Transfer Rumour Mill 22/23

[David Shepherd]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

Very nice of Mr Beaumont to wish Caleb Aekins all the best and to congratulate Mark Campbell and Sean Long in signing him.

I will also echo Mr Beaumont in wishing Fev all the best for the coming season and hopefully securing their long awited promotion to SL, in fact I wouldn't be surprised to see Fev have a 100% win ratio in the Championship in 2023.

Don't think that's likely Harry.  I think the champ will be far closer this year with plenty of "upsets".  Then of course Batley will come along and ###### on a few club's chips.

Edited December 3, 2022 by David Shepherd

[Jughead]

40 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Yes, I think Fev will be to strong for Toulouse that is why I said 100% win ratio for Fev.

Interesting. Will be quite the battle in that league, as ever. 

[kiggy]

2 hours ago, Jughead said:

Even against Toulouse? 

At this moment Featherstone should be favourite to win the league, they seem to have bought everyone available. TO are too light this year, they have lost too many players and that means the new guys (and they are still very short of numbers) will need a lot of time to get playing properly. They are getting the spine of the team sorted but still need a larger squad.

TO still need to sign a couple of big forwards to make them competitive. 

I think they play Fev in June so maybe that will be enough time to see how things pan out. I wouldn't be surprised to see TO lose 6or7 games this season.

[ShropshireBull]

22 minutes ago, kiggy said:

At this moment Featherstone should be favourite to win the league, they seem to have bought everyone available. TO are too light this year, they have lost too many players and that means the new guys (and they are still very short of numbers) will need a lot of time to get playing properly. They are getting the spine of the team sorted but still need a larger squad.

TO still need to sign a couple of big forwards to make them competitive. 

I think they play Fev in June so maybe that will be enough time to see how things pan out. I wouldn't be surprised to see TO lose 6or7 games this season.

I dont think Tou will spend as much as Leigh but maybe they will copy the strategy in that the team they finish with is radically different to start of season as players become available and see Toulouse are back in the mix so keep powder dry to add later in season when it counts. Provided you are in the top 2 then it makes little difference. 

[Jughead]

30 minutes ago, kiggy said:

At this moment Featherstone should be favourite to win the league, they seem to have bought everyone available. TO are too light this year, they have lost too many players and that means the new guys (and they are still very short of numbers) will need a lot of time to get playing properly. They are getting the spine of the team sorted but still need a larger squad.

TO still need to sign a couple of big forwards to make them competitive. 

I think they play Fev in June so maybe that will be enough time to see how things pan out. I wouldn't be surprised to see TO lose 6or7 games this season.

At this stage last year, Featherstone probably had a slightly stronger looking squad than Leigh. I suppose it’s not how you start, but how you finish, with Leigh able to sign players through the year. If Featherstone and Toulouse can add to their rosters through the year, it will be some ending to the year, yet without even mentioning clubs like Batley, York, Halifax and Barrow, who are capable of beating most sides on their day. 

[Taffy Tiger]

Not sure if already posted , can't see it , but Broadbent has signed for Cas

 

[The Phantom Horseman]

I think the above comments about Toulouse are all valid but it doesn't seem that they will be in anything like the same position to recruit as the season progresses as Leigh, who had an apparent bottomless pit of money. I say this because as well as losing Hankinson to Fev they also lost out to them with Lacans, and presumably Cozza would have been on their radar too.

What Toulouse do have is a proven coach at this level and a reserve set-up, but whether that will suffice remains to be seen. At the moment they look to be behind Fev in terms of recruitment but then again last year Fev looked stronger on paper than Batley, Halifax etc but in the league meetings against those teams they certainly weren't dominant.

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, ShropshireBull said:

I dont think Tou will spend as much as Leigh but maybe they will copy the strategy in that the team they finish with is radically different to start of season as players become available and see Toulouse are back in the mix so keep powder dry to add later in season when it counts. Provided you are in the top 2 then it makes little difference. 

The difference with Toulouse this and Leigh of last season in Toulouse emulating what Leigh did with building the squad is the coaches, Mr Lam is much higher profile and I should say better respected with far more contacts especially in the Southern Hemisphere than Mr Houles will be who will not be able to attract both the calibre and number of players that Mr Lam did irrespective of the attraction of the big city lifestyle and better climate than the dark and dank former northern pit town.

[The Phantom Horseman]

2 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

The difference with Toulouse this and Leigh of last season in Toulouse emulating what Leigh did with building the squad is the coaches, Mr Lam is much higher profile and I should say better respected with far more contacts especially in the Southern Hemisphere than Mr Houles will be who will not be able to attract both the calibre and number of players that Mr Lam did irrespective of the attraction of the big city lifestyle and better climate than the dark and dank former northern pit town.

To paraphrase Mrs Merton, it may well have been Mr Lam who first attracted all those NRL stars to millionaire Derek Beaumont's team

[Harry Stottle]

2 hours ago, Jughead said:

At this stage last year, Featherstone probably had a slightly stronger looking squad than Leigh. I suppose it’s not how you start, but how you finish, with Leigh able to sign players through the year. If Featherstone and Toulouse can add to their rosters through the year, it will be some ending to the year, yet without even mentioning clubs like Batley, York, Halifax and Barrow, who are capable of beating most sides on their day. 

At this stage last year Fev had a massively stronger squad than Leighin early December if I remember correctly Leigh had 13 player's signed on, if either Toulouse or Fev come anywhere near the quality of players Leigh assembled to compete in the Championship, Batley, York, Halifax, Barrow et al will not trouble them.

Edited December 3, 2022 by Harry Stottle

[Jughead]

37 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

At this stage last year Fev had a massively stronger squad than Leighin early December if I remember correctly Leigh had 13 player's signed on, if either Toulouse or Fev come anywhere near the quality of players Leigh assembled to compete in the Championship, Batley, York, Halifax, Barrow et al will not trouble them.

I don’t think either will have a squad as good as Leigh’s 2022 side, even if they bring a few in over the course of the season, which will still mean that some clubs present a difficult proposition when playing them. 

[Harry Stottle]

5 minutes ago, Jughead said:

I don’t think either will have a squad as good as Leigh’s 2022 side, even if they bring a few in over the course of the season, which will still mean that some clubs present a difficult proposition when playing them. 

I doubt that any other club apart from Fev and Toulouse will be able to strengthen their squads as much as these two are able, it depends who wants it more to gain promotion in '23. If Toulouse are hopeful of being fastracked under IMG's restructure that to me is just plain wrong. 

 

[PREPOSTEROUS]

https://wakefieldtrinity.com/langi-signs-two-year-deal/

 

Was on last year but changed his mind. Squad getting a little stronger now.

[Gav Wilson]

8 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I doubt that any other club apart from Fev and Toulouse will be able to strengthen their squads as much as these two are able, it depends who wants it more to gain promotion in '23. If Toulouse are hopeful of being fastracked under IMG's restructure that to me is just plain wrong. 

 

There is no restructure. If Toulouse want to get in Super League they have to get promoted as a minimum category B club. This has been explained to you several times.

[Morris Wanchuk]

8 minutes ago, PREPOSTEROUS said:

https://wakefieldtrinity.com/langi-signs-two-year-deal/

 

Was on last year but changed his mind. Squad getting a little stronger now.

Good signing this, unlike last years quantity over quality. Pleased that the club showed some class last year when the lad had a change of heart rather than force the issue.

[kiggy]

3 hours ago, Jughead said:

At this stage last year, Featherstone probably had a slightly stronger looking squad than Leigh. I suppose it’s not how you start, but how you finish, with Leigh able to sign players through the year. If Featherstone and Toulouse can add to their rosters through the year, it will be some ending to the year, yet without even mentioning clubs like Batley, York, Halifax and Barrow, who are capable of beating most sides on their day. 

When Elite 1 finishes TO should have a chance to strengthen later next year.  There are a couple of lads who should be good enough to play in the championship, Marguerite played in the championship before so I can see him stepping up again. Depends on injuries too. Toulouse do have more home games the second half of the season which might give them an edge. They did OK last season re: injuries, just not good enough with who they did have. 

[Mumby Magic]

Dec Patton still trying and being shown on Bulls media. 

Apparently four more signings to be announced.

[Agbrigg]

48 minutes ago, PREPOSTEROUS said:

https://wakefieldtrinity.com/langi-signs-two-year-deal/

 

Was on last year but changed his mind. Squad getting a little stronger now.

Yes it certainly is s the backs were looking a bit thin in depth.

Also mentions he can play 6, but I dont recall him dong that . If he can its a huge bonus

[Trojan Horse]

Langi has been a regular centre in a top 4 team for the past 4/5 years. 
 

That’s a very good signing. 
 

There may be some shrewd signings for trinity next year. 
 

Proctor, Langi and Taufua on the right edge could be mouthwatering tbh. 400+ NRL games between them.

As a trinity fan I am feeling much more optimistic with last 2 signings.

 

 

[LeeF]

1 hour ago, Gav Wilson said:

There is no restructure. If Toulouse want to get in Super League they have to get promoted as a minimum category B club. This has been explained to you several times.

And will no doubt have to be explained several times more over the next few months as people continue to ignore what has clearly been said countless times. 

[Morris Wanchuk]

50 minutes ago, Agbrigg said:

Yes it certainly is s the backs were looking a bit thin in depth.

Also mentions he can play 6, but I dont recall him dong that . If he can its a huge bonus

I think Morgan Smith is gonna play a bigger part than some are giving him credit for. Apart from seeing how Proctor goes i think Smith is going to be key to our season. 

[ShropshireBull]

1 hour ago, kiggy said:

When Elite 1 finishes TO should have a chance to strengthen later next year.  There are a couple of lads who should be good enough to play in the championship, Marguerite played in the championship before so I can see him stepping up again. Depends on injuries too. Toulouse do have more home games the second half of the season which might give them an edge. They did OK last season re: injuries, just not good enough with who they did have. 

Like to see Pat Moran get a shot , he keeps putting himself out there and seems to be pretty unlucky with clubs going ft then pt. 

But to your point yep Elite 1 is a great trial for Toulouse to see who can be picked up. 

Edited December 3, 2022 by ShropshireBull

[Fevrover]

1 hour ago, Morris Wanchuk said:

I think Morgan Smith is gonna play a bigger part than some are giving him credit for. Apart from seeing how Proctor goes i think Smith is going to be key to our season. 

Good player Morgan, hope he does well at Wakefield and glad he 's well away from McDermott.

[Harry Stottle]

14 hours ago, Gav Wilson said:

There is no restructure. If Toulouse want to get in Super League they have to get promoted as a minimum category B club. This has been explained to you several times.

Sorry Gav I probably didn't put it down correctly, I know that will be the case for '24 that promotion and relegation is still the format, but isn't the intention from '25 that the IMG gradings are to come into effect, and that being so isn't it the intention for Toulouse to be awarded an 'A' grade along with Catalan with restrictive numbers on French player's? 

If that is correct what is to stop Toulouse just playing the waiting game?

Answer please.

[Harry Stottle]

14 hours ago, Trojan Horse said:

Langi has been a regular centre in a top 4 team for the past 4/5 years. 
 

That’s a very good signing. 
 

There may be some shrewd signings for trinity next year. 
 

Proctor, Langi and Taufua on the right edge could be mouthwatering tbh. 400+ NRL games between them.

As a trinity fan I am feeling much more optimistic with last 2 signings.

 

 

Yep, your teams squad seems to be coming together quite nicely, on the other hand my team's is somewhat thinner than it was in midweek, we obviously now have a quota spot to fill but also need other bodies to bring the squad up to the required numbers to compete with the rigours of a long SL season, I am eagerly awaiting my club's counter reaction. We were told before the departure of MacDonald and Ferguson that there was still money to spend, with these two going and summising they would have been two of the higher earners there should be considerably more cash available, now it is finding the right player's.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Harry Stottle