Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 20, 2023 8:01 am  

Havard signed a two year deal so he will be out of contract at the end of 2024.

I'd imagine they will give Ellis a new contract if he's happy to stay and i think Cooper will get another 12 months, but it will depend on how his recovery is going later in the year. I think we could be looking at 1-2 new props and a new second rower coming in at a minimum.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 20, 2023 9:16 am  

Ideally I’d look at Singleton, Mago and KPP to go, Isa to go around for another year, the option on Ellis to be taken up (but offer him another 2-3 years aside from that) and hopefully long term extensions for Havard and Smithies. That leaves Cooper, who it’s very tough to give a real opinion on due to a few factors. Does he want to continue? How much of next season will he miss? Etc. All I’m sure on with that is that they won’t just bin him off.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 20, 2023 9:25 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

Ideally I’d look at Singleton, Mago and KPP to go, Isa to go around for another year, the option on Ellis to be taken up (but offer him another 2-3 years aside from that) and hopefully long term extensions for Havard and Smithies. That leaves Cooper, who it’s very tough to give a real opinion on due to a few factors. Does he want to continue? How much of next season will he miss? Etc. All I’m sure on with that is that they won’t just bin him off.

Agree with that i think.

Also I think Cust will go and we will have a back line of French, Miski, King, Wardle, Marshall, Field, Smith.

I can only see us keeping Cust currently if Field or French head home.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 20, 2023 9:34 am  

If Hampshire comes back ok from that injury and they take his 2 year option up, it feels like Cust will get pushed out. He’s got time yet to smash it and change peoples opinions but if Field stays at 6, you’re then going to have a quota player acting as back up (I can’t see him getting in at 9 either) and that hasn’t sat right with somebody like Miski and we’ll likely need his spot for a forward.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 20, 2023 9:43 am  

I like Cust, but as you say it's the quota spot and the salary cap to think about. You're right he isn't getting in at 9 and nor should he with O'Neill and then Forber coming through unless something happens to Powell injury wise this season as I don't think Forber is ready yet.

Miski has to stay on the wing for me now with French at 1 and unless we find a non-quota replacement on similar money then he gets a new deal for me.

Field and French are obvious, so as you say that leaves the forwards and that is realistically where we need the re-build.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 20, 2023 10:18 am  

The quotes from Matt Peet over the last few days are quite interesting. We are usually fairly tight lipped about signings until they happen yet he has been fairly vocal about Thompson, his ability as a player and the potential value of the deal being put in place to bring him here.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 20, 2023 1:24 pm  

jonh wrote:

The quotes from Matt Peet over the last few days are quite interesting. We are usually fairly tight lipped about signings until they happen yet he has been fairly vocal about Thompson, his ability as a player and the potential value of the deal being put in place to bring him here.

It certainly made me think there’s something in it. I don’t think Thompsons comments about wanting to stay there were a coincidence either. I think they were designed to basically tell clubs here that if he comes back, it’ll take good money and to also test the waters over there. I wouldn’t touch him but I think we’re trying. Let’s just hope it’s on as sensible a deal as possible if he does come.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Apr 21, 2023 6:40 am  

Thompson situation seems like a high risk option to me:

He's obviously looking to get a good new contract deal in Aus, but recent injury issues will have pushed his value down considerably.

If he comes back from injury and proves himself in the 2nd half of the season I imagine he'll pick up a late contract. If he doesn't we seem his back up option.

So we either go all in on a player with major fitness doubts, or we get left high and dry at the end of the season with our No 1 target staying in Aus............

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Apr 21, 2023 7:00 am  

League Express reporting Singo to Salford.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Apr 21, 2023 8:26 am  

Does the new marquee rule that Jon Wells mentioned last night give us more scope to sign Thompson?