As for Lui, thanks for your efforts but it's the right thing to do.
He was essential in stabilising things in 2019 but we've got to move forward now and it's good the club recognises this.

From what I’m hearing about Hurrell club are keen to retain but on reduced wages. Whether he’ll accept that is another question.

Sounds sensible.

I expect we will end up retaining a few of the OOC players, just because the club likes to maintain a good culture as much as anything.

Agree with Marty the time to bring in a top 6 would be 2022. Having Gale, new #6 plus Eastmond and McLelland might seem like overkill but we do need some quality through the halves, which we haven't had for years.

We just need to tweak that pack a little to bring in some more aggression and power; happy with options at centre just about, and we need another winger or FB to complete the picture for a tilt at the title.

Everything the club does over the next months in recruitment and retention should be framed around us being in a chance to win SL next season. We have some great young talent and we really need to get the mixture of seniors right now.

Agree Jim. The wings shouldn’t be ignored. We lack real strike out there, only Handley imo who’s got it.

My personal view is that the squad is too big especially in the back row. Let the majority of the OOC leave unless somebody tears it up this year to earn a new deal.
We should only be bringing in 3 or 4 players but they all need to be of the quality to start. A marquee 6 additional prop and Bentley and Johnstone and suddenly we look a different team. I would be happy to go with back row options of Mellor Bentley Donaldson Thompson Cam Smith Gannon and Walters as long as we have 4 props.
Walters and Gannon look the real deal and should get regular game time. Accept the winger might need to wait till 2023 however would love more pace

you say back row too many and keep 4 average ones , good luck to lui did a job now time for a quality 6

Mclelland will be released too. Think we will put all eggs in basket with Gale/Eastmond combo.
Very risky as both injury pronr though....

That would be reckless both are fairly injury prone.

You cant get rid of every player plus we have a salary cap you will have average players in the squad.An aveage player as you put it often ups his game when playing with better players.Next season i can see Walters starting before Mellor if Mellor doesnt improve add Bentley or someone of that standard Tet at 13 who later moves to prop Smith to come to 13 and a pick for the bench of Holroyd Thompson Mellor Donaldson Gannon Dwyer new prop its starting to look something like.

Sounds plausible, I think if we hadnt been so maligned in this situation McClelland wouldve still been out on loan at Fev developing, wedve had Lui and Gale in the halves and given a bit more time to Eastmond to get back in the swing of it, maybe even a cheeky loan out to Fev for some game time.
As it is with everything its just a hot mess, Injuries have so far robbed us of any momentum building with any combination of half back getting on the field and even the ones we have had out have shown to be very undercooked.

Wouldn't mind Jarome Luai at HQ! I can dream can't I?

I can’t see us signing a winger unless a bolter becomes available. Handley’s wing is nailed on and I think TB would have to murder someone to get dropped. He’s still a solid player but his form has been poor this year so far.

If Tindall is making progress then I don’t see us signing there.

FB is a bit different. Myler is a back up (a decent one), Walker is an unknown. I could see us signing someone with pace here to give us options over the back three.

Tom Holroyd (assuming we re-sign him) will be in the 17 next season if fit. So... if it were me, +1 starting prop, or +2 if Prior leaves. +1 starting stand off. +1 FB who can cover wing. Would be happy with that.