Josh Drinkwater rejoins the Catalans

[The Future is League]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/50255676

[Storm13]

So Albert and Morgue are going to be what 5th and 6th option now?

[ghost crayfish]

17 minutes ago, Storm13 said:

So Albert and Morgue are going to be what 5th and 6th option now?

Yeah it's rubbish. Both those guys have serious talent, but they're just never being backed. Fair enough buying Maloney - he's a classy and experienced player. But surely it'd be best to put him next to a talented youngster. This club will never really do anything until they actually trust their own young french players. 

[Lowdesert]

1 hour ago, ghost crayfish said:

Yeah it's rubbish. Both those guys have serious talent, but they're just never being backed. Fair enough buying Maloney - he's a classy and experienced player. But surely it'd be best to put him next to a talented youngster. This club will never really do anything until they actually trust their own young french players. 

The 1st one has, but not consistently at SL level.  If he had, other Clubs would’ve been in for him by now. He had 12 or so games last year 50/50 starting and bench.  Barely mentioned.

Morgue is different and he will be thereabouts in a year or so.

Not knocking Drinkwater and he can move a team around and kick well, but  not a game changer.  Not someone who comes into the game last 10 of each half and poses a threat.  He might be, this year, but not on past viewing.  

Just shows the lack of halves available.

[Balmain1969]

Albert is a puzzling one, we saw him play in Perth a couple of years ago in the WC, in a well beaten team he looked like he could match it with the English players. Just doesn't seem to have kicked on, I'm not sure if he's a naturally stocky guy or he's carrying a bit of weight, maybe not a good trainer.

Would love for Robinson to pick up a couple of these young French guys and put them in the Roosters development squad, might help them kick on.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

You'd think a 3rd French club in League 1 as a feeder club at present to the other 2 French clubs would be a great move for French RL.

Could be a condition of membership that they can only use a percentage of homegrown players (a bit like the Federation trained rule)?

[DavidM]

2 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

You'd think a 3rd French club in League 1 as a feeder club at present to the other 2 French clubs would be a great move for French RL.

Could be a condition of membership that they can only use a percentage of homegrown players (a bit like the Federation trained rule)?

Good call . And we need more clubs  !

[The Future is League]

2 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

You'd think a 3rd French club in League 1 as a feeder club at present to the other 2 French clubs would be a great move for French RL.

Could be a condition of membership that they can only use a percentage of homegrown players (a bit like the Federation trained rule)?

A 3rd French team playing in League 1 with only French players would benefit French Rugby League a great deal

[Oliver Clothesoff]

57 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

You'd think a 3rd French club in League 1 as a feeder club at present to the other 2 French clubs would be a great move for French RL.

Could be a condition of membership that they can only use a percentage of homegrown players (a bit like the Federation trained rule)?

Essentially a reserve team for Catalans/Toulouse or have I taken your post the wrong way? 
 

[GeordieSaint]

2 hours ago, Balmain1969 said:

Albert is a puzzling one, we saw him play in Perth a couple of years ago in the WC, in a well beaten team he looked like he could match it with the English players. Just doesn't seem to have kicked on, I'm not sure if he's a naturally stocky guy or he's carrying a bit of weight, maybe not a good trainer.

Would love for Robinson to pick up a couple of these young French guys and put them in the Roosters development squad, might help them kick on.

It's hard to kick on when you aren't given the opportunity...

If I was Albert, I'd be looking to shift across the Channel to get a crack; did Fages wonders. In fact, I wish the English clubs would scout more across the Channel and bring some of the clear and evident talent into their junior systems.

[Lowdesert]

3 hours ago, Balmain1969 said:

Albert is a puzzling one, we saw him play in Perth a couple of years ago in the WC, in a well beaten team he looked like he could match it with the English players. Just doesn't seem to have kicked on, I'm not sure if he's a naturally stocky guy or he's carrying a bit of weight, maybe not a good trainer.

Would love for Robinson to pick up a couple of these young French guys and put them in the Roosters development squad, might help them kick on.

The back end of your 1st paragraph is near the mark.

I’ve always maintained he isn’t good enough yet as he just hasn’t kicked on from the level he was at 3 years ago.  The evidence is plain to see.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

7 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Essentially a reserve team for Catalans/Toulouse or have I taken your post the wrong way? 
 

Sort of. Independent, but open to dual reg from said clubs.

[Walney]

Don't know why Catalans feel they have to sign another scrum half, what with they have in the pipeline and already there. If they are really in need of a more experienced cover for the soon to be first choice 7 (James Maloney), I think they should have gone for Mason Lino, who is now a free agent. I saw quite a lot of his games for NZ Warriors, but less so for his most recent team (Newcastle) and always thought he had plenty of skill but was stuck in the shadows behind Shaun Johnson and Blake Green and not given a good run to shine. He is Samoan international and so a visa should not be a problem, a free agent and early in his career was willing to move to Toulouse (don't know why it never happened), so seems to have all the necessary boxes ticked. 

[barnyia]

On 01/11/2019 at 13:25, Balmain1969 said:

Albert is a puzzling one, we saw him play in Perth a couple of years ago in the WC, in a well beaten team he looked like he could match it with the English players. Just doesn't seem to have kicked on, I'm not sure if he's a naturally stocky guy or he's carrying a bit of weight, maybe not a good trainer.

Would love for Robinson to pick up a couple of these young French guys and put them in the Roosters development squad, might help them kick on.

He doesn't look too bad here, (top centre) 

[Balmain1969]

5 hours ago, barnyia said:

He doesn't look too bad here, (top centre) 

Well that answers that question, obviously has a stocky build but appears to be in good knick. As others have said its probably the lack of opportunities, Catalan are continually outsourcing their halves. Best thing for Albert may be to move to another club like Fages and establish himself as a regular first grader.