Old folks staying longer than they should in hospital, inevitably leads to an increase in old people dying in hospital.
Come on William, I thought you were brighter than this.

Sal if you're paying William to fight your battles i'd ask for a refund. You can do better yourself.

Roll on February

That is exactly what I did say - not sure why you didn't understand that - well maybe I'm not

Mr Strawman in [i"My strawman is a much more accurate representation of what Sal actually wrote, I am such a bright Mr Strawman"[/i

William only needs to perform at a level that is better than those challenging him - in your case he barely needs to get out of first gear.

Oh that hurt. No, really.

Won't be long. Thankfully.
And if Leeds start the season well then William will do one, pretending he's going to take a year off (again).

Freed up salaries:

Sinfield - £££££
Leuluai - £££(£)
JP - £££££
Achurch - ££££
Segeyaro (of sorts) - ££££


New salaries:

Parcell - ££££(£)
Ormondroyd - £
Aston - £


Are we just 'saving' money for a rainy day?

Are there ridiculous back-ended contracts?

Why do other clubs continue to strengthen, and we stagnate?

We are in dire need of a halfback (or two) but nothing - i don't get it.

Its pointless have the best 2-5 in the league with no ball.

How very dare you come on here asking such blasphemous questions.

You forgot...

Mullally
Beau Falloon
Brett Ferres
Keith Galloway
Cameron Smith
Mikolaj Oledzki
probably some more too?

I'd imagine the best 2-5 in the game receive a fair bite of it. I can't honestly say they do a right lot more than Achurch did to earn it. There are mitigating circumstances but I'd question the wisdom of retaining such an alleged wealth of talent in the 3/4s when the squad's so threadbare elsewhere. I'd personally be happy to see Moon or Watkins moved on if it enabled the signing of a top quality 6.

With Handley waiting in the wings (no pun intended) then maybe time to move on Briscoe.

Yes, quite possibly. Though I suspect Moon or Watkins would free up a bigger wedge.

Going on the stadium innit?

Maybe we will sign a HB mid season?

If they cover the wages saved on the departures then GH has had his pants pulled down.
Also given the Marquee allowence on the SC id say its more likely we have money available but GH is doing it on the cheap after the bill for Kirkstall.

Ferres and Galloway will be on good money, Parcell will be on a wedge as we were desperate at his time of signing and then you have upgrades for players that had just won all 3 trophies.Im not saying we won't have some cap space left but it won't be a truck load of cash imo.

The problem with the original post is that it isn't comparing apples with apples (& is also missing some names).

I have pulled up Rhinos 29 man-squad (no no.25 that year) from 2015 vs this season's 30-man squad (so, for instance Segeyaro becomes superfluous as the hookers are Aiton vs Parcell).

I have put (admittedly guessed) probable salaries against each. By my reckoning, we are paying about £150k - £200k less on wages in 2017 than in 2015 (with one more player). I have also increased wages for the likes of Golding, Handley, Ward, Lilley. I have NOT decreased anyone's wage (which MIGHT have happened to the likes of Delaney, Burrow, McGuire, JJB).

It has to be said that the vast majority of the savings are on 4 losses: Sinfield, Peacock, Hardaker and Achurch. Whilst the big new earner is Ferres (Galloway & Parcell also tip the balance back a bit).

Not very scientific, but I'm confident that we pay less in 2017 for our squad than in 2015.

And if not, as another poster said - GH has had his pants pulled down.

In terms of players on the books, the only one that could potentially be declared an upgrade is Parcell - the rest are like for like at absolute best, but in reality, the squad is nowhere near as good as 2015.

It still makes no sense.

We have NO half backs.

McGuire - As far as i can see, he is shot. Absolutely no offence, but he needs to consider his body now.

Burrow - OK, but again a shadow of his former self (like McGuire)

Sutcliffe - Erm, at best a lock/loose fwd?

Lilley - Sparks are there, but will be a fair while before he can run a game.

The off season was crying out for a half - but we did nothing.

I never said they replaced any wages lost or that we don't have money to spend, I was simply pointing out the sloppyness of the OP.
I also don't remember GH saying we don't have money to spend should the right player become available.

Pointless thread really.

I don't get involved in the petty squabbling on here, but jeez you do come across as super defensive whenever anyone questions the direction taken by the club or GH. Just because you might not like what is being inferred does not make it a 'pointless thread really'.

I'm a massive fan of GH's, have said plenty of times that I see him as one of, if not THE most important arrivals at our club ever.... And I'm not one to write of this team under any circumstances, but, there has to be question marks over the current squad and how it's got to where it is.

It's a pointless thread because, unless i've missed it, no one from the club have said there's no money to buy players.
If the thread had been titled "Where's the much needed half back Gary" then i'd agree, because unless McGuire finds his 2015 form and stays fit all year then we do need one. I can see why we've held off though, as risky as it is.

Hope that's OK.

PS. I'm not defensive about the club at all. I don't like the often made up bull that some posters come out with and regularly pull them on it, there's a difference.

June 1st 2016: GH states we're spending the full cap www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/36426682 Should simplify the calculations somewhat if what he said was true.

June 1st 2016: GH states we're spending the full cap www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/36426682 Should simplify the calculations somewhat if what he said was true.

if this squad is spending the full cap then somebody needs sacking.

It's doesn't matter one jot whether I think it's OK. My point is that the OP obviously wanted to discuss the current squad in direct comparison to 2015 and the perceived lack of spending, there's no need for the digs or calling the thread pointless.

You've given your opinion on the halfback situation above (which I agree with btw), and it would just be better to give your thoughts on the subject in your first post rather than pointing out the OPs 'sloppiness' - this place would be better if people just shared opinions rather than going for the 'one-up manship' tact, and trying to boost their own ego because they think it makes them look 'smarter' than some other random person on a message board.