I’m not disappointed we’ve missed out on him.

Not because he’s a bad player, far from it. He’s shown he is a very good player over the years. However his main game has always seemed to be his offloads and it’s just not a style that we have ever played under Kear.

Would have been a solid player but a bit pointless for me as we wouldn’t have used the offload game

No we haven't but he's something different to what is already a very handy pack. Doyle is a line breaking, sniping runner who'd thrive on broken play. Lilley and Brough are not going to be super quick. I'm encouraged that he's the type of player we're trying to sign tbh.

Who else is available because we need another Prop?

Its a shame we couldn't hold on to James Green - I'm assuming York came in with a higher wage offer?

We've picked up a couple from Hull last year, would Bienek be an option? Young, big, not getting a game at Hull

He went ages ago when charmers didn’t pay his pension

Ah that's right i'd forgotten about that

Another squad announcement tomorrow. Judging by the take that theme I'm guessing either Sam Barlow or a player coming back such as Rhys Evans

I hope it isn’t Barlow...

Apparently it’s Rhys Evans

Happy with that.

19 players signed up. Think we have a decent squad so far. Needs padding out a bit more but happy where we are so far. A couple more props needed but plenty of time and they will be plenty of players coming on the market I think. We're certainly a head of where we were this time last year.

Rhys Evans on a 2 year deal

Decent player but I wouldn't mind seeing him a bit fitter.

Really pleased with all the rentions so far.
Would certainly like a few more new faces though.
Murphy and Brough effectivley replace Farrel and Milnes.
England very much an unknown quantity.

Hopefully the next couple will be new bodies that add to this years squad.

2 more players signed to come in I have been told and in theory since we are obviously looking and missed out on Cuthbertson I’d assume a third could be on the way at some point

Wouldn't surprise me if Ant Walker is one of those. Think I saw a pic of him in Bulls clobber before lockdown. Seems to be chatting plenty with the Bulls squad on social media and knows Kear well from his Wales connection.

Is he any cop?

Bowden from Hull would be a good fit. We had him on loan for couple of matches an he looked ok. Don't think he is anywhere near starting 17 at Hull but would be good for us if we could afford him.

Yeah I thought this but he’s still contracted and has been in 17 a few times this year

Matt Shaw reporting that Dual-Reg looks set to be abolished for next season. Always hated it (even though we used it) will make things more interesting next year IMO and could benefit us with us having an academy to plug holes in a skinny squad. Think most will have skinny squads.

I know clubs will still loan players, but I think SL clubs will be more reluctant to loan players out for a months time, than just letting a player have this week or that week playing for a championship side.

Absolutely. I think that this will affect others much more than us, luckily.

Are any of the academy lads being promoted to the first team squad? If there are and they're of the quality of Scurr, Gallagher and Doyle then this is massive news for us.

I’ve heard Matty race and Cameron Berry are and we are finalising more

Never liked D/R. For one thing it distorts the league, the lower league that is, though I can see why SL clubs like it as it gives their fringe players a game at the weekend with, virtually, no strings attached, unlike loans. It also discourages championship and league 1 clubs from investing in their junior systems.

Good riddance for me.

From what I've seen they are only stopping it for next year, not abolishing it completely. Problems with players moving back and forth between clubs during Covid are reason given.

Hopefully they'll forget to bring it back....