New boys all bring something we need (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

New boys all bring something we need

3:37pm Friday 28th September 2007 in Sport By Jamie Langley

Jamie Langley column

With being just a spectator on the night, it's hard for me to speak about last Friday's game.

But I know I was frustrated enough doing just that so I can't imagine what the players and coaches were going through.

It was a freak of a game and it's very rare you see anything like what Wigan did coming back like that. We didn't play well in the second half and those sorts of things can happen.

Maybe we were lacking big-game experience and someone to grab it by the scruff of the neck. There was a lack of composure but hopefully we'll use it all as an incentive next season and learn from it.

I feel over the season as a whole we've been a reasonable success but we proved in that first half on Friday we should have been challenging for the trophy.

The signings for next year have been announced and they all bring stuff we need.

Semi and Ben Jeffries are both great talents who have proved themselves in Super League year on year.

Wayne Godwin has always been a menace every time we've played against him, is really enthusiastic, will bring a lot to the side and is a good guy too.

Simon Finnigan is a proper workhorse who's going to give 100 per cent and work his socks off every week - the sort of player every side needs - while Chris Nero is a gamebreaker who can score tries and is a strong defender as well.

Some of our boys got in the Great Britain train-on squad this week. I'm sure Lynchy, Tez (Newton) and Deacs will be there or thereabouts when the final squad is announced but it' s great to see our younger lads - Sam Burgess and Platty - get a call too.

They have really justified their spot and hopefully now they'll impress in training, prove a few things to the coach and make the cut when it is made for New Zealand.

As for Lynchy, my insiders tell me he's had Tony Smith and his family around for dinner the other night!

He's obviously pulling out all the stops to make sure he's in that GB side. By all accounts, it was a five-course slap-up meal.