Thanks for this.

Whomever the new coach will be, I do get nervous at the hint of wholesale changes to the first team. While I would agree new faces are needed, this is something that neither Agar nor Smith managed well, leaving a roster of contracted players to hamstring the next person in the hot seat.

About half of Smith's tenure was blighted by disruption caused by players unhappy that they weren't wanted or didn't want to play certain positions, from the bench or not be captain (etc), and a handful we wanted to move on but couldn't - including some signed by Smith too (Olpherts as a case in point).

Hopefully the new coach will be honest enough to be transparent with all the playing staff as early as possible so that any ongoing disruption is minimised and does not cast too much of a shadow over the 2025 season.

Yes good post.

The reality is we can’t do wholesale changes because of contracts and cap. I guess he is just establishing how much backing he can expect when ultimately it’s his head and reputation.

He seems very direct, may be just what we need but I don’t think he’ll mess about.

I would think the first things he'll want to change is the pack.We need a line bending prop and some size in the back row

I don't think it needs wholesale changes, it really doesn't. The pack is undoubtedly the number one area to improve. As many agree, it needs much more power adding right through it.

Dropping fusi,Donaldson, olpherts, Roberts? myler ( in this year?) Plus maybe Martin.

Add in that sky had us 300£k ish under cap?.

Only added Hall on a 1yr deal who you'd assume won't be on a huge deal / might qualify for academy dispensation cap thing?.

Adding a big prop and eseh/ power back rower (if we lose Martin )will fill some holes and if the young centre does well we at least have credible back up for Newman ,especially if Martin leaves.

Add in a good coach and we aren't in a bad place.

I don't think we're 300k under the cap. We ( according to Sky) are actually 500k over it, with a mixture of cap deductions like club trained and marquee players keeping us on it and maybe just under. However, our spend on players is considerably less than Wigan, Catalans, and Wire. That's why the whole thing has become farcical.

Thanks for the explanation, still if they can do it we should be able to as well.

Wigan's spend was reported at £3.1m, Catalans at £3.0, Saints Huddersfield and Leeds at £2.7m. All these clubs will spend very close to cap and the difference in the total is how much they pay their marquee players. There certainly isn't a huge amount of unspent cap at Headingley.

We have a few going off contract, including Fusi and Martin For quota spots.

For those not off contract, if I was coming in I would be saying to Lisone go back and be with your mrs in Aus, to frawley you aren’t going to play in front of Sinfield and to bentley you aren’t going to get in ahead of who we bring in.

Even without the three above you have room, with the three above you have more room, and one more quota spot.


We have hall to replace Fusi, saving money.
We replace Martin with a back row with size and some bang in D (McDonnell and that player is a much better mix for what we need) likely similar money.
Extra quota spot and money on a big starting prop to play with Mik. 200 meters a game, plays good minutes and can bang a bit in D.
On the others Sinfield is here so no money if frawley went as don’t need to replace.
Bentley - replaced internally with Gannon, back Ruan, Littlewood.
Lisone - replaced with another oversees prop, who plays longer minutes. I like Lisone but he plays such short bursts and never performs against a decent pack.

Part of the issue with our front row is the lack of size in our back row. If we had a a Sironen / Matau'tia style player in the BR, it would relieve pressure on the pack. Would love both, but think we can still improve a lot with one. If we bag Brad Arthur, it would be great to bring across a FR from the Eels, or even a BR like Shaun Lane.

I think there is a lot of overhype about Sinfield Jr. There is certainly potential, but I haven't seen anything to suggest that he is ready to start as the first-choice half-back. If he didn't have the surname he has, then I don't think there would be half as much clamour for him to be in the team.

What are your thoughts? Do you think he's being pushed too quickly, or do you believe he's ready to step up?

I don't think it can be said that Jack has been pushed too quickly. He has only made two appearances all year. I think the club is doing the right thing with him I don't think he is ready for SL week in and week out.

Hopefully, he will be in the 17 against London.

Agree with lots above. Bit of an out of body experience.

It's highly likely Fus will be moved on, but if he does by miracle stay fit the rest of this year and play into form, and he'll take sensible money to stay, I wouldn't be surprised if we offered him another year depending on who else is available, if Martin goes etc. It's likely we will need at least 2 quota spots in reality though to fix our immediate problems.

Again if we can sign Eseh, and assuming we have Hudson and one or two other fit and more ready to play SL, we could probably sign just one really good prop who's at the Mik+ level and we'd be different gravy up front. One big back rower to partner workhorse McDonnell, and some more pressure on Smith with the likes of Gannon.. I think we have issues in the centres still - elephant in the room again is Newman, he's not been great again this season. Mom has some time but he hasn't blown my socks off either.

Yes, let's give Fusitua a new contract....