Complete speculation on my part:

JJB = 80k
Ferres = 120k
Ablett = 100k
Donaldson = 50k

All players very likely to be leaving, and that would be 350k freed up. I'd be staggered if the increases given to Walker, Newman and Handley, and the signings Lui, Lunt and Martin were 200k more than the savings of Parcell and Watkins, meaning we would have 150k (or a top quality player) still available on cap space.

If thats the case then we should expect a Darryl Powell type cull which is exactly what happened.
Also IF we stick with this squad 6th/7th at best which if 7th or even 8th keeps is firmly in the bottom 4/5 in a SL of 12 teams.

I think they would like to do that, but don't think for one minute they are doing that, or even on the foot of that ladder yet. There is no way they have the players to do that currently. When it happend before, it wasn't just about the youngsters coming through, it was about who was along side them in the side. That is just as important as the talent of the youngster. We simply do not have that level of player to integrate the players alongside them. Merrin and a fully fit Ward may well be the type you need, but you can't do it with just two.

On top of that, who are the youngsters that are going to take that role of how it happened before? To do it they need integrating early, and playing and learning at opportunities that come. Right now there is only really Walker and Oledski on that route. Holroyd might well have been there, he was introduced early enough, but as someone like Marty as raised on numerous occassions, does he have the mentality to actually make the next step? that is questionable at present. Who are the rest? Broadbent, Walters, and Johnson, are really the only stand outs currently who you think can step up. Mclelland looks ready already, but is overlooked, and that raises doubts on how you follow the previous success blueprint. Where is McLellands mentor if we go that route? he needs that mentor, just like Dunneman was back then. If they were doing what they did before, McLelland would be playing now. We certainly did not hold back with the successfull integration before.

Good post, agree with most of that.

You've missed Newman though, who has shown flashes of the player he might become.

What worked before isn't forced to work again, but when you fill the club with golden era heroes, of course they're going to revert to their own experiences.

Of the young ones coming through, we probably know the best chances: Walker, Oledski, Newman, Holroyd, Johnson, McLelland, Walters, Trout, Broadbent, Stephens, maybe Tindall.

There are some outstanding prosepects coming up behind them with the likes of Edwards and Edgell.

To be fair, that's almost an entire team of very hot prospects - granted not all will make it. You might expect one or two of the others to make progress and push into the frame too.

I totally agree on the mentoring and inspirational role the seniors have though. There are some leaders within the academy lads but they need to be paired with real quality in the first team. That's where your current international players come in, and Leeds has usually had a crop of them - who is there now?

We may have broken some eggs making our survival omelette this year (Parcell, Tui etc). The club may have decided to let a couple of contracts fizzle out naturally rather than force it: next year I think we could lose Dwyer, Myler, Cuthbertson, Peteru.. not sure about Singleton, Briscoe, Sutcliffe.. but in any case a significant extra wedge of cap comes off for 2021 and at least 2 quota spots too. It looks to me like 2021 is the aim of the game.

Hate to say it but GH will still be pulling the purse strings ultimately, you wonder whether he's looking to recoup some of the losses on the Furner debacle. Maybe that's me being naughty though.

I know we are all guessing here but I would think JJB would be on no more than 50kAblett 60kFerrres 90k remember he was sacked and had limited options.Donaldson 40k.i remember being shocked at when Paul Sterling contract was revealed in court.£19 990 IIRC.Heathergton is a tough negotiator
In Senior's book he stated you come out of his office and you feel like you are lucky just to be getting paid.

My thoughts exactly.

Martin, Lui and Lunt in has got to be similar to Watkins, Parcell and Lolohea who went out. Mullally, Walters and Ormonroyd also left mid season which should cover Seumanufagai.

I can’t see how our current 2020 squad is anywhere near the cap

The club has to be run commercially, there's no doubt.

The difference is that in Senior's era, the players had a great chance of winning silverware together every year, which for some made it worth taking less pay than elsewhere.

I've said it before but I think it boils down to GH's stingy nature which has led the club floundering at the bottom of the league three out of four years.

Well spotted, can't believe I forgot about Newman.

And I should balance that by saying that stingy nature was a factor in the most successful period in the club's history too, assembling a side that was probably better than the wage roll.

is Holroyd back playing yet?

It's a decent line up of talent mate, although we both know a few will fall by the wayside.

Also just re. Holroyd, I understand some of the concerns but we can't judge him on a broken/knackered foot. Structural injuries, like Ward's knee, are one of those things and it's not a question of toughness, it's a question of liability and recovery.

When the England Academy played the Aussies I thought Holroyd absolutely gave it to them, I don't have concerns over his toughness.

I'd just like to see the lad fit because he's an animal in the making.

I think Marty spotted him in a boot again, looks like a recurrence?