Ive been waiting for an announcement and im really glad he has signed for Saints.
Have faith people.
Ive been waiting for an announcement and im really glad he has signed for Saints.
Have faith people.
I just don’t see how massive risk = really poor. The only way it’s a really poor signing is if we don’t sign another back rower to create that competition for places. Bring in a BMM/ Sironen/ Bell or any of the other rumours alongside him and he’s fighting it out with Batchelor and Wingfield for his spot (ironically Batchelor is the exact opposite of Hurrell - as exciting as a teapot but an excellent trainer whose waited for his chance). Then, if he doesn’t find the motivation, with his place, a World Cup place and a chance at the stand out club of the last couple of years then he languishes in the reserves until we can find a way to kick him out. Honestly there’s as much risk of that happening as Hurrell, look at Thompson this year - came with every plaudit from the fans in the NRL.
Most of the comments I have read refer far more to him being an exciting player capable of winning (and losing) a match single handed at a time when Leeds were (to quote) drab.
In fairness, I take back the moaning for a sake of a moan. That was unfair.
For me, we need someone like Hurrell to balance our attack. Whether Hurrell is the right piece to that jigsaw is definitely up for debate, but I think it's the type of player we need to have a run threat and create space for the edges. A lot depends on whether the coaching staff can extract the player that he can be, if they don't then it'll be a massive flop.
I dont think we need any project players to be honest either, with the likes of Batchelor developing along with Wingfield, Foster, Simm, Norman etc... I'd say we are quite well appointed for depth and any further project players may be a waste of cap. Nu Brown could offer depth across the halves where we are currently looking a bit light for next year, the only back up we have is shifting players like Welsby out of position.
We've signed a centre to replace Kev and we have Simms in the background and no doubt some other academy players waiting to come through. I just don't see this idea of him playing in the second row working. He's 30 now, has he ever played anywhere other than centre? I just don't rate him, he's massively overweight and cannot defend and his injury record is poor.
My take on it is that it's just a bad signing. That's just my opinion. If I had to bet now, I'd put my money on him playing less than 10 games for us. I'd be delighted if you're quoting this back to me in 12 months time as he's marauding his way through teams on his way to Man of Steel though.
I think before the kids took over the term was bookmarked
You have articulated the upside (and I don’t think any doubts he could be capable of that. So now let’s suppose the downside; he plays <10 games for us and is mediocre at best. The question is so what? Assuming we have another second row signing, along with Mata’utia and Batchelor - and with Wingfield and Forster were well covered in the second row, Hopoate and Simm as you said in the centres - so performance wise were no worse off than we are now. So we have 100k sat in the stands/ playing in the reserves until we can ship him off to Leigh or wherever.
In that scenario, theres a big upside with relatively minimal downside. A signing worth the risk (in my opinion)
Of course there’s still two assumptions in there 1) that we are signing another backrower and 2) that Hurrells salary doesn’t stop us going for a bigger name. I’m going to ignore 2 as I was told that Hurrell was only going to be signed once our other signings for the year were complete (Lussick and two other forwards).
So looking at the first assumption; suppose we don’t sign another backrower. We are then far more dependent on either Hurrell investing in the culture, putting the work in and Matt Daniels working miracles or one of Wingfield, Forster or Davies stepping up. This is a far bigger risk and far more likely to cost us games.
In that scenario, there’s the same upside, with a huge (multiple game losses) downside; I’m breaking out in hives thinking about the level of risk in this scenario.
I’m sure there’s 100s of other scenarios (especially around not working out in the pack/ Hopoate being the flop/ Simm stepping up etc) but those are the main ones and I’m sure the club have worked through the rest…
It’s aimed at people that think that incredible levels of commitment, tremendous defence and winning trophies is in some way admirable.
For example, if you enjoyed the ruthless approach that left Wigan without as much as a PTB in our 10 metre and piled on embarrassment, you are a Wolfball cheerleader because we didn’t make enough clean breaks.
Hope that helps.
Its Never write off the saints
This singing adds some very healthy competition for places, but for me it seems Konrad would make a brilliant impact player from the bench. Plus cover a couple of positions if injuries occur.
NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS
Insta @christianjamescreative
I was initially very sceptical of us chasing Hurrell but can now see a logic to it. If he is being signed as a line bending/ breaking impact SR then it could work. He needs to be motivated enough to lose about 1.5 - 2 stones. If anyone can get him fit, it's our conditioning staff. Woolf must obviously think that he & we can do this & make it work. He could be devastating at making room for Percy, Dodd & Grace & really blast some holes in any defence.
It all depends on his attitude, he needs to want to prove his worth & buy into our club culture.
McIntosh over Welsby Not what was said as per Belgian Saint.
But does make a great soundbyte.
Gave my opinion on Hurrell and Hopoate.
Was asked for some names of who I would have been interested in and gave them.
Don't just buy a name because they are the only one left or it is comfortable with former links was the point.
If the club now go out and pick up Bell from Leigh and a project pickup, they will be inspired signings
rather than championship and mid table plodders.
If anyone comes up with project signing names that the club aren't in for , they are blasted.
If Woolf ruled us out of Hurrell due to fitness , there would be a battery of posts just echoing and parroting that.
If you challenge the wisdom of any players Saints are in for , you are blasted.
Independent thought is becoming a rare commodity.
On first appearances this seems a real gamble. Hurrell can be a real game changer, and devastating at times with ball in hand. Unfortunately for whatever reason he has been very inconsistent and can have games where his is anonymous at best and a liability at worst.
It seems he feels insulted by Leeds’ offer so is coming to us. My hope is he arrives with a real ‘point to prove’ attitude and a determination to prove doubters wrong- if that’s the case he may well be a very good signing.
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I think you do need some speculation type signings in a squad. You need to "outsmart" the salary cap somehow.
People have been calling out the team for being boring and too defence focused all season. Then when we sign a player that is very attacking focused there are complaints.
In the end if Hurrell was a great defender and in brilliant shape he is on $1m a year in the NRL. All players have weaknesses, the mentality is that you would rather that be in attack than defence. However that is the same mindset that produces dull teams.
There is a big reliance on Hurrell staying/getting in shape and the coach getting the best out of him. You assume Woolf has a plan, we just need to see what that is. I suspect it will be something like how we used Freddie Tuilagi
I could agree with you but then we would both be wrong.
Stop with the nonsense Tuilangi comparisons.
Freddie was very fit even in his union days before he signed for Halifax.
Hurrell is an 18 stone lump who will have to go through a transformation to play in the pack.
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Well he'll have to do less graft playing in the second row than our centres do
Signing another centre doesn't make sense though, hence why people are speculating he'll play in the pack
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Our weakness the last 2 seasons has always been our off loading game, to an extent the signing will address some of that. Its quite possible Woolfy might look at changing things around a bit with some experimentation for example Hurrell at centre, Hopoate at full back and Welsby as a pivot loose forward. That gives us pivots at 1, 6, 7, 13 with some lesser pivot at 9. It just gives us options with a bit of depth without upsetting the balance of the team. The club must see a bigger picture than the fan base.
So Hopoate has been signed as a bit part player?
Woolf has already stated Welsby will be our first choice fullback, Dodd is already proving a handful for opposition defences and his kicking game is better than we've had in years.
Where does everyone play?
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