johnthegriff wrote: ↑Mon Jan 01, 2024 8:21 pm
I really hope we have a good look at English preferably our Academy players before going for a foreign player. We do want the best at Leicester but the pathway should not be blocked for our own talent.
For the squad as a whole I would agree with you, and is something as a club we are getting better.
However Wiese is such a key player for us, that replacing him as like for like as possible is vital no matter where in the world they come from
I think we've got some really good flankers and locks coming through but I've not seen or heard anything about a big ball carrying 8 emerging nor a loosehead that can step into the first XV. Those are what we need and wil hopefully be front and centre of our recruitment.
I do agree that our development squad can very much take the weight off the recruitment setup so instead of looking for a number of signings they can just make a few really top ones.
johnthegriff wrote: ↑Mon Jan 01, 2024 8:21 pm
I really hope we have a good look at English preferably our Academy players before going for a foreign player. We do want the best at Leicester but the pathway should not be blocked for our own talent.
For the squad as a whole I would agree with you, and is something as a club we are getting better.
However Wiese is such a key player for us, that replacing him as like for like as possible is vital no matter where in the world they come from
I think we've got some really good flankers and locks coming through but I've not seen or heard anything about a big ball carrying 8 emerging nor a loosehead that can step into the first XV. Those are what we need and wil hopefully be front and centre of our recruitment.
I do agree that our development squad can very much take the weight off the recruitment setup so instead of looking for a number of signings they can just make a few really top ones.
I thought it interesting in the PRC that we had Carnduff start playing a bit at 8, though I do think he may predominantly be a 6 at this stage there is a lot of development of players to see where they finally end up. Jasper's first start came on the blindside flank too.
Loosehead we do have Van De Flier who joined the Senior Academy in the summer already regularly on the bench for Nottingham (though he is 21 not 18). Miell is also predominantly a Loosehead and another good prospect.
In terms of big name signings there was opposition to us signing Wigglesworth as it may block JvP development, or has Montoya blocked any of our young Hookers developing. IMO world class players of the right mindset are more likely to develop the youngsters than block their path. Ok they may wait longer for minutes. Look at how Quirke who was behind JVP at U20's got past into the England setup with more minutes sooner, but wouldn’t say overall it was a bad thing for JVP to learn off Wigglesworth and Youngs
Used to run around with an 11, 14 or 15 on my back.
I would compare the Wiese situation to that when Ford left. The club was only ever going to sign a high class replacement for Ford, the same goes with Jasper, imo
Jimmy Skitz wrote: ↑Tue Jan 02, 2024 12:23 am
We don't have to sign an 8 to replace Jasper, if we can get those types of carries from a 6 or a Manu type centre that works just as well
Dont think we want a Manu type centre, why have a player thats always broken. We need a Gibbo type player which Kata is falling into nicely.
Mirror are reporting that the offer we have made to Brown is
beyond this season
He certainly isn’t playing like a 38 year old, possibly a player coach type role moving forward. The club obviously feel he is worth the investment
Id be happy offering a 2 year deal for Brown, almost a Freddie Burns type of deal as the the offer away from the park is as great as on it, and what a mentor.
The mentor thing is strange as he always had the reputation of being a bit of a hard nosed loner at Quins.
However the young players certainly look up to him, and he can be held up as a shining light of what you can achieve if you behave professionally
TBF even if Pollard hasn't resigned (I think he has another year anyway) is Atkinson based on what we have seen the replacement for him? Shillcock is ahead of him. Atkinson will want more game time and he's just not looked our answer to 10. In a more open gameplan he would prob do a lot better.
Is anyone honestly confident with Atkinson at 10 with Tigers?
Sadly no he has not realised his undoubted potential at Tigers and we all know of players that have left the club and done precisely that.
I feel he's a 10 that thrives with a dual threat 15 on the pitch.
At Wasps he played his best rugby with Umaga at 15 or Gopperth at 12 or even Sopoaga at 15.
and my one concern in the backs with Tigers is we lack a second playmaker I feel.
But unless you move Freddie to somewhere and have Shillcock at 15 i'm not sure where that second playmaker will come.
I guess 10. Shillcock, 12. Pollard maybe
I know people pooped it but it's why I would like to see Steward tried at 12 sometime, he's got the carrying potential for it.
Defence play him at 15 with Shillcock on the wing and attack move him to 12 and have Shillcock as a roaming playmaker.
Steward at 12 is very interesting, the player in the premiership who I think is most like Steward is Tommy Freeman, he is fantastic in the centres currently for Saints. But then on the other hand why move Steward when he is becoming world class at 15
Sadly no he has not realised his undoubted potential at Tigers and we all know of players that have left the club and done precisely that.
I feel he's a 10 that thrives with a dual threat 15 on the pitch.
At Wasps he played his best rugby with Umaga at 15 or Gopperth at 12 or even Sopoaga at 15.
and my one concern in the backs with Tigers is we lack a second playmaker I feel.
But unless you move Freddie to somewhere and have Shillcock at 15 i'm not sure where that second playmaker will come.
I guess 10. Shillcock, 12. Pollard maybe
I know people pooped it but it's why I would like to see Steward tried at 12 sometime, he's got the carrying potential for it.
Defence play him at 15 with Shillcock on the wing and attack move him to 12 and have Shillcock as a roaming playmaker.
Steward at 12 is very interesting, the player in the premiership who I think is most like Steward is Tommy Freeman, he is fantastic in the centres currently for Saints. But then on the other hand why move Steward when he is becoming world class at 15
Worth pointing out last week it was Brown moved onto the wing rather than Steward also.
I also saw on set pieces Simmons and Brown swapping a couple of times so Simmons defended the openside wing and Brown the blindside, due to pace differential I'm guessing.
Used to run around with an 11, 14 or 15 on my back.
Just shows how our perceptions can be skewed . If you had told me a few years ago that I would be a big Mike Brown and Chris Ashton fan I wouldn’t have believed it. I remember many times thinking he was over the top with his competitiveness but love it with us.
Fully deserves a contract extension and maybe even a coaching spot when he retires.
ay2oh wrote: ↑Tue Jan 02, 2024 10:49 am
Just shows how our perceptions can be skewed . If you had told me a few years ago that I would be a big Mike Brown and Chris Ashton fan I wouldn’t have believed it. I remember many times thinking he was over the top with his competitiveness but love it with us.
Fully deserves a contract extension and maybe even a coaching spot when he retires.
Always liked him, be it for Quins or England, but yes was very hot headed, give him a new contract he won't let us down
On the Brown thing, I think there's a difference between a young lad trying to get and keep his place on the world stage and a 38 year who has already kind of retired once and got another chance.
Maturity has probably chilled him out, so he now wants to help the young lads, like he'd want people to help his kids in the future.
If he's good enough, and he still wants to play give him a contract.
