So....?


1. Dufty
2. Thewlis
3. Matautia
4. Wrench
5. Ashton
6. Ratchford
7. Williams
8. Dudson
9. Clark
10. Vaughan
11. Currie
12. Nicholson
13. Maguire
14. Walker
15. Harrison
16. Kasiano
17. Holmes
18. Philbin
19. Dean
20. Minikin
21. Bullock
22. Mikaele
23. Thomas
24. Holroyd
25. Burgess
26. Whitehead

Plus Wardle?

At the moment this squad is unbalanced. Need to do more shopping yet. We need a strong running right winger for starters plus more.

Need an organising scrum half.

Wakeham will be in the halves i think, and i'd have Bullock ahead of Harrison and Philbin. Ratchford will become a squad filler like Jason Clark was this year. If we don't keep wardle we'll need a New centre and Thewlis will have to take the right wing spot. But i do think Wrench's injury may have given Minikin a lifeline 1 year deal as we'll need cover. Hoping we are keeping Wardle and Minikin isn't pegged to take a centre spot.
Wakeham coming kills my Tanginoa dream so i hope he's as good as his highlights look

Yeh I would like to see Tanginoa here, got giddy when Jon Wells mentioned him earlier in the year about it.

I'd be tempted with Bullock in that 8 spot instead of Dudson from what I've seen of them both this season. It would be interesting to know their stats.

How sure are we about getting Wakeham?

I’m not sure, but didn’t Wakeham do something naughty in the NRL earlier this year? Might be imagining it, but I thought he’d had a ticking off and that might be why he’s penned in for a move away.

EDIT: Just found it. It was an eye-gouge incident. Not great but no dodgy off-field misdemeanours in the mould of Barba.

What does the side look like next year then?

Presuming that Powell will stick with his favourites Oliver Holmes & Peter Mata'utia. I hope the 4 forwards have a much needed positive impact & go forward to the side, Bullock has had a strong end of the season & I’ve been impressed with the likes of Luke Thomas & Matty Nicholson in the odd appearance they have made recently.

I’d like us to keep hold of Longstaff but it’s looking like he might be forced to find opportunities elsewhere.. & are we after a new half back or is it all purely speculation? We could ideally do with keeping hold of Wardle at left centre, as we are lacking cover in the three-quarter positions now.

1. Dufty
2. Thewlis/Wrench
3. Mata’utia
4. New Centre
5. Ashton
6. Ratchford
7. Williams
8. Dudson
9. Clarke
10. Vaughan
11. Currie
12. Holmes
13. McGuire


Bench: Kasiano, Nicholson, Mikaele, D.Walker

Harrison, Bullock, Philbin, Minikin, Thewlis/Wrench, Longstaff?
Luke Thomas, Riley Dean, Leon Hayes, Jack Derbyshire, Tom Whitehead

For the love of god il be so disappointed if he really does go for Ratchford at 6, Ratchford now can be no more than a squad player for me. And he should lucky at that getting a 2 year extension which surprised a lot of us.

Maybe Powell will play Ratchford at left centre, until Wrench has recovered from his injury?

Ben Currie to the centres?? …. I’ve always wanted to see how he faired playing there. Only problem now is since his serious injuries his lateral movement doesn’t seem as good as it was so that could be an issue…. Also for half back we desperately need a controlling half back for Williams to pair with. Luke Gale on a 1 yr contract given that Hull have released him and he is 35 years old??

Read that last sentence back to yourself

I thought of possibly moving Currie to centre too. It may give him a new lease of life and enable him to get his mojo back.

Harrison will be moved to 2nd row next season and then we have the young guns Nicholson and also now Holroyd pushing for a 1st team gig.

Currie will not get another contract at Wire, unless there is a major improvement in his form next season.

Holmes should be offered out on a season long loan deal.

Gale?!!!!!! NO just NO. Signing him really would break the camels back

I think Ratch has taken a bit of stick on here recently but I think he is valuable cover and experience in a number of positions. I try not to single players out but after a defeat early in the season away at Catalan I was critical of his reactions when decisions didnt go our way.

If we are going to give Dean or Hayes a decent shot at proving themselves alongside William's then I am quite content that Ratch is around. We all know he is not the future but I would be happier sticking with old Woody (to allow the younger players to develop) than pop over to the NRL for a shiny new Buzz Lightyear halfback with wings and lasers.

We have done that enough times over the years and it has never worked for a variety of reasons.

We'll know a lot more when Powell announces his captain for next season. If he gives it to ratchford then he clearly sees him as a fixture in the first 13 and I genuinely will give up!

If you have 3, 6 and 12 right I'll be doubling my monthly Harvey's subscription.

Given the depth of props we'll have, Dudson needs to convince me [ia lot[/i he is worthy of being in the 17, let alone starting - I don't rate bim terribly highly though he is a decent footsoldier. I see Dudson, Bullock, Mikalele and maybe Philbin as being in parity.

D. Clarke should no longer be considered an automatic starter either, Walker needs decent minutes in 2023.

Indeed that squad still needs a LOT of work.

Although you'd like to think our forward pack isn't the issue next season I'd pick Bullock over Mikalele as I think he's upped his game as the season has progressed.

In my opinion the opposite can be said of Mata'utia, he wasn't convincing at the start and he's gone backwards rather than kicking on, he seems to put the effort in but it's too lateral and he doesn't want to pass to his winger. I'd like us to go with Dean or Hayes with Williams and although not ideal if we don't recruit a centre I'd prefer giving 3 and 4 to Wrench and Currie

There more to Currie’s game than any of the backrowers we have for 2023.
He can handle left centre very well, and is a presence in the halves.
He is first pick for me on the backrow, but I’d have him at left centre before Ratchford.
Ratchford would be my 14 with 3 forwards.

I am afraid that side will win precisely nothing next season.

I don't see any other teams having TWO twenty minutes 'impact' players. We can't have both Kasiano and makiele in the 17. Unless makiele massively improves his fitness I'd take bullock(or even philbin)over him.

I think we can have them both to be honest, 1 starting grafter Prop vaughan, with mikaele starting so an impact prop and a grafter. Then interchange Vaughan with Dudson and Mikaele with Kasiano. So at all times we have a grafter and an impact prop on the pitch. With Bullock on the bench as well, as he's a bit of a hybrid prop.
But Powell said Dudson is a perfect starting prop which is why i'm adament Dudson and Vaughan will be our starting 8 and 10. You could have both of them play for 25 mins (both more than capable) then bring on Mikaele and Kasiano on for 15 mins to cause chaos, then they both get the 20min half time break. Then play 15 mins then interchange again with Dudson and Vaughan to steadybthe ship for the last 20mins. So it is douable but it'll be interesting to see how powell decides to play them next year

So we’ve now got 197 props…..but no number 6? Please don’t say we’ll be using Ratchford as our starting stand-off.