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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly #5

Michael Carter match officials

Welcome to a weekly series where I give my thoughts on the goings-on in the world of rugby league looking at the good, the bad and the ugly!

The Good

This past week Wakefield Trinity announced another quality addition to their squad for the 2017 season in Mitch Allgood. The former Hull KR prop signed a one-year deal, and looks set to bolster the Yorkshire club’s chances of a repeat charge towards the top eight.

I feel that the ambition and quality additions Wakefield have added for 2017 shows they are no longer a ‘basement’ club, but they are firmly being managed correctly from top to bottom, which is huge credit to Chris Chester and especially Michael Carter. The Trinity Chairman has taken the club from the brink of extinction to finishing above Leeds convincing and still looking to do more; hats off to that man and the new Wakefield mindset.

The worst kept secret in rugby league for 2017 is that Kevin Brown is set to become Warrington’s new half-back after Chris Sandow sensationally walked out on his deal with the Cheshire club.

Brown, 32, will see his chances of winning silverware increase dramatically once the move is completed. He spent many years at Huddersfield and then Widnes, developing himself into a quality half. And although he’s been something of a very late developer, this move shows the rise in his stock and quality has undoubtedly doubled, no matter what Widnes fans say about the situation.

Is it Superman? Is it Batman? No. This superhero is Beau Ryan! The former Cronulla Sharks star and Footy Show host made one fans dream come true, as she lay in hospital suffering with cancer, with only hours to live, after a message was sent via social media asking if he could be there. He declared he would there within two hours and rushed to be by her bedside. If that’s not heart warming and truly inspirational, then I don’t know what is! Big props to Beau.

The Bad

With Kevin Brown’s move to Wolves all but confirmed, one has to wonder how Warrington youngster Declan Patton feels about this. On one hand, he can learn greatly from Brown and Kurt Gidley. However, you can’t help but feel Tony Smith doesn’t have full faith in Patton to takeover Sandow’s party and lead the Wolves to a maiden Super League trophy. I for one feel that since the debacle involving Sandow and more recently James Segeyaro surfaced, young halves and youth in general should be given their chance, even if the player coming in is a solid England international half-back.

Recently the Leeds Rhinos announced some training gear had been stolen from a staff member’s van. The Rhinos can’t seem to get a break. First Segeyaro and now some low-life has stolen some gear vital to preparations for the new season. It isn’t about whether the items are valuable, but more about the individual and how they can lower themselves so much. This is the last thing the Leeds club needed with all that’s going on.

The Ugly

As we know, James Segeyaro went back on his word and his contract at Leeds despite the club offering him a lifeline when nobody in the NRL was interested in him. His reasons for leaving were homesickness which I suppose you cannot argue with, although many fans have been left angered by the situation.

Leeds are threatening legal action for break of contract against Segegyaro and the team who were the favourites to sign him, NRL Premiers Cronulla, have today ruled themselves out of signing the PNG hooker because of his current predicament. Only the Newcastle Knights have space on their cap so It’s going to be a long two years for Segeyaro if nobody comes in for him. However, a player of his standard deserves to be playing and will surely find a new club soon, despite a hefty transfer fee of £250,000 placed on his shoulders by the Rhinos.

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