I'd be surprised if we sign a winger once Walker is announced given that presumably that will leave us without any further quota spots. Can't think of many decent SL wingers who might be available. From what I have read (feel free to correct me) Walker is primarily a winger who can play some centre. I have read a few comments that he can be a match winner with the ball in hand but liable to some brain farts in defence. With that in mind would he fare better outside a strong defender in Nero? Certainly doesn't sound like our answer to our leaky right hand side.

I expect that next year we will see Crookes given more time in the first team. So our backline could be something like..

1. Halley
2. Sheriffe/Crookes
3. Crookes/Sykes
4. Nero
5. Walker

6. Kearney/Sykes
7. Deacon

If Platt is departing then I expect we will see another back brought in from another SL club. Perhaps a utility who can cover a few positions... Reardon perhaps?

Not a backline to scare the top teams but I'd say an improvement on this year. I guess a lot could depend on whether Crookes can make an impression in the first team.

I'd say our next priority after Walker should be a Prop, it would appear a Federation trained one... perhaps time to use some of the Burgess cash?

exactly the same comment was made about this years backline yet they managed to turn both sts and leeds over. the backline so far is looking slightly better imo with players still to be announced. as ive said before though we cant really judge until we see the full recruitment picture. The signings so far though are a step up in quality over what we've had last couple of years.

So did Salford. They also had a crap back line.

While we turned Sts and Lds over the backline defence was awful at other times more often than not. Especially down Sykes and Sheriffe's side.

Kearney is a straight Jeffries replacement IMO. As for Walker, if his signing is confirmed he's a straight replacement for Tadulala. Both have question marks over them over fitness and attitude whether you like it or not. So it remains to be seen if we have any improvement in quality. I hope you're right about them.

Our backline is way down in quality compared to those we've had in the past prior to 2007/8. Until that's addressed we'll struggle to challenge the top clubs on a consistent basis.

you'll be lucky to find another winger with as good a try return as Tadulala who also does so much work coming out of defence

Oh dear. It never rains but it pours.

I do hope we do not end up with that.

However, one signing could make the difference....

1. Kearney
2. Halley
3. Crookes
4. Nero
5. Walker
6. Sykes
7. Brough

Sheriffe and Deacon not in the squad at all would be a much better plan. OK, Crookes is untried but he may be worth a punt.

you've got absolutely no chance of signing Danny Brough for the foreseeable future.

He is under contract at Wakefield for the coming season and is happily negotiating an extension to that.

Shame. But would £200,000 be enough for Wakey to let him go?


Plus with the cap room we have we'd be able to offer him a big contract.


Unfortunately my prediction for Scrum half player for us next year is Deacon

I wouldn't be surprised to see Kearney at FB.
The talk of having a free roam of the pitch, suits FB better IMO.

Perhaps a Harris at Leeds type role?

Brough would be a huge capture...that one has gone a little quiet...

Could Paul King act as a decent impact prop for 1 season?
Also would anyone take a punt on Graeme Horne ?

I suppose every player has their price!

Having just received around £200,000 for Ryan Atkins I don't think the club is desperate to sell its number one playmaker.

With that in mind I don't think £200,000 would be enough even if Bradford were willing to offer it.

I'd question the Bulls judgement if they offered 200k for Danny Brough. Ok we'd all like a new 7 but throwing silly money and paying well over the odds isn't the way. Deacon finished the season fairly strongly without being spectacular and I have resigned myself to 1 more year of Deacs.

We won't turn this club around in one off season I'm afraid.

I know, I don't think he's worth that much, but I was just speculating.


Deacs for one more year may not be too bad, it depends how good Kearney turns out to be.

200k for Brough? That's crazy talk.

Deacon is done you could put one off all the all time great stand offs with him and he'd still be done.

I'd imagine with one year left on his contract £30k or so would be enough for Wakey to part with Brough.

I was thinking more the region of 70-100k.

Says in todays Yorkshire Post "McNamara is in the market for an English Prop, and Wakefield's Richard Moore is being monitored" Hmmm??

Good God.

However, he would fit the bill of a classic McNamara signing - shiite.

I honestly cant see us getting Moore back. I thought Salford's number 10 looked a decent player. Lord knows what his name was like. Pretty firey tho, particularly against us at Odsal

Craig Stapleton

if thats the one hes thinking of then him being an aussie maybe a problem



would prefer us to get rob parker back before moore tbh

I would rather we got none of them TBH.

However, TBF, at least Parker was half decent in his first spell. Moore is not so much as a "has-been" but more of a "never-was".

Jeez-o - Richard Moore. If there is any truth in this then I really do despair. It would almost make McNamara's signings of the likes of Feather, Tupou, Sheriffe, Worrincy etc look shrewd.

God hes signed some rubbish

Yep - he has indeed.

Not even mentioning the flop that was Solomona, the quality that was Michael Platt, the class and pace that was Nathan McAvoy and the ball-playing genius of Simon Finnigan.

I am sure there must be others too.