2025 Squad

[gazza77]

32 minutes ago, Catflap said:

Fev team look unfit and lethargic, so god only knows what Fraud does with em in training

I assume we employ a strength and conditioning lead, don't we....

[The Phantom Horseman]

Hull Live reporting that we're "set to sign" Carlos Tuimavave.

Interesting if confirmed, he's 32 and clearly not as good as he once was but then the Championship is some way below SL. Amongst the clubs Hull Live think he was having dialogue with were St Helens as well as the ones mentioned previously such as York and Doncaster.

We have been linked with a couple of other centres in O'Connor (Dewsbury)  and Hatton (Swinton) and presumably will still have Minikin and Hardcastle too so it will be interesting to see how that shakes out. Ford did say in his post-Bradford interview  a couple of players who have been playing with injuries recently might retire, Lockwood and Albert are the obvious ones that come to mind but we have one or two other over 30s in the squad.

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/former-hull-fc-centre-carlos-9610864

[Rovers fev]

Players playing with injury’s could be gaz Gale, he’s not been right for a few weeks

 

[The Phantom Horseman]

9 minutes ago, Rovers fev said:

Players playing with injury’s could be gaz Gale, he’s not been right for a few weeks

 

He's the one who comes to mind, and it's worth noting he missed the Swinton away game, I think he might have been still carrying the injury he sustained against (I think) Toulouse a few weeks ago. That's why I'm always reluctant to criticise individual players too much, you never know if they're playing through injury.

[Rovers fev]

When we beat Bradford he went off injured with josh going to wing and bussey to centre 

he’s not been the same since 

same with bussey he’s not looked intrested all year and he’s had terrible luck with injuries for years 

maybe Albert aswell whose never found his feet this year 

I’d like to keep nakumbuwi he’s looked our best middle recently 

[gazza77]

46 minutes ago, Rovers fev said:

When we beat Bradford he went off injured with josh going to wing and bussey to centre 

he’s not been the same since 

same with bussey he’s not looked intrested all year and he’s had terrible luck with injuries for years 

maybe Albert aswell whose never found his feet this year 

I’d like to keep nakumbuwi he’s looked our best middle recently 

I'd wondered whether Bussey might call it a day at the end of the season, he's looked a shadow of his former self at times this season. As commented by TPH though, you never know quite what each individual's circumstances are.

[Rovers fev]

1 hour ago, gazza77 said:

I'd wondered whether Bussey might call it a day at the end of the season, he's looked a shadow of his former self at times this season. As commented by TPH though, you never know quite what each individual's circumstances are.

Think he will either retire or go to donny or York as he’s got a few mates at them clubs 

we had offered him and extension but it included a massive pay cut as did Connor Wynne but going off his socials he’s signed up for next year 

[marklaspalmas]

Veteran players playing with injuries? Probably all of them, but apart from Lockwood who answered an SOS, the players I'd highlight would be Minikin, Addy and Bussey. 

[RobLambert]

Interesting that the only chat on the forum since Sunday seems to be about our older players because on the way back yesterday (as well as the Ford debate) it was mainly about this very thing. 

To a certain extent I think (as fans) we've spent too much time this season (after some of our horror results) moaning about how we should have beaten our opponents because on paper we had the better players.  But have we ? 

To quote TPH above re. this potential new signing he's 'clearly not as good as he once was'.  Looking at it honestly, collectively,  imo we just have too many of these players.  Yes we have signed one or two that fit this bill in recent years that have been gems (and likewise probably in the clubs history) but the balance doesn't seem to be right at the moment. 

I would go further though and say that some of our current favourites and big earners match that description of 'not as good as they once were'.  I know its easier said than done to rectify that and the right players have to be available.  But who knew about the likes of Connor Wynne 12 months ago though ?  

I think the recruitment needs to be smarter.  I don't think its just about age either.  Jordan Thompson for me looked the sharpest forward on the pitch by a mile v York and he's 33.  Are players at that age just wanting an easy time for their last season or two or have they got the appetite ?  I'm not having a go at Eden as such but wasn't that just a case of signing a name that became available ?  I mean we didn't even need a winger at the time and from memory it was only because Ford had fallen out with Wynne - probably because he was responsible for not completing a set of six or something similarly unforgiveable.

Unfortunately it seems that too many of this years squad are contracted for next year and, if rumours are true about Ford signing a new deal, next years script has already been written.

 

[Monkeymagic22]

11 hours ago, Rovers fev said:

Think he will either retire or go to donny or York as he’s got a few mates at them clubs 

we had offered him and extension but it included a massive pay cut as did Connor Wynne but going off his socials he’s signed up for next year 

Jack Bussey has been a great servant for us, but given his recent injury record, it seems sensible that the club wouldn’t be offering a big contract. 

[POR]

C%S are getting rid  of Miller at 32 I wonder if he would fancy a swansong in the championship

[Featherstonerovers2000]

2 minutes ago, POR said:

C%S are getting rid  of Miller at 32 I wonder if he would fancy a swansong in the championship

He’s already back in Australia 

[POR]

2 minutes ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

He’s already back in Australia 

Okey dokey 

[sentoffagain2]

   I don't get it signing ex SL players past their best who will want good contract money.No SL under IMG so the way to go is solid proven Championship players plus bringing in 2 or 3 young players with good potential.remember Locky Gale and Hardcastle came from the amateur ranks close to home.Win the Championship for the next 9 seasons and under IMG we will still not have a cat in hell's chance of promotion.

[Rovers fev]

If the romours of day bussey minikin and Albert retiring are true, we’ve only been linked with centres in O’Connor, Hatton and tuimavave, a utility back in turner and that’s it we need some good back rowers as we’ve been poor in that area this year 

also some forwards who can offload wouldn’t go a miss 

[The Phantom Horseman]

It's more about the overall quality of recruits, not just the age, in my opinion, acknowledging that we have had too many of the veterans in recent years. But you need to get the balance right, and in a tough league like this you need some quality veterans too. We've had some success stories amongst our older ex-SL signings (Moors, Kopczak and Hall come to mind) as well as a few who didn't work out either due to poor form or injury. But I think that going back to signing a few more younger Championship players as well as a bit of older quality is probably the way forward.

 

[The Phantom Horseman]

12 hours ago, RobLambert said:

 

I mean we didn't even need a winger at the time and from memory it was only because Ford had fallen out with Wynne - probably because he was responsible for not completing a set of six or something similarly unforgiveable.

 

I like Connor Wynne and if as seems likely we have him next year I'm happy, he seems to have found his niche at Fev. I know that the default position is to blame Ford for everything but maybe he deserves some credit here, it was Ford who recruited him, Wynne has had more than a bit of a reputation in terms of his attitude and he also has some areas in his game he needs to work on - his defensive judgement can be poor (as his team mates have let him know on several occasions!) and his workrate in some games earlier this season was nowhere near the level of  the likes of Gale, Minikin and Hardcastle.

It's a bit one-sided to say Ford had fallen out with him when we don't know the details especially with a player with a bit of a rep, but I remember the interview Ford gave around that time and the bottom line is the situation seems to have been turned around in the second half of the season so let's hope that continues next year.

[Monkeymagic22]

We need a mixture of up and coming Chanpionship players and some experienced players. We also need quality, as without that, we might struggle to stay up, and it’s likely to mean a losing season with reduced crowds. Plus, winning the Championship in its own right is important.

[Michael Bates]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

It's a bit one-sided to say Ford had fallen out with him when we don't know the details especially with a player with a bit of a rep, but I remember the interview Ford gave around that time and the bottom line is the situation seems to have been turned around in the second half of the season so let's hope that continues next year.

Ford's issue with Wynne was that Wynne thought he was better than Wacokecoke, and...well...he was right.

[The Phantom Horseman]

22 minutes ago, Michael Bates said:

Ford's issue with Wynne was that Wynne thought he was better than Wacokecoke, and...well...he was right.

I wasn't at the training sessions or in their meetings, so I'll have to take your word for it. Ford himself referred to "some of the choices he'd made" (ie Wynne) earlier in the season, which is an alternative explanation.

[marklaspalmas]

OP updated

[marklaspalmas]

Plenty more players we could put the rumours/unconfirmed column as Ford & Handley rack up the loyalty card bonuses at a variety of coffee outlets.

[The Phantom Horseman]

33 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

Plenty more players we could put the rumours/unconfirmed column as Ford & Handley rack up the loyalty card bonuses at a variety of coffee outlets.

Oh no MLP, there are enough dodgy puns on this forum without starting everyone off about these possible signings and how many star-bucks they're gonna costa.

[marklaspalmas]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Oh no MLP, there are enough dodgy puns on this forum without starting everyone off about these possible signings and how many star-bucks they're gonna costa.

You'll probably Cop leyss flak for those puns than some of the others.

At least we're looking to sign players rather than fiddling while Rome burns, which was Nero's story 

[gazza77]

35 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

You'll probably Cop leyss flak for those puns than some of the others.

At least we're looking to sign players rather than fiddling while Rome burns, which was Nero's story 

I just wish they'd pret on with some announcements.

Sorry....