He's settling in now, like I said on another thread, you would have expected this from a new signing like Galloway. One problem with having Burrow at 9 is that effectively we only have 5 forwards on the pitch and our middle is under defended. A fit Aiton would have made things look so much better.
I thought both of them were very good against Hudds in the league game. Garbutt looks way fitter than last year and starting seems to suit him.

I think it's clear we need a solid defending hooker to rotate with burrow when things need switching up. I think Falloon has been unlucky with injuries but he needs to show what he's got if he is going to earn another year.

Mags and lilley at hb for me unless real quality becomes available. Ratchford is a great shout for me. Get him in next year to work with mags and lilley then he can take over when mags winds down.

Get rid of ferres and achurch. Keep jjb but again we need a succession plan for jjb and Delaney who is held together but determination alone now.

I honestly don't think we need a lot, just two or three additions of genuine quality.

Id be thanking McGuire and giving him his gold watch. It was always going to be a stretch to get much game time out of him this year and this will only get worse when he's a year older. Why the hell we didnt recruit a top quality half back for this year is beyond me given Sinfield was going with McGuire not far behind. Weve got lucky with Lilley although flogging him in this losing side may ultimately do more harm than good. we have a marquee spot so get your chequebook out hetherington

Whilst I think mags has a bit more in him than you give him credit for who do you propose we sign? There is a lack of obtainable quality in general.

Delaney under contract until end of 2018.

well, if he keeps on playing crocked he will be using a walking frame by the end of his current deal.

Hmm two and a half seasons then

Why was it always going to be a stretch to get much game time out of him this year?

He only missed 2 of our 36 games last year, one was rested before Wembley and the other he missed a week from Sneyd's crocodile roll on his ankle.

It was his best run fitness wise since his serious knee injury back in 2010/'11

Backs
Tom Briscoe [2018]
Ashton Golding [2018]
Ryan Hall [2018]
Ashley Handley [2017]
Zak Hardaker [2019]
Jordan Lilley [2016]
Danny McGuire [2017]
Joel Moon [2018]
Liam Sutcliffe [2017]
Kallum Watkins [2019]

Forwards
Mitch Achurch [2016] - Confirmed leaving.
Jordan Baldwinson [2017]
Rob Burrow [2017]
Adam Cuthbertson [2018]
Brett Delaney [2018]
Beau Falloon [2016]
Brett Ferres [2016]
Keith Galloway [2018]
Mitch Garbutt [2019]
Sam Hallas [2016]
Jamie Jones-Buchanan [2016]
Jimmy Keinhorst [2018]
Anthony Mullally [2018]
Brad Singleton [2018]
Josh Walters [2017]
Stevie Ward [2020]

I am not fully up to speed with which team has marquee players this year.
My guesses are only 5 or 6 teams have taken it up
Wigan Tomkins
wire Gidley
Hull FC Pritchard
Catalan Taylor
Salford Lui
Cas McShane

not sure about Salford and Lui but interesting that the others make up the current top 4. Appreciate the return of the prodigal pie munching son is yet to take place (hope Carney and Clarke can contain themselves when it happens). Although Tomkins is yet to lace a boot I wonder if these sides in general benefit from psychological, confidence boost of signing a top player. Can't see us doing it in 2017 - in part due to reduced capacity at Headingley. Interesting to see if saints opt for it next year if they miss out on the 4.
Does anyone know if a club has to announce they have used the marquee rule to sign a player?

Don't think any player has been given the marquee tag......especially not Paul McShane at Castleford.

Makes you think some may almost be too tough, determined for their own good. Trust Leeds are taking his long term well being is to account. Miles better medical care these days than old days of 70/80's "have another injection".

Cheers. I might have got him confused with Liam Finn at Wakey.

Thing with Delaney is, if Ward and Ablett were fit then along with Ferres it wouldn't be a problem if he could only give you maybe 15 games a season. With the starters injured his injury problems are highlighted further.

If you have him on a deal/money that reflected that he probably wouldn't make the starting 17 when everyone is fit but can be a useful/experienced squad member then I'd keep him. You could lose two 2nd rowers from the current squad in Achurch and Walters (maybe JJB will retire too) so if you potentially lose that many back rowers in one go do you let another go at the same time. Don't want to leave yourself short of numbers in today's game, we did last year and it almost cost us because unlike this year numbers 21-25, last year's 21-25 barely played for us.

Delaney himself has said that he's come back too soon a few times. That means he's not doing himself or the team any favours, and the decision needs to be taken away from him - train all week and pass a fitness test and you can play, otherwise sit it out again.

Who knows how many more games he could have played if he wasn't trying to be a hero. He's not the only one who seems to have done that this year, and BM and the fitness staff (who haven't covered themselves in glory this year) should have started doing this way earlier. If they keep doing this we'll be playing injured players right to the end of the season, which is ridiculous.

As for signings, if you want decent NRL you need to be actively talking now, not in a few months time. I think GH has tended to rely as much on luck as judgement in his NRL recruitment, despite his nice annual holidays. Nobody can expect an Ali or even Garbutt to land in your lap every year.