The Transfer Rumour Mill Thread

[Fevrover]

1 hour ago, Madrileño said:

Still... if they aren't attracted by the salary on offer, they might still want to come for the facilities! 

Yeah superb especially the toilets.

[Rarefrith]

5 hours ago, Gav Wilson said:

Word on the street is that George Roby is heading to York.

An interesting one for Fev incoming too... 

Liam Watts to Fev in 2024

[muckymunksy]

8 hours ago, Rarefrith said:

Liam Watts to Fev in 2024

Cant you take him now. 

[Saint Toppy]

11 hours ago, David Shepherd said:

Eseh is gonna be a world beater. Was absolutely brilliant at Fev last year.

He looks like he's got the makings of a good prop but he still has a lot of areas to work on. He doesn't seem to have much of an 'engine' beyond 10mins, he then gets lazy both in attack & defence and he appears to be out of position a lot and missing tackles, but this is something that can easily be worked on.

It can't help being at a club like Wakey where players are having to work overtime in defence every week, so playing in a team with a well structured defence could well see him improve a lot in a short space of time.

[The Phantom Horseman]

15 hours ago, Gav Wilson said:

 

An interesting one for Fev incoming too... 

Should have guessed the York connection...

[LeytherRob]

9 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Should have guessed the York connection...

I certainly don't think he was cut out to be an attack coach based on Wakeys points per game

[Harry Stottle]

10 hours ago, Rarefrith said:

Liam Watts to Fev in 2024

Has Brian McDermott returned to Fev?

Liam will be 33 in July on his way to being 34 at the start of next season, SL doesn't get any easier the older a player gets especially in the engine room of being a forward.

[David Shepherd]

3 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Has Brian McDermott returned to Fev?

Liam will be 33 in July on his way to being 34 at the start of next season, SL doesn't get any easier the older a player gets especially in the engine room of being a forward.

Pretty underwhelmed if this is the type of player we’re going for. Avoiding the bottom will be hard enough without recruiting Dad’s army. Again

[Harry Stottle]

3 minutes ago, David Shepherd said:

Pretty underwhelmed if this is the type of player we’re going for. Avoiding the bottom will be hard enough without recruiting Dad’s army. Again

Being a Leigh fan I know that only to well David, but last season they went with a different strategy and recruited those not to 'aged' but with expierence, and then cherry picked and retained who they wanted as the backbone of this years team then supplemented that with some a little more mature but still with a lot to offer, up to now it seems to be working out quite well, just need another couple of bodies in to add to a small squad.

[georgeb1]

32 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Should have guessed the York connection...

does that mean leon is going to bradford to accomodate fordy ?

[The Phantom Horseman]

Just now, georgeb1 said:

does that mean leon is going to bradford to accomodate fordy ?

Well nothing has been announced at this stage. Aaron Bower is suggesting Ford would be director of rugby at Fev whereas Pryce is assistant coach.

[POR]

43 minutes ago, georgeb1 said:

does that mean leon is going to bradford to accomodate fordy ?

Yorkshire Post says James Ford has left his role as an assistant coach at Wakefield Trinity to become Featherstone Rovers' director of rugby  NOT assistant coach

Edited May 16, 2023 by POR

[The Phantom Horseman]

58 minutes ago, David Shepherd said:

Pretty underwhelmed if this is the type of player we’re going for. Avoiding the bottom will be hard enough without recruiting Dad’s army. Again

I think you're underestimating how hard recruitment will be for whichever team gets promoted this year.

If it's Fev, there must be a good chance our three 36yo+ middles (Kopczak, Lockwood and Moors) will retire. It won't be easy finding replacements, notably because the playoff season means no Championship team will be able to offer a guaranteed SL place until October. 

Every half-decent out-of-contract  youngish British middle gets lots of offers from existing SL clubs (eg Sam Walters and Sam Eseh, neither of whom can get a regular start in SL right now). So unless you have a Beaumont-style cash-rich backer who can offer SL-value contracts before a SL place is guaranteed, you're behind the 8 ball in terms of trying to build a quality squad.

[Harry Stottle]

16 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I think you're underestimating how hard recruitment will be for whichever team gets promoted this year.

If it's Fev, there must be a good chance our three 36yo+ middles (Kopczak, Lockwood and Moors) will retire. It won't be easy finding replacements, notably because the playoff season means no Championship team will be able to offer a guaranteed SL place until October. 

Every half-decent out-of-contract  youngish British middle gets lots of offers from existing SL clubs (eg Sam Walters and Sam Eseh, neither of whom can get a regular start in SL right now). So unless you have a Beaumont-style cash-rich backer who can offer SL-value contracts before a SL place is guaranteed, you're behind the 8 ball in terms of trying to build a quality squad.

In my book you are still the team that gets promoted, you are nailed on for the final at home, Leigh knew who they wanted to retain from their squad last year - would most probably had more but the rules didn't allow them more than 7 of the 13 o/seas they had, but they also started recruitment for this season in June/July of last season (but not publicly announced) most probably with a release clause for the new players should the club not win promotion.

This is the blue print that those who are firm favourites for promotion should take, as it has been proved time and again waiting until promotion is secured then trying to recruit does not work, in fact the money that has been spent on the player's to gain promotion is in effect wasted if the team cannot be improved on sufficiently the following year. 

Speculating on getting the SL increase in funding is the only method that will work.

[David Shepherd]

32 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I think you're underestimating how hard recruitment will be for whichever team gets promoted this year.

If it's Fev, there must be a good chance our three 36yo+ middles (Kopczak, Lockwood and Moors) will retire. It won't be easy finding replacements, notably because the playoff season means no Championship team will be able to offer a guaranteed SL place until October. 

Every half-decent out-of-contract  youngish British middle gets lots of offers from existing SL clubs (eg Sam Walters and Sam Eseh, neither of whom can get a regular start in SL right now). So unless you have a Beaumont-style cash-rich backer who can offer SL-value contracts before a SL place is guaranteed, you're behind the 8 ball in terms of trying to build a quality squad.

I appreciate we lack the financial strength to do what Leigh did and offer deals regardless of the division we find ourselves in. Think we do a bit better than Liam Watts like.

[David Shepherd]

5 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

In my book you are still the team that gets promoted, you are nailed on for the final at home, Leigh knew who they wanted to retain from their squad last year - would most probably had more but the rules didn't allow them more than 7 of the 13 o/seas they had, but they also started recruitment for this season in June/July of last season (but not publicly announced) most probably with a release clause for the new players should the club not win promotion.

This is the blue print that those who are firm favourites for promotion should take, as it has been proved time and again waiting until promotion is secured then trying to recruit does not work, in fact the money that has been spent on the player's to gain promotion is in effect wasted if the team cannot be improved on sufficiently the following year. 

Speculating on getting the SL increase in funding is the only method that will work.

Bit different this year though Harry.  It was clear from April onwards that you guys were the only horse in the race.   Not so clear this year.  Despite being unbeaten, we are hardly running away with it.  We lack the total dominance and financial muscle that you did.

And there's still Batley, Sheffield and 'fax waiting patiently to urinate on our chips.  And we'd be fools to discount TOXIII.

[Trojan Horse]

14 hours ago, Agbrigg said:

I know he is young and plenty of improvement to come but from what I have seen this season, you are pushing it with world beater

It’s his debut year as a young lad in a team constantly on back foot. He’s stood up very well. World beater is ridiculous but he’s got all the materials required and certainly has the aggression for it. 
 

Eseh is a hugely promising young prop and I’m glad we have him. Whatever league we are in 2024 I hope he’s one of the first to stay with us. I think he’s under contract till end of 2024.

[Wakey Til I Die]

5 minutes ago, Trojan Horse said:

It’s his debut year as a young lad in a team constantly on back foot. He’s stood up very well. World beater is ridiculous but he’s got all the materials required and certainly has the aggression for it. 
 

Eseh is a hugely promising young prop and I’m glad we have him. Whatever league we are in 2024 I hope he’s one of the first to stay with us. I think he’s under contract till end of 2024.

Get relegated and he's gone.

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, David Shepherd said:

I appreciate we lack the financial strength to do what Leigh did and offer deals regardless of the division we find ourselves in. Think we do a bit better than Liam Watts like.

I hear you, but who though? Anyone half-decent under the age of 30 is going to be snapped up by an existing SL team that can give them a guaranteed SL contract. Whoever gets promoted is going to have an almighty job on to build a pack that can compete, especially with the quota appying in SL - 3 or 4 of our forwards are probably in their swansong year, and most of the other promotion candidates have packs that are nowhere near SL quality.

[The Blues Ox]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

In my book you are still the team that gets promoted, you are nailed on for the final at home, Leigh knew who they wanted to retain from their squad last year - would most probably had more but the rules didn't allow them more than 7 of the 13 o/seas they had, but they also started recruitment for this season in June/July of last season (but not publicly announced) most probably with a release clause for the new players should the club not win promotion.

This is the blue print that those who are firm favourites for promotion should take, as it has been proved time and again waiting until promotion is secured then trying to recruit does not work, in fact the money that has been spent on the player's to gain promotion is in effect wasted if the team cannot be improved on sufficiently the following year. 

Speculating on getting the SL increase in funding is the only method that will work.

As David says though Fev are nowhere near nailed on for promotion in the way that Leigh were and although their league form says they will win the league at a canter, actual results do suggest that a slip up is quite possible which is going to make recruiting for them a nightmare. Added to that I imagine they are probably living hand to mouth each week so there is no way they could recruit players and honor contracts if they were not to go up which makes them a very unattractive proposition even for fringe SL players who will be looking to get contracts nailed down for next season as early as possible. Obviously its the same thing that faces every Championship team each year with Leigh been the exception with them clearly been the best team the Championship has ever seen by half way through the season. 

[LeytherRob]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I hear you, but who though? Anyone half-decent under the age of 30 is going to be snapped up by an existing SL team that can give them a guaranteed SL contract. Whoever gets promoted is going to have an almighty job on to build a pack that can compete, especially with the quota appying in SL - 3 or 4 of our forwards are probably in their swansong year, and most of the other promotion candidates have packs that are nowhere near SL quality.

Fev will have to do what Leigh did and use a high proportion of quota spots on the pack(particularly prop forward), there just doesn't seem to be enough good British props to go around currently unless you are Huddersfield who have probably twice as many experienced props as any other team this year. Have Fev confirmed yet if they are going to go full time next year if promoted? I know a couple of years ago MC was suggesting they might try to keep a hybrid of FT and PT if they were promoted.

[Agbrigg]

10 hours ago, POR said:

Yorkshire Post says James Ford has left his role as an assistant coach at Wakefield Trinity to become Featherstone Rovers' director of rugby  NOT assistant coach

I wish Fordy well, left with immediate effect and not a word of thanks or acknowledgment from Wakey. Whatever the circumstances I still think this is a bit of bad form from our lot. 

[Andrewj]

7 hours ago, LeytherRob said:

Fev will have to do what Leigh did and use a high proportion of quota spots on the pack(particularly prop forward), there just doesn't seem to be enough good British props to go around currently unless you are Huddersfield who have probably twice as many experienced props as any other team this year. Have Fev confirmed yet if they are going to go full time next year if promoted? I know a couple of years ago MC was suggesting they might try to keep a hybrid of FT and PT if they were promoted.

It's hard enough to go up and complete with a full time squad as was proved to be with Leigh on two occasions. I really cannot see how a FT/PT squad could possibly work with the promoted team also as previously said signing a team in October is fatal..

[The Blues Ox]

When do the new IMG rankings come in? Is it after next season? If so then just getting up this year would likely be enough, if its the season after then this year could be the poisoned chalice.

[binosh]

Frankie Halton to Leigh immediately?