Those other 2 big names would be.

If I recall correctly, A.N.Other & S.O.Else always turned up for a match & never caused any bother both on & off the pitch. Both were model players whilst @ our club.

It can't be only 6. The article clearly states that 6 players are already confirmed (which includes Arundel and Ellis) and 2 more are yet to be confirmed.

Either that or it's the worst written article the HDM have done in a while.

Ellis confirmed to Cas on a 2 year deal

I know we dont know the identity of the two mystery players but apart from those im thoroughly unimpressed and if Pearson and Gentle think this new team can achieve anything in SL then they are seiously underestimating the competetion

But saying that look at Warrington and Wigan:

Riley, Cooper, Grix, O'Brien, Dwyer
Goulding, Geiling, Tuson, Farrel, Hughes, Crosby

They are pretty average players, but made to look good by the system they play and interspersed with some quality

What exactly are you expecting?

'Predominately young and predominately english' suggests to me it will be-
Ellis
Arundal

Crookes
Young english 2nd rower/prop
Lovegrove
Mcdonnel

Paea
Halfback

I was told a few weeks ago we had 7 'done deals' and around 12 players would be leaving. Above are 8 signings add to that watts and pitts and I think with the amount of people we are letting go the numbers and figures look about right.

I don't think McDonnel will come.

Going on rumours and my own guesswork this is the 17 I hope (being realistic) we will put out next season:

Horne
Crookes
Arundel
Yeaman
Briscoe
Brough
Seymour
Lynch
Houghton
Galloway
Tickle
Ellis
Westerman

Lovegrove
Watts
Hermaia
Paea

James Smailes has just said that is only present situation, could easily be 1 or 2 more.

We've got more chance getting Brough than Galloway.

That actually makes sense to me, young English backrow/prop could be Johnson and Lovegrove could also be Elima.

=#FF0000McDonnell
=#FF0000Crookes
=#FF0000Arundel
Yeaman
Briscoe
=#FF0000New Stand Off
Seymour
Lynch
Houghton
=#FF0000Paea
Tickle
=#FF0000Ellis
Westerman

=#FF0000Lovegrove/Elima
Watts
Hermaia
Whiting

=#FF0000Johnson

8 new players.

A massive improvement but to me it just looks the same as what weve got. Im also thinking if Gentle, the new coaching team and all the new facilities cant help motivate and improve the existing team which seems to be going backwards at an alarming rate then how the hell do they think that a new set of players who they hardly know are suddenly gonna have much better attitudes. Nathan Brown got an existing team motivated as did the ex Wigan coach but Gentle hasnt apart from a few games

So you don't think that Gentle telling players they are not needed for next season has been a factor? That probably would explain why their going.

I read it as 6 players not already at HFC will come in. Although you've got a good number on the way out, that is mitigated somewhat by the arrival of Watts and Pitts (though not part of the new 6 they may well count towards the mainly young and English).

Ellis and Arundel are 2, leaving 4 of whom L. Paea and J. Crookes seem likely to be a part. The remaining high profile player I'd guess might be an NRL half (which might account for a big chunk of cap), then maybe another young and English - perhaps a prop.

Other interpretations are possible - but if it was 6 + 2, I'm sure Pearson would have said 8. Unless he's setting up a timely boost.

Possible team:
Horne, Crookes, Arundel, Yeaman, Briscoe, Seymour, NRL 7, Lynch, Houghton, Paea, Westerman, Ellis, Watts.
Bench: Whiting, Pitts, New Prop, Heremeia (sp?).
Others: Aspinwall?, Crooks, Kent, Bowden et al.
And that's if Tickle leaves, which isn't certain.
The stress placed on young and English suggests maybe not McDonnell and Lovegrove - or at least not both. On the other hand, Heremeia isn't non-fed so there's only 3 in that team, of 5 allowed.
To me that looks pretty decent, if a bit thin - but I think you'll be far from alone in that, experience and quality seems to be becoming much more expensive and the cap isn't going up. Kids will get their chances, the weak pound and wealthy NRL achieving what the quota and non-fed rules never did.

wages out-in
Manu-Ellis
Turner-Arundal
Sharp-Crookes
O'carrol-Johnson?
Aspinwall+Burnett-Lovegrove/Elima?
Mckinnon-mcdonnel
O'meley-Paea
Moa-Halfback?
J.Ellis Watts
Lyne. Pitts
Martin
12 out-10 in

Mcdonnel
Crookes
Arundal
Yeaman
Briscoe
Half back
Seymore
Watts
Houghton
Lynch
Ellis
Lovegrove/elima
Westerman

Paea
Pitts
Whiting
Heremaia

You missed out Tickle.

This is how I've taken it. AP clearly says - ""We have six new players sorted for next season, but obviously [uwe can't announce who they are at present.[/u", which suggests Ellis and Arundel aren't a part of 'the 6'.

Also states - "We have two players yet to confirm they are coming, two big signings.", suggesting there are another two on top of that.

Ellis, Arundel, Pitts, Watts - Already confirmed.

"Six new players sorted" - Confirmed but we don't know them yet.
Crookes? Johnson? Whitehead? Elima? Lovegrove? McDonnell?

Two big signinings yet to confirm - Additional 2 big names.
Paea? Brough? Kite? Chase? Soward??

And seemingly dramatic wage inflation and any upgraded renewals. Really, who knows? Still, if it was definitive there'd be less to talk about.

Other teams and players manage and dont all suddenly act like they cant be @rsed

I did miss out tickel - that's our spare cash for contract upgrades and mayb even another signing

One name that continually gets touted around on here is Johnson (from Wakefield). Question is this, Is he actually any good as I can't recall seeing him play and that concerns me. If I haven’t seen him it indicates to me he ain’t a stand out!!

People have been asking for changes for years, Pearson, Gentle have come in rocked the boat, players that where having a easy life, have been told its not happening know more, Gentle wants a team that wants to train hard and be model proffessionals, if you've got a problem with that i think your on your own, i'm very happy after reading todays HDM, other teams have not gone through the transistion as big as the one Pearson and Gentle are taking us through. Stop moaning and keep the faith, I can see only good things coming our way