New signing is Roby. Glad he is signed up but to compete for top 3 or 4 places we need at least 1 if not 2 good props.
As with most of the retentions/signings it’s a decent player. But is it what we need? Now got 5 centres in the squad.
Can’t help but feel last year’s shortcomings haven’t/won’t be addressed
The squad would be looking pretty good if a couple of props were still to be added. But increasingly getting the impression it’s not going to happen. All the 9 players we have competing for the fullback/wing/centre spots are at least decent. Just hope they don’t end up having to take spells in the pack because we don’t have enough props!
The squad would be looking pretty good if a couple of props were still to be added. But increasingly getting the impression it’s not going to happen. All the 9 players we have competing for the fullback/wing/centre spots are at least decent. Just hope they don’t end up having to take spells in the pack because we don’t have enough props!
I agree but I do think the new squad is a fair bit stronger than last year overall so we should win a few more games than last year but I cannot see us breaking into the top 4 without more prop cover. Of course there is time yet but we have now met the number in the squad that Simon spoke of in his interview.
The two glaring areas of weakness from last year were Props and Hookers.
We now have a top Championship hooker in Fozard and two good interchanges in Gregory and Hulme.
We seem to have a lot of 2nd rows and 3/4s; on the one hand it gives competition for places but on the other doesn't deal with the front row situation.
SF has now got his squad, if they fail to perform then he will be out; simple as...
The dust is still settling atm. Still time for props to appear.
The club, as Simon says, were on the move early to sign the players that we have so I've no doubt that they were looking for props too, so the agents know who to contact.
The dust is still settling atm. Still time for props to appear.
The club, as Simon says, were on the move early to sign the players that we have so I've no doubt that they were looking for props too, so the agents know who to contact.
The thing is though can we afford any more props than the ones we already have? We have 27 players in the squad now including Tomkins. Having signed 3 hookers it looks unlikely he will play but is still contracted so could be taking a fair wedge of cash as I doubt medical insurance will cover it all? We must have lost a fair chunk of cash last season as gates were well down due to Covid etc. & we already have 1 extra squad member. Ideally I think 30 players is the right number but accept we will not reach that.
I guess a lot will depend on how the season ticket sales go as to whether we have any excess finances.The fact we have assembled the squad swiftly compared to previous years probably indicates that is the plan. I would have thought though if the props were there to sign depending on cost & whether they were interested in Widnes they would have been signed up as priority signings. Last year we had 6 true props this year just the 4. As you say there is time ....... if the finances are there.
Tomkins departure may be announced tomorrow, 1st Nov. Can't see how he can claim his pay and not play, but that's a legal problem. The six props we had were three or four in effect, but I take your point!
The PT state is a problem with a shortage in supply, the players can hold out for more that they normally would I guess. Got to get Levy up and running asap.