There are some more big changes afoot at Headingley for 2020, although I guess our current relegation threat isn't helping contract negotiations.
Linked again with Joel Thompson after losing out (?) on bid for Westerman. I do like the look of Thompson, and Ferres also quoted today as suspecting this might be his final year at Leeds.
Parcell rumoured to be en route also, which makes me wonder whether we really do plan to run with Dwyer next year and Johnson as back up - seems risky.
Hastings - if he does want the rumoured get-out clause for NRL, I'm not sure that's such a terrible thing. If he's busting a gut to get himself in the shop window, even for a year or two, it's still a big upgrade on what we have now? As long as everything's open book so we can replace him if he goes. Maloney is the wrong side of 30 and carrying a career of injuries, so is that the better play really...?
Still nothing on the impact prop I think we still need though. Ava looks okay but we need another senior book end while Oledski and Holroyd in particular are coming through.

If Hastings wants a get out clause then no point. We need him for five years not five minutes.

I would take Hastings even if we only had him for 2 seasons,much the same as Wigan would should they sign him for 2020

Whoever signs Maloney will only get 2 to 3 seasons at most

This type of approach is fine as long as you have succession planning. Something that has been woeful at Leeds over the last 5 years.

I dont think, and it's not my specialist subject, that we have anyone coming through at 6 or 7 on the academy so if we did get ourself into that position with Hastings we would need to know what our next move was.

McLelland?

Re Hastings, I don't have a problem with a get out clause so long as it can't be activated mid-season - once you start a season you finish it. I'd also insist on the clause only being valid if they provide significant notice as well (i.e. well before the end of the current season) to give Leeds a chance to shop around for a replacement. You cannot do that anywhere near as well mid-season.

www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/ru ... lick_Other

www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/ru ... lick_Other

lunt is finished. stupid signing

That signing wouldn't make any sense. Hes a leader on the pitcg but hes in the twilight of his career

Which is why it makes sense. It frees up quota and salary cap for next season aswell as a defensive hooker who knows the club pretty well coming in.

I know what you mean but it would depend on what the club are trying to do.

If this were to happen it would free up cap space, free up an overseas place and I assume Lunt would be competing with the academy lad to provide cover for Dwyer. I wouldn't want to give him more than 1 year though and then reassess.

It comes back to my previous point about Hastings in that if we were to do this what is the plan for the year after and beyond as you rightly say, Lunt is not the player he was.

Parcell isn't either is he? Lunt's a smart hooker - even if his legs aren't there that might be more beneficial to a team with zero out of halfback than someone who can scoot.

Replacing Parcell with a British player generally makes sense if we want to get Joel Thompson and Hastings. I'd imagine we need to lose one more current overseas player as well as Parcell to accommodate both?