Quote ="Boss Hog"There has not been any announcement yet, that we have signed Drinkwater, other than the heads-up on here from Paul (Who is usually correct).'" From Rugby League Live's Ross Heppenstall, on an update from the Catalans Dragons general manager... https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... a-25572492 [iChan confirmed star men such as Mitchell Pearce, Josh Drinkwater and May were on board again for the coming season[/i

Quote ="Boss Hog"There has not been any announcement yet, that we have signed Drinkwater, other than the heads-up on here from Paul (Who is usually correct).'" From Rugby League Live's Ross Heppenstall, on an update from the Catalans Dragons general manager... https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... a-25572492 [iChan confirmed star men such as Mitchell Pearce, Josh Drinkwater and May were on board again for the coming season[/i

Thanks for that update.

The article certainly throws a lot of doubt about whether Drinkwater will be moving to Wire.

Agree, don’t think I have ever doubted Paul’s posts but the delay in any announcement and now this recent post does make it look very doubtful.

Catalans and there players seem to have a bad habit of signing elsewhere, then completely ignoring the contract and resigning with the club, it`s happened a few times.

If Drinkwater doesn't want to be here, then we should let him stay over there.

Agree, but I don`t want to see Ratchford at halfback and Minikin at centre, if we don`t sign Drinkwater.

Totally agree and hoping that as they are not mutually exclusive, if it's true that he's not coming that we have a better plan.

If he is not coming give Leon Hayes a crack from the start. He looks like he has all the attributes and a player we can build a side around for the future.

Williams started for Wigan when he was 18 as did Lomax for Saints. Hayes will be 19 at the start of next season.

I have wondered for a while whether we would be better spending our spare cap and quota spot on a high-quality centre rather than a half back.

We have Ratchford, Dean & Hayes in the halves, we have very few options in the centre, and it is such a key attacking position.

Yeah with him saying he wanted to stay at Catalans, and Chan saying he's onboard for 2023 i'd say that's dead in the water.......Luke Gale here we come ha ha
Be interesting to see if he does give one of our youngsters ago.
I don't want to see Ratchford at halfback either and think we look weaker with minikin in the squad. If he finds form and fitness again he's a decent player, but looked well off the pace when he came back from injury.

I really am at a loss as to how me managed to get in this position of having 2 key roles up in the air.

I can't say i'm surprised Wires71 ,we've been very late in the recruitment stakes for quite a few years now & have finished up starting seasons with hurriedly signed stop gaps.

Was told the deal was agreed, but JD was wanting some severance pay from Catalan to plug some of the difference in pay. I believe he was on around £140k in France but we can only offer around £110k.

I heard that Catalan have made a deal and that it will be announced he a Wire before the weekend, just all about getting him a kit pic now.

As has been already discussed, this could be resolved by paying a transfer for him, and then Catalan giving Drinkwater the money as a severance fee.

Has there been any mention of a transfer fee?

Can't see Catalans wanting to stump up to Drinkwater if not as he's under contract to them for next season.

My post was being composed whilst yours was, clearly thinking along similar lines.

Deal done. To be announced before the weekend.

The dosh still comes from Wire. Seem to recall the Pies being adjudged to have broken the letter of the Cap Rule though not the spirit (and getting away with it). The above smacks of the opposite.

Josh has become relatively highly rated but, for Bongser, he was crud at Leigh.

Maybe we can both see our rejects playing against one another in the preseason friendly at your gaff?

As I said. The deal is now done and will be announced once he has a work permit.

Yes, Drinkwater has had a chequered career, very ordinary when he played for London, Leigh and Hull KR, but good behind a dominant Catalan pack.

If we do sign him, hopefully we see him play his Catalan game with a big Wire pack in from of him.

There was nothing ordinary about him at KR or London imo. He was hot property.

i dont think it works like that, transfer fees can't be used against the salary cap(or couldn't used to be)

oh yes, i remember all those games at london, where he was responsible for such victories against....

I genuinely dont remember him at london, i've seen people mention him being AT london, couldn't remember when he was there, so i've wikipedia'd it.

it was 2014, London won 1 game. and finished bottom and got relegated.

here's their squad
1 Tonga Nesiasi Mataitonga – FB
2 England Kieran Dixon – WG
3 Australia Jordan Atkins – CE, WG
4 England Thomas Minns – CE
5 England James Duckworth – WG
6 Australia Ben Farrar – CE, FB, SO
7 Australia Josh Drinkwater – SH
8 Tonga Atelea Vea – SR
9 England Scott Moore – HK
10 Albania Olsi Krasniqi – PR
11 England Mike McMeeken – SR
12 England Matt Cook (c) – SR
13 England Alex Foster – LF
14 England Mike Bishay – SH, HK
15 England James Greenwood – PR
16 Australia Nick Slyney – PR, LF
17 England Will Lovell – SR, CE
18 England George Griffin – SR
19 Albania Erjon Dollapi – PR
20 England James Cunningham – HK
21 England Joel Wicks – HK, CE
22 England James Woodburn-Hall – SO, SH
23 Samoa Denny Solomona – WG, FB
24 England Mason Caton-Brown – CE, WG
25 England Iliess Macani – WG, FB
26 France Tony Gigot – SO
27 Ireland Jamie O'Callaghan – WG, CE, FB
28 England Carl Forster – PR
29 Scotland Harvey Burnett – CE
30 Malta Jon Wallace – PR
31 France Maxime Herold – PR
32 England Toby Everett – PR, SR
33 IrelandJoe Keyes – SH, SO
34 Scotland Oscar Thomas – SO, FB
35 Scotland Alex Walker – FB