Agreed. We shall see won't we....it will be very interesting.

You've misunderstood me there.

It was a 'fortunate the video ref was there' moment not a fortunate decision. It was the correct call but had the game not been televised it would almost certainly have been given IMO. From that moment a Leeds comeback would have been a difficult ask.




You also know that Carmont was voted one of the two best centres in SL last season yet always fail to include him on Wigan's list of antipodean buys around that time.

Strange that.

Isn't it.

I suppose if you adopt a scatter gun approach to signings like they've done and many advocate we should you'll get one right eventually.

But if you're selective like us you'll get far more right than you get wrong.

I've always thought Pat Richards has offered good value to Wigan once he'd settled in.

There's selective and then there's only signing Danny Buderus.

We [isigned[/i Buderus [iand[/i Eastwood.

As a kicking winger who can play full back yes. As a winger who can play full back it would depend on what wedge he's getting. Would he compare favourably to Smith/Donald?

As a winger, on the field yes and yes.

This is wonderful news regarding Eastwood, when does he arrive?

After Hull lost the services of Michael Crocker (in similar circumstances and timing to Eastwood) they went out and managed to secure Sam Moa and Epalahame Lauaki and at least one of those has had his Visa approved and is over here and playing now.

Remind me who runs the Hull club?

If they can actively seek late signings to cover a disappointment, why can't Leeds? What have Hull got that Leeds haven't? Ambition?

Ah, Hull are the shining example we should follow now. I see.

They have won the CC more recently than us, I'll give you that.

How did those lads play in Hulls defeat to Cas last weekend?

I do share the view that we are indeed one world class player down on what our coach had originally intended for the season.

If, as seems to be the case, there is little prospect of signing a player of similar class then the question becomes - 'can we get away with it for the season?'

Well we may - if as seems to be the case - the standards in the UK continue to stay at the current relatively low levels.

We don't have a prop at the moment who can score a 70 yard try at Knowlsley Road..

Didn't Willie P retire as well? I can't remember. We also lost Diskin for most of that year with his knee. Not really left the club but really didn't recover form for 2-3 years.

In regards sorting out their squad I would argue it'd be a good place to start. Being pro-active beats throwing your hands up and saying what do you expect me to do guv'nor. What especially irks is their chairperson is known to our CEO.



And appeared in CC final more recent than Leeds also despite fielding an ineligible player in two early rounds. Quality work by the club there, turning a negative into a financial windfall.



Hull were second bottom last season and so far are equal top with Leeds this year. Cas on the other hand were rock bottom and are currently 6th having lost two games which they should have really won, so a big improvement there also on the back of some astute recruitment.

Whilst we shouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater regarding the loss of Eastwood, and the untimely injuries to Smith and Bailey, it's fair to say that we could afford to have some more depth and quality to our squad, should we choose to do so.

It seems that GH is either unwilling or unable to prise the players that would improve our chances from their current clubs.

I'm not in favour of signing "anyone" to give players a rest etc, but I'm also not sure that we have "turned every stone" in our search for more firepower in either the front row or the centres.

I don't believe that with our current squad we have "no chance" of silverware this year, we have too much remaining quality for that, but I do believe that we could enhance our chances by signing a quality prop or centre.