Now it’s confirmed Mez is staying, I don’t see the point in resigning Ferres, even on buttons for a year? We should be putting that money into a hooker or prop instead.

I think it's been pretty clear for a while Ferres will be retained- coaches must see something fans don't. When he's been fit, he's played. On top of that, he's deputised as skipper a few times. Granted nothing official yet but I'd be very surprised if he wasn't retained.

confirmed by the club now, great news https://www.therhinos.co.uk/2019/10/23/ ... ns-return/ I think Ferres will be at the club next year regardless of what happened to Merrin

confirmed by the club now, great news https://www.therhinos.co.uk/2019/10/23/ ... ns-return/ I think Ferres will be at the club next year regardless of what happened to Merrin

I also think Ferres will be there too, I just don’t see the point.

For second rowers we have:

Martin
Ward
Mellor
Sutcliffe
Smith
Walters
Trout

That’s not exactly a shortage. We’d be much better spending the money elsewhere...

KR and Cas entered the frame for Storton.

Great news about Merrin. Leader and our best player last year by a mile. We must bring in a 9 and a good prop though especially if Singo going. Squad still short of top 5 imo

If Crosby stays fit I reckon he’s actually an improvement on Singleton, but your point still stands, unfortunately I don’t think we’ll see many more added to the squad before the season starts

Yes agree with that. But it's a big if with Crosby.. surely theres one more signing to come.. pretty pleaseicon_wink.gif

If Singleton goes we should be looking at a Hooker, if Singleton and Ferres go we should be looking at a prop and a hooker.

I expect us to sign Davies from Wigan on a year's loan with an option to make it permanent.

I’m going to be controversial here - I think Davies could be a sensible addition if that comes off, but I don’t see any point in signing a 9 or 10 unless they’re exceptional.

Who is there available?

We don’t need to spend up to the cap excluding the Marquees. It can often be really handy to have some in reserve in case a mid-season bolter appears.

I’d rather the money was put into youth development, infrastructure or towards a sexier Marquee down the line than yet more not-quite-good-enough squad players.

I actually agree with you it’s pointless just signing any hooker just cos were light in that area, we’ve got into a mess squad wise by signing too many mediocre players it’s pointless continuing that.

Keeping some cap space free for mid season signing might be mire preferable than just signing some players now, it’s a risk but id prefer that to being stuck with another average signing.

I wouldn’t advocate just signing anyone, like any signing it should be someone that would make the 17 every week if they are fit.

I’d say we’ve got one good prop in Ava, one unknown in Crosby, one coming to the end of his career in Cuthbertson, 2 not good enough in Singleton and Petaru, and then we’re into kids.

We need a solid metre making 10, or a good starting 9 for 2 years until Johnson is ready to be the starter.

If we can’t find them now because we can’t pay due to cap reasons, we shouldn’t just sign anyone...

Totally agree I can't see where we will find a decent 9 and prop who are none quota.I hope we sign Davies but I think that could well be it.

We are massively short up front. We also looked so much better when Dwyer came off the bench. Why let Lunt go if we aren't bringing anyone in? Corey isnt ready yet to play big mins. Why also let singo go if not bringing in another prop unless they are promting Muzz?

I’d just rather play kids who aren’t quite ready yet, within reason and without getting relegated (!), rather than get tied up with more deals with sub standard players.

I just can’t see where the quality is going to come from with our marquee and quota spots as they are.

There’s no English 9 I’d take other than maybe Clark. Props-wise I’d only be looking NRL realistically - like Ava but different type of player to him.

If we need to take some more medicine next year so be it but we’ve been mired up in way too many long-term deals for sub-Leeds-standard players and it’s got to stop sometime.

I generally agree with the sentiment re not signing for its own sake, but as it stands the only player likely to make a big difference from the shower of last year is Gale. We're one injury away from playing basically the same team that was miles off, and if we're in the mire again the kids just won't get picked.

So whilst not signing for the sake of it I think it would be crazy to not at least try to strengthen if we have any room at all.

I think the club has got itself in a right old mess, over-paying some players (I include Merrin in that), contracting for way too long etc. Paying off Furner.

I actually think we’ll go OK next year as it happens, but if we have any ambitions to challenge again we just have to stop shopping for average players. Unless the player is close to international class, keep the money.

Gale is risky but ticks some boxes - Mellor is alright but not top class. It looks like we’ve already done our 2020 recruitment last year in Ava, Martin and Lui really.

If they were back-ended, which would make sense, I’d suggest there will be no more interesting signings coming in unless we shed Myler, Singo and maybe Peteru and/or
Cuthbertson.

I still there will be three coming into the squad next season. I doubt we’d release Singleton, Golding and possibly Myler without the need for the space.

can't see where we will get a prop and hooker from I do think we may sign Davies at least get him on loan.

I disagree on Merrin as he is worth the £150k he commands on the cap but agree on the rest of the post.

I’m not really expecting much from next year but seeing some young uns getting game time, players like newman, oledski, smith, johnson kicking on and not being in a relegation fight will be ok by me to be honest

I guess the point is that beyond Martin there is little proven quality. Ward is good but injury prone, Sutcliffe and Smith are meh, and the rest are kids.

Also ferres is capable of playing in the middle too.

It's not a great resigning but it does have some merits

Dont see any merits to keeping Ferres, id much rather see us give game time to a 19/20 yearold who isnt proven, or hasnt yet had the chance to show theyr quality, than waste cap and game time on a mid 30s yearold whos proved rubbish in all but a couple of games over 4 year. We'v also gave Donaldson a new deal who offers much more than Ferres.

Whatever the management see in him, it certainly isnt what he does on the pitch.

Oledzki will, I reckon, offer more grunt up front this year. Another year tougher, he should start showing signs of being a handful to put down now. And Newman must have learned so much from last year. A good pre-season working on his positioning and defence, the lad might be real gold next time.

I dont think anyone is advocating signing poor players for the sake of it but nobody can think we can go into next year with the hooking and prop options we currently have?

Where has the ambition gone? In years gone by we had a great hooker in Diskin and we added Danny Buderus. We added Gareth Ellis to the title winning record breaking 2004 squad.

Now we sit back and say Dwyer and young Corey arent the answer but who is there available? Its the clubs job to identify and add quality. Leave no stone unturned and get quality in. Leeds is still an attractive club to play for.

Has the fanbase and the club given up?

Sorry re-signing Ferres has zero merit whatsoever he isnt good enough.
You can count his genuinely good performances on one hand & he's a walking penalty machine.
He should be nowhere the 1st Team nor the Club.