Before we played Hull in the league they were saying he couldnt catch, he didnt drop one all game and was a stand out player for them that day.



It was only after I knew it was same lad from Wigan because Rogues had gone on about him alot

He's an excellent player and only eighteen (I think). He will improve but once he's tasted Australia he won't want to come back. Good luck to him.

Ive been told directly that this rumour whoever has started it is a load of garbage he's not signed any contract with Gold Coast! He may well go somewhere only he knows but this Gold Coast malarky has not happened yet!

Linked with Hull kr in our daily rag today.

So it was the Gold Coast of Humberside after all !

Maybe they misheard when he said he was off to the 'Cold Coast'.

Well he has definately gone by the looks of it:



[urlhttp://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/gold-coast-titans-snare-english-fullback-matthew-russell-close-to-signing-albert-kelly/story-fn2mcuj6-1226487461007[/url



A great opportunity for him and I certainly cant blame him.

So you're actually writing off a 19 yr old lad who clearly had enough potential that both Wigan and GCT are very interested in? Who's to say he won't in years to come develop into an outstanding FB or possibly a winger? Clearly GCT and Wigan see something in him which you don't. How can you say running straight is more suited to SL level than elusive running? What? Both players can be elusive and run straight when called for!

Just because he has quick feet doesn't mean he's another Shaun Ainscough.



IMO using any talent 18/19 is a loss, given time he could have proved to be an asset to the club.

Not writing him off at all. I was arguing that his potential didn't automatically mean he should always start at the fullback for the under 20's and didn't automatically make him the best choice as understudy to Sam Tomkins this year. In other words Murphy earned his place ahead of Russell in the pecking order and that having lots of potential doesn't necessarily mean someone is going to be a great player. I think he'll be a top player when he fixes up parts of his game and that could take 1 year, 2 years or something like 5 years. It's inevitable that arguing the merits of one player by comparison with another might come across as writing that player off but I've always said Russell has much more potential.

I also think his game will develop far more down under than it ever would in this country.

I dont think you was writing him off either but what i do have to say is you seem to rate Murphy more where as if you turned up to all of last seasons 20's games and all of this seasons 20's games you would know that Murphy didn't earn his place he was moved to full back by default because Russell was called to Super League however what i think you mean is that he impressed once at fullback, however my opinion on this has always been the same form is temporary where as class and experience are both permenant, Murphy should never have been selected to play against leeds and we all saw why, that should have been Matty Russel pulling on the shirt, and people are still scratching their heads as to why hes left for the gold coast! Do the math, and from the result would you stick around???

But he can't have left for the Gold Coast, I thought the rumour was garbage?

It was garbage initially the contract hadn't been fully agreed, the slightest disagreement could halt contract talks so it's best in future that people only release sensative information after the press release!