Dodds is staying

If that was the plan then it's clearly backfired and I would suspect his best route back to an NRL gig would be another year in SL to get fit and show his worth.

Totally Agree. The stumbling block could be his salary. He is not in a good bargaining position, given the number of games he has played for us this season, with regards to salary cap.

If he is prepared to accept a significant pay reduction, then I too think he will stay at Wire for a further year.

Which is why I wouldn't be surprised to see him elsewhere (Widnes or Leigh perhaps) next season rather than with us. And if that was the case, what are the chances he'll play the season injury free, look immense and leave us wondering why or what could have been.

Totally agree. If not Harrison then someone else. Dodds had injury worries before he joined us and a broken leg is not going to make him any less of a risk.

This season has been ridiculous, starting with four crocked players (Evans,Wheeler,Dodds,Laithwaite) ,Bailey coming with a recovering injury, Cox, no spleen & prone to infection & Harrison de registered to have major surgery. You can't start a season with a playing roster like that and expect to challenge for honours, but we have done with a much reduced rotational squad bolstered by youngsters.Our team has really done very well with one hand tied behind its back & the regulars must be exhausted especially throughout these last few weeks.

With the news on Currie today (potentially 9 months out, massive blow) I would bring Ben in for the Semis if its possible (does his loan end straight after wakeys last game?). We need all the experience we can get a present. I think a 3/4 fit Harrison would be better than Wilde or Philbin in the Semis.

Nice article in guardian about Harrison and how he coped with his injuries. Sounded like he was staying and playing in 2017. Good news if he gets fully fit.

that's the news I like to hear

I just don't see where everyone fits into the side next year especially if the rumours of Crosby and Savelio are true

Serious strength in depth, everyone will get game time with injuries and hopefully we won't have to patch players up and will be able to let them recover instead, which would mean we have more players closer to 100% for a lot more of the season.

We have released players who have basically not played any time this season despite the fact that at various times we have needed them and are looking to replace them with proven players of quality that not only improve the match day 17 but the strength in depth. If all the rumours come off we will have some squad assembled.

FWIW I'm pleased Ben Harrison has a chance to resurrect his career with is and again even if he isn't first choice he's proven and won't let us down when he fills in.

I'm not sure how I'd feel if I was Philbin, or Wilde, but, with Dodds, Bailey, and Cox going and Currie in rehab, aren't we the same numbers wise as far as the pack is concerned if Crosby and Savelio sign alongside Cooper and Harrison?

It sure does give us serious strength in depth. If you have a starting front row of Hill and Cooper followed by Sims and Crosby off the bench then that sounds menacing with good back up from Harrison, Westwood, G King and Philbin.

I wouldn't mind sims going to second row n Harrison to prop

I'd actually forgotten about G King in my reckoning which is good news as far as the squad is concerned, as although I wasn't his biggest fan early doors perhaps unfairly so given the lads age his end of season form was decent enough

Philbin and Wilde we feel that they have to kick on an improve to a level where they are worth a place in the match day pack. Neither of them would get a game for Saints, Wigan, Leeds.

I was the same as you, I really wasn't sure about George early doors but he ended the season well enough and improved well as the season went on. I'd view him as a solid back up now and I'm sure even as 5th choice prop he will get a lot of game time and keep the first choice pack honest in their performance levels.

I seem to be posting like I'm disagreeing, then agreeing in the next post like the "I'll get my coat" guy in The Fast Show ha, but bear with me. I raised Philbin and Wilde not because I thought that they thought that they had cracked the 17, but, on the basis of opportunity going forward a chance to kick on here at Warrington.

I know that you can't obviously legislate for injuries, look at Currie, but, signing Crosbie and Savelio in addition to Cooper would probably change their outlook. If standards can be maintained from within, Wilde for example might have expected to share game time with Westwood next year will he now get that opportunity to show what he can do?

I know what you mean, but I think having the reserve side is a real bonus.
We - or I - tend to forget the age of King and Wilde.
I'd be disappointed if they didn't get some good game time next year - maybe similar to this year or slightly more.

They will all know what their position within the squad is, and as someone has just said, if they have the mental toughness to play this game at the top level, this should spur them on. They are all still young I think G King is only 21 or 22 and one of the oldest, so they should be told they still need to learn and improve to a point where the likes of Harrison, Sims, Westwood are under pressure for there places. If they feel that they are ready and want to go elsewhere and prove us wrong then so be it, but it doesn't happen very often. Look at the young kids that Wigan let go at a young age over the years, not a great deal end up being world beaters.

Why do we consider 20/21 as almost too young? I can understand in the pack that more experience might be required but I'm amazed jack johnson hasn't been given more opportunities....he's looked very good each time he's played. If it were down to me id be looking at developing him as our main full back and shifting ratchford between centre and the halves where necessary. Smith has had the accusation thrown at him in the past of not giving the youngsters enough opportunities and on the whole i tend to agree.

Wasn't Jack Johnson injured for quite a long spell this year? And Toby King? I agree with your sentiment that if they are good enough they are old enough but they have to be fit as well. For a spell mid season we could only just get a team out because almost all of our back up was injured. These 2 in particular are good players and would have got more time this season if they were fit.

Neither would Harrison

He would have walked in to the 2016 Saints team, would have been their third best prop (possibly second best for most of the season as Walmsey was awful for half of the year), probably similar for Leeds. Wigan, I'd probably agree.

He was an important player in a team that won three challenge cups a shield and played in grand finals.

Let's not let time distort the fact that Harrison was a good player for us.

Mmm - not sure there
Saw him in the defeat at Hull at the start of the season and he didn't inspire confidence.
Good chance of him developing but he's still got quite a way to go I think.