Apologies - comes from a reliable poster on a nother forum - who so far has been right about all the ins and outs he's spoken of a few weeks before they're announced.
sapajo wrote:Thank you, guess it depends upon the definition of a "monster" as to whether these players are indeed monsters?
Well Laurence peace is 6ft 4 and 19 stone and can certainly run, gets rave reviews from Rotherham fans (rate him higher than Dickerson at saints) so certainly has the physical aspect. Played league for a bit and knows how to offload.
Hopefully in the next couple of season he will really blossom here.
Good luck to him. It was expected but it's always sad to see someone leave the club, I'd expect that this means the Ghiraldini signing is happening as we would have re signed him if this wasn't the case. A quality player who never let us down and who deserves more credit for what he does. Hopefully he will get that at Newcastle. Newcastle have a class player on their hands. Good luck Rob
A shame to see Hawkins go. I got the feeling we didn't ever quite see the best of him due to the injuries he got while he was with us. Callum Clark has a lot to answer for....anyway, that's in the past - good luck up norf Rob
longlivethecrumbie wrote:A shame to see Hawkins go. I got the feeling we didn't ever quite see the best of him due to the injuries he got while he was with us. Callum Clark has a lot to answer for....anyway, that's in the past - good luck up norf Rob
Fully agree about the Clark incident, would have seen a lot more from Hawkins if that incident had not happened, good look to Rob, excellent committed servant who deserves to be number 1 at a club, Ghiraldini tho is a fantastic replacement, international quality who could give Tom a run for his spot, Thaker and Biggs can then fight it out for the 3rd spot. Nice to see tigers replacing quality with even more quality!!
baz1664 wrote:Fully agree about the Clark incident, would have seen a lot more from Hawkins if that incident had not happened, good look to Rob, excellent committed servant who deserves to be number 1 at a club, Ghiraldini tho is a fantastic replacement, international quality who could give Tom a run for his spot, Thaker and Biggs can then fight it out for the 3rd spot. Nice to see tigers replacing quality with even more quality!!
Whilst I think Ghiraldini is an excellent player, and would strengthen the squad short term I think as a long term plan it's fundamentally flawed.
Most weeks the squad will be Ghiraldini & Youngs leaving Thacker and Biggs out in the cold and not even warming the bench - then during the Autumn Internationals and the 6N one will start and the other bench.
[quote="Tiger_in_Birmingham"][quote="baz1664"]Fully agree about the Clark incident, would have seen a lot more from Hawkins if that incident had not happened, good look to Rob, excellent committed servant who deserves to be number 1 at a club, Ghiraldini tho is a fantastic replacement, international quality who could give Tom a run for his spot, Thaker and Biggs can then fight it out for the 3rd spot. Nice to see tigers replacing quality with even more quality!![/quote]
Whilst I think Ghiraldini is an excellent player, and would strengthen the squad short term I think as a long term plan it's fundamentally flawed.
Most weeks the squad will be Ghiraldini & Youngs leaving Thacker and Biggs out in the cold and not even warming the bench - then during the Autumn Internationals and the 6N one will start and the other bench.[/quote]
As you say, most weeks it will be Ghiraldini & Youngs. Two international class hookers who will push one another, backed up by a solid performer and a young prospect, who will both learn from training and playing with the internationals. The latter will also play in the lv, and there will be occasional injury cover. An improvement to the quality of the squad, and I can't see that as a fundamentally flawed move.
Having said that, we are losing a real character in Chutes; and a good squad player in the Hawk. I echo others and wish them both well.
Sad to see Rob Hawkins go he is a gentleman, perhaps too much so. After the
spit Calum Clark incident he should have taken out a civil action for at the very least severe restraint of trade that the injury caused, I would have gone for ABH or possibly GBH. The Fact that Clark spit is still playing the game is an affront to all decency and another serious misjudgement by the RFU.
baz1664 wrote:Fully agree about the Clark incident, would have seen a lot more from Hawkins if that incident had not happened, good look to Rob, excellent committed servant who deserves to be number 1 at a club, Ghiraldini tho is a fantastic replacement, international quality who could give Tom a run for his spot, Thaker and Biggs can then fight it out for the 3rd spot. Nice to see tigers replacing quality with even more quality!!
Whilst I think Ghiraldini is an excellent player, and would strengthen the squad short term I think as a long term plan it's fundamentally flawed.
Most weeks the squad will be Ghiraldini & Youngs leaving Thacker and Biggs out in the cold and not even warming the bench - then during the Autumn Internationals and the 6N one will start and the other bench.
2 international quality hookers, a bright youngster and a servicable professional is not a good move? Seems about perfect to me - any injuries or call ups are well accounted for.
I'd have thought this should hopefully allow for Thacker to be brought through slowly but surely now - let's not forget he's still very young and very slight.
baz1664 wrote:Fully agree about the Clark incident, would have seen a lot more from Hawkins if that incident had not happened, good look to Rob, excellent committed servant who deserves to be number 1 at a club, Ghiraldini tho is a fantastic replacement, international quality who could give Tom a run for his spot, Thaker and Biggs can then fight it out for the 3rd spot. Nice to see tigers replacing quality with even more quality!!
Whilst I think Ghiraldini is an excellent player, and would strengthen the squad short term I think as a long term plan it's fundamentally flawed.
Most weeks the squad will be Ghiraldini & Youngs leaving Thacker and Biggs out in the cold and not even warming the bench - then during the Autumn Internationals and the 6N one will start and the other bench.
2 international quality hookers, a bright youngster and a servicable professional is not a good move? Seems about perfect to me - any injuries or call ups are well accounted for.
I'd have thought this should hopefully allow for Thacker to be brought through slowly but surely now - let's not forget he's still very young and very slight.
Agreed, can only be postive for the team, the Italian line out was outstanding during the six nations and much of it was down to Ghiraldinis throwing, he is good in the loose and will offer excellent competition for Youngs, half a game each will keep them fresh, Thaker is still young and has lots of developing to do, LV games ideal place to give him some game time with Pohe etc.
