Who is/was your clubs unnecessary signing?

[DoubleD 5,213]

7 hours ago, Chris Taylor said:

Briscoe bagged 5 tries in a cup final and holds the record < that's a great achievement. 

He had a tough few months at Leeds, but he's most certainly not as bad as some make out. 

It was against Hull KR though 

Edited April 30 by DoubleD

[Wigan Riversider 162]

19 hours ago, Futtocks said:

True. See also Shem Tatupu, who signally failed to become the next Tuigamala.

Remember Greg Florimo? A fine player in his day. Then, quite a long time after his day, Wigan signed him and Mark Reber. 

David Vaelecki

Jerry Seuseu

Jamie Ainscough

[Harry Stottle 3,036]

4 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

So that’s not International?

Any player who has ever represented GB or England must be a good player.

 Didn’t he also play for Ireland?

 

I remember that he was on the bench for GB v Newcastle Knights on the '92 tour, I was at that game but time as clouded my memory and although I think he took to the field I could not say for certain.

PS on your respect of 'must be a good player' if they gain international honours,  I can think of a few in my opinion who I consider very fortunate but the one that readily comes to mind is Paul Aitchison of St Helens, I would classify him as average, not good.

What do you think?

Edited April 30 by Harry Stottle

[Lowdesert 2,808]

40 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I remember that he was on the bench for GB v Newcastle Knights on the '92 tour, I was at that game but time as clouded my memory and although I think he took to the field I could not say for certain.

PS on your respect of 'must be a good player' if they gain international honours,  I can think of a few in my opinion who I consider very fortunate but the one that readily comes to mind is Paul Aitchison of St Helens, I would classify him as average, not good.

What do you think?

I think he took to the field after Edwards and Schofield had hammered the French.  I dont remember him being on that Tour but could be wrong as there would have been Edwards, Gregory, Deryk Fox maybe Ellis (maybe not).

I am not sure about the Newcastle game, but I can remember Mark from the training squads at Leeds Met and Loughborough, so he was around the GB/England set up. 

Certainly agree  Harry in that some players have scraped into those teams and not done themselves justice, but as far as I am concerned a player taking the field for his country is an international player.  A full cap is the highest accolade but he would not get that opportunity to even be in the squad (or train with the squad) if he wasnt good enough at that given time.

Edit:  you are right.  He was called up due to others injuries

Edited April 30 by Lowdesert

[POR 488]

6 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

So that’s not International?

Any player who has ever represented GB or England must be a good player.

 Didn’t he also play for Ireland?

 

YES that's international  and congratulations to him but one sub appearance isn't some games as you alluded 

didn't play for ireland but coached them 2011 to 17 

But the bottom line is your'e missing the point no matter how good you think he is FEV didn't need him but because he was a mate of the then chairman he came to FEV on  big money and he was rubbish  he went back to sheffield after one season 

so as the title of this topic is 

Who is/was your clubs unnecessary signing?

FEV Mark Aston

[bentleyman 36]

In the Newcastle game Aston replaced Steve McNamara in the 50th minute

[Lowdesert 2,808]

19 minutes ago, POR said:

YES that's international  and congratulations to him but one sub appearance isn't some games as you alluded 

didn't play for ireland but coached them 2011 to 17 

But the bottom line is your'e missing the point no matter how good you think he is FEV didn't need him but because he was a mate of the then chairman he came to FEV on  big money and he was rubbish  he went back to sheffield after one season 

so as the title of this topic is 

Who is/was your clubs unnecessary signing?

FEV Mark Aston

Thank you for your response.

 

[Lowdesert 2,808]

11 minutes ago, bentleyman said:

In the Newcastle game Aston replaced Steve McNamara in the 50th minute

Could've been.  Having read up on it, Bobby Goulding was also there so there was a glut of half backs injured.  Greg, Edwards, Ellis, Fox, Goulding.  5 half backs selected by Bennett wouldve got hammered on here!

I shouldve known better as I have looked at the GB squad picture for that Tour more times than I care to remember.  A picture that included Steve Mc.

[bentleyman 36]

Newcastle 0 GB 22

1 Lydon (Myers 60 min) 2 Hunte 3 Connelly 4 Devereux 5 Hallas 6 Ellis 7 Fox 8 Harrison 9 L Jackson 10 Broadbent (Fairbank h/t)

11 M Jackson 12 McNamara (Aston) 50 Min)  13 Hanley capt (Hulme 9 min)

T Hunte 2 Lydon Fairbank G Fox 3

[Damien 9,081]

Reading some of the comments on here reminded me of this tweet I saw today from Phil Gould:

 

 

Edited April 30 by Damien

[Harry Stottle 3,036]

2 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

Edit:  you are right.  He was called up due to others injuries

It was Aston and Paul Broadband if memory serves that were already in Australia guesting for a 'City' team that were drafted into the squad I don't think they were flown out specially, because as you say to cover for injuries, don't forget that was a "proper tour" in which there was effectively a midweek and a test team.

[Harry Stottle 3,036]

1 hour ago, Lowdesert said:

Could've been.  Having read up on it, Bobby Goulding was also there so there was a glut of half backs injured.  Greg, Edwards, Ellis, Fox, Goulding.  5 half backs selected by Bennett wouldve got hammered on here!

I shouldve known better as I have looked at the GB squad picture for that Tour more times than I care to remember.  A picture that included Steve Mc.

Wasn't Bobby Goulding suspended so was omitted from the tour? 

[POR 488]

41 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Wasn't Bobby Goulding suspended so was omitted from the tour? 

That's right harry  Bobbie Goulding  was suspended and  Jonathan Davies injured. so both missed out 

Because of injuries Aston, Hulme, Sampson, McNamara, Myers and Harrison were called up during the tour 

[Chronicler of Chiswick 909]

We've had a few right tulips (as the old saying goes) in London but head and shoulders above them have to be Frank Napoli and Mark (never on the pitch for more than two minutes at a time) Carroll.

[Gooleboy 855]

33 minutes ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

We've had a few right tulips (as the old saying goes) in London but head and shoulders above them have to be Frank Napoli and Mark (never on the pitch for more than two minutes at a time) Carroll.

Didn't you once sign on Heavyweight Boxer Gary Mason?

[Red Willow 504]

3 hours ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

We've had a few right tulips (as the old saying goes) in London but head and shoulders above them have to be Frank Napoli and Mark (never on the pitch for more than two minutes at a time) Carroll.

Was Mark Carroll the guy who managed to spill blood on just about every pitch?

[Damien 9,081]

1 minute ago, Red Willow said:

Was Mark Carroll the guy who managed to spill blood on just about every pitch?

He was the hard man that was going to teach everyone a lesson. It never quite worked out like that.

[Wigan Riversider 162]

Just now, Red Willow said:

Was Mark Carroll the guy who managed to spill blood on just about every pitch?

Yep.

Remember reading Matthew Ridge's book which explained why Mark 'Spud' Carroll ended up in London.

Helpfully my partner's brother lost my book in 2002; but, I am not bitter

[Wigan Riversider 162]

2 hours ago, Gooleboy said:

Didn't you once sign on Heavyweight Boxer Gary Mason?

Going off topic granted but even 'The Iceman' John Monie didn't last long there.

[Lowdesert 2,808]

5 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

It was Aston and Paul Broadband if memory serves that were already in Australia guesting for a 'City' team that were drafted into the squad I don't think they were flown out specially, because as you say to cover for injuries, don't forget that was a "proper tour" in which there was effectively a midweek and a test team.

So was Steve Mc.  They all got roped in.

Iirc Derick Fix played out of his skin fir the mid week side and didn’t get a look in for the first team.  Very underestimated player.  

[Gooleboy 855]

4 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

So was Steve Mc.  They all got roped in.

Iirc Derick Fix played out of his skin fir the mid week side and didn’t get a look in for the first team.  Very underestimated player.  

He was cracking player, great attitude, hard as nails, top kicking game and football brain. If he had been blessed with a touch more pace he would have been one of the best Scrum Halves to grace the game.

[Wigan Riversider 162]

7 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

So was Steve Mc.  They all got roped in.

Iirc Derick Fix played out of his skin fir the mid week side and didn’t get a look in for the first team.  Very underestimated player.  

Believe D Fox was capt of unbeaten second string GB team on that tour

[The Art of Hand and Foot 834]

For oldham it must be Neil holding.  When mike ford left , we signed neil holding from saints. Part of the deal was they got chris joynt. Holding lasted 4 games!!?

[Just Browny 6,902]

On 28/04/2020 at 19:04, Tommygilf said:

Naturally been bored and thinking of transfers teams have made. 

Warrington struck me this year. It seemed, up till his injury, they were better with Ashton at Fullback and Ratchford in the halves. Widdop then pushed ratchford out of that position to FB and Warringtons attack nosedived. Perhaps it was Widdops marquee tag that means he has to play I suppose. There's also Dec Patton who never seems to get a look in.

So as RL fans, who do you think have been the unnecessary recruits? I'm not going to say wastes of money because that would be half a thread just about Sonny Bill and nobody in lockdown wants that, but if you want to post your biggest wastes of money that is of course fair enough too.

For Leeds we've had a few examples like Tom Briscoe whilst we had Ben Jones Bishop. 

Your Warrington example doesn't really make sense as we signed Widdop before we signed Ashton and it wasn't possible to know Ashton would go so well. Moreover, our attack didn't nosedive as it has been garbage for 18 months: there were signs when we battered Hull just before lockdown that Widdop was finding his feet.

For a good Warrington example, I'd go back to the 2000 season. We had just signed Langer, and everyone expected him to be a mentor for Briers who was about 21/22 at the time. We then also signed Steve Blakeley, a good player at the time but one there was clearly never a place for and he was back at Salford in no time.

[Just Browny 6,902]

On 29/04/2020 at 13:53, Barry Badrinath said:

Dont want to be that guy, but i dont think this scenario actually fits with your question,

widdop was signed in january, england internation, nrl player, ashton was signed as project in august from the championship, no one could have predicted gaz's injury and matty taking to SL like a duck to water.

 

Now steve blakely, there was a signing that warrington didn't need, and was a waste of money.

Haha sorry hadn't seen your post when I wrote my near-identical one above!