Think you might be being a bit generous in your estimates there. I suspect most will be on maybe 20/25% less. Also got to consider that we'll be paying all of Fusitua's wage from next year, Walker and Sutcliffe are still contracted and yet to find a new home, and there is still no word on Thompson or Briscoe. Surely they are goners, but who knows? All that said, if all the above do leave we should have some room to bring in a couple of good players.

The figures are of course my estimates, based on the average SL wage being £80k and how long the player has been with us, what competition we faced for their signature, and what stage of their career they are at. Even if I am out by 20% that still leaves £400k to play with and should mean at least 2 very good players (including the extra for Fusitua) if we are to use the reduced contract values you outlined.



I suppose my point is that there's plenty of cap space available to rebuild if GH wants to do it.

There might also be salary upgrades to some of the youngsters next year to factor in

Agree, we should have plenty to play with surely.

Warrington have signed Josh McGuire. Looks like they're going all in next season.



Wolf looks to be the Dolphin's assistant coach from next season too.

How do they operate within the cap given the signings they've made?



We must have plenty of cap space available in comparison to Wire.

McGuire hasn't been a top player for some time. He was really good for the Broncos some time back though.

I agree - but he'll still come at a price

Will be interesting at Warrington next year - if they have a bad start to the season Powell will have zero excuses.

At his press conference Smith mentioned that he was keen on players in their middle twenties. Was really pleased to hear that. McGuire will be 33 by the time things get up and running next season, with Vaughn and Dudson probably in the same territory. We don't need anymore NRL veterans. Would much rather have somebody in their physical prime with a point to prove.

They’ve offloaded Charnley and Widdop goes at end of the year.

Guess Some others must be leaving, maybe Philbin or Harrison will be available ?

Yep 100%, we've tried the spend big on ageing Aussie players far too many times and it's rarely if ever worked out.



Our best Over seas signings have always been fairly young or in their prime. If we have an OS space available next year (hoping thompson goes) I'd be quite happy for Smith to use his connections on an up and coming player from over there rather than plumping up big cash for a well known name to come over here and stink the place out (cough, Tetevano, cough)



I think we might all be a little underwhelmed with the recruitment for next year, but I'mm all in with Smith personally, I think we should trust him to know what he wants rather than what we fans want.



We will be running with a young squad next year, and I'm happy with that

Cooper has gone too.

Oh I trust Smith, it's GH we have to watch. His "control" of the pennies is legendary, and whilst I don't advocate a return to the Dougie era, we do need quite a bit of wise investment for RS to fulfil his promise too.

Agreed was once an amazing player.



However he's an absolute total liability in terms of discipline - I cant think of a player with a worse record.



He'll make Tetevano look like SInfield.

I agree McGuire must be gamble, he has a lot of miles on the clock and has spent a bit of time on the beer of late.

Wire seem to be rolling back the clock to the old days of having a hard/dirty pack. Kevin Ashcroft, Mike Nicholas and others in the 70’s Les Boyd and Kevin Tamati in the 80’s.

Powell has stoked the pot for next season s games v Saints and Wigan “We want a big, tough pack that can dominate every other pack in the competition”.

Yeah i mean Vaughan is decent enough, McGuire is a gamble, Dudson and Kasiano are 15 minutes spell plodders.



It will be like playing Dull FC whereby if you burn out their forwards you will mince them.

If there is a race to get Luke Thompson I would have thought it is probably down to Saints and Leeds. Wigan and Wire are pretty fully stocked.

Agree, Vaughan should still be very good but the other 3 are on the way down the mountain, although Kasiano can still play.

Like the look of Mikaele.

Powell is going for young fast backs and big tough experienced pack. If a few don’t come off he will be under pressure.

At the start of the season, a good bulk of fans thought we had a squad capable of challenging, except for props. Even with the players that have gone, we still look yo have a good squad for next year if we can get a pack leading, metre making prop in. Quality (not just as a player but also desire to prove himself) over quantity

I understand what you're saying, but we're a long way from "1 good prop fixes it." There's still a big hole in the squad quality that needs fixing, and then we need to stop the stupid suspensions and the frustrating injury absences.

My view is that another good prop would give us parity in the middle with most, if not all sides in the league. At that point the extra polish Smith has already brought to the halves and three quarters might show on a week to week basis and not just against teams who are as lightweight as we are.

Yeh, I don't really envy any of the players they've signed.

But I do envy the ambition.

GH would never spend like they have.

They're going all out next year.

Could be their year.....

Seems all is quiet on the signing front for us, wigan and wire making signings, hope we have an ace up our sleeve

I'd love to get Thompson,just what we need.

Sadly I can't see it without getting rid of Prior and one of the "middles" at a minimum