1 hour ago, Crimpshrine said:

I think you are right.

When Rich Sharpe spoke at the Rovers Trust meeting in early June he seemed convinced that we would make 6 decent signings ( including loans) that would impact the 1st team. He had spoken to Mowbray that day and all seemed optimistic after the trip to India. It seemed that Mowbray had a definite list of targets at this point.

I think it was implied that the budget was better than last year ( bearing in mind the sale of Steele mostly paid for Dack ).

Since then, Venky's have had a lot to deal with in India - the Indian stock exchange has placed the company under ASM ( additional surveillance measures ) due to some irregularities in share dealings. Nothing illegal, but it has had a drastic affect on their share price which is plummeting ( down over 50% in a few weeks ). They are also nervous of an upcoming election which may reverse the beef ban in India and will affect their business.

So the EFL transfer window is probably not on their agenda at the moment and any extra money leaving the company to pay for Rovers players would not be too popular with Venky's shareholders.

We are way down their list of priorities and it will always be the case. There may be other reasons why we have not signed the players Mowbray hoped to get in before the Austria trip but I bet Communication with Venky's and release of funds is a major problem at the moment.

 

Fingers crossed the Indian govt reverses the ban on beef and the Venky's go bankrupt. 

 

 

Strike Back: Vengeance is out next week. Looking forward to that - really enjoyed the first two series.

Watched Spartacus: Blood and Sand when it came out, thought it was fantastic. 'Gods of the Arena' was reasonably good too (gave the back story to many of the gladiators). Really can't get in to Spartacus: Vengeance as Andy Whitfield isn't playing the title character. The new guy has zero charisma whereas Andy oozed it.

As for Breaking Bad - saw season 1 a while ago, really enjoyed it. Working my way through season 2 now - it's definitely a step down, although still entertaining.

Yeah I'm coming up from Cambridge to watch it.

Managed to catch some of the SOO at work. Those two sides would dismantle the best England side we could put out. Incredible spectacle.

I'm not so sure they do have plans brewing - we looked AWFUL against Widnes then put out the same team (minus a rested Tomkins - he had heavy strapping on his left thigh against Widnes) and lost to a poor Bradford side.

We should have changed things up midweek.

As for Murphy vs Russell. I don't think there's any doubt that Russell is the better open field runner, but everything that I've seen of him suggests he's dodgy defensively. I'd go with the safer Murphy.

Elima went in with the elbow when up against Mick Mac hence the slap. He'll be out for two I guess and to rub salt Elima laughed it off. We were very poor, we could quite easily moan about an inept ref, Goulding getting injured by Pryce's professional foul and some very dirty Bradford tatics but at the end of the day we were poor.

Pretty much. Elima should be up before the panel for those elbows - he of course won't be. It was a yellow at worst for McIlorum - I dislike this new 'send everyone off that throws a punch' mandate referees have. It's Rugby League, not football.

We were very poor again because without a 6 and a 13 we lose all structure. O'Loughlin can't play 6 - he isn't quick enough (both speed of foot and speed of thought) to play there. Farrell can't play 13 either - not in a system that uses the 13 as a third pivot.

After Murphy's impressive debut I would be horrified if Wane picks Tomkins at 1 and leaves O'Loughlin at 6 for Wakefield.

So what you're saying is that we should move the highest paid player in SL to his natural position? ;-)

The problem with the Exiles concept is that the new NRL salary cap has killed it.

We won't get any worthwhile 'Exiles' in the near future. The Melbourne Storm trio, for example, wouldn't have come under those conditions.

They need to bring back our Origin concept - Lancashire vs Yorkshire.

Sam is just too good at FB to move him. I'm more convinced than ever that Sam will stay at FB and we'll bring in a 6 & 7. We will not replace like for like BUT look at Warrington, they need to replace Briers and Monaghan sooner rather than later, Saints have struggled to fill the HB positions successfully and as for Leeds, well it's a mess. All clubs have or will have the same problem in getting quality HB's. The only way forward is to recruit from either within or try to snap-up what is out there in SL, the days of importing a top half are over. Matty Smith shows promise and he's young. For me you're then left with two; Brough and Chase. You could say Dobson but I don't think he's as good as he's going to get and that frankly is not that good. looking forward, we have some fantastic young players coming through the academy so I do think we'll be in a better position than most.

Anyway, has Mr Lenegan let us down yet? NO, and I say that knowing full well I've been a critic of certain decisions in the past and have always been proved wrong.

It's a matter of using your resources wisely.

Russell is very close to being ready. Tomkins IS a halfback playing at FB. He'd be just as good (although in a different way) at HB.

I don't want Brough (Mr Average) or Chase (selfish thug). Powell and Mellor haven't kicked on due to injuries. Our options are very limited.

Lenagan hasn't led us astray yet, so I trust in whatever move he makes - but that's the one I'd do.

I just hope we can replace the departees with equal quality, will be hard

Not a chance.

I'd move Sam back to the halves and put Russell in at FB. It's the only sensible solution I can see. We'll be much weaker next season.

Iron Sky, although in no way perfect, is rather good fun

Thought it was cringe worthy myself.

So who is everyone's favourite GoT character?

Mine has got to be Jaime Lannister.

Wigan cheer me up no end. The other clubs I support are on the decline. Love the direction the Warriors have been in for the last three years. Long may it continue!

Too right pal, there's a lot of good players to replace. Hope Finchy stays because to lose both halves and of their calibre, would not be ideal. (I didn't type disastrous, but I meant it! )

Funny you say that because I don't think Leuluai is that good in the halves. He's a great hooker, but he leaves a lot to be desired at #6/7 (no kicking game for a start!).

That said I don't think we have anyone at the club capable of replacing him next season. We have a pair of halves that are the next big thing, but they're both 16/17. The Mellor/Powell pair don't seem to have kicked on. The other option is to move Sam back to his natural position and play Russell at FB. Hope we don't do something silly like pay a transfer fee for Brough.

Either way we need some serious recruitment at Wigan with Lima, Leuluai, Carmont and possibly Finch leaving. I'm very irritated that ANOTHER Aussie has been allowed to leave before his contract is up. Soft bunch these lads from the Southern Hemisphere aren't they.

Shame I'm in Cambridge for this one. Coming back for the Magic Weekend though. Irritated that we're scheduled played Saints ten times in two years (not including any potential playoff meetings this year). And Warrington get who? Widnes? Seems fair.

Who has a wedding at a stadium!?

I don't think Wane is up to standard as a HC. He's an assistant through and through.

Thought Limitless was average at best. Also couldn't believe the hype around Drive which again I thought was average.

Enjoyed 50/50 and Warrior. both worth a watch although they are 2 very different films.

Average is being generous. It was awful.

It beats 'The Artist' for the first modern day silent movie. It's not a video game - a silent protagonist doesn't work!

I watch a fair bit of both codes, but find the Premiership almost unwatchable at times. Whilst even a poor RL game has its moments.

How do you avid RL fans feel about Union ending up with a far bigger profile?

It leaves me baffled. Having said that they're both regional sports. Union is dead up north and League is dead down south. The difference is where the media are based. Hopefully with the BBC Sport team moving to Salford, League will get much more national coverage and people can finally realise that it's the best sport this country has to offer.

Yawnion is such an inferior product. Tomkins looked bored today out on the wing. He scored a try, could have had a hattrick if Union players knew how to pass.

Awful game, awful sport.

It seems like there is a lot of anti Rhinos bias on here.

It was a great final, won by THE best team in the modern era. Burrow was awesome, and a dsecent bloke too.

You are right about the dislocation though. Gruesome. Wish the guy well.

Oh c'mon it was a poor final. The weather didn't help, nor did the fact that it was between the 3rd and 5th best teas in the league.

Yorkshire Commies? C'mon, they're keeping the game afloat. Half of the teams in SL don't even spend the salary cap.

What a horrible game the GF was. Truly a game befitting 3rd vs 5th.

As for the Joel Tomkins rumours, I wouldn't be surprised. Union can offer much more money - although I still can't work out why it's a popular sport.

It's certainly a strange situation Billy. Wigan and Warrington lost as many games combined as Leeds this season. The form teams over 20 odd games are undone by a team that strings a good month together.

Still, you know the format going into the season - it's tough to complain now it's gone against your side (I say as a Wigan season ticket holder).

Carmont is always carrying a serious injury! Richards has never looked fully fit all season. Lockers has been rotated in games (for the first time since I can remember) and Coley plays a demanding position.

So with that in mind I can fully believe those comments. Not sure about Joel and Sam though - although I can understand Sam being ###### off for the amount of abuse he gets.