marklaspalmas Posted November 28, 2022 Author Share Posted November 28, 2022 I've re-done the OP given that Pickers & Locky are training, but no word on Ferres, Gill & Mathiou https://www.fevarchive.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gittinsfan Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 According to Callum Walker,you have signed Caleb Aekins from Leigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POR Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 I wonder if Caleb is the infamous exclusive signing announcement via email. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Phantom Horseman Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 9 minutes ago, gittinsfan said: According to Callum Walker,you have signed Caleb Aekins from Leigh. Callum Walker's sitting in his bedroom looking at the Fev Twitter page... Interesting decision to sign Aekins as we already have Pickersgill and Kheirallah (when he's fit again) at full back but I guess if a quality player becomes available you sign him and there's no doubt he's a very good player. Interesting to see what the pecking order is for the number 1 shirt. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philcow Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 He can play anywhere on the back line his utility will be a very good asset.Great signing i think. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza77 Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 "He adds further depth to Sean Long’s side which boasts an already impressive backline including Mark Kheirallah, Brandon Pickersgill, Craig Hall and Chris Hankinson." I guess that answers the question as to whether Pickersgill is signed up for 2023. Please view my photos. http://www.hughesphoto.co.uk/ Little Nook Farm - Caravan Club Certificated Location in the heart of the Pennines overlooking Hebden Bridge and the Calder Valley. http://www.facebook.com/LittleNookFarm Little Nook Cottage - 2-bed self-catering cottage in the heart of the Pennines overlooking Hebden Bridge and the Calder Valley. Book now via airbnb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marklaspalmas Posted November 29, 2022 Author Share Posted November 29, 2022 Updated. Looks like a 26 man squad to date, pending a few official confirmations........ https://www.fevarchive.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeymagic22 Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 58 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said: Updated. Looks like a 26 man squad to date, pending a few official confirmations........ Should think that we are nearly done with recruitment now. Looks like a solid squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POR Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 Interesting conundrum with the signing of Caleb A an out and out fullback on a two-year deal I wonder if Mark K having a runout in the halves alongside his big mate Fordy is something under consideration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lingaro Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 57 minutes ago, POR said: Interesting conundrum with the signing of Caleb A an out and out fullback on a two-year deal I wonder if Mark K having a runout in the halves alongside his big mate Fordy is something under consideration Just what I thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Briscoe Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 Well done to the club for bringing in another quality player. The continued ambition is great to see and I get the argument that there aren’t many quality players out there so you have to get them when you can. I just think this creates an imbalance in the backs and I’m not a fan of trying players in another position because we have too many in one position. Agree recruitment must be nearly done now but I’d still like to see us get one more big impact middle who can come off the bench and cause some damage then we’d be looking very strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeymagic22 Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 Killer had played scrum half in the past, so maybe that’s a possibility and there’s also Lacans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marklaspalmas Posted November 30, 2022 Author Share Posted November 30, 2022 Im must admit I'm slightly mystified by this Mark Kheirallah as half-back thing. He's played 146 games for Toulouse, Fev anf France. 145 of those games have been at full-back. When was he a halfback?? He's 33, coming back from a terrible knee injury, and now he can be a halfback? Aekins is touted as a utility back too but played every single game at FB last year. Pickersgill is also an out-and-out fullback for mine. 1 1 https://www.fevarchive.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Phantom Horseman Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 28 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said: Im must admit I'm slightly mystified by this Mark Kheirallah as half-back thing. He's played 146 games for Toulouse, Fev anf France. 145 of those games have been at full-back. When was he a halfback?? He's 33, coming back from a terrible knee injury, and now he can be a halfback? Aekins is touted as a utility back too but played every single game at FB last year. Pickersgill is also an out-and-out fullback for mine. Yeah, I guess I can see a possible experiemnt or two, but there's little doubt all 3 have shown their best form at full back. For me, the most positive way of looking at the Aekins signing is that he's probably a better player overall than Pickersgill, not that Pickersgill is a mug by any means, and at this stage we don't know for sure when or in what shape Kheirallah will return. Not our biggest area of need by any means, but still a move that has probably improved us overall, so if we can afford it then why not. Looking at the squad, whilst we could always do with another impact middle, I don't think there is any area where we don't have reasonable cover barring a rash of injuries given the versailtity of so many players in the squad. Looking at positions where players could cover: Full back: Aekins, Pickersgill, Kheirallah, Hall Wing: Briscoe, Hall, Gale, Hankinson Centre: Leliua, Hankinson, Hall, Hardcastle Halves: Ford, Lacans, Dean Middles: Kopczak, Taylor, Moors, Bussey, Springer, Cozza, Lockwood, Cooper, Davies, Hepi, Fleming Edge back rows: Davies, Day, Hardcastle, Taylor, Bussey, Moors Hookers: Wildie, Jones, Lacans So what I'm suggesting is maybe we can afford to carry 3 specialist full backs because we have so many other players who can play multiple positions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sentoffagain2 Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 1 hour ago, marklaspalmas said: Im must admit I'm slightly mystified by this Mark Kheirallah as half-back thing. He's played 146 games for Toulouse, Fev anf France. 145 of those games have been at full-back. When was he a halfback?? He's 33, coming back from a terrible knee injury, and now he can be a halfback? Aekins is touted as a utility back too but played every single game at FB last year. Pickersgill is also an out-and-out fullback for mine. Agree with that.How far is Kheirallah from fitness?,at the time is said it could be 9 months + and as this season is the last on his contract Aekins would provide cover going forward after this season.Pickersgill has not really had a run of games to prove himself as Mac did not fancy him.He provides cover at full back and i think he could also cover the wing spot a bit like Broadbent last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POR Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 It makes me laugh when people think a good fullback can't become a good half back if they've got good hands good feet and pace the change should not be a problem the only downside could be a lack of a kicking game but I'm sure Sean who I think may know a little bit about playing in the halves will come up with the right choice Funny thing when it comes to killer partnering Fordy in the halves someone said We have a connection that's hard to find, where we barely have to talk on the field, we both just know what the other one is thinking. It really is something special." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Phantom Horseman Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 1 hour ago, POR said: It makes me laugh when people think a good fullback can't become a good half back if they've got good hands good feet and pace the change should not be a problem the only downside could be a lack of a kicking game but I'm sure Sean who I think may know a little bit about playing in the halves will come up with the right choice Funny thing when it comes to killer partnering Fordy in the halves someone said We have a connection that's hard to find, where we barely have to talk on the field, we both just know what the other one is thinking. It really is something special." In my opinion there's a lot more to playing half back than having good hands, good feet and pace . Much more important I reckon are understanding how to set up opponents, how to create openings, how to draw opponents away from where you want the ball to go, as well as the ability to read the game when selecting the plays and make the right judgement call in terms of which pass to deliver. That said, Kheirallah is a smart player who does read the game well and it wouldn't totally surprise me if he could prove effective at half back, but I think the concept of "partnering Ford in the halves" is a bit redundant, in the modern game the two halves spend most of their time 30+ yards apart from each other and only link up very occasionally, whereas it's much easier for a full back to link up with a half back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowys Backside Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 Can we finish off a thread from last year ? Who is the best player ? Kheirallah or Aekins ? LOL !! In all seriousness, yore squad is better than Toulouse. Probably lacks 2 big grunts, but your back line is fine. Caleb is a corker of a player who is very, very quick. I fancied him playing at 6 a few times because he can spin out some lovely passes, but Kheirallah can play HB and has interchanged for Toulouse there many times, even though lining up as FB. I will watch the Championship with interest next year as it might be your year, even with 'Loopy Lou' in charge ! Good luck. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marklaspalmas Posted November 30, 2022 Author Share Posted November 30, 2022 7 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said: Yeah, I guess I can see a possible experiemnt or two, but there's little doubt all 3 have shown their best form at full back. For me, the most positive way of looking at the Aekins signing is that he's probably a better player overall than Pickersgill, not that Pickersgill is a mug by any means, and at this stage we don't know for sure when or in what shape Kheirallah will return. Not our biggest area of need by any means, but still a move that has probably improved us overall, so if we can afford it then why not. Looking at the squad, whilst we could always do with another impact middle, I don't think there is any area where we don't have reasonable cover barring a rash of injuries given the versailtity of so many players in the squad. Looking at positions where players could cover: Full back: Aekins, Pickersgill, Kheirallah, Hall Wing: Briscoe, Hall, Gale, Hankinson Centre: Leliua, Hankinson, Hall, Hardcastle Halves: Ford, Lacans, Dean Middles: Kopczak, Taylor, Moors, Bussey, Springer, Cozza, Lockwood, Cooper, Davies, Hepi, Fleming Edge back rows: Davies, Day, Hardcastle, Taylor, Bussey, Moors Hookers: Wildie, Jones, Lacans So what I'm suggesting is maybe we can afford to carry 3 specialist full backs because we have so many other players who can play multiple positions. Right, it's great to have options of course. But look at full-back. Four perfectly acceptable options. Aekins looked great for leigh, MK is top class when/if back to full fitness, Pickers lets no-one down, Hally is a points machine. Only one can play at FB every week. Genuinely, only Hall could be at his best elsewhere in the team. Now look at the halves. Two kids with bags of potential, and a top class veteran who's coming off the back of a very rough season. Two of them play every week. https://www.fevarchive.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Bates Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 It will be interesting to see how it plays. I may be wrong but Aekins looks more of a runner whereas when Kheirallah comes into the line he can bullet the pass out wide and miss out 2 or 3 defenders. A nice choice to have, assuming MK comes back 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POR Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 Now the dust has settled on our latest signings looking at our squad what if anything do, we still need personally I'm torn between a blockbusting middle or a dynamic edge back rower in an ideal word I'd get both but one or the other will be just fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeymagic22 Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 11 minutes ago, POR said: Now the dust has settled on our latest signings looking at our squad what if anything do, we still need personally I'm torn between a blockbusting middle or a dynamic edge back rower in an ideal word I'd get both but one or the other will be just fine I wouldn’t have minded another winger, but hopefully Gareth Gale, will be back to his best this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft old hooker Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 36 minutes ago, Monkeymagic22 said: I wouldn’t have minded another winger, but hopefully Gareth Gale, will be back to his best this season. Personally I would play Aekins on the wing plenty of pace and can hopefully improve last season’s woeful kick defence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Phantom Horseman Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 18 hours ago, marklaspalmas said: Right, it's great to have options of course. But look at full-back. Four perfectly acceptable options. Aekins looked great for leigh, MK is top class when/if back to full fitness, Pickers lets no-one down, Hally is a points machine. Only one can play at FB every week. Genuinely, only Hall could be at his best elsewhere in the team. Now look at the halves. Two kids with bags of potential, and a top class veteran who's coming off the back of a very rough season. Two of them play every week. Fair points. I suppose the question is - is signing Aekins going to mean we miss out on someone else at a different position? It's hard to know the answer to that without knowing both our budget and overall player availability. There certainly don't seem to be many quality half backs or middles that are available, even to SL clubs, let alone Championship teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Bates Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 2 hours ago, POR said: Now the dust has settled on our latest signings looking at our squad what if anything do, we still need personally I'm torn between a blockbusting middle or a dynamic edge back rower in an ideal word I'd get both but one or the other will be just fine Both of these would be nice. A Harrison / Halton type, not asking for much I know given they've been assigned the number 10 and 11 shirts respectively at their clubs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now