I actually think both teams recruitment has been pretty good, better than most teams recruitment.

A few risks from both teams, there has been a shocking standard of players available this year from SL and the NRL.

Look at Wigans 2 big signings Lauaki and a no name Aussie who has yet to play an NRL and got sacked for taking a s*it in a hotel room.

I don't think Vella ever really had a frontline prop to complement him. Morgan had a few goes but none were more than very equivocal successes. And time caught up with MV himself.
2011's props look like the best blend we've had in SL, on paper at least. I doubt any will be as good as Vella was at the start of his Rovers career though.

I really disagree with you on most of that. The last year he has lacked the fitness and impact of previous years but prior to that he was consistently our best prop. The difference between him being on the pitch and him not was visible to the point that we knew when he was spelled we would ship points.
He was the one player in our pack that throughout his time in the UK (barring last year) would have been wanted at most othe SL clubs by bith the teams and fans.

Great player, retirement was right for him but to say he lacked any menace is a bit insulting, judging by those standards I'd say Graham and Peacock both lack menace and I don;t mean that I think they do.

Rovers have lacked an impact prop (if thats what you mean by menace) since Mikali left, we haven't had a short spell scatter defences type player who'll come on after 20mins and lift the team. I'm hoping Paea can fit this role this year.

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showt ... p?t=394392 The above what is what some of roopy's mates think of Mika and McDonnel. Consensus seems to be that Mika can hit hard, but is lazy and tends to disappear from games. SM is too small, but is brave and his handling has improved from rubbish. General feeling is that this stands them in good stead to do well in SL.

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showt ... p?t=394392 The above what is what some of roopy's mates think of Mika and McDonnel. Consensus seems to be that Mika can hit hard, but is lazy and tends to disappear from games. SM is too small, but is brave and his handling has improved from rubbish. General feeling is that this stands them in good stead to do well in SL.

I read that, but as we've already ascertained with an ongoing experiment (roopy apart) they're all idiots.

Firstly by soft I meant he didn't run at an opposition line and not stop until he was stopped. As was rightly said he'd back in to the defence and try and gain a few extra yards. Often teams would just let him fall over and then he'd instantly be on his back with no chance of fighting to land on his knees and elbows which would have lead to much quicker play the balls and a much quicker attack.

Yes I totally agree he has been our best prop since 2007 and while I think Tandy would have pushed him close had he stayed over here and Clinton's first season gave me plenty of hope that we'd replaced an ageing Vella I do think he was still our top prop.

In saying this his fatigue really told when other players were blamed for missing tackles that were actually Vella's to make. When players start doing this regularly it is time for their boots to be firmly hung up. It was the right time for him to leave and I am honoured to have seen him in a Rovers jersey but he was no hard hitting mean forward that struck fear in opponents eyes. That is what I mean by being soft and the whole team were stuck with that tag.

I get where you are all coming from and yes we signed Mason, Fozzard and Clinton to be that mean prop that wouldn't stand no nonsense. Up to now these have failed but under a new coach and now "play book" this fingers crossed will change.

That's impact players all over, Paea will be the same.

Australians don't have a very good opinion of SL.

Very few Knights fans watch reserve grade.
I go to games and see maybe 50 Knights fans.
Having said that, if you asked those guys what they think of Clint Newton they'd be much more critical, and they'd tell you that George Carmont and Scot Dureau are the worst two players to ever lace on a boot.

Do you get Eastenders over there? If so, I've got a lovely Newton avatar I could share with them.

was'nt funny over here, they won't find it funny down there.