If Connor does sign, it will take a major PR effort to address fan concerns. I remember boxing day 2005 when Barrie Mac welcomed Jamie Peacock to the club and did it well, especially as we had just lost the GF to the Dulls. JP had advantages in being a Leeds lad and a childhood Rhinos fan. Connor has way more baggage.

Interesting times ahead. If Connor was going to be signing one of three, I'd be very worried. If he's the first peice of a strategic chess manoeuvre that involves a number of players departing and some very good ones arriving, it could well pay off. What I will say about Connor is that in terms of pure talent he has more than any other member of our squad outside of Croft. History shows that he's never been able to apply it consistently. Arthur is obviously backing himself in that regard.

The way Arthur has set out pre-season may sway potential contract releases. If a contracted quota player thought they were heading home in October for say 8 weeks and that's become 3 to 4 weeks depending on their mindset that may influence giving up a final year of a contract. Its tough being away from home but that's what you sign up for. No way english players would be allowed 2 months off in the NRL off season

Connor is a classic Blease signing. This is exactly how Salford were built: good players who had gone through a poor or difficult spell in their career and were consequently relatively cheap vs their talent levels. That was then married to a coach who could bring them back to their best.

People had better get used to this. We knew how Blease operated when he was brought in, many or most of our signings will be like this - players with a good background signed at a discount for whatever reason.

BTW - If you need a nice talk from JJB or Barrie McDermott to soothe your hurt feelings about a new signing then you deserve the ridicule Leeds fans often get.

Peter Smith reporting that we are prepared to release other contracted players with the first signing likely to be an overseas middle forward. Says no deal has yet been done with Connor, although he doesn't exactly rule it out.

I hope that’s not Bousquet incoming because he looks done to me.

The only exit that concerns me to date is Martin. Connor concerns me because in addition to all the listed issues , he now looks very slow to me. That’s not something Arthur can fix.

I thought his next move would be into the Championship.

As you said earlier we will have to see if this is part of a master plan.

My wider concern is that Blease is tasked by GH on doing all this on the cheap , (loss of Rhyse Martin).

How much evidence do people need that Leeds don't do things "on the cheap"? The limiting factor is the salary cap, nothing else.
We've seen huge transfer fees paid, more than the rest of the league combined and with more potentially to come. We spend up to cap with multiple marquees and take advantage of every exemption to boost spend (e.g. the return of Ryan Hall).

Blease is tasked with getting the most out of the cap with a lot of players already contracted. There is no alternative to him cutting deals and trying to find bargains.

Loss of Rhyse Martin is far more to do with salary cap than ‘doing things on the cheap’ which as pointed out Leeds don’t really do despite it being a common trope

I don’t think we do it on the cheap. And even if we do, Blease at least has a good track record of doing it on the cheap.

Does this mean we're out of the running for Cleary?

Sadly Sangare appears to be involved in the post season training sessions.

I get that Blease is good as a wheeler dealer and am
Pleased we have him.

From last year we have exited Fusitua, Roberts, Donaldson, Olpherts, Johnson, Hudson and Martin and signed Hall. We have also now exited Goudemand

I find it hard to believe we could not pay Martin a few more quid to keep him. I can also believe that Martin has not gone for the money but has gone for a better chance of winning stuff.

Overall though I looked at our squad and Wigan’s and find it hard to believe that we are spending the same money on the cap. IF we are it’s shambolic.

Forgive me
For my cynicism but after 8 years of mainly dross , the prospect of watching Connor whining away next season is not filling me with joy

Sangare did start to look much better under Arthur, small gains but a good off season lose 3-4kg and improve his fitness, could still be a useful player, he us still fairly (26ish) Young and raw

Mixed feelings on Connor, if he's a replacement for Roberts then its a positive.

If Mom goes then there's 3 os spots to fill.

I'm pretty sure there were push/pull factors with Martin other than just money. There's also no doubt that there are a bunch of signings still to come to replace those who have left/will leave. But we'll always be tight against the cap and finding bargains is a big part of Blease's job.

And yes we'll have to accept that things are shambolic on the cap front. Leeds spend the cap and with the board obsessed with winning trophies will continue to do so.