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#Post#: 153548--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team vs Sale
DIR By: Yareet
Date: April 28, 2026, 9:50 am
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--- Quote from: Quinky link ---
>
> Two signings, out of many. My point remains that we should
import minimally, and develop talent through the ranks.
>
> If we persist with the model of bringing in big names every
season, we run a number of risks: if they're EQP, we may not
have them as much as we'd like. Similarly if they're from a 6
Nations country. If they're simply chasing the bucks
(understandably), how long before Toulon, Sarries, Bath etc
swoop in and wave more cash to tempt them? It could block the
pathway for young guys coming through; look at Elliot Williams?
Would he have got the game time if Launchbury had been fit? It
also affects our ability to build a consistent core of a squad
if the mix is constantly changing substantially.
>
> Nev may have been a key part of our title winning team, but
what about the rest of the squad? From memory: Lowe, JTH, Brown,
Williams, Marler, Kohn, Robshaw, Easter - been at the club for
years, had an almost telepathic understanding of each other, had
simply grown together as a team.
>
> I'm not averse to bringing in a few players, but the constant
crying out for a raft of signings is extremely short-sighted
IMO.
>
--- End Quote ---
Quinks, weren't two of those players also imports?
#Post#: 153550--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team vs Sale
DIR By: KentQuin
Date: April 28, 2026, 11:03 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Quinky link ---
>
> Two signings, out of many. My point remains that we should
import minimally, and develop talent through the ranks.
>
> I'm not averse to bringing in a few players, but the constant
crying out for a raft of signings is extremely short-sighted
IMO.
>
--- End Quote ---
Building a squad with the academy providing the core is a noble
aim. I don't think you'll find too many who disagree with that
as a first principle, with academy talent supplemented with a
sprinkle of top quality signings.
But there are challenges to this approach. Firstly the academy
players need to be good enough. This is top level professional
sport, not a development project. Secondly its rare that you get
an even spread of graduates by position in an age grade(s). And
academy talent is in danger of being poached - Benson and Jibulu
are two of our better recent graduates and they're gone/going.
We also have to take the world as we find it. Based on
performance levels this season is comfortably our worst since
the turn of the century (yes, worse than our relegation year).
The youngsters (Friday, Williams, Waghorn, Hobson, Streeter,
Carr etc) should play greater roles next year but they need
help. We're not going to make significant progress unless we
become more competitive upfront and fix the setpiece. That means
reinforcements with players brought in who immediately improve
our matchday 23.
I don't think there are too many on this board crying out for a
raft of signings. Most posters seem to be aligned that we need 3
to 4 quality signings in certain positions, front row, inside
centre and a baby eating lock being the most common requests. I
don't think that's an unreasonable stance given what we've seen
on the pitch.
And don't forget we're going to be losing at least 6 players
this summer through retirement or contract expiry anyway.
#Post#: 153551--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team vs Sale
DIR By: RodneyRegis
Date: April 28, 2026, 12:08 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: championes link ---
>
> Fair enough was more making the point that we’re not a top 4
team and I’m not sure it’s the time for mass fan protests.
>
> And yes the maths is all skewed by the amount of teams etc. it
was more the point that if you’re looking for a playoff smashing
team we’ve have not historically been the right place to go.
>
> But agree this is our worst season since relegation - stadium
atmos not as bad as it was under Kingston so far which keeps it
being a fun day out.
>
>
--- End Quote ---
But you didn't say that at all...
--- Quote from: JammyGit link ---
>
> I'm confused by that, Quinky. This club was launched to
success by one of the greatest premiership signings of all time
in Nick Evans. With him and Andre, our success has been linked
to high quality signings just as much as the home grown stars.
It's a balancing act.
>
--- End Quote ---
I see what Quinky means. A couple of stars mixed with a backbone
of academy talent - when we did this we had our best years.
Bringing in big names has rarely gone well for us.
Bath in particular have historically done the roulette wheel of
changing half the team every season, poaching other teams'
academy players and buying in talent. We generally take a
different approach, although recently we've gone down the road
of brining in sub-standard squad filler.
#Post#: 153555--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team vs Sale
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: April 28, 2026, 12:25 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Quinky link ---
>
> Two signings, out of many. My point remains that we should
import minimally, and develop talent through the ranks.
>
> If we persist with the model of bringing in big names every
season, we run a number of risks: if they're EQP, we may not
have them as much as we'd like. Similarly if they're from a 6
Nations country. If they're simply chasing the bucks
(understandably), how long before Toulon, Sarries, Bath etc
swoop in and wave more cash to tempt them? It could block the
pathway for young guys coming through; look at Elliot Williams?
Would he have got the game time if Launchbury had been fit? It
also affects our ability to build a consistent core of a squad
if the mix is constantly changing substantially.
>
> Nev may have been a key part of our title winning team, but
what about the rest of the squad? From memory: Lowe, JTH, Brown,
Williams, Marler, Kohn, Robshaw, Easter - been at the club for
years, had an almost telepathic understanding of each other, had
simply grown together as a team.
>
> I'm not averse to bringing in a few players, but the constant
crying out for a raft of signings is extremely short-sighted
IMO.
>
--- End Quote ---
We're clearly pretty weak in a few positions and I think the
call for top-quality signings also means fewer but better rather
than a raft of signings.
The team that won the first title was heavily tilted towards
home-grown but with NEv as the stardust, plus a few of the
longer term lower profile signings like Danny Care, Nick Easter,
Joe Gray, JJ, Maurie Fa'asavalu backed up by the likes of
Vallejos and Karl Dickson. The team that won the second time had
Esterhuizen as the big name, Lewies as captain, Wilco Louw at
tighthead, Baldwin at hooker, Green at fullback, Tapuai as the
backup to Andre, Lawday as the cover in the back row, Landajo as
a decent backup to Care, etc.
The most successful Quins teams had pretty healthy recruitment
strategies - often making the most of lesser names but also with
a handful of top quality foreign players.
#Post#: 153561--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team vs Sale
DIR By: Rocker
Date: April 28, 2026, 4:03 pm
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Yes not just NEv, Kohn, Easter, Care, Mo, Gray,Johnston not to
mention some of the reserves.
#Post#: 153562--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team vs Sale
DIR By: RhubarbAndGustard
Date: April 28, 2026, 5:40 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Quins also seem to have a habit of paying big money to average
guys. Quins, Bath, Saracens and Saints are all spending up to
the cap. Bristol are supposedly below it. There’s a huge gulf in
quality of those squads and ours but we’re spending the same?
How? How much are we paying guys like Lamositele, Williams,
Chisholm, Lewies? Who either never play, or are not good enough,
or both.
#Post#: 153563--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team vs Sale
DIR By: Quinky
Date: April 29, 2026, 1:56 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> Quinks, weren't two of those players also imports?
>
--- End Quote ---
Which ones? If so, they weren't the big name signings that
people clamour for, and they would have been at the club for
some time. Thinking back, Ugo was in the team and IIRC Collier.
Another two that came through the ranks. The vast majority of
that team were long-term/career Quins.
#Post#: 153564--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team vs Sale
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: April 29, 2026, 3:08 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Kohn and Easter were the imports.
#Post#: 153569--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team vs Sale
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: April 29, 2026, 3:41 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Appropo of nothing in particular, I did notice last Saturday
that Jolly Hog have a permanent stall inside the West Stand at
Ashton Gate.
#Post#: 153572--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team vs Sale
DIR By: Yareet
Date: April 29, 2026, 3:59 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: SwielOrNoSwiel link ---
>
> Quins also seem to have a habit of paying big money to average
guys. Quins, Bath, Saracens and Saints are all spending up to
the cap. Bristol are supposedly below it. There’s a huge gulf in
quality of those squads and ours but we’re spending the same?
How? How much are we paying guys like Lamositele, Williams,
Chisholm, Lewies? Who either never play, or are not good enough,
or both.
>
--- End Quote ---
If the speculation of Wilson running three squads is true, it
makes sense that you've recently been paying up to the cap but
not seeing as many stars. Quantity over quality
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