse more slowly than the rest. That lad off the bins and the prop from Limoux went pretty well at (an admittedly struggling) Hull this year. Looking at different player pools is increasingly going to be a necessity.
As for Lezignan being a French Whitehaven - Lunt was at their neighbours in Workington until he was 21. Okay, this kid is a bit older, but he has been picked for France so he's clearly doing something right at the level he's been playing at. If we'd signed a hooker from Whitehaven who'd been named in the Championship team of the year, would that have been so bad?
That said, it is an important position and I'd have liked/would like a safer option. Maybe it's a depth signing. Longer season next year and maybe Connor Robinson would benefit from some time on loan or dual reg.




I like your (wishful) thinking.

Footage of Boudebza in action.

[youtubeadp0VJMhDLY[/youtube

Not sure why you're moaning about him not being a regular at Catalans when he hasn't ever been signed with the club, that's like complaining that a player from Leigh hasn't broken into the Wigan first team.

You could have said the same about Chris Hill when he signed for Warrington at a similar age