2017 squad and rumour mill thread

[Kevin Nicholas]

Hope Batley supporters are not generally full of grief & despair as Fredm suggests. However if they are regretably there is not much we can do about it. All we can do is run a sports club as best we can and hope that sports loving people enjoy the contests some we will lose but hopefully more we will win but even in defeat hope grief & despair is not generated.

[doggystyle]

Got fed up of reading long winded posts but agree we need a winger. We also do not need Dom Maloney. Nothing against him just that we have forwards galore.

[distantdog]

Got fed up of reading long winded posts but agree we need a winger. We also do not need Dom Maloney. Nothing against him just that we have forwards galore.

Thought the longer posts on this thread were well thought out, well written with interesting opinions.

I believe a couple more decent signings, as explained by KN above will round off our squad nicely.

As for new signings, if l had to choose a centre to replace Ulugia, l honestly would have picked Hallett.

This lad will be an outstanding signing in my opinion.

[phildog]

Giving a player more money doesn't make him a better player, nor, in our guys' situation, get them to give more, as after the season's effort I think they've already given quite enough. AND don't forget most had already extended contracts mid-season before our final placing and cash windfall was known. I really do hope I'm 100% wrong, but if our intentions are to maintain this season's form without even considering bettering it, then surely we have to match the improvements made by the competition to do so. Regarding naming names; we were widely tipped to have signed a winger from Bradford, which we really do need unless a) Brown is staying or we intend to bodge during injury. Anyone with a long history of watching Batley knows that throughout the ages we've made a lot of players fit positions which were alien to them, Johnny Parker moons ago was a no.6 who the coach picked at FB, even Gary Thornton came as a representative stand off and got shoved on the wing. YOU who accuse really should know that questioning isn't damning and everybody has their own views how to reach the same conclusion. Are other clubs around us going for broke again, spending what they haven't got in pursuit of what we achieved?

[Mike Garforth]

Giving a player more money does not make him a better player but after last season other clubs will have been sniffing around. The new contracts were signed knowing we would finish in the top 6 and would have included significant bonuses for achieving top 4.

The same will go for this season. As for signing a winger the first issue would be who is available (you tell me). Its easy to say you want a big name signing but who?

As I said before. The club have done the right thing. Other clubs are going for broke to reach the top 4 whereas we are in a position to challenge in that top group for a few years.

Hallet and Smeaton are signings for this season and are both top signings IMO. Farrel although he does give penalties away in the games I have seen him he is usually one of the stand out players on the field. Granted I don't know much about the others or the loan players from cas but we will know more in the friendlies.

Who should the club have signed in your opinion?

[DOGFATHER]

Giving a player more money doesn't make him a better player, nor, in our guys' situation, get them to give more, as after the season's effort I think they've already given quite enough. AND don't forget most had already extended contracts mid-season before our final placing and cash windfall was known. I really do hope I'm 100% wrong, but if our intentions are to maintain this season's form without even considering bettering it, then surely we have to match the improvements made by the competition to do so. Regarding naming names; we were widely tipped to have signed a winger from Bradford, which we really do need unless a) Brown is staying or we intend to bodge during injury. Anyone with a long history of watching Batley knows that throughout the ages we've made a lot of players fit positions which were alien to them, Johnny Parker moons ago was a no.6 who the coach picked at FB, even Gary Thornton came as a representative stand off and got shoved on the wing. YOU who accuse really should know that questioning isn't damning and everybody has their own views how to reach the same conclusion. Are other clubs around us going for broke again, spending what they haven't got in pursuit of what we achieved?

Whilst I have no insider information regarding our mid season signings. I would assume the club said if we finish in the top four you will get paid £xxxx next season. If we finish 6th you will get £xxx next season. Most signings are concluded mid season, often way before they are announced. Surely you don't think we'd wait until the money was sorted before we started signing players on, do you? All the best players would have already gone to Fev before the negotiations had started.

Nobody is saying paying the same players more money will improve them, but they would have been offered more elsewhere due to the achievements of last season. Therefore, we had the option of paying them more to keep them, or let them go. The club obviously had a look around and realised there are no better part time players in the country. Do you know why? Because we are the best part time team in the country. We are the Barcelona of part time rugby league, Maybe you think we should have done a Sheffield and gone full time, coz boy that worked out well for them.

What I and HS have asked of you is, who could we have signed in your opinion, who would improve the squad?

We finished 3rd last year, with no obvious weaknesses in the team, unlike other years. Where we have been short of centres. I would ideally have liked us to sign another halfback, and guess what..

we did, we signed the lad from Cas.

Ulugia has gone, we have signed Hallet and Smeaton to replace him. Hirst has gone, we brought in Maher.

We have added a lot of depth to what was the 3rd best team in division to allow us to rest players suffering with knocks.

Bradford have signed Pryce but lost Gaskell, Ferguson and a whole ruck of other players. They have brought in Walton and Joseph too. I'm hardly quaking at the thought of playing them, if that's the benchmark. Joseph has never been more than a decent ch1 player imo, never mind this division. I reckon he must have used Luke Menzies agent to get a gig in SL.

Walton is alright but no more than that, he misses more than he stops shooting out of the line in defence. We have 3 better centres than him signed on imo.

Richard Moore at Featherstone, a 36 year old prop costing £30k? I wouldn't swap him for any of ours.

So come on Phil, who would you have signed?

At least tell me who has been snapped up by our rivals who has significantly improved them?

Dewsbury's better players have departed (Grady, Grant and Farrell).

Sheffield's better players have gone elsewhere (Knowles and Carlisle).

Halifax have signed Grady, but they had to take a 10% wage cut to cover his salary.

London look to have recruited well but money seems to be no object to them, as they are reputedly £10M in debt with no support and yet still full time, the mind boggles.

Hull KR will throw everything at going straight back up, so they are in essence still a SL club.

Featherstone have signed an injured centre from us, a 36 year old prop from Halifax, an aging second rower from Sheffield and Keal Carlisle. They might turn out to be brilliant, but so might our signings.

Other than HKR and London, none of the others look unbeatable.

[Mike Garforth]

Well put

[the old nine ole]

Well put

 

 

The thing about sport is you never know ... thats why we all watch it!!  Who would have put money on Batley finishing 3rd last year ... who would put money on them being top 4 this year!!   Remember you have just lost the best coach in the league!!

 

So for me Oldham have recruited well, and might shock a few .... the Rams have recruited ... but I have no idea how we are going to go ... sometimes its just the final piece in the jigsaw!!  Brambani was just that for Batley last year ... can he do it for you again, without JKs vision?  

 

Sammut might just be a spanner in the works for London... has he ever improved any team he has played for?

[phildog]

Reluctantly I feel my points fall on deaf ears. We have coaching staff far better qualified that any of us to go out and pick names. Great if these unknown quantities turn out to be the next Walmsleys. Other clubs have the same coaching staff who have brought in the likes of Moore who I'm sure they wouldn't have if there wasn't mileage left in them. ALSO, great to hear from KN re a couple of more in the pipeline who might just be a couple of real surprises. We all appreciate the effort Kev, Paul and the rest of the board put in to balance the books and I suppose as supporters themselves they would also love to see that one 'biggie' on board. We didn't need Moor, often talked about, as clearly Maher will more than adequately replace Hirst and Holmes will challenge more heavily at half back as we have 2 excellent hookers in rotation without adding Farrell to the mix either there or 2nd row. I am not in the business of just ripping things apart just for the sake but more putting forward thoughts of other supporters I speak to who aren't on the site who have similar misgivings and hopes, but who will still be there paying their 5 bob to support whoever the coach puts on the pitch. We will have to agree to disagree until one side or t'other has its' point proved. whatever else. .... forward you Dogs!

[ramsfandan]

Whilst I have no insider information regarding our mid season signings. I would assume the club said if we finish in the top four you will get paid £xxxx next season. If we finish 6th you will get £xxx next season. Most signings are concluded mid season, often way before they are announced. Surely you don't think we'd wait until the money was sorted before we started signing players on, do you? All the best players would have already gone to Fev before the negotiations had started.

Nobody is saying paying the same players more money will improve them, but they would have been offered more elsewhere due to the achievements of last season. Therefore, we had the option of paying them more to keep them, or let them go. The club obviously had a look around and realised there are no better part time players in the country. Do you know why? Because we are the best part time team in the country. We are the Barcelona of part time rugby league, Maybe you think we should have done a Sheffield and gone full time, coz boy that worked out well for them.

What I and HS have asked of you is, who could we have signed in your opinion, who would improve the squad?

We finished 3rd last year, with no obvious weaknesses in the team, unlike other years. Where we have been short of centres. I would ideally have liked us to sign another halfback, and guess what..

we did, we signed the lad from Cas.

Ulugia has gone, we have signed Hallet and Smeaton to replace him. Hirst has gone, we brought in Maher.

We have added a lot of depth to what was the 3rd best team in division to allow us to rest players suffering with knocks.

Bradford have signed Pryce but lost Gaskell, Ferguson and a whole ruck of other players. They have brought in Walton and Joseph too. I'm hardly quaking at the thought of playing them, if that's the benchmark. Joseph has never been more than a decent ch1 player imo, never mind this division. I reckon he must have used Luke Menzies agent to get a gig in SL.

Walton is alright but no more than that, he misses more than he stops shooting out of the line in defence. We have 3 better centres than him signed on imo.

Richard Moore at Featherstone, a 36 year old prop costing £30k? I wouldn't swap him for any of ours.

So come on Phil, who would you have signed?

At least tell me who has been snapped up by our rivals who has significantly improved them?

Dewsbury's better players have departed (Grady, Grant and Farrell).

Sheffield's better players have gone elsewhere (Knowles and Carlisle).

Halifax have signed Grady, but they had to take a 10% wage cut to cover his salary.

London look to have recruited well but money seems to be no object to them, as they are reputedly £10M in debt with no support and yet still full time, the mind boggles.

Hull KR will throw everything at going straight back up, so they are in essence still a SL club.

Featherstone have signed an injured centre from us, a 36 year old prop from Halifax, an aging second rower from Sheffield and Keal Carlisle. They might turn out to be brilliant, but so might our signings.

Other than HKR and London, none of the others look unbeatable.

we still got our best players sykes teanby and guzdek

[fev4evatiggerneva]

Talking from experiance with fev, signing big names doesnt guarantee you success, we signed all the super stars 2 seasons back, maitua, wood, carvell, hitchcox etc, and our performances were pretty poor for the majority of the season. Its all about getting the right players for the coach and club, then having the coach to get the best out of them. In our powell era, we didnt really sign any superstars, just good honest players who did really well for us. Batley had that quality last season, no real superstars but good honest players. Think you have recruited very well, replaced the lads youve lost and added some strength in depth, heard good things about the 2 cas lads you have signed, there the type of player you want, young and hungry decent pedigree and a point to prove. The players are going to have respect for diskin, so can see you having another great season without breaking the bank.

[Mike Garforth]

Fingers crossed

[DOGFATHER]

Reluctantly I feel my points fall on deaf ears. We have coaching staff far better qualified that any of us to go out and pick names. Great if these unknown quantities turn out to be the next Walmsleys. Other clubs have the same coaching staff who have brought in the likes of Moore who I'm sure they wouldn't have if there wasn't mileage left in them. ALSO, great to hear from KN re a couple of more in the pipeline who might just be a couple of real surprises. We all appreciate the effort Kev, Paul and the rest of the board put in to balance the books and I suppose as supporters themselves they would also love to see that one 'biggie' on board. We didn't need Moor, often talked about, as clearly Maher will more than adequately replace Hirst and Holmes will challenge more heavily at half back as we have 2 excellent hookers in rotation without adding Farrell to the mix either there or 2nd row. I am not in the business of just ripping things apart just for the sake but more putting forward thoughts of other supporters I speak to who aren't on the site who have similar misgivings and hopes, but who will still be there paying their 5 bob to support whoever the coach puts on the pitch. We will have to agree to disagree until one side or t'other has its' point proved. whatever else. .... forward you Dogs!

Sorry Phil, but the only player you have named is Richard Moore? He is the player who you would have signed and improved us in your opinion?

Fair enough, I take your point, I don't agree with you. Honestly, I think he might have done us a job. But £30k a season, really? At 36 he is very unlikely to improve and at his age, he is more likely to spend the majority of the season on the treatment table rather than playing.

I hope for Fev that he isn't. If we could have got him for £10k, he was probably worth a gamble. But gambling £30k on him just seems crazy money.

[RPH]

we still got our best players sykes teanby and guzdek

good for you ....

[silverback]

cant understand all the beefing,we must be in the best place we have been for a long long time, cracking squad that did us proud last year and kept that pack to do same again,and we bolstered up on that with some youngsters and quality players to all come in and fight for a shirt,lets just hold on for the ride and am sure we will have a cracking season in 2017.well done to the whole batley setup as we seem to have come a long way in past few years.a few more magic moments to come am sure for us doggies..

[Piggy's mate]

we still got our best players sykes teanby and guzdek

Guzdek is a good fullback but we've got one of those and we have better centers than Sykes and I've never heard of teanby!

[RogerT]

C'mon PM, don't worry about over the Valley just concentrate on this side of it.

[DOGFATHER]

I suppose as supporters themselves they would also love to see that one 'biggie' on board.

Are you sure about that?

The reason I ask is, I honestly can't think of a single big name player who has joined a club in our division who has been a huge success or lived up to the hype, maybe you can help me out?

As Fev4 states, there are lots that haven't. Here's a few more to add to his list.

Terri Glassie, Nick Fozzard, Fuifui Moimoi, Iestyn Harris, Robbie Paul, Mike Kuiti, Epalahame Lauaki, Paul Cooke, Karl Pryce and even Jarrod Sammut wasn't good enough to save Workington from relegation, so he could possibly fall in to this camp as well...

There's probably lots more too.

[fevfromfar]

A bit harsh on some players. Moimoi did well for leigh and I know Cook when fit run some teams ragged. Can't comment on the rest but your right about Harris for Fev.

[fevfromfar]

But adding to that I agree. I don't think Batley need any players. Your squad looks very good and your my tip for 4th. Hopefully fev may give you a battle for it. I also hope Fax will have another ###### season it will keep oxy boy off our forum.

[DOGFATHER]

A bit harsh on some players. Moimoi did well for leigh and I know Cook when fit run some teams ragged. Can't comment on the rest but your right about Harris for Fev.

Moimoi was not a particularly bad player, it's just he would have a drive and then he'd disappear out the game. I think there were better props than him in the division who probably would not have cost as much.

Big name players come at a huge premium and they are usually injury prone as a rule.

[Blind side johnny]

Are you sure about that?

The reason I ask is, I honestly can't think of a single big name player who has joined a club in our division who has been a huge success or lived up to the hype, maybe you can help me out?

As Fev4 states, there are lots that haven't. Here's a few more to add to his list.

Terri Glassie, Nick Fozzard, Fuifui Moimoi, Iestyn Harris, Robbie Paul, Mike Kuiti, Epalahame Lauaki, Paul Cooke, Karl Pryce and even Jarrod Sammut wasn't good enough to save Workington from relegation, so he could possibly fall in to this camp as well...

There's probably lots more too.

 

 

Just for the record Karl Pryce was neither a big name player nor a high cost one, despite what many Batley fans have assumed over the years.

 

HTH

[Blind side johnny]

Whilst I have no insider information regarding our mid season signings. I would assume the club said if we finish in the top four you will get paid £xxxx next season. If we finish 6th you will get £xxx next season. Most signings are concluded mid season, often way before they are announced. Surely you don't think we'd wait until the money was sorted before we started signing players on, do you? All the best players would have already gone to Fev before the negotiations had started.

Nobody is saying paying the same players more money will improve them, but they would have been offered more elsewhere due to the achievements of last season. Therefore, we had the option of paying them more to keep them, or let them go. The club obviously had a look around and realised there are no better part time players in the country. Do you know why? Because we are the best part time team in the country. We are the Barcelona of part time rugby league, Maybe you think we should have done a Sheffield and gone full time, coz boy that worked out well for them.

What I and HS have asked of you is, who could we have signed in your opinion, who would improve the squad?

We finished 3rd last year, with no obvious weaknesses in the team, unlike other years. Where we have been short of centres. I would ideally have liked us to sign another halfback, and guess what..

we did, we signed the lad from Cas.

Ulugia has gone, we have signed Hallet and Smeaton to replace him. Hirst has gone, we brought in Maher.

We have added a lot of depth to what was the 3rd best team in division to allow us to rest players suffering with knocks.

Bradford have signed Pryce but lost Gaskell, Ferguson and a whole ruck of other players. They have brought in Walton and Joseph too. I'm hardly quaking at the thought of playing them, if that's the benchmark. Joseph has never been more than a decent ch1 player imo, never mind this division. I reckon he must have used Luke Menzies agent to get a gig in SL.

Walton is alright but no more than that, he misses more than he stops shooting out of the line in defence. We have 3 better centres than him signed on imo.

Richard Moore at Featherstone, a 36 year old prop costing £30k? I wouldn't swap him for any of ours.

So come on Phil, who would you have signed?

At least tell me who has been snapped up by our rivals who has significantly improved them?

Dewsbury's better players have departed (Grady, Grant and Farrell).

Sheffield's better players have gone elsewhere (Knowles and Carlisle).

Halifax have signed Grady, but they had to take a 10% wage cut to cover his salary.

London look to have recruited well but money seems to be no object to them, as they are reputedly £10M in debt with no support and yet still full time, the mind boggles.

Hull KR will throw everything at going straight back up, so they are in essence still a SL club.

Featherstone have signed an injured centre from us, a 36 year old prop from Halifax, an aging second rower from Sheffield and Keal Carlisle. They might turn out to be brilliant, but so might our signings.

Other than HKR and London, none of the others look unbeatable.

 

 

Do you just make these things up randomly or can't you be bothered with facts?

[DOGFATHER]

Do you just make these things up randomly or can't you be bothered with facts?

I must have missed the announcement where it stated Grady was paying Halifax for the privilege of playing.

If I haven't missed such an announcement, I fail to see how signing a player and paying him a salary could in any way help to reduce there outgoings, perhaps you can explain to me where I have got it wrong?

I perhaps incorrectly assumed that the people reading it, were intelligent enough to maybe not quite take it as literally as the whole 10% was going to pay for Grady.

Maybe I overestimated you BSJ?

Or underestimated how pedantic you are.

[DOGFATHER]

Just for the record Karl Pryce was neither a big name player nor a high cost one, despite what many Batley fans have assumed over the years.

 

HTH

Define big name signing? He had played in Super League for both Bradford and Wigan in the first team to my knowledge, (when Bradford were a good side too) prior to joining the Rams, and he had a very good try scoring record in SL IIRC.

I've no idea what you paid him, perhaps you could enlighten me? But I'd class anyone who has been playing first team rugby at 2 of the biggest clubs in the game at the time as a pretty big name.