Hasnt Fitzgibbon left this year though? He'll leave a big hole in the team. And the signing of Tony Martin and Aspinwall to play in the backrow?! Barmy. Surely Hull have some U21 backrowers better than Martin Aspinwall? *shakes head*

Indeed we may have some young back rowers who are better, but they have never been tried and tested with the utility mad Agar, who would shift around numerous positions to cater for an injury. Aspinwall will add experienced back up for Tickle, Manu and Westerman, and on a one year deal he has all to play for.

Hull seem to promise everything but deliver nothing.

Over the past 4 years, I would agree. However 2007 we finished 4th, 2006 finished 2nd and Grand Final, 2005 CC cup win... a trend has formed since Agar joined, which is what we need to reverse with the new regime.

Success like that should have been bulit on.To take such massive backwards steps like Hull have,the blame cant be put on the shoulders of Agar.The board must take some responsibility.

That's fair enough. That's how I felt about us signing Deacon a few years ago; low risk signing not costing the earth.



It must grate losing Briscoe to Leeds IIRC and adding Aspinwall?

I think the difference is that Hull cannot do what Warrington did. When Warrington made their move they made it at the right time. Any money man coming into the game now cannot do that. 1st when moran came in we still had the quota system rather than the federation system so as long as your monkeys uncle was british then you did not count. Same for Kolpac players.



Also there was no requirement to have x numbers from your own youth in the squad.



I'm sure the Hull cheif has the the money, but the league now has restrictions that cannot simply be by passed. An element of his squad has to be home grown, then there are contracts to fullfill that are ongoing and the limit on bringing in overseas puts a club lower down the division on a longer curve to get up to the top 4 side they may wish to be.



Who can they buy? What massive quality has been left to purchase come the time pearson took over.



Even if he could stump up the cash for transfers in say £1million for roby and get the head room on the federation for say monaghan. Would he have the room on the cap to fit them in with current contracts and would the player move to a team where silver wear maybe 4 or 5 years down the line, compared to clubs that currently finish in the running year in year out.



Buying success was easier when there where less rules about who can play. Now it's more than just the wage and transfer fee offered. You have to fit it within all the other competing criteria, that money can't buy.

This doesn't make sense though because Hull have just signed four overseas players for next season.



Warrington didn't make their way through signing players whose monkeys uncles were British. Guys like the Monaghans, King, Hicks, Hodgson were/are all on the overseas quota.



Simon Moran spent a lot of money on British signings: Gleeson, Bridge, Grix, Bracek, Reardon, Parker, Barnett, Morley, Johnson, Carvell, Higham, Mathers, Myler, Atkins. Most of those were either GB/England internationals or became internationals with us.



I'm trying to think who we signed that was on a "Kolpak" rule, I think it might have been Logan Swann and Henry Fa'afili. Not sure if the Andersons counted off quota, Vinnie certainly might. But I think it's stretching it to say Simon Moran was able to buy Warrington's success by getting these off quota players and that route is now closed. The players that made a difference were either British or quota Australian players.

absolutely.... we have spent alot on british players..... and look at the standard of our foreign players



M.Monaghan

J. Monaghan

T. Waterhouse

B.Hodgson

Solomona



im looking forward to next season \0/

Sally how many of these players would you call a success?

Well eight of them have won trophies with us so that's pretty successful plus I would say Gleeson was successful as well.



The only really disappointing one IMO was Reardon. Bracek and Barnett were not great but they didn't have big expectations surrounding them either. Parker had a good first year then went into the 'okay but not special' category.

You might be first to see Hull's new players first hand ''If its true you come to KC

for the first game of the new season