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Hurrell officially confirmed at Saints in 1 year deal


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Head Coach Kristian Woolf said: “Everyone knows ‘Koni’ is a great character and he has a terrific ability to enjoy rugby league and make the fans feel a part of the team. What I also know is he is a terrific competitor and I know he has not been happy with what he has done in 2021. 

“There are a number of reasons for that, people may forget he has had some family tragedy through lockdown which made last year a really tough year for him and that sometimes gets forgotten. He is a strong family man and that does affect your footy and what you can do on the field.

“I have been really proud watching him get through that as well as overcome some injuries and I am really happy he is joining us. I know what he is as a player and he has played in some real big games for Tonga and been one of our best players. The 2017 World Cup beating New Zealand is an example, he really stood up in that game as he did against Great Britain and Australia in 2019. 

“He was in the 2019 and 2020 Super League Dream team and coming into our environment next season I think he will really thrive in it. We will get him at his fittest and at his best and if we do that and he is happy, we will have a real player on our hands. 

“He can be a real X Factor for us next year and I am sure the fans will love him.”

https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2021/10/22/confirmed-konrad-hurrell-signs-with-saints-for-2022/

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Rumour amongst our fans is that Hurrell has signed quite a cheap deal with us and will be joining the Dolphins in 2023, with him acting as squad filler for us next year.

Slightly concerned the signing may block opportunities for Josh Simm at centre or Jake Wingfield.

I would imagine Hurrell would at best be used as impact off the bench, but he'll be battling with the likes of Bell, Amor, Batchelor and Wingfield for that last bench spot.

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40 minutes ago, Saint 1 said:

Think Hurrell has a lot more upside than the other names on your list. 

More than Batchelor? 

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1 hour ago, Saint 1 said:

Think Hurrell has a lot more upside than the other names on your list.

Thinking about it, I reckon our strongest starting 17 would be:

Welsby, Makinson, Hopoate, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Sironen, Mata'utai, Knowles.

LMS, Lussick, Batchelor, ???

Last spot is between Amor, Bell, Hurrell and Wingfield. Woolf's number 1 priority is defence (allegedly why Norman has had few opportunities). That makes me think Bell is the most likely for the #17 spot, edging out Hurrell.

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3 minutes ago, Chris22 said:

Thinking about it, I reckon our strongest starting 17 would be:

Welsby, Makinson, Hopoate, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Sironen, Mata'utai, Knowles.

LMS, Lussick, Batchelor, ???

Last spot is between Amor, Bell, Hurrell and Wingfield. Woolf's number 1 priority is defence (allegedly why Norman has had few opportunities). That makes me think Bell is the most likely for the #17 spot.

If you are picking that bench the last spot would have to be a prop for me. 

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1 hour ago, Chris22 said:

Thinking about it, I reckon our strongest starting 17 would be:

Welsby, Makinson, Hopoate, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Sironen, Mata'utai, Knowles.

LMS, Lussick, Batchelor, ???

Last spot is between Amor, Bell, Hurrell and Wingfield. Woolf's number 1 priority is defence (allegedly why Norman has had few opportunities). That makes me think Bell is the most likely for the #17 spot, edging out Hurrell.

Paasi ?

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2 hours ago, Saint 1 said:

I think so. Batchelor is solid but I don't think he's ever going to be explosive or a game-changer, where a fit Hurrell could be. That isn't a slight on Batchelor.

I'd have Paasi over LMS, Batch primarily as a middle and then Hurrell as impact second rower. 

Hurrell also allows us to cover the spine indirectly, by giving the option of moving Hopoate to fullback or halves. Welsby showed this year how valuable that adaptability is, especially if it doesn't come specifically at the cost of a forward interchange.

Didnt he rip a ball and fed percival for the try of the game vs wire ?

Batchelor is getting better now hes getting more game time and I think hes a starter at SR.

Hurrell must be cover for when Welsby plays elsewhere to cover the halfs. Percival is also injury prone and tommy usually gets a good 5 game ban here and there

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7 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Head Coach Kristian Woolf said: “Everyone knows ‘Koni’ is a great character and he has a terrific ability to enjoy rugby league and make the fans feel a part of the team. What I also know is he is a terrific competitor and I know he has not been happy with what he has done in 2021. 

“There are a number of reasons for that, people may forget he has had some family tragedy through lockdown which made last year a really tough year for him and that sometimes gets forgotten. He is a strong family man and that does affect your footy and what you can do on the field.

“I have been really proud watching him get through that as well as overcome some injuries and I am really happy he is joining us. I know what he is as a player and he has played in some real big games for Tonga and been one of our best players. The 2017 World Cup beating New Zealand is an example, he really stood up in that game as he did against Great Britain and Australia in 2019. 

“He was in the 2019 and 2020 Super League Dream team and coming into our environment next season I think he will really thrive in it. We will get him at his fittest and at his best and if we do that and he is happy, we will have a real player on our hands. 

“He can be a real X Factor for us next year and I am sure the fans will love him.”

https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2021/10/22/confirmed-konrad-hurrell-signs-with-saints-for-2022/

I think Koni has conned Saints out of giving him a 1yr deal, what a dreadful signing. Unless he is the prematch entertainment with his invisible trombone. I don’t think Saints fan’s will be as forgiving as the Leeds fan’s. 

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3 hours ago, Saint 1 said:

I think so. Batchelor is solid but I don't think he's ever going to be explosive or a game-changer, where a fit Hurrell could be. That isn't a slight on Batchelor.

I'd have Paasi over LMS, Batch primarily as a middle and then Hurrell as impact second rower. 

Hurrell also allows us to cover the spine indirectly, by giving the option of moving Hopoate to fullback or halves. Welsby showed this year how valuable that adaptability is, especially if it doesn't come specifically at the cost of a forward interchange.

Completely forgot about Paasi who would certainly take that last bench spot!

Agreed LMS is the most under threat. He's done well the last few years but you never know when time will catch up.

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8 hours ago, yipyee said:

Didnt he rip a ball and fed percival for the try of the game vs wire ?

Batchelor is getting better now hes getting more game time and I think hes a starter at SR.

Hurrell must be cover for when Welsby plays elsewhere to cover the halfs. Percival is also injury prone and tommy usually gets a good 5 game ban here and there

Batchelor will lose out to Sironen & Matautia,just as Aaron Smith has to Luscick which is disappointing given the promise both have shown.

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It's a bit pointless posting ' strongest 17s ' , this is RL , you never have your strongest team available , and just for the record , I'd have Bell in the 13 , he was very good for Leigh in a poor team , put him in a good team and he'll cause all sorts of problems with his running and offloading 

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23 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

Batchelor will lose out to Sironen & Matautia but I’m sure you’ll state that they will complement rather than replace him,just as Aaron Smith is being complemented by Luscick’s arrival.

Yeah, but Thomson arrived and wasnt in the match day squad behind Batchelor, competition for places will drive consistancy.

Smith and lussick will be one and two next year with roby choosing his games, I will be surprised if Roby plays more than 14 games

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2 hours ago, yipyee said:

Smith and lussick will be one and two next year with roby choosing his games, I will be surprised if Roby plays more than 14 games

Lussick likely to be starting most games I believe with Roby on the bench. Smith is at Leigh for a year to prove himself worthy of a new contract. Personally I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay at that level, needs to show a lot more durability than he has so far.

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As for Hurrell, as I think I said on the previous thread, if he gets fit he's got a lot to offer over the course of the season, adds more strength in depth and less of a drop off when we rotate. A couple of injuries in the backs, we can bring him and Simm in and shuffle things round.

If he doesn't get fit then he doesn't play but we've not lost out on much - he hasn't been signed in place of anyone else, just an extra body really and by all accounts not an expensive one either. It's only for a year so it's not like he's tied in on a risky long term contract.

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1 hour ago, Moove said:

If he doesn't get fit then he doesn't play but we've not lost out on much - he hasn't been signed in place of anyone else, just an extra body really and by all accounts not an expensive one either. It's only for a year so it's not like he's tied in on a risky long term contract.

Not expensive but clearly more than his existing club were willing to offer. 

It remains a puzzling signing and I'm sure the Saints coach knows him well. But Hurrell is such a frustrating player and he just hasn't been able to shake off that inconsistency throughout his career. Maybe this time will be different.

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3 hours ago, Davo5 said:

Batchelor will lose out to Sironen & Matautia,just as Aaron Smith has to Luscick which is disappointing given the promise both have shown.

Woolf said “Smith is a talented player”, and ships him out on loan. I would’ve sooner Roby retired and we kept hold of Smith. Hurrell is far from talented. 

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he was certainly a big hit when he first played at Leeds.  He was in a relatively poor team and yet still made the dream teams for two years...

I am guessing the pickers of the dream team know more and saw more of Hurrell then most on here.

Saints will have more opportunity to use him. especially in the last 20 to 40. than Leeds could with a poorer team than was and still is developing. Yet to say again he was selected in the dream teams...

I put more faith in Woolf knowledge and hence decision than anyone on here.

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6 minutes ago, M j M said:

Not expensive but clearly more than his existing club were willing to offer. 

It remains a puzzling signing and I'm sure the Saints coach knows him well. But Hurrell is such a frustrating player and he just hasn't been able to shake off that inconsistency throughout his career. Maybe this time will be different.

No idea what Leeds offered tbh so can't comment on the first part.

Heard it mentioned a few times that Hurrell approached Woolf to see if there was an opening for a year too before he goes back down under. Not sure how much truth there is in that but they'll know each other well either way, plus Paasi who he's played with before and we've got another Tongan coming in too in Hopoate. Obviously he's had a tough year off the field so it might just be one of those cases where a change in environment does the trick.

Not sure I see it as being that puzzling in fairness. If there's a little bit of space left on the cap and he's available, sure it's a project for Matt Daniels but there's very little to lose. It's not like he's a disruptive character and Woolf showed last season with Joel Thompson that he had no problem dropping and leaving out players who weren't performing.

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