In previous seasons they've been times McDermott has brought players back possibly too soon when we had other options. This year though to be fair, he's not really had the luxury of giving guys extra weeks off, it's been bare bones a lot of weeks.

He has had another option all year. Simply don't pick injured players and, horrors, pick some Academy lads. We'd have lost some games by bigger margins, but in the context of this season so what?

As it is we're on a merry-go-round of players getting injuries, coming back half fit and getting injured again. Its not as if the tactic of picking the walking dead has actually worked.

Like I say, how many of our currently injured squad might be fully fit now had they not been played crocked?

Looks like Rangi Chase could be available.

I would guess every team has used the marquee rule this year, I have been told Leeds is Watkins.

Yet GH said we havent used it but would have for Sam Burgess??
Also unless there's been an extension i dont see how KW could be our Marquee player!

Leeds don't need a marquee extension - you need to be close to the cap to need that - an issue Leeds will never encounter

I don't know how much Watkins earns just what I heard. But it makes sense that if you have someone on your books who you can basically take most of their wage of the cap you would use it. As far as I was aware you can change who you nominate each year?

I may be wrong mate but i read it as signing a new player or a current player extending their deal with a pay rise???

Right didn't know that I just assumed you could use it on anyone who fit over the cap. I didn't hear it from any reliable source or anything so I'm probably wrong!

As I understand it If a player is trained by the club a marquee player takes £175k off the cap and if club trained only £100k. So Wigan only lose £100k on Tomkins and in theory Leeds could use to pay Watkins.
If Leeds do they are probably only paying him just over £100k anyway.

I have been told that Sam's contract at the Wigan Warriors has hardly broken the bank and that he actually wanted to come home

Although I'd guess that he is paid more than any Rhinos player currently

Suppose if Wigan pay him £150k and use marquee rule they buy themselves £50k for other players.
If you really are the man himself, I apologise unreservedly for any comments that may have been misconstrued at the back of the stand in Huddersfield whilst waiting for helicopter to return last year. To be honest I am not sure anyone could accomodate the league leaders shield in such a manner.

Looks like a quality hooker is coming onto the market in a real rush as well. www.zerotackle.com/parramatta-lo ... v5iJxDT.97

Looks like a quality hooker is coming onto the market in a real rush as well. www.zerotackle.com/parramatta-lo ... v5iJxDT.97

Its an odd one. Peats is turning out to be a very good player this year. The Eels will have to find someone willing to pay at least part of his salary if they offload him though, and I can't see many teams would want to do so even if they have cap space.

Nathan Peats has joined the Titans for the remainder of the 2016 season and 2017 with immediate effect.

Does this mean Nathan Friend is now available?