Grant Birchall returns after 2 years out...

[TheFourPillars]

Wright just said on SEN he's running again and will be back around the bye FWIW. Not dead yet!!

Poor birch its a roller coaster ride

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[eldorado]

Wright just said on SEN he's running again and will be back around the bye FWIW. Not dead yet!!

Wtf?

That runs contrary to the word from the last two weeks or so!

This is the very first time they've actually put a date on it.

Excellent news

 

[TylerDurden]

Wtf?

That runs contrary to the word from the last two weeks or so!

This is the very first time they've actually put a date on it.

Excellent news

Said knee is fine. Just been soft tissue setbacks.

 

[eldorado]

Said knee is fine. Just been soft tissue setbacks.

That was the bit I loved hearing. Whispers of patellar tendinopathy were circling...

 

[KermitJagger]

I know it's another 30+ player into our line up, but I feel that there are few inclusions we could have back into the side that would impact our ball movement as much as Birch could.

I hope that's still the case!

 

[Milkshaker]

Like all the great servants of another great era you just want see them go around one more time and leave on their own terms. Good luck Birch! Would love to see you play a few more solid game before you go.

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

Wright just said on SEN he's running again and will be back around the bye FWIW. Not dead yet!!

LOL

We are two weeks away from a setback

 

[Gralin]

LOL

We are two weeks away from a setback

like clockwork

 

[tige19]

Wright just said on SEN he's running again and will be back around the bye FWIW. Not dead yet!!

This would be great if we are a chance to play finals, adds class down back. If we’re out of the finals race I don’t see the point in making our senior side older than it already is.

 

[tige19]

I sometimes wonder if we're dealing with a 12 year old. I just stopped conversing because it just got so frustrating banging your head against a rubber mallet. It's like a dull thud that makes no real change, but keeps banging anyway.

"I was right" Lol... It turns out of you make 14,000,605 predictions, in one of them a rat walks on the quantum stabiliser.

Bumps"N"Grins haha

 

[hk89]

You think it’s personal? Birch is a legend of the club, he is a 4 timer and a genuine star and will always have respect and love from supporters.. the club/supporters have given him as much as he has given us, I just don’t subscribe that we should have inherited his salary for a 3rd year, I think he should have retired and been employed in a development role.

It is very easy to make that call in hindsight. At the time, we were trying to get one of the most damaging players off half back in the game back into the team. What made you so sure a year ago that he wasn't going to get back when the fitness staff thought he would? Are you in possession of some medical knowledge our fitness staff didn't have (or didn't share)?

Are you sure this isn't just a case of you playing the sky is falling game so often that occasionally a worst case scenario will actually play out as you've feared it would? I fully endorse the club's approach to trying to get Birchall back on the park, and I would be very concerned if we started ditching players just because they were having a frustrating time rehabbing an injury after spending the bulk of their career injury free. Birchall would have been a lot more valuable on the park than in a development role. We rolled the dice on his rehab, and lost this one. We've won many many others.

EDIT: And now it seems he might actually play again, which makes your statements even more questionable!

 

[hk89]

I know it's another 30+ player into our line up, but I feel that there are few inclusions we could have back into the side that would impact our ball movement as much as Birch could.

I hope that's still the case!

Yup, his inclusion could also release Impy further up the ground. Birchall and Sicily together delivering the ball off half back is a mouth watering thought. If Impy further up the ground helps us link up better in the middle, our forwards might even start to be given a better chance of showing off their talents.

 

[hk89]

Will announce his retirement a bit before the mid year trade

Retiring at end of year, or retiring before mid year trade?

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

This would be great if we are a chance to play finals, adds class down back. If we’re out of the finals race I don’t see the point in making our senior side older than it already is.

Agree somewhat, but having Birch help direct younger defenders like Hardwick, Siss, Scrimmers and even Impey, might help fast track them a bit this year. Expect we are going to lose a lot of experience at year's end, so might be worth it for this year.

 

[tige19]

Agree somewhat, but having Birch help direct younger defenders like Hardwick, Siss, Scrimmers and even Impey, might help fast track them a bit this year. Expect we are going to lose a lot of experience at year's end, so might be worth it for this year.

Which young bloke does he replace and ultimately prolong development? If we're competing then it's a different story, ill wait a few more weeks before summarising our chances but it doesn't look great ATM.

 

[Bumps"N"Grins]

Bumps"N"Grins haha

Does he do football yet.

 

[dermott]

Greatest comeback since Lazarus

 

[UAWM]

No change/update on Bupa, anyone heard anything positive? Can't help but think an announcement will be coming soon

 

[The Kipster]

No change/update on Bupa, anyone heard anything positive? Can't help but think an announcement will be coming soon

I've heard that he had a great toasted ham n cheese sandwich at the footy last week, that's very postive becuase the last toastie I had at the footy was shite...

 

[spudmaster]

I've heard that he had a great toasted ham n cheese sandwich at the footy last week, that's very postive becuase the last toastie I had at the footy was shite...

When there's only ~14k people at the game, you're effectively getting your own private chef when you order.

 

[The German Hunter]

 

[The Chad and I]

There's so much improvement in this team.
If Birchall does return, Chad builds his fitness and Smith overcomes whatever it is that ails him, that's a 4-5 goal improvement.

Then there's the continued improvement of Scrimshaw, Lewis, Worpel, Cousins & Scully; it could really build up to something by the end of the season.
We just have to hang in and accumulate as many points as possible.

 

[MrPremiership]

No change/update on Bupa, anyone heard anything positive? Can't help but think an announcement will be coming soon

Wrighty was on SEN last week and said
- no dramas with the knee
- set backs were due to soft tissue injuries
- expects him to be back after the bye

 

[spudmaster]

Wrighty was on SEN last week and said
- no dramas with the knee
- set backs were due to soft tissue injuries
- expects him to be back after the bye

Did he happen to mention what year?