I already have!!

I think Hadley may be the surprise return rather than Manu and Mini

Agree on Ellis as it is impossible to replace him but just glad AP managed to retain him within the club.

Watts for me is a miss currently but only as we have not brought anyone in to replace him but he is not impossible to replace. I think from what we've seen of Faraimo so far he will be as good as Fonua if not slightly better as he looks better defensively than Mahe was.

I would agree that we could use a world class prop but there aren't any that would come. There are half a dozen Fed trained players who would improve us and we aren't signing any of them.

So who then and when? Some people are saying this should be Minichello's last season so that's two big names/forwards to replace and there's a dearth of top English forwards available and whilst we'd have a quota spot available IF Minichello is released who might fill his boots?

Also with the improved offer on kelly (two seasons in a row) this restricts us even more unless he's used under the marquee rule.

So far Kelly hasn't done as well as last year, he might well want to go back to Australia for next season but presently would any team want him in their side on a big wedge, who would he oust or is it that a club might be in for him as an experienced backup? I just hope we aren't putting all our eggs into one basket which hampers our recruitment potential elsewhere where we currently have a fair few inexperienced players and some that are still a bit short of what's needed to replace outgoing/already gone players.

I think this is going to be a real conundrum for the club and they would be looking for a decision from Kelly sooner rather than later so we can decide who replaces him and where the cap money he/Watts (potentially Mini) frees up is going to be spent.

Kelly doesn't seem fully fit to me. He's certainly carrying a bit of timber. As you say we need a decision about a contract extension sooner rather than later so we can plan next season's recruitment.

We need a prop in the garbutt, cuthbertson or fifita mould. We won't replace watts like for like as he's fairly unique and we maybe don't need someone to do the minutes he did for us but maybe more of an impact player. Similar for the 2nd row for me. M

Agree with that. We need something different to what we already have.
Definitely need someone who offers impact rather than work rate.

Ikahihifo would be the one for me to go for if we have to spend money to replace Mini

I suppose we [imay[/i have already got someone lined up for next year, the deadline for accepting/rejecting new contracts is May 1st.

He signed a 3 year deal earlier this year unfortunately. Ukuma Ta'ai is out of contract this year to my knowledge.

I thought Paea was supposed to be the impact prop, he's done okay but he's well short of where he was a 4 seasons ago. Watts wasn't just a big unit going forward/stopper in defence he had great hands too.
We already have Bienek coming to us next season, if he can make the step up quickly then that might well be a slot that works for us but we make good metres down the middle in any case and I think a more rounded player benefits us more.
Supporting breaks is something we've not being overly good at so IF Bienek is the impact prop for next year then we need to be better at that.

I say a more rounded player because faster pitches will require more athletic type players like Hadley and indeed Fash, we lost Thompson who had a turn of pace but was used as a middle forward although he had a go out wide as a 13 in one home game mid season against Warrington and it looked exciting only for us to go back to our usual stuff. We keep on going for the bang bang approach because that's all that Radford knows, we won't change that style until we get a coach that understands the nuances of a more pass/flowing attack style of play, someone like Sean O'Loughlin would be wasted at our club as an attacking 13.
This is why we have big lads on the wings and eliminates the usefulness of the likes of noggers, Lancaster, Logan etc as we fail to get the ball out wide quickly and be able to utilise pace on the wing, so we rely on brawn instead, which can work but has its limitations.

That St.George game gave us a sample of how we could be playing, expansive in attack and we do have a few examples of that cropping up (seen late in the game) but we go back to our main method which is stifling our attack.

Another impact prop wouldn't surprise me and certainly be an indication of how we are going to play but someone with more guile/hands/athleticism is what I would like to see.

yes thats why i said if we have to spend money on a transfer fee.

Watts as it stands is irreplaceable like for like. Personally he was one of (if not my no.1) my favourite players, and indeed I met him and liked him personally. However, a few seasons ago there were 3 players mentioned as problems re attitude, drinking etc. This was Watts, Westerman and Lineham. I am assuming therefore that Watts had a few off field transgressions that made the club lose their mojo with him. Personally I am gutted, but I really do back the club in this. I was never a big Radford fan, but am happily proven wrong in that. I honestly believe that the club has done the right thing for the future which is what is important.

Who do we get - noone on a kneejerk. Bide our time, blood the youngsters some more and see where we finish. We might not get top 4 this season and probably won't, but as a fan of many moons, it's not like we are winning trophys every year. The last 2 years have been amazing. maybe we should have reached a grand final but hey ho. I am excited about some of the youngsters we have coming through, if we can keep Kelly, add a second rower to replace Mini, then an other to replace Manu (I hope he doesnt go) we are still not in a bad place.

Toronto seem to have an elastic salary cap . Darcy Lussick 3 year deal .

Great post. Retention of Talanoa, Manu and Kelly would be superb, if highly unlikely, business but the club has a decent track record in getting business done early so would imagine we have irons in the fire. Interesting that Bienek had several top club suitors but the evident rapport Radford and Ellis have with the players was cited as the deciding factor.

The money they had for Watts must have been burning a hole in Torontos pocket.
I presume we may find out a bit more soon on retentions. Isn't there an "official"1st May deadline enabling out of contract players to negotiate elsewhere?
Would love to keep Kelly, but AP going public on the contract offer gives me a bad feeling that his future is already decided.
Think this year will turn out to be a bit of a transitional one, with lessons also being learnt from managing a trip to Australia.

some quality posts, and the usual anti-Radford diatribe

I think Kelly has already signed a NRL deal . He certainly isn’t playing for one !

bit harsh, playing with hamstring niggle, putting the effort in, but not fully 100%

Given the millions Davy has put into Huddersfield I’m not sure £100k for one of their top players would swing it.

Ta'ai is oc so maybe he's signed for another club?

why not? league position says they are hardly top end of the market atm

Well on that basis Cas got a real bargain in Watts if the reported fee was correct

better than releasing him for persistent misconduct, any fee would be worth keeping the club principles intact.