Catic and Fijian Players Sign For Barrow

[Non Terminator]

Catic Signs For Raiders

Thu 15 Jan, 06:09 PM


Former Wakefield and Castleford prop Ned Catic has signed for Championship club Barrow Raiders.

The 30-year-old Australian, who appeared in two Grand Finals with Sydney Roosters, is a major recruit for the Raiders - although he will miss the opening rounds of the Northern Rail Cup because of suspension.

He was sent off for dissent in Castleford's last Super League match of the 2008 season and has still to serve a four-match ban.

Barrow coach Dave Clark said: "Ned is a skilful player who comes with a reputation as a fierce competitor and will add a little more firepower to our squad. He is the sort of guy you would rather play with than against."

Barrow, who won promotion from National League Two last year, have also signed three members of the Fiji team that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in November.

They are hooker Waisale Suka, stand-off Alipate Noilea and centre Seva Koroi.

Source - http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/15012009/4/catic-signs-raiders.html

It's great to hear about the Fijians being signed up, good luck to them.

 

[Evil Homer]

Great signings for Barrow. To be honest, the Championship looks as strong across the board as it has ever been - so much for the flat cap morons who thought that licensing would reduce interest and intensity.

 

[marv]

The money man is assembling a good roster there for Barrow, last time we were promoted was a disaster, one win all year against Oldham, I think.

These kind of signings will hopefully make sure this does not happen again.

 

[roughyedspud]

splashing the cash abit marv are'nt you :lol:

 

[deluded pom?]

splashing the cash abit marv are'nt you :lol:

Yes spud, they needed to because beating Oldham home and away only gets them four points :lol:

 

[roughyedspud]

good job they never beat us at home then is'nt it :lol:

 

[marv]

splashing the cash abit marv are'nt you :lol:

well, not me personally mate :lol:

 

[marv]

Yes spud, they needed to because beating Oldham home and away only gets them four points :lol:

from our last foray into NL1 two wins over oldham would be a good season

 

[deluded pom?]

from our last foray into NL1 two wins over oldham would be a good season

Yeah but the 'yeds have been making quite a few signings themselves though marv.

 

[roughyedspud]

we have assembled a very,very good side this year...it's a shame we won't be playing barra..unless we meet in one of the cups

 

[Sam_the_man]

Pardon my ignorance but didn't Barrow many many years ago used to be one of the big shots of the English game?

 

[Evil Homer]

Pardon my ignorance but didn't Barrow many many years ago used to be one of the big shots of the English game?

They were one of the better sides in the 50's I think.

 

[deluded pom?]

I remember in the early eighties Barrow beating Hull in the JP Trophy semi at Headingley in driving snow. Ian Ball, Steve Tickle, Howard "Smiler" Allen et al. Bearing in mind that at this time Hull and the red and white scum were the best teams in the country.

 

[marv]

Pardon my ignorance but didn't Barrow many many years ago used to be one of the big shots of the English game?

Yeah certainly were, before my time though only thing they have ever won in my lifetime is the NL2 championship and the Lancashire cup

 

[marv]

Yeah but the 'yeds have been making quite a few signings themselves though marv.

I hope they do well, I must be honest though I havent been looking much at those clubs in the lower divisions ;-)

 

[Godz Illa]

Looks like Suka changed his mind about Barrow...

http://fijidailypost.com/news.php?section=3&fijidailynews=21729

Waisale opts out
31-Jan-2009 10:10 AM

VODAFONE Fiji Bati Player of the Year vice-captain Waisale Suka says he will not take up the offer of playing in England despite being named in the Barrow Raiders squad for the 2009 Championship season.

Suka said another club in France were approaching him and his manager was doing the talking at the moment.

“I am not going to England because I have been approached by another French club to play both union and league at the sametime,” he said.

But while Raiders coach, Dave Clark has given 38 players first-team numbers, from new signing Gary Broadbent at number one to youngster Callum Nelson at number 39 – so far there is no number 26.

Evening Mail reported that all three Fijian signings, Waisale Suka, Alipate Noilea and Seva Koroi are all included, as well as big Australian front row forward Ned Catic, each having shirt numbers in the 20s.

“Seva and Noilea may be going but I am not,” he said.

“I have signed the deal with the club but my manager is looking at that right now because even though there is money in Europe, we Fijians go for the passion of playing and not for money.”

He added though money was part of the deal Fijians believed more in showing their natural God-given talent to the fans than going for bigger bucks. “Nowdays everything evolves around money but for Fijians, money comes second to playing,” the historical semifinalist vice-captain said.

Meanwhile, Suka confirmed he would be playing in the Vodafone Fiji Rugby League 7s tournament today at the Suva Grammar School grounds.

By ISAAC LAL

 

[marv]

A shame but hey, what can you do, player signs contract and then unprofessionally backs out after club spends money on Visa's and work permits e.t.c

anyway a bit more on the story here

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=113351

and the official line from the club....

http://www.barrowrlfc.com/barrow_rugby_newsdetails.asp?newsID=299

 

[East Coast Tiger]

I wonder which French club he is talking about. Seems strange that he would be playing RL and RU. I don't think there are any pro dual-code clubs in France.

 

[marv]

Me neither, I cant help but to feel the lad is a bit confused myself in this story he states......

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=113351

"The season in France is from September to September and my contract in Australia will end on the same month."

well, it doesnt the RL season runs October to June/July and the Union season October to July too so he would be struggling to play two games a week IMO

he also says this :lol:

"In France, the club competition is much better than in UK."

why doesnt he just say, i want some more money for doing less work?

 

[Godz Illa]

Just did some Googling to check on the progress of Noilea... seems Barrow have been forced to can all three of them now. Very disappointing outcome

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/raiders/ne...s_with_fijian_trio_1_522508?referrerPath=home

Barrow RL cancel deals with Fijian trio

Last updated 09:24, Friday, 06 March 2009
CHAIRMAN Des Johnston has declared the deals to bring a trio of Fijians to Craven Park dead in the water, writes PAUL TURNER.
Raiders announced the signings of World Cup players Seva Koroi, Alipate Noilea and Waisale Suka at the start of the year, but have encountered nothing but problems since.
Suka, in particular had proved a major difficulty, announcing his intention not to come and instead switching to rugby union sevens in his homeland.
And now problems with the UK Border Agency have prompted Johnston to pull the plug on the agreements with the other two men after he was told they would now need to take an English test, further delaying their arrival.
“We signed these lads three months ago and now it is just getting beyond a joke, so we will be looking elsewhere now,” he said.
“We got a final decision yesterday and we just heard from the UK Border Agency that they need to have an English test.
“But they have been speaking English over there for hundreds of years and what language do they think we have been talking to them in? Chinese? They have said they need an English test now.
“I’ve said ‘no they don’t, that’s enough’.”
Despite the problems with the Fijians, Johnston said both Australian Ned Catic and New Zealander Zebasian Luisi would be arriving in the next week or so and that he had already starting talking with potential replacements for the trio.“We will be looking elsewhere now, I’ve been talking to a lot of people,” he said.