West Wales Raiders

It would appear that the rebrand and relocation commences after the game against London Skolars on Sunday

http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/premier_league/article/16106/new-owners-for-south-wales-ironmen

The Rugby League Express commenced a story on their League One Round-Up page with South Wales Ironmen yet further into the story they state,' The Steboneath Park club will now be known as West Wales Raiders.' 

In the entry above I erred,unusual I know,as it seems the re-brand may be a re-brand of the re-brand.

We may know more by Thursday.

It seems certain that Phil Carleton will have the services of Jon Ellis,currently Head Of Performance at/for Wales Rugby League and coach for the Under 18's.

Good stuff.Best wishes to Jon - originally from Hull - and lots to look forward to...

Pretty impressive statistics for the Wales World Cup Squad - and for the future

http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/16247/raiders-chief-aims-to-continue-south-wales-development-legacy

  The time has now come to announce the players who will be representing West Wales Raiders in 2018.

  The club has elected to name them,one a day,in alphabetical order.

  Quite taken by the brilliant Jamberoo Superoos,the name of the former club of the first named player,Mark Asquith.

Like myself,Mark is one of 3 brothers,it seems.I got that from this interesting piece - http://www.kiamaindependent.com.au/story/4959186/kiama-v-jamberoo-shows-the-beating-heart-of-rugby-league/?cs=1460

Wonder if he is the middle brother?

Anyway,described as a half back - but in one of the videos I watched on that well known video sharing website,he was at full back.

The club have also signed the dual code Welsh winger Kristian Baller who was the club in it's earlier guise of South Wales Scorpions.

The 3rd player named to be in the 2018 squad is one of those,presumably,rare people amongst those playing our great sport,who has a medal from the recent Commonwealth Games.

Someone who has made his way through the age development system in Wales,Harry Boots,a prop forward.

'Tough as old boots' - one of my mother's sayings.

Good luck to him.

The 4th signing announced is a full back who has gained under 16 and under 18 international recognition 

and has the name Karlin Claridge.

You may have been expecting/hoping another B surname to have been added to the squad,but with one player from Abercynon and 

Karlin being the 2nd from Cardiff the local talent thus far is a fair indication of the club wanting to develop local talent.

Best wishes to Karlin.18 yrs of age,by the way.

The last signing,until after the weekend,to be announced is Matthew Cummins,who originates from the place where Max Boyce seemed quite happy about the front row.

Matthew plays at full back and was a member of the Dragonhearts side which lost to Germany,last October,by 4 points and lost the kicking from the tee competition despite the Germans having the advantage of Jimmy Keinhorst of Leeds Rhinos in their ranks.

The kicking side of things appears to have been won by St Helens player Brad Billsborough.

A good season ahead for Matthew,hopefully,and a victory by 4 points,or more,and success with the boot will be great.

After the weekend,when the coaching staff for the Under 16's were named,tonight was when another 2018 playing addition

for West Wales Raiders was announced.

Sam Baker,formerly of Swansea university rugby league side,and the Dragonhearts,is another young Welshman given an opportunity

in the League 1 side for 2018.

He had been playing with community club Torfaen Tigers.

A try scoring centre,so I certainly hope he continues.

The 7th signing to be announced is an international with Super League experience.

That Super League experience being with the Bridgend based Crusaders.

 Welcome to the club - as the title of that album was -to Ashley Bateman.

With Ash having played on the wing and in the centres it will be interesting to see where he features in 2018.

Good luck to him.

The 8th signing warms the cockles of my heart - as the colder weather commences.

 A bit of continuity from the back end of last season.

A prop with a lot of experience yet still only 25 yrs of age and with the best years ahead of him.

Delighted that Morgan Evans has signed.

More of the same will do for me.

The 9th signing now announced is the season-ticket-seller.

He keeps going longer than a Duracel battery ( other batteries are available )

Picks a pocket better than any of Fagin's gang

He's one of my favourites.

He is Connor Farrer

The opposition players will like him- not a lot!

Now that is what you call an early Christmas present.

To complete the 2nd week of announcements the 10th signing is another centre - this one with a bit of a famous family name -

 Dan Fox,born in Swansea.

He's played a bit of rugby union but no mention to suggest he will kick the same number of points,or get anywhere close,to the points scored by Neil Fox.

Still,I won't object if he makes a very good attempt at it in 2018. 

Announcing the 3rd batch of players to be signed has begun tonight with signing number 11.

A former Dragonheart and GB Pioneers player,and a former Swansea university young man who was born in Norwich.

Was MoM when the Pioneers enjoyed a victory with a blowout score in Hungary,where he scored a number of tries

Louis Ford has also represented West Wales Raiders in the Conference.

I do like one or two of those Henry Ford quotes.'' Coming together is a beginning;Keeping together is progress:Working together is success''

I shall ignore the failure one...

Signing no.12 is Kurtis Haile,another centre and a former Dragonhearts and Torfaen Tigers player.

He was MoM in the Dragonhearts game v Germany,fairly recently,with the German side containing Leeds Rhino,Keinhorst,and he played,and scored for the losing side in the WRL Premier League Grand Final.

I think I'll just go listen to some Bob Marley...The family name isn't pronounced the same as....can't be.

After yesterdays back-in-time recall,to a part of London,Rastafarianism, etc.which was followed by some bad news today

I am pleased that todays announcement,of the signing of 18 yrs old Macauley Harris,is welcome news for the future.

My Haile Selassie quote for today is alternating between these 2  -  Many discouraging hours will arise before the rainbow of accomplished goals will appear on the horizon.

Let us set our goals too high.Let us demand more of ourselves than we believe we possess.

So I was just thinking about a certain player,with a surname beginning with a certain letter,

who can play centre and possibly in the second row.

I thought about the pack and whether or not certain family names beginning with a low or higher alphabetical letter had more success.

The 114th player to be announced,tonight,is a prop.A young prop.Best wishes to Taine Hendy.

The dates of birth haven't been revealed,but it does remind me of former player at Cas,and Thunder,Kevin Till,

who came up with the findings about the dates of birth having a bearing.

http://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12532/7107658/nurture-and-nature

Wrong date of birth and wrong family name for me - unfortunately.

I won't complain with vicarious happiness in 2018.

Good luck,Taine.( Evans,Hendy,Boots,Farrer,Harris - better than the Pontypool front row,Mr Boyce! )

A splendid way to end the 3rd weeks of weekday announcements with signing number 15

Morgan Jefferies

Very impressed by his performances last year and just wanting him to play with a consistent winger outside him.

He can also play in the 2nd row,but he is good both defensively and offensively.

It's been a good day with the announcement from Halifax of 3 south Wales youngsters gaining a place in the 'Fax first team squad.

Onwards and upwards...

Week 4 begins with the announcement of a young loose forward having signed for 2018.

Having played for Wales at Under 16 and Under 18 level,Rowland Kaye joins the club.

It has been a good weekend for Welsh folk showing faith in the youngsters.

If you're good enough you're old enough.

I'll just mention Chris Coleman at Sunderland AFC.( Former Welsh soccer manager )

'' Bonny Lads '' 

A mixed bag of news today.

It now seems Errea/Buy Sports Kit Pro will not be supplying the playing gear/merchandise for the 2018 campaign

But there should be some positive news,shortly.

On the playing side,a back rower who has represented the Wales Dragonhearts

Craig Lewis is on board.

Best wishes to him.

A second rower is another addition to a squad showing an interesting blend of youth and experience.

Dan Maiden has,unusually perhaps for a rugby league player,won a Commonwealth Games medal while playing the sport for his country.

I hope he goes onto further success with his rugby league in 2018.

It's back to experience and familiarity tonight.

A player signed by Lee Greenwood,at All Golds,at the end of June.Mentioned in despatches for their performance away to Toronto,before another club had an untimely demise,but the good news is the return of Shaun Owens.

 He is signing no.19 and there seems some good battles for position(s) already established.

Well it's been such a long time it feels like it was a year ago when we last had a player announcement.

We've come crashing back,big style,with a player who last season played for University of Gloucester All Golds.

A strength and conditioning fella,a forward,one who has used his qualifications at Wigan.

Harrison Elliott,joins the Pack,ours not Toronto - though it seems he enjoyed playing in front of their supporters.

He's probably got more letters after his name than the Toronto/Leigh/Premier TV thread above has posts.

Crackin' start to 2018.

Season tickets may still be available...

This is going rather well.( It's a bit of a worry )

We have retained the services of Connor Parker,former Widnes Academy,and still just 20 yrs of age.

Huge potential.

Connor is the 21st squad player to be named.

I'm beginning to become more than a little excited.

Pre-season game at Wrexham before this month is out - Kits to be disclosed - I hope I can keep the best till last and see the hallowed turf of Stebonheath Park at it's finest;despite the soccer season still underway,and the rainfall of late.

It is a brilliant pitch.Best groundsman in League 1 and further afield.

See it to believe it.

Earlier than the previous naming of the 21 players,thus far,but the third consecutive good 'un,this week,

is experienced forward Barrie Phillips.

The only downside is all the away games on the bounce in April.

But,that pales into insignificance against the blend of youth and experience in the squad.

( I'm worrying.It's going too well.)

After sorting out transport and accommodation for the away games - including those in the month of April,( We shall just have to still be in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup so we have a chance of a home tie )

it is good that another young hooker has been announced as signing no 23

A Raider from the start - Dafydd Phillips will be another in a squad where there is some very interesting competition for places.

As he is another hooker I think this is what was nearly explained in the RLE today - it will be Connor Farrer passing on the expertise

and not Connor Parker - but an eclectic array of skills is not to be ignored.