Transfer Rumours - All in Here

[Mike Stephenson]

He’s certainly not the player he once was but he’s still a significant upgrade on either O’Brien or Reynolds, depending on whether they play him at 1 or 6.

That's the way I'd look at it too, in terms of being an upgrade on what Leigh had this season.

They've said he'll play in the halves and that's a strong combination, when you think he'll be paired with Lam.

Good on them for putting the money up and being creative in the market- Moylan wasn't off contract.

I've always rated Moylan and even thinking back to season 2022, when Sharks finished second on the ladder, he was performing well. Less prominent this year, but he could find himself with a bit more time and space over here.

He's a classy player and interested to see how he goes in SL.

last thing you want to do is block promising young players.

Of course, but at the same time promising young players don't always make the grade...

I remember this time last year, followers of the academy on here, were saying there was a highly rated hooker who would feature this year (Pemberton) and he ended up getting no minutes and was released.

So I still think Saints should do what they can to be active in the market for a back. A 1 year deal like Catalan did with Keighran last year and Tyrone May the year before, could be the way to go. Carries risk, but the rewards can be greater.

[Scouse Don]

Don't know if it's common knowledge but Robes is going to be on the coaching staff next season he said the deal is 95% done last night.

[Saddened!]

Don't know if it's common knowledge but Robes is going to be on the coaching staff next season he said the deal is 95% done last night.

Interesting. Any idea in what capacity?

[saint-spoiler]

Interesting. Any idea in what capacity?

Helping out with the first team & in a mentor role for the younger players I think he said

[magic superbeetle]

I can’t see where there is so much reference to him being in the back row?

The first line even reads back-rower-come-centre.

You don’t read;

I’m looking forward to working more with Batch (Joe Batchelor), Siro (Curtis Siroen), Sione (Mata’utia), now (Matt) Whitley, but then there’s Percy (Mark Percival) and Koni (Konrad Hurrell) – who has took me under his wing and speaks to me quite frequently, he gives me little tips and advice.

As working primarily with the back rowers and an afterthought to centre?

It would make sense for us to encourage him into the back row. With Robertson, Dagnall and Sambou coming through who could be outside backs, and there only being so many opportunities in one position having Vaughan targeting Royles role for game time spreads the risk a little.

[magic superbeetle]

Helping out with the first team & in a mentor role for the younger players I think he said

Curious he’s always spoken about leaving the game after he was done playing so interesting to know what’s changed.

[CaseyJ]

Helping out with the first team & in a mentor role for the younger players I think he said

Great idea. Very much has a feeling of when Wello finished playing. I believe Roby has some profession qualification but maybe he's not ready to walk away from the game yet. I think he'll be brilliant in the go between role between management and players.

[brook]

Curious he’s always spoken about leaving the game after he was done playing so interesting to know what’s changed.

Maybe he missed the game and the team ethic more than he though he would ? Maybe this was the best paid job on offer ?

It's good that he will still have a role in the club though.

[saint-spoiler]

Curious he’s always spoken about leaving the game after he was done playing so interesting to know what’s changed.

He did say he was going to leave the game but it’s sort of come full circle & he’s realised his expertise are what he knows with rugby league and Saints in particular

[Euroboy]

He said after the semi final loss on Sky he would love to stay in the game in some mentoring style role.

[Saddened!]

Lot of deals happening or rumoured to be happening with the other clubs around us:

Joe Shorrocks leaving Wigan for Salford. (Confirmed)

Which then enables Salford to trade Partington to Warrington in exchange for Brad Dwyer. (Rumour)

Wigan also expected to announce a further signing (Rumour)

Also that very spurious rumour about an overseas star at an NRL club being exchanged for a former NRL representative player playing in Super League. That could also involve Warrington (Burgess for Vaughan?) or us and would allow them to pick up another quota player. They're also still looking to move Kasiano on if they can.

I can't see the Vaughan one being true, but Burgess to Warrington is likely at some point I guess. I'm not sure Dwyer would be a great choice for Salford, but I guess they do need a hooker with Ackers moving to Leeds.

[FearTheVee]

Interesting. Any idea in what capacity?

Head of Grind


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Apollo8]

Roby will be head coach in 2029, after Matty Smith has a go at it first in from mid-2024 to 2026, followed by a random Aussie in 2027 & 2028.

[The Wee Waa Womble]

Roby will be head coach in 2029, after Matty Smith has a go at it first in from mid-2024 to 2026, followed by a random Aussie in 2027 & 2028.

Roby will only take the head coach role once his statue has been completed though.

[reliable sauce]

You don’t read;



As working primarily with the back rowers and an afterthought to centre?

It would make sense for us to encourage him into the back row. With Robertson, Dagnall and Sambou coming through who could be outside backs, and there only being so many opportunities in one position having Vaughan targeting Royles role for game time spreads the risk a little.

That still doesn’t read that Vaughan is seen to be a second rower. The first line of the page states he is a centre.

Vaughan then talks about working more with the second rows mentioned, centres play outside the second row and therefore it’s essential they can build an understanding of each others game and form combinations. He does talk about working with Percival, and already being taken under Hurrell’s wing.

If you choose to take all of that as he is now a second rower then that’s up to you but it isn’t how the article reads.

[Saint Toppy]

That still doesn’t read that Vaughan is seen to be a second rower. The first line of the page states he is a centre.

Vaughan then talks about working more with the second rows mentioned, centres play outside the second row and therefore it’s essential they can build an understanding of each others game and form combinations. He does talk about working with Percival, and already being taken under Hurrell’s wing.

If you choose to take all of that as he is now a second rower then that’s up to you but it isn’t how the article reads.

He played both positions regularly at Academy level so its not really an issue wherever he starts his senior career as neither position are unfamiliar.
I suspect given his age & current size he'll get his first taste of 1st team in the centrer's but depending on how he develops he could well move into the back-row in the coming years.

[STIDDY]

That still doesn’t read that Vaughan is seen to be a second rower. The first line of the page states he is a centre.

Vaughan then talks about working more with the second rows mentioned, centres play outside the second row and therefore it’s essential they can build an understanding of each others game and form combinations. He does talk about working with Percival, and already being taken under Hurrell’s wing.

If you choose to take all of that as he is now a second rower then that’s up to you but it isn’t how the article reads.

I think the club mentioned Joe Batch is his mentor, get the impression he,s being coached to work on the edge be it centre or second row.

[Saint Toppy]

possible winger options now reduced, reported now that Charlie Staines has agreed a new contract to stay at the Tigers, so one less NRL winger available as an option

[philthompson]

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post...ford-incomings

[Saddened!]

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post...ford-incomings

The smugness in the sentence about the club feeling they are adequately covered is just ridiculous. Why would we state publicly, multiple times that we were looking for an outside back if we're comfortable we're adequately covered?

Just wish there was a journalist out there capable of asking the question properly, so we get a proper answer. The vagueness and contradiction could be the club's doing not the journalist to be fair, but I doubt it.

Hopefully we're waiting for a specific long-term target to establish where he stands so he can make a decision. If the plan is to just coast through without a signing the club need to clarify why. If it's money, I think most fans would be mature enough to accept that, I certainly would. If they're confident in Davies/Ritson/Bennison and their ability to do the job they need to back them publicly, rather than say they want signings then not making any.

It's interesting they haven't released the squad numbers yet. I think the latest we've ever done it is the 5th of December, but they were out in October last year and 16th November the year before.

[The Yellow Giraffe]

It appears Aaron Bower has just rehashed the McManus interview in the Star from last week. He’s not actually told us anything we didn’t already know there and I highly doubt it he’s done any form of digging into the situation.

[BackrowSaint]

It appears Aaron Bower has just rehashed the McManus interview in the Star from last week. He’s not actually told us anything we didn’t already know there and I highly doubt it he’s done any form of digging into the situation.

Totally agree, I think Bowers reached his own conclusions there and put them in the mouth of the club. Hopoate played 19 games last year so he absolutely is a regular. The club will be aware that those 19 games are a gap that need to be plugged.

On a wider note, slightly related to the centres, I do think the club have made a mistake with the Davies and Royle extensions. Whilst fine to have in the squad, they're not offering much more than a youngster would do and those two salaries could have made the difference in the market. Compare with Wigan negotiating releases for the likes of Shorrocks and letting Cust etc go and they're seeing where they can free up funds to strengthen their team, whilst not really losing any quality when you compare to the next in the queue.

[Noel Cleal]

Lot of deals happening or rumoured to be happening with the other clubs around us:

Joe Shorrocks leaving Wigan for Salford. (Confirmed)

Which then enables Salford to trade Partington to Warrington in exchange for Brad Dwyer. (Rumour)

Wigan also expected to announce a further signing (Rumour)

Also that very spurious rumour about an overseas star at an NRL club being exchanged for a former NRL representative player playing in Super League. That could also involve Warrington (Burgess for Vaughan?) or us and would allow them to pick up another quota player. They're also still looking to move Kasiano on if they can.

I can't see the Vaughan one being true, but Burgess to Warrington is likely at some point I guess. I'm not sure Dwyer would be a great choice for Salford, but I guess they do need a hooker with Ackers moving to Leeds.

Again, how many of these players would you actually want at Saints. Shorrocks was the best thing since sliced bread at Wigan until all his diving around got him sent off in a cup Semi. We should actually thank the guy. If it wasn't for him that awful Wigan team would have probably won the double.

Partington see above. From Sky Sport next big thing to the Car Boot Sale of Rugby League, Salford in 1 or 2 years.

Kasiano is good fun but a defensive liability. Given the treatment Hurrell has got on here, what would the same people say about Kasiano?

Alkers, hey look it is a Salford player everyone thinks is great. Remember how good Joey Lussick looked at Salford. World beater mate!

Croft..blah...Salford..blah...Great..blah..Matty Smith.....blah..World beater

Brad Dwyer is one of the few players we all agree is cr*p

Burgess, fair enough good player but you aren't getting him without having his brother as coach and all the baggage you get with Sam. I think Sam Burgess is a good bloke but do we want that ticking time bomb at Saints?

Vaughan had a good first 7 or 8 weeks of the season. He was to 2023 that Sione was to 2022, the week 10 MOS. But then he got a big contract and gave up.

I think all this player movement is fun and has helped get us through the off season but have we really missed out? Walters to Wigan was a shame but was he worth getting in a bidding war over? May is a decent player too but is only in SL due to personal problems. I would have maybe taken a risk on him. Maybe Satae instead of renewing Sione? Am I missing anyone else?

[Saddened!]

Again, how many of these players would you actually want at Saints. Shorrocks was the best thing since sliced bread at Wigan until all his diving around got him sent off in a cup Semi. We should actually thank the guy. If it wasn't for him that awful Wigan team would have probably won the double.

Partington see above. From Sky Sport next big thing to the Car Boot Sale of Rugby League, Salford in 1 or 2 years.

Kasiano is good fun but a defensive liability. Given the treatment Hurrell has got on here, what would the same people say about Kasiano?

Alkers, hey look it is a Salford player everyone thinks is great. Remember how good Joey Lussick looked at Salford. World beater mate!

Croft..blah...Salford..blah...Great..blah..Matty Smith.....blah..World beater

Brad Dwyer is one of the few players we all agree is cr*p

Burgess, fair enough good player but you aren't getting him without having his brother as coach and all the baggage you get with Sam. I think Sam Burgess is a good bloke but do we want that ticking time bomb at Saints?

Vaughan had a good first 7 or 8 weeks of the season. He was to 2023 that Sione was to 2022, the week 10 MOS. But then he got a big contract and gave up.

I think all this player movement is fun and has helped get us through the off season but have we really missed out? Walters to Wigan was a shame but was he worth getting in a bidding war over? May is a decent player too but is only in SL due to personal problems. I would have maybe taken a risk on him. Maybe Satae instead of renewing Sione? Am I missing anyone else?

I never mentioned any of them in the context of Saints. Just what was being talked about on Twitter and other forums.

Walters I think was a bad miss for us, he has outstanding potential. We could have turned him into a great player. I'm sure he'll go to Wigan and become an absolute grub and try to become an enforcer type who just spends his time trying to wind people up into punching him. Luke Thompson too is potentially a disaster for us. If he gets back to decent form, we're going to look very stupid given we could have had him for such little cap impact. If not, we'll have played a blinder, so can't really criticise the club too much over that. Croft is in his prime whilst Lomax is 34 by the end of the season and Ackers I'd have taken over either of our hookers.

This idea though that there aren't players who would improve us is just wrong. Bennison isn't Super League quality and he's played on the wing a lot over the last two seasons. Davies likewise, and he could be set for 30 games next season if the centres continue to pick up injuries and bans. The complete lack of any depth in the front row means the backrowers will be pulled there a lot as well, so Davies might be in the 17 near enough every week. Ritson and Royle's contract extensions? Did they do enough? Hopefully I'll be proved wrong and Tee will score 20 and Davies will become Wille Talau's mirror image, but I can't see it.

We've been through this so many times, but we've coming down from being a dominant side and we're not doing enough to maintain it now. One or two more signings for next season would have left us in a far better place than we are now. There's still a lot of quality about and the lads have been great for us and I'm sure their effort will be outstanding as ever. But we could be in the hunt for trophies next year and we won't be unless we make some improvements.

[Blobbynator]

The thing with Saints is were not the type of club to panic and were completely comfortable in our own skin. We have a strong identity and plan of developing our own talent and continue to churn out world class players year after year. We dont always get it right, no club does but we've got a pretty good track record. For all we know Sambou or Vaughan could have a breakout year (like Delaney just has) and we might look back and think we didn't need a centre afterall. Alternatively, we may find out were short next season and we make a move in the market to plug the gap.

Signing Luke Thompson may turn out to be a genius move for Wigan, it may not, but we know for a fact he's cost them alot of money on a long term deal. Remember in football when City were being linked with Cristiano Ronaldo a couple of years ago, Man Utd panicked and signed him. It ended pretty badly and they are still in as much of a mess, if not moreso than they were. City signed Erling Haaland a year later and the rest is history. Signing the wrong player has caused us big problems in the past. The likes of Laffranchi and Hohaia on big, long term contracts cost us for years.

I do think we're a player or 2 short - one in the three quarters and one at prop, but the prop issue is largely down to Paasi's injury. If Paasi comes back the same, were well covered at prop. I suppose we'll have to wait and see next year. Our squad isnt perfect by any stretch, but I certainly don't think it's panic stations either.