It seems churlish to have a thread about the new kit without anything on the proposed new manager!!!

I have a sneaky feeling for Brian Noble. But I think Guisset would be my choice.

The local press is going big on Laurent Frayssinous at the moment... wonder if there is truth in that.

I've heard that too from elsewhere. I suppose that if he's not ready now, will he ever be? As long as the support structures around him are solid, then it could work. Evolution not revolution and all that

it's Laurent!

Frayssinous it is then. Well, on the one hand, a Frenchman. Promoting from within... continuity etc.

On the other hand, Rob Powell was promoted from within.

Hopefully he coaches better than he defended.

I'm pleased we've not gone back to an Anglophone

The light-heartedness of the post taken on board, but...

It's easy to show there's no correlation between the success or otherwise of a playing career and the success or otherwise of a coaching career. He's worked alongside the Colonel, Walters and Trento and must have learned lots - as much from what went wrong for Walters as what went right for the other two - in that period. If he's not ready now, when would he be? It's a risk, sure, but should ensure that Trento leaves some legacy rather than ripping all that up and starting over.

But the big question remains - what do we nickname him? I'll offer Lo-Fres for starters.

Lo-Fres works for me... will alter my signature accordingly.

No, I agree completely. I hate it when people suggest coaches should be appointed based on their playing career, or that their strengths/weaknesses as a player would be somehow transferred to the way they coach. That's why I can't understand people suggesting Guisset, who has had two years as an assistant, ahead of Fraysinnous who has had 6(?). It's as good an appointment as any as far as I'm concerned, certainly better than some random NRL assistant who would probably come with a similar pedigree but would have the disadvantage of not knowing the players or speaking the language.

The players are happy with the choice of Laurent and he was always in front of Jerome. It was almost Brian Smith not Brian Noble,both of whom would have offered no continuity after Robbo. Wise choice methinks

On the players, yes they've been saying nice things on Twitter and elsewhere, but you'd hardly expect them to say "Oh bloody hell, this ain't gonna work at all"

I like it as an appointment and I really hope it works out

And Frayssinous's first act is to appoint as assistant. It's back to the future as he goes for.....


David Waite.
Good old Germaine Greer is back.

en.catalansdragons.com/index.php ... 11-02_2361 Adam Trypas, 36, will join Laurent Frayssinous staff at Perpignan for the next two seasons. The new Catalans Dragons head of strength and conditioning was last season in the Wayne Bennett staff at Newcastle. “I'm very happy to welcome Adam in our staff. He shares the same philosophy than Keegan Smith, focused on speed, power and strength, and will allow us keep improving for the seasons to come.” Laurent Frayssinous. Trypas, who started his career at Newcastle before moving to Wakefield Wildcats and to Japan in the Toyota Rugby as the Head of Strength and Conditioning came back to the NRL at the Knights last season.

en.catalansdragons.com/index.php ... 11-02_2361 Adam Trypas, 36, will join Laurent Frayssinous staff at Perpignan for the next two seasons. The new Catalans Dragons head of strength and conditioning was last season in the Wayne Bennett staff at Newcastle. “I'm very happy to welcome Adam in our staff. He shares the same philosophy than Keegan Smith, focused on speed, power and strength, and will allow us keep improving for the seasons to come.” Laurent Frayssinous. Trypas, who started his career at Newcastle before moving to Wakefield Wildcats and to Japan in the Toyota Rugby as the Head of Strength and Conditioning came back to the NRL at the Knights last season.

Trypas. Brilliant

Hickmans at the Knights is the top man in the field at the moment. He has followed Bennett from Brisbane to Saints to the Knights and has had outstanding results at all clubs.

If Trypas picked up what Hickmans is doing, he is cutting edge.

www.theherald.com.au/story/11530 ... ob/?cs=306

www.theherald.com.au/story/11530 ... ob/?cs=306

Brilliant so another one here for the short term to enhance their NRL prospects.

If they're going to get an NRL gig - and that's where the money is - then they'll have to do a bang-up job over here.

Agreed, but it doesn't aid continuity and long termism for us.

For me the jury is out.

It's going to be this way until there are French people capable of doing the job and I'm fairly sanguine about it

In my natty little prediction game I have us down for less points that 2012. I think that would equate to about a 7th place finish in the league.

So it's going to be:

1. Warrington.
2. Leeds
3. St. Helens
4. Wigan
5. Hull FC
6. London
7. Catalans
8. Huddersfield

If we finish behind the Old Enemy, then we might as well pack up and all go home.