This announcement of the new contract is so much at odds with what people "in the know" assured me they knew to be the case, that I'm starting to wonder how good some of these people's sources really are....

Are these the same ones who said Rangi Chase was signing for Leeds.

Name & shame the negative tools

Surprised that given this news (and I assume he's going to be our frontline 9 next season), that we haven't seen McShane all that much in the latter half of the season.

Team selections this season are about winning games this season, not preparing players for 2012.



The best balance to the side in the closing part of this season has been Sinfield and McGuire in the halves, Buderus at hooker and Burrow operating off the bench.



To include McShane, you'd have to leave one of those four out of the 17 IMO and I don't see how doing that would strengthen the side and give it the best chance of winning the next game.

Good news glad to see mcshane signing a new deal

Who knows.....



Maybe Grand Final 2011 winner, maybe even Harry Sunderland winner?

Maybe neither



The old saying of 'you dont know what you've got till its gone' springs to mind. 4 year deals for our 2 reserve hookers tells me that not only is DB going, but its unlikely he'll be replaced. That worries me as I don't think either McShane or Hood is ready for a full season at 9. Hope I'm proved wrong.



You'll have to overcome you dislike of all things antipodean to see just what DB brings to the team. He has been in exceptional form this year - just a shame the rest of his pack colleagues have been so inconsistent. His anticipated departure is a big loss in my opinion.

AJC ,there were similar fears when Diskin was thrown in at the deep end when Mears departed and we know how that turned out.

I have no doubts both will add something to the team/squad and we also have the option (although i prefer 6,7,9and 13 to stay in their places) of putting RB in there for stints.

That is a very go................................flagging another overseas signing that cried off home.



WHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA

To be fair Diskin was very average until TS came in, and encouraged him to run from DH more. It took him a good couple of years before he started looking like the player of 2004. I'd like to see both of them given a chance next year but I just hope they're given a decent run in the team and people accept that they will need time to improve.

Absolutely, hope one or the other (preferably both!) prove me wrong.



I know I shouldn't rise to G1's bait but to ridicule Buderus' input to the team - in a year which has average at best so far - is hugely disappointing from some-one who clearly knows a bit about the game. Southstanders own player of the season poll has him as the best forward for 2011!



No wonder Keith thinks there's some tools on here

Coz if you want that you have to spend big bucks on Aussies don't you?



It would be nice to see Buderus achieve those levels. It would remind me of when we last had a hooker who truly was a dominant player within the team.



Quite. I do miss Matt Diskin,





It doesn't worry me in the slightest and we won't know whilst ever there are ageing Aussies who really don't want to be here other than as a means of topping up a pension blocking their career path.



I think you've overstated his contribution. He's been good to very good. We'll perform to the same level after he's gone as a team but sadly I think it will be a while before we perform, as a team, to the levels we reached before he came.