37 replies to this topic

[Keep The Faith]

Just seen on the players Facebook that him and the club haven't agreed a contact so that means he has left what do everyone think?

[BirstallDog]

Thank you george for your efforts in a Bulldogs shirt.

[HaroldShand]

Just seen on the players Facebook that him and the club haven't agreed a contact so that means he has left what do everyone think?

Not fussed. Nothing against him, but he didn't exactly add much to the fray last season apart from a few dive over tries from acting half-back - and a lot of costly mistakes and penalties conceded. Perhaps some people got a bit carried away in regard to his ability after a few good performances against lower league outfits in the 2009 NRC?

[HaroldShand]

Just seen on the players Facebook that him and the club haven't agreed a contact so that means he has left what do everyone think?

Not fussed. Nothing against him, but he didn't exactly add much to the fray last season apart from a few dive over tries from acting half-back - and a lot of costly mistakes and penalties conceded. Perhaps some people got a bit carried away in regard to his ability after a few good performances against lower league outfits in the 2009 NRC?

[Gary Coyle]

A real loss in my opinion, a young player who went off the boil who had the opportunity to work with a coach whose expertise is young players who have gone off the boil

[potato ram]

Not fussed. Nothing against him, but he didn't exactly add much to the fray last season apart from a few dive over tries from acting half-back - and a lot of costly mistakes and penalties conceded. Perhaps some people got a bit carried away in regard to his ability after a few good performances against lower league outfits in the 2009 NRC?

I like the way you find the positive in every coach or player that leaves Batley by been negative against them! Lol

Edited by potato ram, 07 October 2011 - 11:33 AM.

[Tim1]

I thinks its missed oppoutunity by GF. I thought he would have repaid the clubs loyatity, when the club put in him when he was banned.

[RRR]

Harold, which players from the 2010 squad WOULD you be fussed about losing? You seem to be an extraordinarily fickle man. A little respect for our players' efforts in a Batley shirt in what was our best season in a long while wouldn't go amiss. You even had a pop at Rhino when he left.

Sorry, don't mean to be confrontational. Long time reader and Dogs fan who just felt compelled to post.

Oh, and good luck George. I for one will miss ya!

[London Dick]

Funny one this one. I heard the lad got himself an agent and negotiations went belly up. I can only think the reason players in our league get an agent is for status symbols like an Iphone or a flash car. I dont see what they achieve. "right lad, Batley are giving you an extra 10% this season, its a cracking deal, my cut is 15%!!" "oh, ok Mr Agent sir and thank you for getting my rise!!!".

I don't know if we ever saw what George was capable of truly. He looked brilliant before his drugs ban. Looked really sharp when he came back and then he just drifted away. He always looked like he was going to break the line then just seemed to be tackled. He scored a few useful tries from dummy half and that was it. The way Karl played him cannot have been good for him. Coming on just before half time staying on 10 mins after and then for the final 10. I think it knocked the maverick side of him and thats what he needs to be.

He obviously thought he held all the cards with Batley and I suppose his loyalty after the help we gave him came at a cost. If he was worth fighting for and in Kears plans I am sure there would have been a contract signed. Everytime we have lost a player we have seemed to have plugged the gap with a worthy replacement.

I hope he has a successful career ahead of him and enjoys being coached by Mr Jowitt at Dewsbury.

[Chairman LMAO]

This is now official, confirmed on club website.

[Bi11]

Harold, which players from the 2010 squad WOULD you be fussed about losing? You seem to be an extraordinarily fickle man. A little respect for our players' efforts in a Batley shirt in what was our best season in a long while wouldn't go amiss. You even had a pop at Rhino when he left.

Sorry, don't mean to be confrontational. Long time reader and Dogs fan who just felt compelled to post.

Oh, and good luck George. I for one will miss ya!

I must admit that I had been thinking that there were a lot of 'sour grapes' on here. You know the fable, the grapes are out of reach, so they must be sour. If a coach can get us to third in the league plus a Northern Rail win on our resources, then you have to respect his judgement, and I think that its fair to say that he would try and take what he thinks are the strongest players with him. I think that we will miss the players that he has taken to Halifax. As for Flanagan, he has lost some edge with his ban, but is still one of those players that can win a tight match for you. We have to play within our budget , of course, but I'm sorry to see him go.

[Piggy's mate]

I liked George, he had spirit and always gave his best. I am certain there are better players out there but there are also worse! I wish GF well and any team that does sign him has a good un in my books.

[HaroldShand]

Harold, which players from the 2010 squad WOULD you be fussed about losing? You seem to be an extraordinarily fickle man. A little respect for our players' efforts in a Batley shirt in what was our best season in a long while wouldn't go amiss. You even had a pop at Rhino when he left.

Sorry, don't mean to be confrontational. Long time reader and Dogs fan who just felt compelled to post.

Oh, and good luck George. I for one will miss ya!

Thats an easy question to answer. At the end of the 2011 season, I WOULD have been fussed about losing Handforth, Campbell, Manning, Bretherton and Lindsay. As we've managed to keep three of the aforementioned, I'm quite happy. The rest of the players in the squad were replaceable IMO. When Reittie, Robinson and Hesketh announced they were leaving, I couldn't have given a jot. All three were ok for Batley, but nothing special whatsoever and I think we can do better than them. Same goes for Flanagan. To be quite honest, I can't remember seeing anything from him in 2011 that marks him down as a true loss to the playing squad. I DO, however, remember seeing him make quite a lot of bad handling errors and conceding quite a lot of costly penalties.
As for our esteemed former coach, I've no qualms about having a pop at him. Good coach who did a fine job at Batley? Yes, undoubtedly, and I congratulate him for that. Would I buy a used car off him? No. Don't forget that this is the guy who stated openly in the press that he would only be looking to sign "a couple" of players from Batley. Well, last time I looked, he'd been involved in negotiations with up to EIGHT of our squad from 2011 and, I guess, would gladly have snapped all of those players up for Halifax if things had gone to plan - absolutely decimating our squad in the process. Those players might well have been out of contract I hear you say, but it was still a snide move on his part, and showed little concern for his former club. If I ever met Mr.Harrison I'd also like to ask why, on two occasions in the last 48 months, he told audiences at Halifax RLFC fund-raising dinners that Batley didn't pay him a single penny, and he was doing the job at Mount Pleasant for free to 'put something back into the game'? Why try and make our great club look like some charity case? Oh, and not to mention his little dig at our club in the press recently, when he announced that Paul Handforth had moved to Halifax 'to win things'. Nice one, cheers.

[grumpyoldram]

Funny one this one. I heard the lad got himself an agent and negotiations went belly up. I can only think the reason players in our league get an agent is for status symbols like an Iphone or a flash car. I dont see what they achieve. "right lad, Batley are giving you an extra 10% this season, its a cracking deal, my cut is 15%!!" "oh, ok Mr Agent sir and thank you for getting my rise!!!".

I don't know if we ever saw what George was capable of truly. He looked brilliant before his drugs ban. Looked really sharp when he came back and then he just drifted away. He always looked like he was going to break the line then just seemed to be tackled. He scored a few useful tries from dummy half and that was it. The way Karl played him cannot have been good for him. Coming on just before half time staying on 10 mins after and then for the final 10. I think it knocked the maverick side of him and thats what he needs to be.

He obviously thought he held all the cards with Batley and I suppose his loyalty after the help we gave him came at a cost. If he was worth fighting for and in Kears plans I am sure there would have been a contract signed. Everytime we have lost a player we have seemed to have plugged the gap with a worthy replacement.

I hope he has a successful career ahead of him and enjoys being coached by Mr Jowitt at Dewsbury.

Judgeing by the posts on here, flannagan must have a bit of spirit and a mind of his own - which in itself makes him eminently unsuitable for a place in WJ's future plans.

[coolie]

Funny one this one. I heard the lad got himself an agent and negotiations went belly up. I can only think the reason players in our league get an agent is for status symbols like an Iphone or a flash car. I dont see what they achieve. "right lad, Batley are giving you an extra 10% this season, its a cracking deal, my cut is 15%!!" "oh, ok Mr Agent sir and thank you for getting my rise!!!".

I don't know if we ever saw what George was capable of truly. He looked brilliant before his drugs ban. Looked really sharp when he came back and then he just drifted away. He always looked like he was going to break the line then just seemed to be tackled. He scored a few useful tries from dummy half and that was it. The way Karl played him cannot have been good for him. Coming on just before half time staying on 10 mins after and then for the final 10. I think it knocked the maverick side of him and thats what he needs to be.

He obviously thought he held all the cards with Batley and I suppose his loyalty after the help we gave him came at a cost. If he was worth fighting for and in Kears plans I am sure there would have been a contract signed. Everytime we have lost a player we have seemed to have plugged the gap with a worthy replacement.

I hope he has a successful career ahead of him and enjoys being coached by Mr Jowitt at Dewsbury.

OI !!!!!

dont be using the C word in the same sentence as jowitt
i find it offensive to the rest of the coaches in the championship

[MOONEY]

Double hammer blow imo george leaving and the sheep staying up not very happy (in fact) ###### livid! Top player who will get better given enough game time, thanks your efforts george.

[GuyDinlite]

Whos cares - if players want to leave - let them go.
I wish them all well and after the two years we have had - i certainly wouldnt criticise any of them.
JK has made some very good signings - im sure we'll be as good as, if not better than last year.
I cant wait for the Dogs V Fax games next year.

[silverback]

our loss me thinks,flanny as a lot to give to this game and a lot to prove to himself, i would of rather him done it in a dogs shirt and will keep an eye on george but he will end up running the show at some team thats a cert once hes given more minutes than he had here all the best flanny lad and thanks for the glimpse of what you have to offer.

[John North]

Thats an easy question to answer. At the end of the 2011 season, I WOULD have been fussed about losing Handforth, Campbell, Manning, Bretherton and Lindsay. As we've managed to keep three of the aforementioned, I'm quite happy. The rest of the players in the squad were replaceable IMO. When Reittie, Robinson and Hesketh announced they were leaving, I couldn't have given a jot. All three were ok for Batley, but nothing special whatsoever and I think we can do better than them. Same goes for Flanagan. To be quite honest, I can't remember seeing anything from him in 2011 that marks him down as a true loss to the playing squad. I DO, however, remember seeing him make quite a lot of bad handling errors and conceding quite a lot of costly penalties.
As for our esteemed former coach, I've no qualms about having a pop at him. Good coach who did a fine job at Batley? Yes, undoubtedly, and I congratulate him for that. Would I buy a used car off him? No. Don't forget that this is the guy who stated openly in the press that he would only be looking to sign "a couple" of players from Batley. Well, last time I looked, he'd been involved in negotiations with up to EIGHT of our squad from 2011 and, I guess, would gladly have snapped all of those players up for Halifax if things had gone to plan - absolutely decimating our squad in the process. Those players might well have been out of contract I hear you say, but it was still a snide move on his part, and showed little concern for his former club. If I ever met Mr.Harrison I'd also like to ask why, on two occasions in the last 48 months, he told audiences at Halifax RLFC fund-raising dinners that Batley didn't pay him a single penny, and he was doing the job at Mount Pleasant for free to 'put something back into the game'? Why try and make our great club look like some charity case? Oh, and not to mention his little dig at our club in the press recently, when he announced that Paul Handforth had moved to Halifax 'to win things'. Nice one, cheers.

IF you think there are only 5 players worth holding onto how could KH decimate your side ?

I think your squad was as strong as its ever been in 2011, and RRR has you bang to fights lol.

[HaroldShand]

IF you think there are only 5 players worth holding onto how could KH decimate your side ?

I think your squad was as strong as its ever been in 2011, and RRR has you bang to fights lol.

I stated that there were five players that I would have been FUSSED to lose (i.e. priorities), and that I'm not particularly bothered about the others who have left - not that they weren't WORTH holding on to (please quote me on where I stated they weren't WORTH holding on to). As the latter group of players (the ones I believe are replaceable - i.e. the ones you wrongly accuse me of stating weren't WORTH holding on to) have signed on, thats all well and good. They are mainly all solid pros who do a decent, if not spectacular job.
As it happens Harrison was also in negotiations to take with him Bretherton and Lindsay, and to lose the aforementioned pair would have removed two of the other three players (besides Manning and Handforth) that I earmarked as 'must-keeps'. I'd say that to take four of a clubs five best players, plus another four solid (if not spectacular, and replaceable) squad members would have been massively to be the detriment of our squad numbers, wouldn't you?

(PS. Its 'bang to rights', not 'bang to FIGHTS'. If I'm being pedantic, then I apologise)

Edited by HaroldShand, 07 October 2011 - 02:08 PM.