There will be a full review during this season/at season end where changes will be made if needed I'm sure. I do look at Castleford's set-up with some envy; they of all clubs bring half backs through the best IMO, and develop a very high skill level across the team. Is it Orr and Sheridan behind the scenes there?

The more I think about it, the more I think we haven't had our academy set up quite right for a number of years. It takes maybe 5 years for your seeds to develop and we've probably been paying the price for mistakes made there from some time ago - albeit we may just have gone through a lean patch with quality players generally, they don't come reliably off the production line but often in waves.

I suspect we got an early march with the academy and were clearly the best for a while, but then other clubs outspent us/caught up a bit with facilities and as we were winning titles, we probably didn't keep our eye on it enough. Then when you see the problem in the first team (c.2016?), you're suddenly 5 years off fixing it again because you got complacent. We look about 2 years into that 5 to me.

That is my pet theory anyway - of course there are myriad factors, including some Lady Luck.

Yippee....we agree on something. and yes JJB and Ablett are well past there best and like Golding would at give 100% effort.

Golding is available to leave the club, if the right offer for him comes across. This was confirmed by Pete Smith on YEP

That might be true, but it would be a mistake in my eyes if so.

I'm not fussed about Golding, and at this stage concede that it is probably in everyone's interests for him to leave the club.

I agree he has the right attitude, and has been good for us defensively in the past (esp. 2017). Last season, however, his defence was not as good as some would make it out to be, and at times he seemed without much confidence.

There's maybe an argument for giving him a wing spot over Handley (or FB if Walker and Lolohea get injured), but this isn't going to fundamentally change much. Never mind hooker, it's a shame Golding's not an organising half-back, that's what we need (his pace and enthusiasm would be assets).