07' Transfer rumour thread

[Fairleigh Good!]

Some interesting ones being banded about on the Saints forums as being common knowledge:

1 - Lyon is 100% certain to leave. He wants to stay, the wench wants sunshine. Women:roll:

2 - Saints have signed a GB international for next season

3 - Saints have signed a prop forward

4 - Saints have sent a 'massive' offer to the home address of one C Toopi. (From the mouth of one Sean Long esquire no less)

Items 2 and 3 could be the same thing, which would mean Gareth Carvell, or at a push Stuart Fielden (Extremely unlikely). 4 would be Lyon's replacement.

Speculation is that number 2 is Chev Walker, signed up already to replace Willie Talau, and 3 is Carvell or Roy Asotasi to replace Paul Anderson.

Seems logical to me, but rumours are rumours:lol:

 

[douglasallen91]

this will never happen:
saints decide their talent in lower grades is enough and won't buy a preimership

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

this will never happen:
saints decide their talent in lower grades is enough and won't buy a preimership

What? Clearly James Graham and James Roby are enough to be unleashed on the poor fools in one go. We bring any more superstars through, it would become too easy.

You don't just throw kids into the side, you have to blood them over a couple of years. Saints have done that with Graham and Roby and will have a couple more in line to start blooding next season. Don't fret, there will be plenty of St Helens lads in the GB team over the coming years.

Buying the Premiership? We can't spend more than anyone else, so I can't see where you are coming from? In fact we spend LESS than the bottom team in Super League, so your point is invalid.

 

[Dr Crane]

Come on Clinton. Go to Saints.

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

Rumours? Every player Noble's ever coached :arrow: Wigan.

Why would Saints sign Toopi to replace Lyon? Toopi can't play right side and it's a fact that he and Meli bring the worst out in eachother on the field. Bring a young guy up ffs!

 

[WJ]

You've got it all wrong pal.

I've heard saints are signing up the entire gb team. They are also throwing in sonny bill and darren lockyer for the hell of it as well.

Heard it here first.

 

[WJ]

Rumours? Every player Noble's ever coached :arrow: Wigan.

Why would Saints sign Toopi to replace Lyon? Toopi can't play right side and it's a fact that he and Meli bring the worst out in eachother on the field. Bring a young guy up ffs!

Thats my thought.

But no every time a player is off contract it has to be another clubs star player and an overseas player they want to sign.

 

[WJ]

On a serious note though, how could saints have already ''signed up'' a gb international when the anit tampering deadline hasn't passed yet?

Walker seems the best bet, but if he is staying in super league i think he would just stay at leeds.

 

[WJ]

I'll throw in my own. Leeds are signing John Skandalis from wests for next year.

 

[dibviking]

There was a rumour going around Widnes last week we had 3 signings to confirm on fri, 1 was Nathan McAvoy but he pulled out when Wigan came in for him ( gladly ),
so that has delayed the anouncement but two are supposed to be anounced today ( monday ) or tomorrow with today being bank holiday.

One guy i know who heard from a supposedly good source says that the two signings seem too good to be true!!!

Bare in mind we are NL1 so too good to be true in NL1 could mean a Leeds under21 or an Oz reserve grader!

 

[Lowey3]

I dont want Clinto Toppi but i know we're interested in him.

I also know that the rumours about he's misses the enjoying it over here is a myth! of couse she misses her family - it's common knowledge that she would.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

Thats my thought.

But no every time a player is off contract it has to be another clubs star player and an overseas player they want to sign.

To be fair, all the players leaving are either currently world class players or former internationals on very decent salaries.

Jamie Lyon is the hottest available property in world rugby league and is leaving if the rumours are true. His salary is one of the biggest in Super League and RL in general so obviously we have the room to make an offer to an international centre to replace him.

Willie Talau is a respected former NRL player and Kiwi international, again on a decent salary. Paul Anderson is likely to retire too, and he would leave as a former GB international who was signed from Bradford. Again, very decent money. Jason Hooper is another who is likely to leave at the end of the season.

Saints could replace these outgoings with young players from the academy setup, you are all correct on that. But they wouldn't demand top dollar, no where near it. That would leave Saints with no space in the 20:20, and about £400,000 of salary cap room. That would be ridiculous mis-management and would cost the club in terms of its ability to compete next season.

What Saints should, and hopefully will do is replace those leaving with players of an equivalent ability. (Impossible with Lyon I appreciate as none of the other top centres are available) They should then bring a couple more kids through into the SL squad but under the 20:20. If these kids then prove themselves, their first proper contracts can be signed the following season at the expense of a couple of squad players or one senior player. That worked a treat with the likes of Graham and Roby recently.

 

[bartman]

I'd imagine Lyon wants his rep status back, seeing he's regained his love for the game. He can only get that by coming back to Australia at the end of the contract. So Saints are obviously going to be in the market for centres.

I'd imagine Anderson would be calling it quits, as he's had a good run. Graham should just be a straight promotion to cover him you'd think? So no real need to go shopping big time... just develop another local prop.

For what it's worth a weekend sh*tsheet here in Australia had reports of Trent Barrett phoning around heaps of mates trying to convince any of them to come with him to Wigan next season. It'd be a hard sell I'd imagine unless they get out of relegation danger first.

I wonder whether one of Widnes' signings is to bring back Julian (Jules) O'Neill for another stint? :lol:

 

[Lowey3]

James Graham - promoted next season ?

The lad is already Saints best prop!! who plays everyweek.

 

[bartman]

I meant promoted in terms of having a lesser prop replace Anderson, so not trying to buy in an Asotasi or any other GB prop who might squeeze Graham out of some game time.

 

[Weasels Ripped My Flesh]

Someone Awesome :arrow: Wakefield

 

[pmarrow]

Carvell to Saints is a dead cert.

Vainokolo to NRL or Leeds.

Deacon to Wigan.


According to my sources anyway.

 

[Stan's Number 1 Fan!!!]

Deacon to Wigan

Moran to London

Leuluai to Bradford

Vagana and Johnson also to Wigan

 

[WJ]

Carvell to Saints is a dead cert.

Vainokolo to NRL or Leeds.

Deacon to Wigan.


According to my sources anyway.

Vainikolo aint going to leeds or the nrl because he isn't off contract.

All this rubbish about bradford being in financial sh*te and having to suddenly release all their best players for fees is exactly that, sh*te.

They are operating at a loss, but they aren't in debt and have over a million in the bank to service the losses.

If people are waiting for bradford to magically implode and suddenly release all these players, then you'll be waiting a long time.

Saints i have heard are after asotasi and carvell, they won't sign both. It will be on or the other. I'd say asostasi, carvell is young and british but doesn't have asostasi's quality.

Richie mathers is leaving leeds for the gold coast titans. His brother has said on the way to a game that's what he wants to do.

Chev walker will sign a new deal with leeds IMO.

I've already said in this thread but i'll say again i reckon leeds will sign skandalis from wests.

Trent barret could also be up for grabs because theres no way he'll join wigan in the NL1, he'll have a get out clause. He'll be on 200k+, the nl wage cap is 400k. Enough said.

If wigan do go down i wouldn't mind signing feka from them. We miss a prop like that to come of the bench for 20 minutes and make yards since barrie left.

 

[WJ]

James Graham - promoted next season ?

The lad is already Saints best prop!! who plays everyweek.

Cayless is the best saints prop IMO.