Mark Riddell ?

[Guest]

according to some people on the wall, he has signed a one yr deal with the club.

[Cockadoodledoo]

according to some people on the wall, he has signed a one yr deal with the club.

thought he was supposed to sign with the Tigers. Not any more, the sources on this one are pretty good.

[Guest]

Which wall are these posts on?

it adds up because we have lost Watts and he started out with us in lower grades. has he been coached by coach Smith before?

[crikey chris]

Another one coming home?

If true............ Are we "poaching" another player Lol

Riddell played under Smithy in 2005 & 2006 at parra.

Smithy also dropped him from first-grade at parra for turning up pissed at training.
And copped a 5 grand fine.

Crikey

[Guest]

HOOKER Mark Riddell will make his NRL return with Sydney Roosters after the former St George Illawarra and Parramatta cult figure rejected an offer from Wests Tigers in favour of the beaten grand finalists.

Never one to follow a script, Riddell signed with the Roosters although he had already completed a medical for the Tigers, on the same day one of his former Parramatta teammates, Eric Grothe, also completed a shock manoeuvre, retiring from the game.

Riddell, who returns to the NRL after two years with Super League champions Wigan, had an 11th hour rethink largely due to the likelihood he would have to play second fiddle to Tigers captain Robbie Farah, and might have to play Premier League.
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Thus Riddell, 30, will reunite with his former Eels coach Brian Smith, who took the Roosters to the NRL grand final this year, serving as back-up for Jake Friend.

Riddell is more likely to get time on the park at the Roosters given that Farah is a proven 80-minute performer, while Friend is not.

Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys was last night philosophical about losing out so late to his rivals. ''We wish him well,'' Humphreys said.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens had been brutally upfront with Riddell, who cut short his three-year deal with Wigan to be closer to his ill mother, telling him he might be forced to play for Balmain or Wests while Farah was fit and playing 80 minutes.

Riddell's about-face was not the sole surprise yesterday. Grothe's abrupt retirement has left Parramatta without another outside back as his move follows the inevitable departure of troubled centre Timana Tahu.

While conceding the predicament was ''not ideal'', Eels chief executive Paul Osborne flatly rejected any notion he would have a change of heart and decide against cutting Tahu loose. And he watered down the prospect of Souths centre Beau Champion seeking a release from the Rabbitohs, who are still to have Greg Inglis's deal ratified.

With the NRL so far reluctant to sanction third-party deals for Inglis's contract with South Sydney, Champion has become the latest Rabbitoh to be linked with an exit to accommodate the Test and Origin star. And with Grothe's retirement coming on the heels of Parramatta's decision to offload Tahu, there were suggestions the club might try to secure Champion a year before his contract ends.

''Four weeks ago, it was Roy Asotasi [being released],'' Rabbitohs chief executive Shane Richardson said. ''Then it was Michael Crocker, then it was Jamie Simpson. Now it's Beau Champion. We haven't released Beau Champion, or anybody else … Souths won't have a team if we release all the players mentioned.''

Osborne said he had made no approaches regarding Champion, but admitted the Eels had money to spend after the loss of two former representatives. ''We're talking to a couple of people. [Coach Stephen Kearney] is pretty happy with the roster, but we're certainly in a strong position cap-wise. We're having a look at what our options are. [But] obviously it's not ideal to be losing players.''

Grothe, who had persistent knee problems in 2009, told Osborne on Sunday he would be retiring. Osborne said Grothe, the son of perhaps the club's greatest winger, had ''lost the desire''. Grothe's grandfather also died last week.

''He was just struggling for motivation,'' Osborne said. ''I think he's done a very honorable thing.''

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...213-18ujt.html

[Guest]

The opposite of Watts as a player... He never impressed me at Parra and thought he was over-rated at the time...

Hope hes not on big $$

[Rooster_6]

Look on the bright side, he's an improvement on Koups... at least he can defend.

[Guest]

Look on the bright side, he's an improvement on Koups... at least he can defend.

I have a garden gnome that is a better rake than Koops.

I doub't piggy will be able to cut it, but I've been wrong before about an overseas comeback signing.

Chook.

[Guest]

Hahahaha it is funny cause he is fat....

[Guest]

Imo a smart move getting piggy as replacement for Watts in 2011. If we get Riddell to play the way he did in 2007 for the eels, it will be a fantastic signing! The way Riddell and PJ Marsh interchanged with each other that year was a major reason for the eels going nearly all the way if it wasn't for a salary cap cheating storm stopping them. If we get Riddell and Friend to form that same type 1 - 2 punch then we will be lethal!!

[Guest]

Also must say with the signing of Riddell, F**KING hilarious all the whinging going on from other team supporters. "oh the rorters are at it again cheating the cap" HA HA HA HA HA F**KING HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. According to these whingers piggy is shit and they wouldn't want him at their clubs and yet at the same time they say we are paying piggy hundreds of thousands of dollars, again i say HA HA HA HA HA F**KING HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[Guest]

he'd better start shedding some kilos now, and not be getting the boys back on the drink

[Guest]

Mark Riddell's a goalkicking defensive hooker. A good pick up which will take pressure off Todd Carney.

I hope he brings back the salute.

[Guest]

I'm happier about this than signing Watts....still think he's a mediocre player and a grub.

[Guest]

Don't rate him but we needed cover when Watts got injured. Fair signing.