Losing Walmsley would be a disaster for us. Replacing him and Luke Thompson with anywhere near the same quality would be almost impossible.
Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
True.
Just have to enjoy the stars while they are here and always be looking to the next cohort.
Hard to replace a Jamie Lyon ,James Roby, Mal Meninga , Shaun Long , in one sense you can't but in another you always do.
It's hard there's not always the direct quality to replace, just don't rush out and buy a Josh Perry in a panic
or remortgage the TWS just to keep Walmsley.
Accept that Saints might go through a phase where they haven't got the best front row in the comp.
This might be offset by the fact that another star comes and dominates another position eg Lewis Dodd.
Things come in cycles.
A big challenge for SL clubs will be the loss of numbers from the player pool as a result of the pandemic over the next 2-3 years.
How many players will drop out of academies , no reserves , brain drain of juniors to the NRL, will the championship even exist ?
Saints have been spoilt for a couple of years at prop.
Prop is a specific now problem which I think Saints will manage.
The next two years of developing players ready for first team will be a broader and very difficult problem.
Not sure if this links been posted but it would be a huge change of his thinking if he was to go.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.t...e-happier/amp/
After posting I’ve realised the grubby source it comes from and apologise in advance.
There is far more to it than a couple of suitcases, kids to move out of schools, a wife who leaves her employment over here for the unknown over there, a move away from family support networks and a variety of other issues can be a move killer or result in homesickness as seen in multiple cases when British players move over there, only a few players stay long term. It seems those likely to stay are the ones who leave little here.
Seem to remember him adding extra qualifications to his degree as a quantity surveyor around the time he was being touted by the NRL, with the UK setting up a building program to kickstart the economy I should imagine he will have no problem setting up an alternative career on home soil after the rugby.
A lot of UK qualifications are not recognised in Australia, I know Plumbers and electricians have to re-study and sit exams. I don't know about a QS. I worked in construction in Aus as Project Manager, and much of the work which in the UK would be done by a QS was done by myself. Life after rugby may not be as attractive for him over there.
Definitely Electrically you do as I hold essentially the same qual' for Europe and Aus/NZ but obviously I had to take the course twice.
I've often thought about emigrating myself but I don't think Australia is for me, I found it a bit boring to be honest, but 4 of my mates are very happy there and earn a good living.
It looks like some on the Bulldogs forum aren't happy with Thompson, seem to remember they dished out the same to Graham when he first arrived.
Walmsley going nowhere. From the horses mouth.
NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS
Walmsley bought a house quite recently next door to our kid in Eccleston, according to him he seems as happy as a light at Saints ,and even his 2 minutes interview after the game he said 2and a half years left on his contract and he says he will honour that but after ? ,you couldn't name him for earning a few Bob for a couple of years .
roy litherland it's happened i told you it would
The key to Walmsley is don't let him get to his last yr? give him say a 3/4 yr contract now? Bentley is another you can see this lad is going to be dynamite get him signed up longer.
Thompsons performances getting worse week on week for the Bulldogs. The fans starting to turn on him. He looks well off the pace. He’s just not doing much. Certainly not worth the coin he’s getting paid.
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
RFL Championship / Super League (17) - 193132, 195253, 195859, 196566, 196970, 197071, 197475, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Challenge Cup (13) - 195556, 196061, 196566, 197172, 197576, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2021
World Club Challenge (3) - 2001, 2007, 2023
League Leader's Shield (9) - 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022
The Bulldogs are in awful state on and off the field.
I cant fathom why you’d play LT at 13 running off a player as poor as Aiden Tolman who Id put behind every Saints prop including Ashworth. Totally bonkers. A lot of Thompsons best work was hitting direct ball from around the ruck, not ••••ing about as second phase runner.
People over there have totally missed the point that Saints and Canterbury-Bankstown play totally different styles / gameplans. Everything at Saints is around speed and impact; fast ptb’s, quick hit ups and fast hands. Canterbury lack any structure to get defences thinking and any speed whatsoever. The fact an over the hill prop is still trundling in trying and badly failing to perform that James Graham type role shows where they are.
Its like Thompson has gone from Real Madrid to Wimbledon. The Bulldogs look about 10 years behind the game and asking Thompson to perform a totally different role in a shite team won’t help them anytime soon. As I said previously, the likes if Amor, Batchelor and Ashworth would all improve the Bulldogs who look nearly as poor as Toronto.
Last edited by eddiewaringsflatcap; 23rd August 2020 at 07:50.
My thoughts exactly. Thommo was bossing it at prop. He's quick, agile and a great runner of the ball. So why sign him and move positions? Theres a big difference between prop and loose forward. I know hes not been asked to play as a LF, more of a 3rd prop but still simple things make big differences
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RFL Championship / Super League (17) - 193132, 195253, 195859, 196566, 196970, 197071, 197475, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Challenge Cup (13) - 195556, 196061, 196566, 197172, 197576, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2021
World Club Challenge (3) - 2001, 2007, 2023
League Leader's Shield (9) - 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022
He offers a quick play the ball for the Bulldogs but thats about it. Tolman and Napa are shyte but still manage to make more metres, tackles and post contact metres than Thompson. I just don’t think Thompson is big enough to be a NRL prop. I also question his heart. He just jogs about the pitch, no urgency in his game. He doesn’t go looking for the ball. He doesn’t fancy tackling big men either. He prefers to just come in as third defender round the legs. He can’t wrap up ball carriers either. Teams always get the offload away when they run at him.
I can’t see him seeing out his contract.
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
Welcome home Luke.