You could tell the players were trying to move the ball more. We scored 2 tries out of doing it and had a long break.
It's just the ball is still moving too slowly.

We were just very lateral and still had no runners to give the ball carrier options. Lam, and to a lesser extent Reynolds, showed us how an effective half back combination should operate. Lam in particular had all the time in the world to decide what to do with the ball and had numerous options with which to use.

Talking about Reynolds. He’s out of contract and I’d be looking at him as a halfback option for 2024.

Has he now been forgiven by all those fans slagging him off when he was here before.
Shows that sometimes you have to stick with young players like Smith and give them time

I can’t remember people slagging him off, he only played 6 games and from memory he didn’t start all of them.
If there was criticism I think it was about why we signed him if we weren’t going to give him a fair go

I do.

But your other bit is exactly the point. A young lad learning shouldn't just be thrown in. Sometimes you buy for the future. Especially with some of our fans.

If anything a lot of people were noticing how he and Hampshire were playing well together. But as soon as Brough and Miller were “fit” again…

Personally think Ben will be given a new contract at Leigh. He has stepped up a gear this season, displaced Joe Mellor to everyone's surprise (see squad numbers) and furthermore is our only proven goal kicker since the departure of Kris Inu. He is still in Lam Jnr's shadow (though it would take someone like Croft not to be) but when Leigh have three half backs on the park at the same time, their understanding and the fluidity of their roles is a joy to behold - for Leythers.

He was 25 and had already played well over a hundred pro games so I’m not sure he needed a softly softly approach to getting into the team. He was just never given a chance to establish himself which lead fans to question why we’d signed him at all when at the time we were badly needing strength in other areas of the team.

We've Gale, Lino and Morgan Smith for the halves next year. Can't see us stretching to four.

Smith wouldn't have a contract if relegated. That's why they are renegotiating dual league contracts for some.

No, but I reckon he'd be one of the more realistic retentions and he's proven at Championship level.

Indeed

That's how I remember it....

According to Applegarth in League Express we've Jowitt, Dagger, Gale, Lino, Smith, Hood and Bowes all signed up for next year.

Saw that. Didn't realise Hood and Smith were signed up.

Hood got a new two year contract right at the start of the season (Dont know why)
Smith was signed on for two years.
Therefore Applegarth is technically correct in one way, however when relegated They may not be required

We must have been planning way ahead if we gave them dual contracts.
I'm assuming theirs will be cancelled if relegated whereas the others still count but I don't know that.

Whitbread too signed a three year deal in 2021, granted it will be a SL contract though.

Can see him going back to the NRL

I really rate Harry Bowes and would love to keep him. Perhaps his age prevents anyone getting him without a transfer fee.

Linked with Hull FC for next season.

How does it work if we go down?

Are all contracts null and void, and have to be renegotiated?

Or is the contract still valid if we continue to pay it? So could Whitbread potentially stay without renegotiation if we continue to pay him the original terms?

I'm not certain for the UK players but most Aussies sign SL contracts so do have a "get out" clause to hand should they want to use it.

Super League contracts are just that. Contracts to play in Super League. The clause was put in place to stop teams having to pay SL wages to those on long contracts when relegation meant income was slashed.

What Wakefield seem to be doing is offering a contract that applies to both leagues so giving security to the player and allowing the club to build early.
The pay scale may be different or we may agree to pay the same as SL. That's on an individual basis.