To be fair to Merrin I don't think it's him that wants to go back, I think it's more to do with his partner and with her being pregnant it will heighten any homesickness she is having. Having said that it would stick in the throat a little with him coming back and saying he is back and ready to give 100%, it's just a bit off IMO.

But, I'm starting to think like you that it may be better just to get rid now, it can't be good for team morale when the captain is constantly being speculated at leaving.

Give Ward the captaincy with Gale as Captain when Ward gets injured and concentrate on bringing the younger kids who are 100% committed to the club through.

But if we're already talking about Gale being captain 'when' Ward gets injured doesn't that answer the question? You need confidence that a captain will be there week in week out, surely?

It was more of a tongue in cheek comment TBH - with a hint of truth thrown in I suppose.

Should Merrin leave perhaps we won't sign Prior at all. As our Prior-ities will have changed.

We'd have an overseas and a marquee spot available. Can't be wasting an overseas spot on Prior.

Maybe we'd be looking at signing a real class replacement from the NRL for Merrin?

Or a Union convert?

Agreed. If the lad and his parter want to go home, who can blame them. Get it over and done with ASAP. We didn’t pay fee for him , and no Ozzie club will offer a fee so have done. Very different to the Segayaro incident , but highlights my point of what a joke the whole Marquee player thing is......

I do think the club should just have released him and let him stay in Oz and wait for an offer. He clearly will get a contract, we could then have really got things moving on signing front.....

Leeds gave him time to sort things out in oz. Merrin understandably wouldn't just walk away from his contract without a firm offer. Its just unfortunate timing.

But at some stage Leeds have to force a decision.

I think its a load . The Oz press did this all this last season. I think his misses is settling in much better now then what she was.

I honestly hate being a Leeds fan at these times, I’ve heard it all before. Our focus on signing Prior who is a has been and not a great has been, he wants brig money and should be nowhere near marquee status. Leeming will do a job. The Merrin saga just stinks. We should be looking at huge names not. Also we should definitely command a fee he had his chance am sorry but we would have changed our focus am sure if that was the case in him not coming back. This situation is just so underwhelming. Also Gale should be the Captain until Ward has managed to string a few games together without getting injured and I think Gale has some good leadership qualities!

Calling for Gale to be captain ahead of Ward on his injury record is a touch ironic...

I think this whole situation stinks.. The longer we let this rumble on the more it will have a detriment to our 2020 season. I was happy when I discovered that Merrin had agreed to return after he was unable to make his move during the agreed date set by the club. I was also happy with the potential prior signing if we could work him into our cap alongside Merrin and Konrad as marquees BUT if Prior is a direct replacement for Merrin on marquee money I would be very underwhelmed. I'd rather we went to St Helens and temped Thompson or Walmsley with big money. Or go for players such as Liam Watts and David Fifita and offer them big money. They are players who are already based over here in super league

Defo take Walmsley or Watts.