I think it definitely sees a step change in philosophy. He can harp on all he likes about challenging top 4 and winning trophies but appointing Radford suggests he’s going more for a consolidation approach with a view to the long game. Nothing wrong with this approach but it would suggest he’s past the phase of throwing money at the likes of an Ellis. This could be for numerous reasons but the likely ones are that he’s got fed up of throwing the cash around, whether he can afford it or not is another matter.
The tag line seems to have gone from ‘Season of Promise’ and ‘Believe’ to one that is more ‘patience’
Nice idea if it works but I do think it could be a serious rethink time mid season if it goes a bit pear shaped.

If your recruitment is almost complete and your at full cap you seriously need to have a look at value for money. Rovers allegedly are not at full cap again this year and according to certain individuals we still have 3 signings to announce.

I don't think our value for money was that bad overall. Looks like 2 props in for 2 props, 2 back rowers in for 2 back rowers, winger in for a winger and up grades to some of the brightest talent in SL.

Won't be the best recruitment in SL but the emphasis needs to change to youth.

Wonder how many of the Hull Fans will now laugh at us for deciding to put emphasis on our home grown and value for money signings now. First they sign our players now they use our ideas.

Are you suggesting we weren't looking for value for money?

You may have been looking but I don't think you got many this season. For example Galea and McDonnell. Or your club just has a different definition of value for money.

Theres plenty of players in the league that didn't offer value for money, but that's hindsight.

But you didn't need hindsight with those 2. You just had to look at their injury record.

We can't really say anything after o hara and Clinton

Some times risks are taken, Jason Smith had horrendous injury problems with us but went back to the NRL and performed brilliantly.

Hkr have just signed 2 players with injury problems in the past, Wigan with Bowen. The list is long.

ahem ahem Ben Galea ahem

Alreadly discussed, I still have no problem with his signing. Feka's a bigger risk.

Sheldon, in 2015 what super league team will you follow?

If I move back to uk I was going to get a Broncos season pass but by then they might be gone, so probably the Hull Menaces.

You have to have a top flight team, don't you? Just one of them things.

Whilst Rovers were down in't Championship, I always rooted for Leeds when they played. Didn't support them like I did Rovers like, they were just my top flight team.

I suppose Fev are now my Championship team.

Never gave all that much mind until we were in Super League, definitely never favoured a team.

Coventry Bears are my second team, although they seem to have ripped me off on the shirt I ordered off them, but that's Cov for you.

Last time Hull were in the lower leagues I stopped watching top flight RL. Used to follow Hull and City home and away and go to rovers home games when time allowed.

I'm not following ing Cas!

Galea was knackered in his last year with us. You were also after Taylor, Hodgson and Lovegrove and you acquired Watts.
Surely you can see that it had the Howes connection written right across it.
Jordan Thompson is a player under Howes as well.

Howes nor anyone else is doing anything wrong but with both your previous coach and DOR having him as his agent it doesn't really take a rocket scientist.

I know he was, but I still don't have a problem with the signing.

Check my posts on our board about Howes, not the best way to do buisness.

Galea was a reasonable risk I suppose, He was a player PG trusted and he maybe saw him as his leader on the pitch. Inevitable that he would spend a time on the side lines but ultimately the lack of a HB to find his line running made him look worse than he was.
Feka isn't a risk its just madness, was never more than a luxury player and that was years ago, he's gone down to a league thats probably below Championship level since and can't there having been a queue to take hime on. There is a distant hope that he may become a player he never was but I doubt it really.He could rival Hutch Miava as far as signings go.

If Feka was a year I wouldn't have a problem with it at all, it's the 2 years what amazes me. Unless he's on 30k.

I have no problem with the McDonnell signing, he's a very good fullback and certainly better than Eden. The stats for McDonnell before that injury back it up.

Besides, Shaul grasped his chance and we now have 2 excellent fullbacks.

Galea was an odd gamble for me. It didn't pay off, but it was only for 12 months and we didn't miss him when he was out.

Having personally watched both Eden and McDonnell for as much of a season as they both played McDonnell cannot be said to be "certainly" the better player.

The statistics presumably state that McDonnell has missed a lower percentage of tackles. This can be explained by the fact that McDonnell is probably the worst full back I have ever seen in terms of reading a game and positioning in defence.

Look back at the footage of some of the try's we conceded last year, McDonnell is so far out of position he's not even in shot for some of them. When coming into the line his passing is about as accurate as Ray Charles in an archery competition.

Eden is far from the finished article and has some serious deficiences in his game which he was making impressive improvement in until he got injured.

Shaul looks to have great potential.

Watch Eden next season, he's a very impressive player.

One average and one still having a lot to learn in that position.
If that's your definition of excellent then Crooks must be super dooper truely amazingly excellent in the centres