HULL KR: Galea happy with Clinton move
HULL KR's Ben Galea believes the capture of Joel Clinton would be the final piece in Rovers' jigsaw for the forthcoming season.
Rovers are favourites to land the highly-sought after prop after he agreed a release from his contract at Brisbane Broncos, where he was their highest paid forward on £152,000 a year.
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Ben Galea
Clinton, who had another year to run on his deal, is expected to join Rovers as soon as he secures his visa.
Galea is looking forward to playing alongside the former Australian international and feels he would fill the gap left by Nick Fozzard, who returned to St Helens.
"Joel would be a great signing because of the big-game experience he would bring to our squad," Galea told the Mail.
"He has played in the front row for Australia and won a Grand Final with Penrith Panthers in 2003.
"We need players with that sort of experience and he would be the final piece of the jigsaw for us.
"With Nick Fozzard moving on at the end of last season, we have a hole to fill and Joel would be the ideal replacement.
"We have a lot of young forwards in our squad next season and Joel would help them out a lot.
"At 27, he still has a lot of good years ahead of him and if he rediscovers the form of five years ago, then he would be a great acquisition."
Galea started his pre-season yesterday and is happy with what he has seen from the new recruits so far.
The arrival of Bradford's Matt Cook, Leeds Rhinos' Michael Ratu and Hull's Josh Hodgson has brought the average age of the squad down following the release of thirty-somethings Nick Fozzard, Daniel Fitzhenry, Stanley Gene and Makali Aizue.
Galea believes the current squad is good enough to repeat their top four finish of last season, and go one better in the play-offs.
Defeats to Leeds and Wigan brought a great season to a disappointing end and left the squad looking to do better next year.
"We choked in the play-offs last season because we were inexperienced," said Galea.
"We didn't handle the situations well, but we have learned from that and we will be better placed to do well this time.
"We can finish in the top four again because the younger players have more games under their belts.
"I met Matt Cook for the first time yesterday and he is a really dedicated player."
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by karl thordarson, brisbane Australia
Saturday, December 05 2009, 12:43PM
“I am a regular at the broncos games. And I must say we are glad to see the back of him (clinton) he has not done anything for us.”
by Humbugandproud, easthull
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:24PM
“Slammer That last post was for you mate....I see the HDM has ommitted 3 letters in my post as it was short for assistant,Doh!!!! its a pity they cannot take all the childish tripe referring to shirts and gays and such of these pages as quick,What a load of pathetic rubbish is printed every day,Same old,same old Cant they get into there little peanut brains its not funny and certainly only fit for a sewer rat to digest,Grow up,Even they would spew it back up”
by slammer, EHIW
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:17PM
“humbug, at the end of the day us supporters have to trust in the judgement of the guys in charge - for you Mr Agar and for me Morgs. Be it on their heads, as they say!”
by Humbugandproud, easthull
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:12PM
“We all can read what the experts say and take it on board,But a lot what they print can be taken with a pinch of salt,As an Example Alun Hunt Salford`s Ass. coach wrote he thought our new signing Jordan Turner was going to be the next Ellery Handly and this kid was going to be a world beater,Well we can all be gullible at times,but not that much,surely,I will take my salt in a table spoon if he turns out half as good”
by george, hull
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 1:59PM
“cheers for that eddy,i mean,dave,or is it blinkered,craig,ged, im falling asleep now.boring.”
by Humbugandproud, eashull
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 1:58PM
“Slammer..Like i say i dont know nothing about Clinton and i have no right to comment about his playing ability,I hope you and Peter Stirling are right because you could not get a more qualified and respected ex player who actully knows what he is talking about,But!! i think thesame was said about Piggy Riddal and i have been so disapointed with a player who lets face it was playing out of his skin before he arrived,,Then again we at FC can only hope the players we have signed turn out to be as good as the Aussie media make out,Its all wait and see,Like i said what little i saw of Jordan Tansey IMO i think this lad will raise a few eye brows next season,I can only hope i am right”
by slammer, EHIW
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 1:19PM
“humbug, Morgs has brought quite a few players to Rovers who havent worked out; Crossman, Menzies, Esders, Fozzard (to an extent) and definitely Mills from the top of my head, although the latter did do his stint for us in our first SL season - big guy but another andy kelly, no heart.
Regarding the 2 ex-FC players, Thacks was interviewed but Kingy was an absolute non-starter (read Kears comments).
Alot is being said about Big Joel but i keep refering posters to peter sterlings comments last season and then to wiki his stats they do stand up. All I can say is that if the Broncos were prepared to pay him big bucks then he has to have quality about him.”
by Humbugandproud, easthull
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 1:03PM
“To add to my post below...I have just been in North point in the cafe and got talking to a Rovers fan who made a very valid point and he said and i quote,,He could not see the point in bringing this Clinton lad over as he as been reading about him and said he as not been anything special over the last five years on and off the field..His words not mine,He sad Morgan is a great coach who would have done better to sign King and J.Thackery and save a shed full of money and if Morgan is the coach you think is the bees knees he would certainly get them two playing like they was a few years ago or is it he does not want us to think we are his feeder club (again)???Mind you Morgan never got Mills playing much better than he was when he first signed,Did he?”
by fact, ANYWHEREIN HULL
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 10:49AM
“It's a fact that life in the Super League is far easier than the NRL - just ask Dobson. These guys are able to produce over here because the game isn't as intense. There's only one overseas player in SL who could NOW play NRL - and that's Dobson - purely because he's young and Rovers have helped develope his game.FACT!”
by Jason "FC till i die", West Hull
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 10:04AM
“i completely echo humbugandproud's comments, we do put lots of faith in these guys, and do so withevery crossable bone crossed, when i 1st heard we'd signed omelly and fitz i thought it was great news because i haven't watched NRL for a few years, but having read about them over said years, why are we throwing so much money at them when potentially they will be just as rhubarb over here??? but i do hope they recapture there form over here and that goe's for joel aswell because it can only help the clubs and there youths etc”