"Mason is still awaiting his Tongan passport and would need special dispensation from the Rugby Football League to be registered a second time which is unlikely to be forthcoming given all the wheeling and dealing that has already taken place."



Looks like a non-starter anyway then. But yeah I'd have taken the gamble, which his signing would undoubtably be.

Ok, I admit he could be a worth while excercise as the pack is weakened but what has he shown in form that means he will be better than what we have?

Not a huge amount so far to be fair. But he has been a good player in the past and he does offer some experience and size. Whether we would get value for money would maybe depend on the terms of the loan agreement. It is possible that Hull KR would continue to pay some of his salary rather than continue to pay the full amount for a player that they cannot pick.



Our options are limited to be fair, we could look to the NRL but how long would a visa take? If the relevant authorities agreed to it, it might not be such a bad option. The club are obviously wary of seeing some of young guys getting smashed each week by bigger more experienced packs.

non starter but yes fully worth the gamble

whithead maybe into the centres like yesterday ?...change him into a big centre like wigan have with Joel tomkins ? yes elliot isnt as good as joel but could possibly work ?

Agreed, it's like any gamble. It is what it is could be a fruitful half season loan deal where he finds some form or comes in and does the same as what he has at Hull KR and upset the fans.



I know players are hard to get hold of at present especially of a good quality but maybe rushing in isn't the way to go.

i think it wont work tbh

the rfl will do anything and everything to make sure things dont go well for us

would add to team for sure but not sure its best signing we could make. hasnt had an impact at hull kr. if we did get him it would only be til end of season as he'll go to french RU next year anyway. talk about him needing a dispensation is a red herring. he'd only need that to re-sign with hull kr again under his tongan passport. We've got a quota spot free so wouldnt need a dispensation. Think we'd be better served paying saints a reasonable fee and getting pryce on board now.

It does?

. Special Dispensation is for Hull KR, who have a full quota, not us.

Not necessarily a bad thing for the Bulls. I would agree we could make better use of the quota spot in 2012.



Perhaps less likely given the current injury problems at Saints. But it would be nice to get him onboard early and settled into the squad ready for 2012 if he plans to return to Odsal.

that was my thinking. instead of having to settle a new half into squad during pre-season and early part of next year do it now and get a headstart. saints seem to be managing fine without leon and have got lance coming in next year so may be prepared to take a reasonable offer now rather than let him leave on a free at end of year.

When will Leon be fit though??

Desperate measures for desperate times and that means the Club looking in the "used to be a really good player" barrel, but there is no inspired Ian Henderson type signing on the horizon, the injuries are stiffling any progress the Team should be making. I was hoping Kearney would be the last of the medium/long term injuries this season but the "Odsal Curse" is still with us unfortunately!

Its going to be another season of toughing it out and that MP now has a chance to get to look at strengthening the Squad for next season.

I wouldn't waste time and money on Mason he didn't help KR and Pryce is so injury prone he would only join the Squad in the Physio room

Completely agree, Pryce is not the answer, neither is that useless malcontent Mason. He's not fit and has shown little interest at KR, so why we'd think he'd put in the effort here is anyone's guess.

I wish a few more would state who IS the answer...



Since when did Leon become injury prone? It's not uncommon for players to pick up a couple of injuries in succession. Not sure that classifies a player as 'injury prone' though. So Leon Pryce isn't good enough for Bradford.. who should we be looking at instead?

I did make some suggestions in the Herbert thread, but apparently one of them has just signed a contract extension and the other is going elsewhere. I do think you're right though, good creative halves are difficult to come by, I also remember people on here arguing that Danny Brough was only a championship level player when he was available a couple of seasons ago!



However, I think the obsession with leon is rose tinted specs, based on a reminder of the glory days, rather than a hard analysis of what he'd offer. He's not better than Kearney at six, but would allow Kearney to play fullback. But, he's definitely not a creative scrum half and still leaves us with a gap at seven. I also think it's fair to say he's becoming increasingly injury prone, he hasn't played much since late last season because of two separate injuries, not one, and for me he's past his best, which is why Saints will be happy to get rid. He also drifts in and out of games and is reluctant to do the hard stuff when it matters, for me anyway, he's not the answer, although he'd be an improvement on what we have short term.

I would agree that Leon Pryce probably will be past his very best days..but that still leaves us with a pretty good standard SL stand off IMO. At 29 he still should have 2-3 years of good quality RL left in him.



He's a local lad who we know is settled in Bradford. He's played under Potter before so there should be no issues between player and coach. I'd say there is a lot less risk involved in signing Leon compared to looking overseas for possibly TWO halfbacks in 2012.

Get Mason in ASAP what the hell have we got to lose?! He would certainly give this depleted team a lift and with Scruton and Langley back we would have some pack..

I agree. Until the end of the season what real harm can bringing him in do?

Reasons to sign mason. the pack is a soft and lacks aggression. mason is neither. very skillful

Mick Potter hasn't said he wants either Mason or Pryce publically only Peter Hood and Peter Hood said if the Coach would like a paticular player they would do their utmost to get him!

So perhaps PH is playing the distraction game with disgruntled fans and giving the Team a chance to get the season back on track without more negativity being spouted!

hear hear got bored with this injury prone label

Mason has played as soft as they come for Hull KR and shown no appetite for the game either. He's after a payday and that's why he's off to French RU, what we have to lose is throwing good money after bad for a quick fix that won't happen.

In a loan signing, don't both clubs pay half the players wages?

So it would not be the end of the world if it didn't work out for us would it?

I don't think there is a specific amount and I'd suspect it varies from case to case. I've got to say though, he's done nothing at HKR to suggest he can still do the business but we are pretty desperate.........

He would be a massive signing for you guys and would bring alot to the team,ok we as a team havent set the world alight since he signed but it isnt his fault alone !!!

For what its worth i think his passpost will come thru at the end of this month and the rfl will allow us to register him again without the dispo obviously.

He is as upset as anyone the way this has panned out and i can see him being at rovers till season end at least.

But if you get chance,sign him up now !