Jamie Thackeray

[Tin Man]

Do we really want to risk it - doesn't take many badd eggs (and I'm not saying Thackeray is - don't know the bloke, never met him) but there are a lot of very young kids in the current Widnes squad - do we really need the risk of setting them bad examples and causing rifts within the squad (as a couple of years back with everybody's favourite ex-player, dolphin harrasser and general bon vivant ?)

Johnf,Thackeray is a quality forward who is available, who's to say he is going to be a bad apple.

[rs]

The SL clubs that have released him (Hull & Leeds) and the SL clubs who's players are not as good as him and still haven't signed him (incs about 8 SL clubs).

[johnf]

Johnf,Thackeray is a quality forward who is available, who's to say he is going to be a bad apple.

Simple answer is not me Tin Man - like I said I've never met the bloke - I hope that would be a decision taken by someone in control at the club. What I was saying is that the senior squad looks, to me, to be young and impressionable and, from recent bitter experience it is easy to see that morale can become derailed pretty quicky.

On the same issue but on a different theme - I am very keen for Widnes to sign good players who will make us a better team but that doesn't mean I think we should be automatically chasing everybody who's name is mentioned in the press or in rumours. Great teams are built on solid foundations. Off field we appear to be laying these foundations quite nicely, why risk ruining the progress with an un-necessary risk ? 

[Tin Man]

Simple answer is not me Tin Man - like I said I've never met the bloke - I hope that would be a decision taken by someone in control at the club. What I was saying is that the senior squad looks, to me, to be young and impressionable and, from recent bitter experience it is easy to see that morale can become derailed pretty quicky.

On the same issue but on a different theme - I am very keen for Widnes to sign good players who will make us a better team but that doesn't mean I think we should be automatically chasing everybody who's name is mentioned in the press or in rumours. Great teams are built on solid foundations. Off field we appear to be laying these foundations quite nicely, why risk ruining the progress with an un-necessary risk ? 

But you have this type of situation at any Rugby or Fooball club anywhere,even in your country Johnf.

[pastplayer]

As I said at the start of the thread Im not suggesting we go for him, but given the average age of our squad he would be a senior/experienced member and that extra responsibility may be good for him. He's always been a bit part player with his other clubs...who knows?

[Stevie]

Any money we have available should be ploughed into investing in half backs and centres.
We have a decent pack for this league, we now need speed and class in the backs.
I could understand it if we wqere building a squad for SL but we have limited resource and 19 players

[craigies6pack]

If it was my choice, I'd have him. All action style like Ollie Wilkes and according to John Kear, Ollie is staying put so he isn't coming back to us in the near future.

I'm sure we have new signings lined up in the centres and at half back and you can never have enough good players.

Off the field problems - as somebody has noted earlier, we can get him on a pay as you play or loan deal which we or his registered club can cancel as and when.

He would be a good addition in this league where we aren't now a recognised 'superpower'. He would give us good penetration in the forwards and perhaps counteract any deficiencies in the backs we may have.

[johnf]

But you have this type of situation at any Rugby or Fooball club anywhere,even in your country Johnf.

I was born in Highfield Rd Tin Man !! 

[Briga]

I was born in Highfield Rd Tin Man !! 

I hope your Mum picked up your passport when you left Highfield Rd, it's a long way from Widnes.

 

[Briga]

As I said at the start of the thread Im not suggesting we go for him, but given the average age of our squad he would be a senior/experienced member and that extra responsibility may be good for him. He's always been a bit part player with his other clubs...who knows?

IMO there must be a good reason he has always been a bit part player

[vikings 4 ever]

IMO there must be a good reason he has always been a bit part player

The stats suggests he's a bit more than a bit part player.

Super League games only:

Year Pld T G DG YC RC
2007 25 5 0 0 0 0
2006 21 2 0 0 0 0
2005 28 3 0 0 0 0
2004 10 2 0 0 0 0
2003 8 1 0 0 0 0
2002 25 2 0 0 0 0
2001 17 1 0 0 0 0
2000 6 0 0 0 0 0

He may not play the whole game but thats because he's an impact player. Anyone who has racked up so many SL games by the age of 28 is no mug. He's been a regular member of the current SL champions team and you've got people saying "no thanks" - Crazy.

[King Viking]

The SL clubs that have released him (Hull & Leeds) and the SL clubs who's players are not as good as him and still haven't signed him (incs about 8 SL clubs).

Salary cap?

Considering the season is 2/3 weeks away, I'd suggest most teams have exhausted their wages for this year (unless Wigan want him of course).

Dont forget Wakefield said they would like him, but felt it was unfair on the other members of their squad not to give them a chance.