You'd hope so but even still if he goes mid season someone needs to come in and that's the issue.

It wouldn’t be ideal, but knowing we have a full marquee allowance for 2020 in good time might help us make a better decision, and maybe recruit a player in a more vital position. Ward and Smith are both good at 13. We’d do better IMHO with an NRL grade prop and/or high impact second row.

All very true though the primary concern is staying up this year and losing the best forward we have in a weak pack isn't going to strengthen that cause.

If the unthinkable happens and we get relegated i would think all the top earners will be leaving

Yes. I guess if Ward comes back and can stay fit, that might mitigate things - but even that is a long shot with his record.

Looking at the table, trying to be positive still, I do believe we are a better side than three or four above us currently. I’d be happier about Cas at home if it wasn’t off the back of a short turnaround trip to France.

Take Ferres with you.

If he does go back to NRL there'd surely be a fairly sizable fee involved with him being at the start of a marquee contract? (Even if he doesn't want to be here)?

Merrin has totally denied the rumours, I would hope he is true to his word, at the very least I'd hope he would see out his first year. Both he and Hurrell have been our only positive points of a rubbish start!

You should easily have a team good enough to be comfortably mid table. I would be happier about Thursday if we hadn't had our asses handed to us last Friday. Hopefully it will be a reality check rather than a confidence crusher.

Of course, another part of the vicious circle is that no good NRL or SL player is going to sign to play Championship with Leeds next year. We really have to get out of real danger with enough time to build for 2020.

Too often when it comes to looking at the NRL GH has left it way too late in the year, although I'd say a lot of that is down to wanting bargain bin players. The risk this year is signing someone as an emergency measure but signing them for 3 or more years to get them to go, and being stuck with a lemon.

Its all gone very quiet WRT the Sharks prop. Could mean something or nothing.

I’d assumed that one’s dead. If he’s not keen we don’t need to persuade.
G Burgess, J Maloney would do me for next year.