Just ignore and don’t quote the rovers fan…

Look at other overseas signings aswell. So many clubs have signed quota players who have never played an NRL game.

People arr right about Bonaire, has no solutions, just moans, had the chace to ask Myler questions at the forum, but couldn't be bothered to go or send in any questions.

As touched on the Catalans thread, I hardly think Abdul could be called a disaster. I never felt it would work out if I’m honest, but it was a unique situation only we could have take advantage of salary cap wise, at best we could have had an international standard player count very little on the salary cap but it wasn’t to be, I’m not having that we paid him off close to the full three year contract they’d have been some agreement in place regarding fitness.

Had we looked at other targets for a third senior domestic half we might have a little bit more cover going into the season granted. As said in the other thread though at absolute best we might have been able to get in early and do a deal for Olly Russell. He might do well at Wakey but has never established himself as first choice yet. Other players who’d fit that bill maybe we could have offered Ben Reynolds a permanent deal or Richardson at Rovers. You can never tell with these things but long term I’d rather we go with Kemp and Charles when needed.

I should've added a dollop more sarcasm to my post.

We sacked Smith last March/April so any recruitment ideas he had probably got thrown out the window at the time.

We then had a 6 ish week block when didn't have a coach lined up. As well as looking for a head coach, Myler recruited domestic players. If he'd just sat on his hands player wise we'd probably be even further behind.

Don't agree at all.

Sneyd had an offer from Salford for a 3 year deal and a chance to return home, as a club at the time weren't in a position to match that offer or come close so it was mutually agreed he'd leave with 1 year left on his contract.

Connor was ousted by Smith, if what I was told has some truth to it because he questioned Smith and Gene on their methods. Whether that's 100% I can't say but looking at the way Ellis left and subsequently returned on Smiths own departure I'd say theres a good chance what I was told has merit.

My understanding on Gale was he didn't meet the clause in his contract to trigger the 2nd year. Evans was in his last year and was released early due to injuries and compassionate reasons.

Reynolds was just a total crock, poor expensive signing, a very poor influence and only had a few month left on his deal which wasn't going to be renewed at the end of the season.

So for me the ones mentioned are in no way similar in any aspect.

Maybe, possibly, although I don't think too many were sorry to see Gale or Evans depart.
It just feels a touch different today with some of these decisions being made around players who very quickly (for differing reasons) have been deemed not to be up to scratch and have been summarily released. As I pointed out last night, it is the clubs that make the correct retention/recruitment decisions (most of the time) that ultimately become the successful sides (backed up with a healthy youth policy), specifically Wigan, Saints and, in the past, Leeds.

Of course, this could merely be the likes of myself looking for shafts of sunlight through the darkened storm clouds, but the noises coming out of the club since the end of last season would seem to indicate, on the surface at least, that a new professional broom has swept through our club and it does feel different to quite a few of the faithful on here.

Ultimately, of course, the proof is in the pudding (which means results on the field) but right now there is an air of renewed optimism around the place, a feeling of sleeves being rolled up and applying to the task in hand. I think that is essentially what the likes of Chris and others are positing with Abdull/Staveley releases being a part of the new attitude. As the next few months unfold we will find out whether we are making the right decisions or not, watch this space as they say!!!

Agree with mwindass, when you look at where we were as club and most significantly in terms of financially then add in the limited player pool, genuine availability of players as whole, whilst not forgetting we had no Head Coach signed, it was an almost impossible task.

Myler so far, when taking all the things in to account has done what I would say is a decent job of making big changes needed. The recruitment process we were only just starting after every other club and most players had got deals done but we still needed players so on the whole think he's got the best of what was available.
Lets just see how the club and teams goes this year as it's impossible to give a fair judgment just yet. I think the next recruitment cycle will be more telling as there will be no excuses for the lack of a plan or targets, also the changes to the recruitment within the game will no doubt shake things up for everyone too.

For me at present I do honestly believe Myler has done and is doing ok so far from what I've seen and heard. I'm not saying everything is perfect or every decision he makes will be right (no one does that) but this was never going to an overnight thing to turn this club around.

I think our recruitment has been pretty solid.

We also tried for better players, add in Lam and Whitehead and another quota player we would look a whole lot better.

My issues is that we look very weak at halfback and backrow and we have Holmes and Seizer potential doubts first game, so at game 1 we are already looking stretched in those two positions.

Abdul I get (although he probably shouldn't have been signed, but can see why we did, probably our most expensive signing in years though)

But I would have only released Staveley once we had a replacement lined up.

Add in that we don't have a lot of players off contract this year (cap wise anyway) and only 1 non fed spot coming free and 2026 recruitment could already be a challenge

I've been told we have a good chunk of cap before Staveley went, must a good chunk to add Cross and Sneyd.

Add in Sao and Briscoe. We will have a good amount and one quota spot.

I also wouldn't rule of out contacted players leaving.

I'd be looking at 4 players, one must be a quality halfback, 2 forwards and maybe a centre, depending on how Litten, Rapana, Hardraker and Westerman go.

In an ideal world if we could get Lam or Pryce it would make our recruitment much easier.