A lot of people keep stating that there could be an NRL prop on the cards, rumours flying around in oz that Asotasi is SL bound, and possibly cheaper than everyone would think due to his recent injury problems!

Just a thought

I can't see Asotasi leaving Souths.

Pitts is a wakey academy product, made his debut a few years ago at trin. Leeds snapped him up 2 years ago and he has played a fair few games for both Leeds/wakey. Always been a solid performer has Pitts. Making it sound like Pitts is unknown and a young inexperienced player who has become consistent purely because gentle signed him is not true.

From what I have seen over the years he has always been consistent and a solid SL player who will not let you down.

yes maybe your right i don't no, but i never heard of him.

people questioned gentles signing of him, and it's paid off just like aspinwall

Really never heard of Pitts before? He's been a good signing for us, got good hands and still remember that offload he made against Leeds at the KC, was brilliant. Can't see him bulking up that much tbh if Gentle plans on playing him in the front row.

As for Aspinwall, I'd be happy to see him given another 1 year deal. He can cover every position in the pack barring hooker. He'll be a valuable squad player

Stood with two Cas fans in Beaver in Beverley on Sat watching the cup and they were saying how they should have kept Arundel as he's had bad luck this season but could be a very shrewd signing. They also said Chase has received a Jersey visa? I told them I'd believe all visa talk when I see it officially and then because we'd had a few ales by that time it descended into friendly "feeder club" banter instead

Pitts would be a decent signing for any team. Solid player with a good engine. Always good to see a wakey youngster do well. Good luck to him.

I'm looking forward to see Ellis play for you. I still remember his SL debut in a wakey shirt. Could tell at the tender age Ellis was going to be a class act.

I think a gentle nudge will do the trick.

Back line looking something like this then:

McDonnell
Crookes/Lineham
Arundel/Crooks
Yeamo
Briscoe

Pretty decent. McDonnell not best, but not worst. Got better as the season went on.

McDonnell
Lineham
Arundel
Yeaman
Briscoe

For me, give Crooks time to bulk up and he'll still get plenty of game time next season.

McDonnell
Crookes
Chase
Holdsworth
Prop (Taylo/Amor?)
Prop (NZ)
Backrow (Bateman/Masila?)

Do you think it's good enough for us to be challenging next season? I'm not sure, think if you put chase and holdsworth in the team with them, maybe, can't wait to find out who our half back partnership is for next season, still not convinced by these people who say, this and this is a done deal. Very exciting though, not sure about McDonnell, thought the rumours where a top notch nrl fullback! Not heard much from biff lately, he seems to be in the know, update please mr biff

McDonnell will be our fullback. It's a young backline with lots of pace, with the two rumoured halves and a strong pack we have a shot of top 4.

We could easily have been top 4 this season! Top 2 should be tha aim with a shot at the GF and Challenge Cup a realistic ambition!

Am I suffering from FC itus a condition that every year the eternal optimist in me says " this year is going to be our year"

Surely the biggest challenge is going to be harnessing the quality that you bring in. Assuming the quality signings are of the standard most people think they are then the only major downside is maybe bringing so many in at one go and getting all the combinations to gel.

I know most on here don't rate your former coach, but he has done a pretty decent job at Wakey in getting decent performances out of a scratch squad. OK they are not title contenders, but if they do sneak into the 8 then that will be a job well done.

Mr G may need a bit of patience from fans as he gets different combinations to work properly together. He is going to have great leadership from Ellis, who will also set a great example, but a few other egos will need to settle in.

He has done well I must admit and a lot better than I expected. He definitely had some major flaws at Hull and his interchanges baffled everyone including the team. However, how much influence the previous board had on him is something that could have hindered his progress. Expectation levels at Wakey will also have helped him as they will not be as demanding as we were as fans, he has still had a fair few low ebbs during the season and next season will be a big test for him especially if they manage to sneak into the play-offs.

I also agree that having a large turnaround of players next season will take a bit of work, but Gentle wants a squad of his players and rather than do it over 2 or 3 seasons he and Pearson have decided it is best to get as many as they can for next season. They will take time to gel but you don't win anything in the early rounds and if he can get them improving week on week we will do ok.

When you look at the season we have had with players released and the injuries mounting up, we were still in with a realistic chance of top 4 till last weeks debacle. So with better team players and more luck with injuries we may surprise a fair few next year. (Well i hope so anyway)

Nobody ever leaves Aus, ever

Packer and Crabtree were the names I heard at wembley over the weekend. Never heard of Packer tbh. NZ warriors I heard.

Regarding mcdonnel, we offered him a deal early in the season, which he declined. We then gave him a second offer which i was told he agreed, I was then told we had dropped interst and was chasing a nrl fullback (didn't get told a name) Last I heard mcdonnel was returning home. Now all that could have changed now and our nrl target has fell through and we have gone back to mcdonnel, i don't know. My mate is back on fri/sat so will hopefully get some more info then, possibly before.

Chase,holdsworth,crookes,taylor and bateman are done. I was told bateman is done whether bradford surivive or not, but have read on here its subject to if bradford survive or not.

We have enquired about a young leeds player a couple of times this year, but I don't know if anything has come from that enquiry.

We have had a lot of irons in a lot of fires, and we are trying to get as much value from the cap as possible. We would rather sign players who are already over here/played over here and know the league/country before someone from the nrl. The club really don't want another mckinnon scenario happening again. Thats why I believe we dropped interest in galloway when taylor became available.

As soon as I get confirmed names, they will be put on here.

Anyidea on the other 2 then pal? AP said there is 7 in the bag and 2 maybees.

I really hope your right about Bateman, think that would be our best signing, especially having g.ellis here with him for the next few years, really laying the foundations for the future, Taylor would be a bonus, but not the end of the world if not, I like Bowden, Watts, Green, plenty of youth there and I reckon plenty from the youth programme will push on through over the coming years, it's Taylor's loss if he does't make the move to the mighty black and whites, come on you uuuuuuuuuuuuulllllllllllllllllllllllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAaaaa

I believe peter gentle has compared bateman to paul gallen at that age, so he's pretty highly thought of by the coach!! with regards the other 2 I've had no names yet mate, only that we had enquired about bjb or watkins earlier in the season and we enquired again the other week. as say hopefully have something over the weekend

Just can't see Leeds letting either of them go, or them wanting to leave, Watkins would be an amazing signing if they could pull that off, think he's probably the second best centre In super league, behind Atkins, but will be the best if he can avoid injury! Loving these rumours though, keep up the good work agent biff, you've got hull Fc a season ticket from me, are you on commission haha

Would be very happy with Bateman, but really can't see Leeds allowing either BJB or Watkins to leave, they are the clubs' future.