This.
He’s contracted to play for us until the end of next year.
Now we’re obviously not party to how long this has been an issue with TM (but hey, we can all speculate, that’s what a forum is for) - but if we’re going to lose him I’d much rather it be after a tough set of April fixtures. Seems completely backwards to release him now.

Our last multi-game (>3!) winning start to a season was interspersed by us losing a prop (Dodds broken leg?) and we still won the LLS - I’m confident we will cope either way

Didn't Dodds play less than 2 half games in his Wire career? Even Gary Wheeler did more game time.

It was quite a flimsy comparison I’ll admit!

As good as he's been, prop is the one position we can actually cope with a player leaving. Imagine if George Williams decided he wanted to head back to the nrl this season for another crack? Now that truly would screw the season up!!

When our game is based on rampaging props - as it is - there is no such thing as too many. Even if you can't get them all in to every matchday squad, there will always be some injured, suspended and/or in need of a rest. As we have seen all season to this point - not sure there have been any weeks where we have just dropped a prop we didn't need. So this is a blow.

If we can get a quality second row or centre, it may well be of benefit, despite Mikaele's excellent performances.

I'd rather he stayed though.

As he will have played 7 games will he qualify for the GF winners ring that the other lads are inevitably going to get?

I guess the timing has at least 2 factors.
1) the size of any transfer fee being based on immediate(ish) release
2) Ensuring he leaves on good terms so no souring of squad by an unhappy player.
Good as he has been this season I can’t believe he is the difference between us winning something or not.
I’m inclined to the sign a second row as replacement as Wrench is nearing a return whereas I cant see many options to cover 2nd row

Well said. The reason we've been able to manage McGuires ban and Harrisons injury is because we've got an nal of props and they've been ultra effective.

We can't afford to water it down, and we can't afford to keep flogging Vaughan. We should replace like for like, prop for prop.

As good as he’s been let’s not over react, he’s replaceable and I’m confident powell and Fitzpatrick will be all over this and strike when they identify him.

It's very disappointing - he's been excellent this season. I only hope that the club has already got an immediate replacement (either prop or a big second rower) lined up. Allowing a player to leave for compassionate reasons is understandable, letting them leave without a replacement would be very poor.

Given we've presumably been aware of this for a while I'm making the assumption we've been working behind the scenes to secure a decent replacement. Suppose we'll find out later this week......

Be no replacement, I was told. And Duckie’s claims that we’re after Herbert from Titans are wide of the mark, too.

Just when you thought the professionalism of the club had turned a corner.....

Personally, I think the club need to show they mean business here, especially after such a good start to the season, and Mr Moran & Middleton need to put in a huge offer for Matty Lees at Saints.

While being a good replacement it would also wind the Saints' fans up no end and that can only be good just for the banter...

Good shout, we would have to iron out the Ill discipline that has been rife at saints this season though.

It says in the guardian there was already a little cap space available for this season, even before mikaeles situation changed, so hopefully there will be a signing depending on who becomes available.

Given the timing I'm guessing Mikaele has already been asked and agreed to stay longer than he wanted. We can't expect to be able to keep him on a rolling contract if we have already agreed to a release and we shouldn't be asking him to stay longer if we have already committed to the player and new club that he can leave at a set date.

I'd be surprised if we signed a back rower when we were vocal about wanting to add another centre to the squad at the start of the year - albeit Ratchford has performed well there. Be a bit of a waste of a quota spot imo if we sign a back rower with our last remaining quota spot, when we have two first choice back rowers already signed up who are 80 minute players (unless we are allowing Currie to leave at the end of the year and have the opportunity to bring his replacement in sooner).

I'd probably keep our powder dry, if we get any more significant injuries, maybe we can try to bring in a player targeted for 2024 early or maybe a player comes on to the market we are not expecting. Given we had cap space available for a centre at the start of the year, I imagine Mikaele will have been on a decent contract too - so plenty to play with.

Yes, on a more serious note, it surely would make little sense to make no signing at all, whatever position. For a sheer momentum factor, to build on our good start, it would be a great move to make an eye-catching signing, whether from another SL side, or the NRL.

Shame that Luke Thompson has a serious injury, as he would definitely fit the bill of being an ambitious, eye-catching replacement.

Oh, and it'd wind up the Saints fans again as well...

Replacement wise ... you have to be careful. You wouldn't want to contract someone who is not what your really want.
We are going to have quota space, money etc. we don't need to solve this in 24 hours.

Or Thane could be Andy Pipkin and he wants that one

The timing seems a little strange to me. I would have thought that they would have gone home in the off season unless his wife has only recently joined him and had enough.

In any case I wish them all well.

I imagine it was only after his performances in the first 5 games of this season that the NRL started showing an interest. It's a bit hard to take, but he was probably on peanuts here and can now earn a good wage back in the nice weather where his family will be happy. I'm sure KF and Powell know that we are a shop window for the younger ex-NRL players like Mikaele and Dufty, that's the nature of the beast.

Let's see how we fare without him before splashing the cash on another prop.

Just when you thought knee jerk reactions and criticism of the club had turned a corner

He wanted to go in pre season. Agreed to stay because of the McGuire ban, hence why he’ll leave after McGuire has served his ban (after this weekend).

Ok, though we didnt know of the Maguire ban until after the friendly game just before the start of the season.

As I said wish him well.

Without commenting on individual cases, is it reasonable to say we have more than our fair share of home sickeness exits?

Some good points raised, in that it's come at an odd time and do we need to sign another prop, or strengthen a different position. If we are able to recruit, it won't be a signing that will raise any eyebrows given that there will be so few players available. We've had a lot of injuries in the pack, and who knows, we could just as well have a prolonged spell of injuries to the backs. Perhaps the solution would be to bring in somebody on loan should we be in dire straights, and look to use the Mikaele cap money and quota spot on a player for 2023.