Sammut is on his way

[marketram]

I've heard from a very close source that Jarrod Sammut is on his way.

And he could play for Workington this weekend.

Sorry bulldogs

[DavidM]

Confirmed

[9' oller]

Dont skint yourself boys.

Cain will be chomping at the bit to recapture some form and finish strong starting against his former employers

[BatleyFanAndy]

Missing out on Sammut doesn't bother me. Like somebody already pointed out, he'd be taking a hell of a chunk of our 2016 pot for very little time in 2015.

[TheTerminator]

Really bad news for us. A relegation battle opponent strengthened in a key area - one in which we've struggled ourselves all season.

[Piggy's mate]

Yeah but I can't see him changing Worky's fortunes much

[TheTerminator]

Yeah but I can't see him changing Worky's fortunes much

'Worky's fortunes' are the same as our 'fortunes'. They've been seriously limited in attack, which has resulted in defeat after defeat. For 'Workington', read 'Batley'.

No-one's saying they'll start sweeping the likes of Bradford and Leigh aside, but Sammut will undoubtedly give them an edge on the clubs around them when it comes to the end of the season competition.

The harsh reality is that we have two halfbacks in Leatherbarrow and Southernwood who both lack pace, both lack a decent, consistent kicking game, both lack flair, and both struggle to create opportunities for others. That's the reason we're limited to barge over tries, and that's the reason why our threequarters rarely get any decent service.

It's going to be between us, Doncaster and Whitehaven for the bottom two spots. Both those sides appear very active in the recruitment department, whilst we don't.

I really fear for us.

[BatleyFanAndy]

I thought Leatherbarrow had been a key player in the last few games.

[TheTerminator]

I thought Leatherbarrow had been a key player in the last few games.

His kicking game has improved in the last few games. Look at the baseline, though.

Without wishing to sound facetious, over the last two games I still can't recall him making any line breaks, creating any tries or showing any genuine class - which has been the issue for us all season.

For Leatherbarrow, read Southernwood. His return doesn't fill me with any renewed optimism whatsoever.

[Piggy's mate]

The same was said about Moore too

[TheTerminator]

The same was said about Moore too

Not at all. Moore was excellent for us. He had a good passing game, a great kicking game, could make a break (he actually ran at the line on occasion), could organise and could dictate a game. He also scored a try virtually every other game in 90 odd appearances for us.

Moore is poles apart from both our current halfbacks. I'm not saying he's a superstar, either - which just highlights our predicament.

[GoldDog]

The same was said about Moore too

 

Are you joking ?

 

If Gareth Moore was to come back I'd celebrate it with a decorated Jamaican themed float, accompanied by a steel drum band, scantily clad carnival girls twerking, wearing 'I love Gareth Moore' Thongs while the great man threw out free cans of Lilt and Reggae Reggae ribs and wings dressed in a flamingo feather boa sat on a massive golden throne.

 

Get a grip people!

[windogs]

Give them time to play along side each other, how many league games have we had them together, 2? Not signing summut is not the end of the world!

[buford t justice]

Hope missing out on Sammut doesnt come back to haunt us in the super 8 relegation shoot out.

[Dolmio Babcock]

Give them time to play along side each other, how many league games have we had them together, 2? Not signing summut is not the end of the world!

Hope you are correct Dan, however he started his career at the Bulls (released), then onto Wakefield (released) in between that a loan spell at the Ostriches, by all accounts he didn't blossom there and last season at Whitehaven, where a average season was had. In his latter teen years he has been a academy international. At the age of 23, his career hasn't kicked on at all, what I have seen of him this season yes competitive, in terms of quality no. Both Cain and Scott are very similar imo, hope they kick on, but I haven't much confidence at this stage. Not signing Sammut is not the end of the world, but loosing out on a player with an x factor record, top line experience, loves taking the line on and I believe lives local ish to us, could prove a key blow. Don't mind getting proved wrong though.

[Keep The Faith]

Hope you are correct Dan, however he started his career at the Bulls (released), then onto Wakefield (released) in between that a loan spell at the Ostriches, by all accounts he didn't blossom there and last season at Whitehaven, where a average season was had. In his latter teen years he has been a academy international. At the age of 23, his career hasn't kicked on at all, what I have seen of him this season yes competitive, in terms of quality no. Both Cain and Scott are very similar imo, hope they kick on, but I haven't much confidence at this stage. Not signing Sammut is not the end of the world, but loosing out on a player with an x factor record, top line experience, loves taking the line on and I believe lives local ish to us, could prove a key blow. Don't mind getting proved wrong though.

time to settle both Half backs and build the team around them then as scott has been at wigan and warrington both twice as a junior before been let go to keighley

[TheTerminator]

time to settle both Half backs and build the team around them then as scott has been at wigan and warrington both twice as a junior before been let go to keighley

Yes, let's build a team around them and let them develop at their own pace - three quarters of the way through a season and in the midst of a relegation dogfight. What we need is experience and class. Unfortunately, neither of them offer those qualities.

I'm afraid that we've failed miserably to improve our squad in the area where we're most blatantly lacking - which also happens to be the most important area in a team.

[buford t justice]

To be fair to Southernwood when he played he looked Ok, but Leatherbarrow hasnt impressed me in the slightest, although he was better than he has been against Leigh.

Hopefully they will gel and spark life into our attack, but it will take Cain a few games to get match fit, and it will take time for an on field partnership to gel.

The key word in all this is time, its fast running out!

Whatever happens, we MUST get a result on sunday or a tough job will get even tougher.

[Morleydog]

May have said this before, but when I was at the London game, I was talking to their 'Well being Manager' (says it all really), he said it would make your eyes water what they had to pay Sammut to play. Dont know how Workington are affording that, unless he is doing them a favor because of his mate.

[TheTerminator]

May have said this before, but when I was at the London game, I was talking to their 'Well being Manager' (says it all really), he said it would make your eyes water what they had to pay Sammut to play. Dont know how Workington are affording that, unless he is doing them a favor because of his mate.

He's been handed a sizeable severance pay-out by Wakefield and was happy to sign for vastly reduced terms until the end of the season.

[vile rodders]

The player obviously didn't want to come to Batley there has been 50+ contacts with various

people about him coming but he was or his agent was holding out for more money.Players

have been doing this to us for seasons, using us as a yardstick then getting more elsewhere.

I would rather have a player who wants to play for us than a mere mercenary money geabber.

[marketram]

He's taken a pay cut, and won't want to be on that amount for long. He'll try and work wonders at Workington so he can put himself in the shop window, and try and keep them up, which will inevitably make him look better.

And you say you wouldn't want that at Batley hahaha

You're in no position to say things like 'want someone that actually wants to play for us'

beggars can't be choosers

[vile rodders]

Taken a pay cut from his Wakefield pay but still on a sizeable wedge from worky.

Never been beggars mate always payed our way and done ok with it.Obviously

we would have liked him but it was not to be.

[phildog]

We were caught out from the very beginning; can't think of another team that went into the season with only 2 halves. There WERE options available at the time and we CHOSE to ignore the chance to strengthen there. Theee have been chances since yet despite offering the money nobody wants to come anymore. That's a sad indictment. Had they had all season together then these 2 may have built a good partnership, but with both having had long spells out they are starting fresh again at a point of the season that we can't afford. If we don't win this week then the game v Donny becomes the bottom spot game. The 8's are then our only chance to improve.

[phildog]

Sorry for the echo, I'm in Turkey and their internet performance is as reliable as the teams.