Well now this has settled and Leeds have missed out, what next for us?

It's clear we have a sizeable transfer pot, plenty of room on the salary cap along with the marquee player rule etc... should we now go with what we've got or do we say right, lets have another look and see if we can make a major star signing ?

Thoughts from our resident NRL experts on who if anyone would be 'gettable' or even anyone in SL ? and thoughts on what we think will happen.. are we keeping our powder dry for when Danny Mags and Burrow retire?

Go with what we have. Burgess was always going to be a luxury/Fantasy Signing were it to come to fruition.The most important signing for us going into next year imo was the capture of Faloon.Our squad looks pretty good when you consider the players who have just left it.

It's good to know we appear to have the resources to go after the very best, and if another superstar became available hopefully we could be in the mix. Otherwise, i'm happy with the squad.

Can't see Leeds making a signing for the sake of it. Would need to be someone who would significantly improve the current squad or represent a major publicity coup, and unless one of the current non Federation trained players leaves it would have to be someone from the UK.

That said, if Achurch could be found a job back in the NRL somewhere I wouldn't be above making a cheeky little enquiry about SBW.

Is SBW staying in Union? I would imagine his work there is done now with 2 WC wins.

They pulled out of signing Westerman because they thought they would get a deal done with Burgess. Either way the club wanted a ball playing forward. I would agree with the club, and don't see the need any less now than what it was a month back.

Depends on whether acquiring Westerman's offloading ability was the club's main aim. We're hardly the weakest in that department; might the club not merely have seen him as a decent tackler who could also offload a bit? If so, they may be looking for a hard hitter who can bolster the defence until such time as ward and JJB are fit.

I said on the other thread Burgess was a fluid situation we responded to rather than a plan and Hetherington would be better keeping his powder dry this year.

The slim pickings available now will more than likely be wanting 2/3 year deals and whilst we might get a decent player it would pretty much rule us out of the some of the quality players off contract next year. The marquee exemption coming in in June this year didn't give clubs much or a run at the best off contract players. Next year we can.

If I'm dreaming Klemmer, Papilii, Cornder or Tamou.

More realistically Cronk might want a few years over here on big money, maybe Segayaro can be convinced. Halatau? Sims? Elijah Taylor? Hodgson? Someone is going to fall into the T-rex trap.

Apparently SBW wants to play 7's in the next Olympics, so will be staying in RU.

After hat I can see him going back to RL for the WC.

I still would not be averse to us signing Widdop on a 2/3 year deal.
His presence would allow Sutcliffe/Lilley to develop without needing to play every game & provide excellent cover should an aging McGuire and/or Burrow succumb to further injuries.
He would also solve the immediate issue of the goalkicker even though I believe Hardaker could fulfil that role.

I think that Souths will need to offload some to make room on their cap - talks of Chris McQueen who would be a good back row, or dare i say John Sutton.

A player who I'd like Leeds to sign is Mike McMeekin from Cas, a big, young, metre making 2nd rower with so much potential.

As for our actual recruitment, I'd be surprised if we signed anyone else for 2016 now that we've missed out on Burgess.
Looking to 2017, though, it gets interesting. If Falloon doesn't go the same way as the Hindenburg then will he get another deal, or are there other plans regarding a long term number 9, the Clark rumours won't go away, and there're a couple of quality NRL hookers available.

Also, depending on whom you believe Brierly has already signed.

I think we'll also try and strengthen in the back row, but I'm not sure whom we'll go for.

Clark's an interesting one. I don't think he had as bad a season as some claim but nonetheless he was a few notches down from his 2014 standards. A lot hinges on 2016; would we even want him should his form fall any further? Of course he could match or better the 2014 version - and he is, of course, contracted to warrington. I'm not sure that GH or B McD would be in the business of unsettling a player, given past relationships with Tony Smith.

I'd love to see Clarke at some point or Widdop. I've a funny feeling Widdop may sign for 2017.