I agree, although I could see Watkins moving into the halves at some point in the future. He could be a very similar half to Leon Pryce IMO.

What have you seen in Watkins to say he could play in the halves?

That's the in vogue thing isn't it, or at least it was a few years back take your best strike player and put him at fullback where he gets more time and space. See Tomkins, Lomax etc for examples. It's a bad idea and IMO stopped the development of English halves for a bit IMO.

Watkins best position in centre, he can adequately cover anywhere in the back five, but I would never want to see him in the halves. He could have made a top class fullback but I think he coasts games as it is and would be more likely to do this at fullback.

i don't think he has the agility for full back. i'm not sure sutcliffe does too

I don't think you mean agility there, Watkins has the best footwork and balance in the league, do you mean he doesn't have the engine for it?

I don't think either players best position is fullback, however I think we would be better suited buying an organising 7 and allow Sutcliffe to develop his kicking and (to a lesser extent) pass selection in a position where he would have less pressure on him, in the way Michael Morgan did

Watkins would more likely be cover if Sutcliffe or a half were to get injured

no I meant agility. look at golding, he;s quick and agile. Watkins is power and great footwork. he struggles at chasing back, bending to pick up then get going.

Not really disagreeing with the point, but think a lot of this can be dealt with with positioning etc which only comes with experience in the position.

possibly. i hope sutcliffe proves me wrong but i thing holding has far more potential as a full back. just my opinion mind and as my mrs says i'm never right!

Back on subject and let's have Zak off to cas and we'll take Roberts in exchange!

I also rate Golding who remember has time on his side. On Sutty I still don't think he's a 1 or a 6, for me he looks like a 13 who can cover six if needed. My only worry is that shuffling him around too much will be to his detriment, a bit like it was with Lee Gaskell. Like you I hope he proves me wrong, and I wouldn't be adverse to give him another go at 6 with the right people around him, namely a fit McGuire (or other half) and Segeyaro.

i agree. i think he would make a great 13. a sculthorpe. tough with great hands

If Hardaker is surprised Leeds don't want him back, maybe he should have a look at clippings regarding his incidents whilst at Leeds (including GH backing him up publicly when others wouldn't) and then at his comments when in Australia about how mean Leeds were for not letting him do whatever he wants to, and how he is a poor little indentured servant.

GH knows he won't get much of a fee - that's always been the case. Its hardly GH's fault that Hardaker impressed precisely nobody in his NRL stint. Zak probably thought he was being a star - he has the tattoos and was always involved in the high 5s and backslapping when the Panthers scored, so why aren't NRL clubs queuing up for him?

This issue isn't as simple as how good a player is. Do you want to take the chance that a harmonious dressing room and fine team spirit could be disrupted by a mentality unstable trouble maker like Hardaker. Clubs like Cas rely heavily on a good bond between the players, so why take a chance that Hardaker "might" recapture his 2015 form and not be a poisonous character within the club.

Also he will be back in Featherstone surrounded by the very idiots that lead him astray before - a recipe for trouble.

I do find it bemusing that ZH claimed to be surprised re-GH saying we were planning the future of our squad without him after all ,despite the wheres & whyfors he asked to leave FFS.
The sooner it's resolved the better we desperately need a HB & a linebreaking BR/Prop minimum & Zak needs to get his career back on track.

When Sinfield retired we put Sutcliffe alongside McGuire which didm't work. Hardaker left which saved GH's embarrassment as he had a new place to put Sutcliffe. So this year who's the halves ? are we going back to McGuire and Burrow ? we had that combination before and decided to change it ??

Without signings it looks set to be McGuire with one of Lilley and Burrow alternating from the bench.

The club are probably hoping that if McGuire has a good off-season and remains injury-free, he will recapture his form, which is not unreasonable. However, not having a back-up plan is highly risky after the 2016 season, which may mean that a new signing is preferred in the end, taking pressure off McGuire in the short-term.

IIRC Stevie Ward was touted as a half-back when he first broke onto the scene. This could be an ideal solution to keep him away from the rougher stuff to improve his longevity/injury-free status, as well as to cement his position as one of the team's leaders? Obviously, it would depend on him having the requisite skill set, training and conditioning for this role instead of second-row, but I suspect it is more suited to his size and skill-set.

I know I am sounding like an old record but I would not be shocked to learn that Moon will play at SO alongside McGuie at SH with Sutcliffe at FB.
Always the cheap option with GH.

Is it really? He definitely squeezes players on salary but still we spend up to the cap each year. And Leeds are one of the very few clubs who are still willing to pay sizeable transfer fees when required.

With the "loss" of Achurch this year and by the sounds of it, Zak, we should have a fair amount of cap space. At least enough to sign a HB that suits what we need.

do we spend the full cap? GH says he always has room for a mid season signing so how can we spend the full cap?

The sooner ZH is confirmed a Cas player the better we need to move on & also time for GH to cut the BS excuses this squad needs quality adding asap.

Announcement due tomorrow.

Well right now it's required

If we dont sign a quality HB we are simply planning for another spell in the middle 8s. McGuires not getting any younger or fitter and I cnat see him being any more influential than this season. Lilley hasnt totally convinced me yet either but were risking damaging him by making him carry the team on his own. My fear is that all finances are being focused off the pitch and into the SS development to the detriment of the team. As to Hardaker a fit focused and levelled headed 2015 version would add to any team. The 2016 disruptive influence version will be detrimental to any team in the league