Most of the data is now present... just need a bit more on the debutants v Catalans.

Harvey Burnett is a centre/winger

Nick Slyney has resigned for the Redcliffe Dolphins

Damn. Thats bad news. Another whose changed his mind. So late in the day as well.

I think it was just rumours linking him with us in the 1st place

It was stated in Rugby League Express that Slyney had signed for us in the edition of 20/01/2014 page 8.

I've also been following PFSM ‏@PFSM_RL Jan 14 which appears to be his official management agency which stated:
"New signing Nick Slyney coming to England very soon" pic.twitter.com/zp3DLaEl5J

I'm confident he is on his way to us, but have separated out rumoured signings from the rest

Has Solomona turned up in the UK? I remember getting the vibes from melbourne Storm that he had signed but don't remember a statement from the club. He didn't play against Catalans so maybe he's injured. Do we know if he is a quota player as we are only allowed 3 aren't we?

Solomona has been officially signed

Still waiting on the visas it would seem!

for the last two years we have looked to have a good squad on paper - and look what happened. this year no expectations, no big names, but young and maybe eager? I will remain optimistic "...........

One thing is for sure.......there is very little weight of expectation on the shoulders of this squad. They have very little to lose and a whole lot to gain if they can get us to 12th or better this year.

Well said Mr Fax

I know Dixon has a bad injury, there's a rumour that he'll be back for July. But does anyone know what injury he has? Acl tear?

Correct

Sky Sports site reports signing of Slyney. Also states that the club have confirmed that Howell, Rodney and Robertson were not offered new contracts. Latter two expected, first is a bit of a surprise that mentioned.

I would have broken the squad down into six groupings last year, excluding loans as these players were in the main short-term 1 to 2 month signings:

1) Good players for us who were on balance normally match fit (e.g. Cook, Lee, Dixon, Soward, Clubb, Melling, Fisher, Bryant & Bailey)
2) Good club juniors with potential (e.g. Lovell, McMeeken, Krasniqi, Dollapi, Bishay, Woodburn Hall & Caton-Brown)
3) Players who were less effective for us than their maximum level (e.g. Witt, Kaufusi, Wheeldon, Dorn and Sarginson)
4) Good players who were rarely match fit but assumed as being no choice but to keep due to contract (e.g. Colbon, Robertson, Rodney)
5) Championship standard players (e.g. Grady, O'C, Channing, Little)
6) Past their best players who were rarely match fit (e.g. Howell, Randall)

The overall contribution seemed to be a losing culture and a squad that was perenially in the bottom three and had been since 2007 with little sign of more than that. I don't think a Wayne Bennett could have got the squad out of the bottom three if I'm honest.

I don't think any supporter will be unhappy with the "loss" of players in categories 4 to 6, unless they think I have been too unkind in my grading of them. I couldn't honestly have seen any of these players taking us outside the bottom three that is for sure.

I would describe the release of the category 4 players as one of the only benefits of the restructure.

The category 3 players were ones who had undoubtedly got more to show than we saw and I think our off-field structure and parsimony with facilities and support coaches was a major factor in this. All were disappointing to some supporters though clearly had some talent.

We have retained almost all the category 2 players so that's not bad news, though obviously lost some similar ones from the Academy.

What I think is the real loss is the category 1 players, with 7 gone and 1 injured for half the season, that's got to hurt.

Cheers
Rammo

I think it's pretty fair, my big concern is that the side is now packed with youngsters, and the few that are a bit more experienced are not world beaters. Of our imports Slyney is a fringe NRL player, not particularly experienced at top flight and the others are bascially youngsters coming in from NRL reserve grade sides. There is a terrible lack of experience.

Mmmm, thing is I think most fringe NRL players are 'prolly good enough for mid-table SL sides.

Mid-table is fine for this season Pete

Maybe, in a side where nobody is expecting anything from them except graft. The problem in this pack he'll have a couple of journeymen forwards in Cook and Moore, and then a lot of youngsters, the best of whom is probably Olsi K (Olsi may very well be our best forward this coming season). We've had beaten packs for the about 5 few years and even more experienced NRL players like Luke Williamson and Shane Rodney struggled to lift us, I don't see how a fringe NRL player will produce more when even more is what is needed?

True, but maybe these new players will be different in the fact that they actually have some pride, show some effort and guts. All the experience in the world is no good without that. These young guys might actually want to play!!

Our club went through a spell of appearing to disregard injury/appearance record when going out to sign players and it would have shocked no one when these players inevitably continued a long term career trend.

We also signed more than a few purely defensive forwards who had played 200 NRL games probably making 30 tackles a game and who must have had cumulative huge wear and tear on their body.

The other thing that happened all too often was our willingness to offer a new contract when the player was clearly well past their best. I can appreciate a gamble but there was simply no need to offer multi-year contracts to players who would have done well to get one last year.

However, since Tony Rea arrived he has tried to sign players with a career in front of them and from what I can see stand-out players within their respective clubs and he has not renewed anyone who seldom played. For this he has my thanks and still my full support.

I had got very fed up with the rag, tag and bobtail sides that he was forced to play because of the mismanagement of those before him. You couldn't ever build from that kind of foundation.

I would not compare the two capped England internationals Matt Cook and Scott Moore who are both in their prime with genuine quality and regularly available for selection with the older injury prone Australians looking to see out their career with a couple of years in London.

I am really looking forward to the new season that is for sure, I don't see any reason we can't fight off Wakefield and Bradford for 12th spot. Players will surely become more available once the season settles down and when the NRL season starts.

I'll feel much happier if we have Leary and an experienced SH by the weekend

We will be 9th and don't let any of the detractors tell you different!

You'll get a good price at the bookies if you nip down quick Pete