Welsh forward wants to play league and team up with Gareth Thomas at Crusaders. timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_league/

Welsh forward wants to play league and team up with Gareth Thomas at Crusaders. timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_league/

Quote ="chubbs1981"No it sends the message that rl in Wales Is only viable by poaching union guys! Put the money into the academy and lets produce boots upwards rl There">players.'" There is money being put in the academy anyway though. It's not a choice between investing in youth and signing Andy Powell, and his example might encourage more kids to get involved.

Quote ="chubbs1981"No it sends the message that rl in Wales Is only viable by poaching union guys! Put the money into the academy and lets produce boots upwards rl There">players.'" There is money being put in the academy anyway though. It's not a choice between investing in youth and signing Andy Powell, and his example might encourage more kids to get involved.

I wouldn't be against Powell coming, at least he would be a Welsh player coming instead of another overseas player. However i would rather see them give a break to some of the young Welsh players at the scorpions who are looknig to break into the big time. Those guys are the future, while Powell might only have a few years squeezed out.

Quote ="Ashulster"I wouldn't be against Powell coming, at least he would be a Welsh player coming instead of another overseas player. However i would rather see them give a break to some of the young Welsh players at the scorpions who are looknig to break into the big time. Those guys are the future, while Powell might only have a few years squeezed What">out.'" What a weird post. That's like suggesting a club shouldn't sign Jamie Peacock, for example, in favour of giving a chance to a local youngster. Honestly I think some people have some very strange ideas about Crusaders. There were the same strange kind of posts about Gareth Thomas.

Quote ="Ashulster"I wouldn't be against Powell coming, at least he would be a Welsh player coming instead of another overseas player. However i would rather see them give a break to some of the young Welsh players at the scorpions who are looknig to break into the big time. Those guys are the future, while Powell might only have a few years squeezed What">out.'" What a weird post. That's like suggesting a club shouldn't sign Jamie Peacock, for example, in favour of giving a chance to a local youngster. Honestly I think some people have some very strange ideas about Crusaders. There were the same strange kind of posts about Gareth Thomas.

Prop - and I dare say he wouldn't be bad.



Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)

Weight 115kg (18 st 1lb)

Quote ="headhunter" I don't know why anyone could be against this signing, if a guy like Ben Flower can switch codes and do well then just think what a top class Union player could do (I know Flower is a lot younger than Powell), I'm not saying he'd be a guaranteed success but we should never underestimate the potential of players in the other code (even if the sport itself is terrible). Also, from a publicity POV it would be massive for the game. Alright, Powell isn't a particularly big name, but he's somebody that people know and he's in the prime of his ">career.'" Some people are against it as they have unionphobia. They dont want anything to do with the sport, even if it will benefit RL and would rather just pretend it didnt exist. Powell would be a great signing for the Crusaders and for Wales, he would raise Crusaders profile further as the Thomas signing did. As has already being posted, it isnt a choice of either signing quality players now or investing in the academy, both can happen at the same time. But it takes time for players to come through an academy system and only 1/2 players will be added to the first team squad each year from this. Signing union players is the way Crusaders should go to get success for them and Wales in the short term.

Quote ="headhunter" I don't know why anyone could be against this signing, if a guy like Ben Flower can switch codes and do well then just think what a top class Union player could do (I know Flower is a lot younger than Powell), I'm not saying he'd be a guaranteed success but we should never underestimate the potential of players in the other code (even if the sport itself is terrible). Also, from a publicity POV it would be massive for the game. Alright, Powell isn't a particularly big name, but he's somebody that people know and he's in the prime of his ">career.'" Some people are against it as they have unionphobia. They dont want anything to do with the sport, even if it will benefit RL and would rather just pretend it didnt exist. Powell would be a great signing for the Crusaders and for Wales, he would raise Crusaders profile further as the Thomas signing did. As has already being posted, it isnt a choice of either signing quality players now or investing in the academy, both can happen at the same time. But it takes time for players to come through an academy system and only 1/2 players will be added to the first team squad each year from this. Signing union players is the way Crusaders should go to get success for them and Wales in the short term.