Grace wants to join Holbrook

[goldcoaster]

I think its a nothing story, but it would be good if we can get a couple of Saints players to make the move accross int he coming years.

[goldcoaster]

8 hours ago, Eddie said:

The way to keep talent here is to raise the salary cap, it’s too low. 

And give teams not named Wigan, Saints or Leeds even less chance to win a trophy?

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, goldcoaster said:

And give teams not named Wigan, Saints or Leeds even less chance to win a trophy?

Or make other teams do more to increase crowds, sell merchandise etc. Warrington do it well, others could follow suit. 

[Lowdesert]

6 hours ago, Liverpool Rover said:

How many Saints players would Holbrook consider to be good enough for the NRL? Roby, Walmsley and Thompson immediately spring to mind but Roby has had more than one chance to go, Walmsley will be starting enter the final few years of his career when his current contract expires and I all I have read about Thompson is him saying that he is happy at Saints.

Media reports that Canterbury executive is/has been in Merseyside and the view is it’s for Walmsley and Thompson.  

Iirc Walmsley signed a deal recently so some serious cash would be needed for that one but Thompson becomes a free agent at the end of next season so a pay off would not be outside the realms of Canterbury.

 

[Saint Toppy]

Typical lazy journalism again. Grace may well end up in the NRL in a few years time and Thompson has already said he will see out the remainder of his Saints contract and then consider his options (plus Saints have also said they will not sell Thompson). Walmsley has had several big offers from NRL clubs but turned them all down because he has a young family and his missus doesn't want to leave their family support while their kids are so young.

I reckon Thompson will go to the NRL in 2021 and maybe Grace in 2023, but other than those 2 I can't see anyone else leaving.

[Wolford6]

11 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Too right marra

Hang on... Won't the cold kill you up there eventually though? 

In the 1990's I was a member of a party that had a guided tour of Sellafield.

Most of (all?) the siteworkers had their trousers tucked inside knee-length red socks.

[Mushy]

He’s a Saints employee and all his dealings should respect that. If I went on record as talking about who else I’d like to work for I’d be ostracised at the very least. Thankfully he’s not bigging up a rival sport but he is bigging up a rival competition which could be damaging to his current employer. We should have stuff in contracts about this sort of thing. 

[Pen-Y-Bont Crusader]

Regans a good lad. Wish him all the best wherever he decides to go. Certainly a long way and a lot of different to his part of Port Talbot.

[Davo5]

At this stage of his career he's not good enough for the NRL,he'd get found out defensively,especially under the high ball and physically.

[Rupert Prince]

Do Gold Coast have a backer?  The best way for them to find useful players that are available, and who the coach likes, is to get them from St Helens.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 hours ago, Wolford6 said:

In the 1990's I was a member of a party that had a guided tour of Sellafield.

Most of (all?) the siteworkers had their trousers tucked inside knee-length red socks.

Red socks? 

Commies... The lot of em

[fighting irish]

4 hours ago, Eddie said:

Or make other teams do more to increase crowds, sell merchandise etc. Warrington do it well, others could follow suit. 

Why don't Warrington tell them how to do it?

[Eddie]

3 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

Why don't Warrington tell them how to do it?

Why would they want to improve their rivals’ financial position?

[fighting irish]

There is merit in assisting each other to prosper.

They are rivals on the field, but (with the games future in mind) sharing best practice as businesses, is in everyone's best interest.

Seeing the sport as a dog eat dog, zero sum game, is the cause of the ''top few'' elite club stranglehold the likes of Wigan, Saints, Warrington and Leeds have over the rest.

It might swell the leading club chairman's ego's but it does nothing to nurture the game as a whole.

Look at what's happened to Bradford, a once great club.

I could say, that helping the less well informed clubs (the less professional) to model best practice would ensure the top clubs have still got someone else to play against in future.

[Storm13]

Way to small to be a first grader in the NRL.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

I’m more worried about Jack Welsby joining the NRL than Alex Walmsley. 

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, fighting irish said:

There is merit in assisting each other to prosper.

They are rivals on the field, but (with the games future in mind) sharing best practice as businesses, is in everyone's best interest.

Seeing the sport as a dog eat dog, zero sum game, is the cause of the ''top few'' elite club stranglehold the likes of Wigan, Saints, Warrington and Leeds have over the rest.

It might swell the leading club chairman's ego's but it does nothing to nurture the game as a whole.

Look at what's happened to Bradford, a once great club.

I could say, that helping the less well informed clubs (the less professional) to model best practice would ensure the top clubs have still got someone else to play against in future.

I agree as a fan of the sport but it’s their job to keep their own club at the top. 

[Gibbo]

20 hours ago, DoubleD said:

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/grace-eyeing-up-nrl-move-23405/

I imagine there’ll be a few Saints following him over the next year or 2.

A shame Australia can’t produce their own players so that we have to keep supporting them

Good luck in selling him to the Titans.

He looks fragile and was anonymous in today's Nines where he should have shone, in fairness his side did not see much ball.

[Just Browny]

17 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I'd prefer Dorset (top) versus the Aussie hell hole here (bottom) 

 

Fair old commute from Dorset to St Helens I would think.

[Gerrumonside ref]

As others have said he would need to improve his defence especially under the high ball.

Maybe development wise he might be better off in Australia.

It’d be a gamble, but possibly one worth taking as what would he have to lose - if he doesn’t cut it he would probably still come back a better player with many suitors.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

Fair old commute from Dorset to St Helens I would think.

Going by canoe each day... Fitness would be top notch

[Gibbo]

55 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

Fair old commute from Dorset to St Helens I would think.

St Kilda?

Melbourne does not have any nice beaches its a harbour/port city.

[Lowdesert]

51 minutes ago, Saint 1 said:

Makinson, Percival, Grace potentially, Lomax, Fages potentially, Walmsley, Thompson, Roby potentially, Knowles and Lees. That doesn't mean many of them will go.

Bit of a wasted trip given they're currently in Sydney! 

No idea.  Just repeating what’s in the press.

No matter what, agents will be looking at the money - of course, in the best interests of the players.

[fighting irish]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

I agree as a fan of the sport but it’s their job to keep their own club at the top. 

Yes you're right, its why the game needs someone in control who can see beyond their own short term, ego driven, craven small-time behaviours.

[Eddie]

9 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

Yes you're right, its why the game needs someone in control who can see beyond their own short term, ego driven, craven small-time behaviours.

So would you have clubs under central ownership? If we keep the salary cap this low the game can never grow and we’ll keep losing players to NRL and Union, or jobs outside of sport. If some teams can’t then compete so what, they’ll have to pull their socks up (easier said than done I accept) or others will take their place.