Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Signs for the Dirty Leeds on 2yr deal................. JUDAS
Says "he wants to finish on the best possible note for St Helens this season" but "wants to win silverware for the team he has always dreamt of playing for. I agree he's already gone to Leeds as far as I'm concerned and shouldn't play again this season, as there would always be a doubt as to his commitment to the team. Saint v Leeds in the playoffs! A bit like Connelly who used to have two different stories about signing for Wigan dependant on where he was doing the sportsmens night I don't think we can particularly fault Saints over this. Fages next to go presumably, At the end of the day it's down to the Salary cap and the players involved wanting to make the most money they can, in such a brutal sport ,who can blame them? As a matter of interest who are our marquee players, certainly not Thompson, Matatatuia, or Paasi
Last edited by Woolyback; 18th June 2021 at 06:35.
We’re a bit up s*** creek for next year aren’t we? Going to be a big turnover of players and maybe another transitional period. Hope the powers of are working hard. Coote, Kev, Fages, Bentley, possibly Roby going. LMS and Amor another year older. It’s going to be a big job.
Really disappointing, pretty sure since we have had him he’s been on loan for as long as he’s played for us, we finally start to get the rewards for the time invested in him and lose him almost immediately.
Can’t blame Bentley if the money is better and Leeds potentially have 10 years worth of high quality player on there books seemingly for free.
It’s also not a good message to give out that your youngest and best players are players you can’t retain.
Having looked at Matautia, Thompson and Paasi so far this year, I’ve got little faith in us replacing him adequately.
Good luck to him.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
Big loss - young, English, one of the brightest prospects.
Was looking forward to him coming back and replacing Thompson who looks past it.
The fact there are no comments from McManus/Woolf makes it look like there might be a bit of bad blood about him leaving. For me he shouldn’t play again this year, give Wingfield chance when he’s fit or Batchelor.
Last edited by reliable sauce; 18th June 2021 at 07:47.
A shame to lose anyone we tried to keep but when it comes to people moaning about style etc having second rows like Bentley is part of that issue. Hasn’t made a clean break or set up a try in any games he played this year and averages less metres per carry than Thompson who runs in treacle.
He obviously has his plus points and I’m certainly not saying I’m glad he’s gone, far from it but everyone has a price and if we’ve reached our ceiling with them then we’re right to stop there IMO.
I don't think he's as good as some are making out. Excellent work rate, got a bit of dog in him which makes him annoying to the opposition but indisciplined at times and like our other 2nd rowers is a defensive 2nd rower rather than a line breaker. Were missing a skillful, line breaking back rower (in the Zeb Taia mould) at the moment.
He's a Leeds lad and they've offered him really good money so not a surprise that he's agreed to leave. A bit disappointing but he's not irreplaceable.
The worry is were not being linked with any replacements for any of the outgoings at the moment. I hope we start to hear some names linked with us soon rather than players leaving as it appears we have half our 17 leaving at the moment.
Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
Seeing players leave for big money elsewhere can't be good for team morale, especially if the club offered him big money to stay.
We were definitely out-enthused by Warrington in the first half last night.
Unfortunately in a salary capped sport money has to be aimed at the key positions and, as good as Bentley is, 2nd row forwards must be relatively low in the pecking order.
I agree, brilliant defensive player but adds very little going forward (so a perfect fit for Woolf it would seem). What annoying though is we've signed those 2 clowns who won't have come for nothing and we're losing a young, Englishman that we've invested time and money in. Not to mention as it stands, everyone else seems to be getting business done early and we've done nothing. After that garbage last night the future is looking quite depressing and to be honest I can't blame players for not wanting to play for Woolf.
Sorry he's made that decision, but the club won't be held to ransom. We've lost far better players than him in similar circumstances.
Important to ensure we recruit effectively to replace players who are leaving or are on the downward slope prior to next season, and sadly I think that includes Roby.
Regarding the recent signings, all came with good track records and I for one - and probably many others too - we're excited to see them at Saints. Thompson hasn't set the world on fire for us yet for sure, Matautia has shown glimpses of the player I'm sure he is (although he was shocking last night) - and we haven't seen the best of Paasi by a long way yet.
I just hope we don't sign players to fit the Woolf style of play, he's Cunningham 2 but a bit more affable.....
And I don't think the loss of Bentley to Leeds is as bad as Sean Long going to them instead of being persuaded to come back to us as attacking coach.
"The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It is nothing of the kind. The game is about glory, it is about doing things in style and with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom." Danny Blanchflower.
Might have been written by a footballer about football - but never a truer word............
Sorry he's going but it's not Knowles is it? That would've been a tragedy.
Not too concerned with this really. Good player but I won’t be losing sleep over it.
I saw someone on the Redvee Facebook post say that we should have prioritised retaining Bentley over Welsby. That's nonsense. I wish we had been able to keep hold of Bentley but Welsby is much more important for the future.
I am angry, I am ill and I'm as ugly as sin ...
I agree in regards to losing a young english player when the other two aren't setting the world alight to put it kindly. I think SM is doing more than JT, though. He just seems to drop the ball once a game guaranteed. Thompson looks the slowest player I've ever seen haha.
This is a shame. I think he really added something to us last year with his aggression. We could have done with him last night. But, as people have said, he's not good enough with the ball to justify silly money.
I bet his Agent (a big Leeds fan) had a lot to do with changing his mind?