LEICESTER TIGERS 2017/18 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD PART 3!

[sam16111986]

IMO - Manu will be off to France. Relatively young (he's What, 26?) he's quietly got 3 or 4 games in his tank, and seems to be getting through them okay. I think a Sports Psychologist (something the club do seem to be in the dark ages about) maybe able to help his avoidance of tackles, but I can see Manu going off to France having a good two or three years then coming back across.

My concern would be replacing him. It took us an age to replace AA (we've still not replaced him in terms of defence organiser on the pitch).

Why go to France? It's a brutal season. Of anything Japan would be the best option. Two seasons there to top up his pension and maybe have a short spell in Super Rugby i the off season would be vastly more beneficial. Closer to Samoa as well.

[fortysix]

At present, a very aged but ultra reliable Matt Smith is a far far better bet than our non tackling total disaster in defence Samoan...
Reminds me of Stuart Broad.

[WildGoose]

What do people make of the Attwood to Toulon thing? Does anyone think he'll be at the Rec next season?

If he stays fit (I don't think he's even played for Bath this season?!) then he'd be a brilliant Prem operator, that sort of abrasiveness would be very welcome...

[Leicestertinytiger]

Would take Attwood in a heartbeat, is everything we need in the second row. Can’t imagine him returning to Bath.

[jamie1880]

What do people make of the Attwood to Toulon thing? Does anyone think he'll be at the Rec next season?

If he stays fit (I don't think he's even played for Bath this season?!) then he'd be a brilliant Prem operator, that sort of abrasiveness would be very welcome...

Think the reason they sent him to Toulon was so he'd come back to Bath fit and ready "refreshed after a long battle back form injury". His contract is up summer 2019. Can't see him leaving Bath this summer imo, but he would be exactly the player we need

[johnthegriff]

BFG I agree with what you say re Evans, I believe he is ready for first team now, B.O.C is a 7 and is probably a little ahead of Will who has been hampered by illness an injury this season. I regard the signing of Thompson as a utility backrow man like Hamilton, great for the bench, he may be better than that but time will tell. Fred T may make the grade but his time is not yet, young lad maybe sometime next year. Wells is a good back up lock who may yet earn a first team spot but will not be a potential international and that is the quality we want in that position, Spencer may be that man.
Murphy has demonstrated his coaching ability with the Anglo Welsh teams, I don't know why some are attacking him other than that some supporters seem happy to attack all that is Tigers.
Clearly we are not having our best season and we all have our own theories why. I am always guilty of optimism and some like Roly and a few others can smugly claim they were right in their predictions for this season, I wish I was like that because they are never disappointed, however at the end of 2017/18 I will enjoy looking forward to next season when all will be well, they of course will dread it's arrival.

[Leicestertinytiger]

The pack is definitely looking better for next season than it is currently. Starting I would have Spencer, Barrow, Kalamafoni, O’Connor and Denton with Thompson on the bench. If Mafi does join then he would be perfect from the bench, covering 4-6.

Back up we have Wells, Kitchener, Williams, Evans and Mapapalangi, all of which can be rotated with the starting XV.

Think we are probably missing a proper back up at tighthead. Cilliers and Mulipola haven’t shown any consistency this season and haven’t got over their injury problems. Would happily bring in Brookes or Hill.

[LondonRich]

[/quote]

Think the reason they sent him to Toulon was so he'd come back to Bath fit and ready "refreshed after a long battle back form injury". His contract is up summer 2019. Can't see him leaving Bath this summer imo, but he would be exactly the player we need
[/quote]

I'm sure it was on the Eggchasers Podcast that I heard the theory that Bath were in danger of breaching the salary cap, so off loaded Attwood (and his salary payments for the remainder of the season) via a loan agreement.

As sensational as the theory is, I'm sure it is something much more straight forward.

[wormus]

Think we are probably missing a proper back up at tighthead. Cilliers and Mulipola haven’t shown any consistency this season and haven’t got over their injury problems. Would happily bring in Brookes or Hill.

Have you ever seen Kieron Brookes play? Remember Gengie bending him double several times and then asking him "Did you really play for England?" He was quickly transferred from Tigers to Newcastle & Saints and his friend West has probably too realised Brookes is a liability and outed him from Saints.

[Leicestertinytiger]

Yeah Genge roasted him in the scrum, but Brookes normally holds his own. Nothing Stanko couldn’t sort out.

[BFG]

BFG I agree with what you say re Evans, I believe he is ready for first team now, B.O.C is a 7 and is probably a little ahead of Will who has been hampered by illness an injury this season. I regard the signing of Thompson as a utility backrow man like Hamilton, great for the bench, he may be better than that but time will tell. Fred T may make the grade but his time is not yet, young lad maybe sometime next year. Wells is a good back up lock who may yet earn a first team spot but will not be a potential international and that is the quality we want in that position, Spencer may be that man.
Murphy has demonstrated his coaching ability with the Anglo Welsh teams, I don't know why some are attacking him other than that some supporters seem happy to attack all that is Tigers.
Clearly we are not having our best season and we all have our own theories why. I am always guilty of optimism and some like Roly and a few others can smugly claim they were right in their predictions for this season, I wish I was like that because they are never disappointed, however at the end of 2017/18 I will enjoy looking forward to next season when all will be well, they of course will dread it's arrival.

All makes good sense!
Some seem to view Thompson a certain regular starter though, there will be pressure to be so and it's begun already, ability wise right now he very likely is a starter so it'll be difficult to avoid that pressure!
It is a catch 22, currently not performing as everyone would wish and youngsters probably talked up a bit too much equals lots of constant chopping and changing, thing is though a team with no continuity will struggle!
I don't think a 31 year old is the answer because the youngster will struggle to get ahead on match day and in two years it'll be more change required, it'll be two lost years development for that youngster, they are important years that can never be got back in my opinion!
They are struggling to make those difficult choices on players in my opinion, and they are usually the most important decisions!

[FrontRowUnionMember]

Genge, Bateman, Gigena
Youngs, Polota-Nau, Stevens/Kerr
Cole, ?, ?
Spencer, Fitzgerald, Wells
Barrow?, Kitchener
Kalamafoni, Williams, Ryan?
O'Connor, Evans
Denton, Thompson, Mapapalangi

Doesn't look too bad, but question mark over Barrow's future apparently, and also a glaring gap at Tight Head behind Cole.

Do we have similar sufficient depth at flyhalf and centre? Scrum half and back three we seem to have sufficient options.

[Leicestertinytiger]

I’m certain the Barrow rumours were partly made up about him leaving, all stirred up from Inside Rugby Line.

In the backs could maybe do with 1-2 quality centres with Toomua covering 10. Think we are fine with half backs and back 3, although wouldn’t say no to another international class winger.

[JP14]

The criticism of Murphy is fair, I think he could make a good Head Coach, as evidenced by our AWC win last year and his rotation of developmental players this year, but is a poor skills coach as of late, as proved by our poor handling skills.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Keeping & developing Evans further should be a top priority, who knows how long BOC will be around? Do think before the season is out we should try the pair of them together with a 4,5,6 of Barrow, Williams, Kalomifoni.
If Evans leaves due to either Denton or Thompson arrival, we will of lost more than we will if gained, both playing & financially.