You make so much sense to me.



Which could be worrying for you

We have this last season 2013 at the Stoop. Many players are OOC this season and are not expected to be retained so are not allways putting a shift it.



Next season 2014 we move to a new ground and have to apply again for a franchise - or maybe DH will say he's had enough (This is what i expect him to do)



Any players we try to sign at the end of this season will be thinking are they going to even apply for a franchise - llet alone be granted one (which is in doubt). So...who will sign for us? If TR can't get better players than this bunch then we will not get any improvement in 2014.

If we imagined we were going fishing then our pools could be the NRL, Super League, the second tier Australian competitions and then the second tier English competitions.



The exchange rate suggests that the NRL will be a very expensive pool for anyone to go fishing in which cuts down the options of all in Super League.



The Super League competition is one in which established talent is likely to be overpriced if they come to London meaning you are likely to end up with declining veterans or non-established players at a larger price than they are worth.



The second tier English competition has some handy players, especially when people have exploited the Kolpak ruling to sign international Papua New Guineans like Menzie Yere, Jessie Joe Parker and Rodney Pora and some of the younger players cannot be discounted.



But where I think will prove most fruitful is the fringe players in the NRL and lower tier leagues and that is why I am very pleased Tony is in place. He has a proven track record of discovery in these leagues.



Assuming many players are released, then we can strike at what we need.



The quality of Tony's network is such that Phil Bailey was released almost the moment that Tony arrived as he wasn't needed.

I'm not sure how many players in Oz will be interested in coming to any SL club next season. There was an article in the 'Independent' today about how a large part of London's antipodean community are now going home because of the c**p exchange rate between the pound and Oz dollar. Has RB any thoughts on this?

I don't think a single person is angry about the defeat, that's a straw man. But plenty are angry at the surrender which, as a paying customer, I won't accept.

With all respect, I don't think that's what you said in pre-season.

Colly that's so true. I haven't seen such anger at the attitude of the players before. London have been beaten plenty of times before, but that's not what it's about.

Good companies address the concerns of their clients head on.

Yep, getting aussies is now expensive.



Do bear in mind though Mark, that you are unlikely to sign people sign from the lower grades here in Oz. The eligibility rules are such that you need to have played a certain amount of NRL games in 2 seasons to be granted a visa. If someone could check that out as the rules obviously chop and change with regards to the immigration dept and sports visas. But that is my understanding the last time I was told, a couple of years ago. But, and so you know, Tony is indeed looking over here as usual.











Simply that the UK is not a source of great income for australians to save and take money home when they leave. Nor is it a retirement nest egg for some.

HMRC also took some steps to close offshore payments, if I recall correctly, which made the tax proposition different which further impacted take home (to Oz) pay.

What about Kevin Naiqama (younger brother of Wes) at Newcastle who played first grade last season. Currently he is full back for Newcastle's reserve/feeder team. He can also play wing and centre. He is lightning fast and has great footwork. Newcastle has great options at full back (Darius Boyd) wing (Akuila Uate and James McManus) and centre (Dean Gagai, Timana Tahu, B. J. "Joey" Leilua) who are keeping him out of first grade. He would be a star for London.

And Kevin had a great game for the Knights against the Bulldogs last weekend!