not forgotten, the 3 we signed this season will have taken that up.

we found out how much mason, faiumu , brough and crabtree were earning during the mason case!

can see walker returning and crabtree retiring, if crabtree retires that will be a good chunk off the salary cap as will huby but stone said he hadnt had a convo with huby about leaving

Half?

Gaskell already told to cancel his holiday to work with Physio

Crabtree is extremely expensive for what he delivers over a season ( and i don't care what the stats say ) a compleatly wasted talent.

Although they played the last third or so of the season I think Symonds, Brierley, Ikhihifo are essentially this season's signings, the big benefit being they have had the time to settle in already. I like others am not impressed with the Bradford 3 and hope they are essentially squad players, though I do think Gaskell could be a front liner if fit and in the mood.
The disappointment if there are no other signings will be the lack of publicity and interest stirred up when trying to sell season tickets but I do think that the squad we have can challenge towards the top end with good coaching, fitness and attitude.

So despite the evidence you think the world is flat, vaccines cause autism and homeopathy works too?

Or is it just players you decide don't play how you want them to you ignore evidence on?

I think the point he is making is based on comparing his salary costs to what he offers the team. Would he be worth two,Sam rapiras.


He is probably our second highest earner and if he moved on it allowed us to really strengthen the team then maybe cutting him lose would be in the best interests of the club

If he is on a very high wage then maybe, just maybe his past efforts have justified it

Maybe it was a back loaded contract as is very common

Maybe he isn't on such a high salary knowing his career wouldn't be much longer than this anyway

I think it's a case of 'owing him' for not going elsewhere when he could have at the peak of his career and staying a giant for so long. He is now continuing on a high salary when most clubs would get shut. Part of me loves this part of the clubs philosophy as being 'honorable' and rewarding loyality and part of me knows that it's just bad business.

Stats can indeed be misleading, because someone makes a large number of carries/metres etc per match does not tell the whole story. Maybe they were easy yards when the game was already won(or lost) maybe they were on the back of a break, statistics along do not indeed tell a full story. One forward with poorer 'stats' may have injected themselves when most needed in the game, made a vital carry that lifted the team, etc etc. I agree with the fact that crabtree looks totally shot now and a mere shadow of his former self. If i were the opposition i would be happy to see him carrying the ball in now because he offers very little threat, goes down quickly and often in a way that results in a slow PTB. I remember his barnstorming runs of a few seasons ago when he literally turned games around by coming off the bench and getting us those important first tough drives that got us on a roll, or an important offload. A long career has finally caught up and he just doesn't seem able to do it anymore.

Don't dispute what Corey and hangermans are saying but we do not have the luxury of sentiment difficult choices need to be made. If we have to lose Eorl to help the club move forward then so be it.

If he goes I will be fulsome in my recognition of what he has done for the Giants and wishing him the best.

Definitely there should be a role for him at the club coaching or as an ambassador

Stats or no stats

I say we were better last season when he played than when he didn't. We look better when he is on than when he is off

People want him to be all flash for 10 minutes but he is a workhorse that plays for 40-60 and does the hard work quietly

He's the player that allows Taai and Sebastian to play their game naturally

Don't criticise players because you want them to play differently

I still think Eorl has another season in him but we have to manage his fitness levels and plan that he will pick up injuries but keep him fit for the big games. Leigh, Wakefield, Widnes and Salford as they are the ones that will define our season.

We finished 12 th last year so reality says between 6th and 8 th would represent a good consolidation season anything better being a bonus and seeing improvements in the areas we all know Rick Stone needs to change.

A good season ticket package, two decent shirts one being a heritage one but no broad C & G hoops please !!!

At best we need to keep the current crowd levels and look to boost them with an innovative season ticket offering and targeted games for non season ticket holders.

We need to hit the ground running this year 23 games isn't a lot we need approx 10 wins for safety and 14 for top 4 or win our home games and we are ok. A good pre season is essential.

I cant see any new players coming in other than maybe Mano and the Bradford 3 that's the price of avoiding relegation.

Maybe not what most want to here but upwards maybe has to start with an acceptance of reality !!

I have seen a picture of a flyer on Facebook with 2017 season ticket prices on...anyone know if it's accurate?

I agree with what both you and hangerman say. The club needs to go forward and it needs to increase it crowds, It's not going to do that by keeping players because they have been loyal, I appreciate what Fartown 61 was saying also , but to me keeping a player who is one of the top earners to play just against the poorer sides is a luxury the club can't afford.

No doubt the club will find a position for Big Eorl in the way they have for Robbo which is the best way to show their regard for him, Also he is a very articulate man and would have a lot to offer in broadcasting or club PR. Either way they need to replace him on the field.

We have just escaped possible oblivion by the narrowest of margins, If the club has not learned any lessons from this last season, they will go nowhere, and nor will they deserve to. They need to get on the same professional level as the top clubs, who by the way regularly shift players on, You are either a successful professional business, or you are a small family affair content to pay players for their past performances. ( according to some ). You either get up to date with the rest of the game or you stay in the past.

Ironically the very people who argue for this, are the one's who call me a Flat Earther , You couldn't make it up, they are the ones living in the past, who think players are with you for their whole career as they used to be 50 years ago, Anyway when you start to throw veiled insults at people it's a sure sign you have no coherent argument, all you have is a lot of maybe this maybe that, what if this, what if that.

We have a new coach for the new season, and hopefully he will improve a lot of our players in much the same way Brown did, especially the younger ones , but nobody can seriously expect him to work wonders with players who are well past their best, If he can, all power to him, but in reality we have to look to the future not the past.

It wasn't a veiled insult

You ignore facts
Simple as that

The FACT is we finished bottom of the league and escaped relegation by the skin of our teeth. That was jut a lot of bad luck I suppose.

good post

I agree , It has always been more about Coaching than anything else. If players like Roberts continue to improve and Brierly slots in we could have a good season. I feel with the season ticket deal that's been announced, it's unlikely there will be much more spending, though we can hope.

are you buying one?

just think if we had a good response to the season tickets we may get abit more cash for a player to come in like mamo! or davy may just think hmmm well ive not had the response i thought so will keep abit back for the hit im taking on the season ticket deal

If Crabtree is back to full fitness after his close season "ops" and the new coach believes he can do a job for him, then of course he is worth another season. A fit Crabtree gives the whole team a lift (and the majority of supporters)

A fit Crabtree also needs to be a performing Crabtree or it's pointless having him on in the squad.

I think the two go together, when fully fit he has always performed well

I disagree personally but .....