We would still need £150k spare cap which i doubt we have. Thompson is on over £400k in Aus a figure i doubt we can afford to get near.Next season we have plenty of players off contract so it should be possible then to sign a marquee player.

The loss of income caused by covid probably puts him out of range, but I'd ask the question, because he must be getting f(kd off with having to get vaccinated when he didn't want to, and club trying to shop him. He might just have had enough, want to come home, and be willing to take a pay cut on 1yr deal.

I think there's a lot of questions about his attitude that might put us off signing him even if there were the cap space.

There is always a balance between the quality of the player and the baggage they bring isn't there?

I think Thompson is a really good prop but we could get better value for money. I'd like us to find a Chris Satae-type player, who is just massive and difficult down the centre field.

Personally I think the 6-again rule has been over-egged and rugby league will always be a game about power down the middle. You are always more likely to concede in D than in attack, so if your forwards are dominant you're more likely to be on the beneficial end of 6-agains - virtuous cycle. You go with a more "mobile" pack, get rolled and start conceding, and then your "fitter" side is knackered because you're defending most of the 6-agains. You create what you're trying to avoid by trying to avoid it.

It's a tough one whether Fusitu'a was the right call ahead of a prop. Be very interested to see how Kane Evans and Dylan Napa go this season.

Another prop is on just about everybody's shopping list, but worth remembering that we dominated a lot of sides down the middle last season and struggled to convert that into points. Fusitu'a, even if he is 85% of the 2018 version, is a far more athletic winger than either of the Briscoes. Get him fit and happy and he might win us a load of games.

I suspect we simply couldn't interest a prop of the required quality. Agar stated we were looking on more than one occasion. If that's right then I have no problem with us having signed Fusitu'a. Jim is right in that power down the middle will always have its place in RL. I'd say it's equally true that sides that offer nowt else might compete but rarely win trophies.

I feel like we've complaining about needing a new prop since 2006.

I feel we need to add an established prop to the squad but we need to also bare in mind that it usually takes a season or so for NRL props to transition to super league

I certainly wouldn’t want us to bring in an NRL prop into a marquee slot

Hopefully you’re right. I felt we dropped off down the middle significantly when Mik got injured and Prior went down with COVID and a form dip. You would like to think with our new half-backs we should create far more for the outside backs when we do get into good ball, whoever is playing there.

One thing we need to do this season is execute with higher skill. The amount of errors in us has still been a big problem.

Really looking forward to seeing Fusitu’a in action.

I'd pinpoint it to that day we released Luke Burgess and Ben Cross on the same day, mid season, in 2011

Ahh, Ben Cross.

(Stares wistfully into distance)

One of the reasons we lost the 2005 cup final, in my opinion. Not JJB’s fault, but Tony Smith’s

Ahh indeed.........absolutely dreadful

I still think everyone mistook Ben Cross for the far better Ben Ross. The guy basically blagged a career, including rather unbelievably getting selected for NSW.