Ollie Davies signed.

Good signing of just the right age and experience, just what we needed in the pack.

Just glad it's only for 12 months with no SL release clause the way things are these days.

Other than against us i haven't seen too much of Olly playing wise but we do need composition for Kav and Gee so hopefully he can do the job for us.

Everyone having a meltdown thinking we’re signing Connor Davies when it’s in fact Ollie!

Well we definitely needed a second row so that's a positive. Don't know anything about him but a squad player released by Widnes is hardly a statement of intent. In fairness recruitment last couple of years based on our crowds and the lack of a wealthy benefactor has been much better than we perhaps should have expected. Looks like this season we may be due a dose of reality with new signings. Before we get too fixated on new signings/suicidal - weirdly with Adam O'brien signing I think we've got the best spine we've had for years, and potentially one of the best in the division. Still light in the back row, and if Walmsley and Mazen have gone think we could definitely do with another centre and winger.

More incomings next week according to the additional comments in the Oli Davies signing post.

The 3 new signings have made quite a difference I suppose. First choice pack imo would be: Calcott, AOB, Douglas, Kav, Gee, Fairbank ........ with Inman, Tangatta, Olly and Lannon on the bench., leaving Larroyer, Murray and Moore as cover. Strong pack that!

I would argue that Calcott should not be in that group, I think he has improved loads and been our best prop last season. I'm a big Murray fan but thought he was below par last season but the rest I would take some convincing that if we could get someone cheaper that we shouldn't do that. I guess value for money comes in to it as well with Larroyer on pennies and Moore in the top 3 earners.

Whitehaven announcing a new signing this evening which very disappointingly is likely to finally confirm Maizens departure. I've not really seen any speculation about new backs - Hankinson not yet confirmed by Fev would be a fantastic signing but unfortunately likely to be well outside our price range.

Not Maizen, it's Owen McCarron (never heard of him!). On the subject of Maizen, not sure why some are so desperate for him to stay. For me he showed nothing in his few appearances. Probably the second most disappointing signing after Maher.

I think as a winger he could have been very good for us but seemed like madness to sign him with the intention of him replacing Arundel and Worthington. He's not a centre at this level in a million years, I would say the same for McComb as well, a good squad player but if he starts a lot of games for us this coming season at centre it will be a struggle.

Just my opinion on a couple of names mentioned regarding the squad.

Calcott is one of the better up and coming props in the division and is worth either a regular starting spot or certainly in our 17 as he is now and with loads of room for improvement the best is yet to come so defo worth hanging on to.

I always look beyond just the individual to job you want then to do and the role you want them to play and hoped Maizen would be staying and be played on the wing outside of Crookes who has the pass and Jakes got the speed to form a dangerous partnership.

So far the overall the quality and commitment of the incomings are all in the right direction.

https://x.com/m_shaw1/status/1721604706 ... KKcNIJrHDA

https://x.com/m_shaw1/status/1721604706 ... KKcNIJrHDA