Well we seem to be doing fine with the youth at the minute. Running fourth in the comp, with a possibility of catching third, maybe second. We're in the quarters of the Challenge cup. Doesn't seem to bad to me. I think it was Alan Hansen who said you never win anything with youth, I think Sir Alex and the lads proved that is not the case. Lets just wait and see how it goes before we cast off these youngsters as not good enough to wear the red Vee

I was about to disagree with you and then spotted the Flannery re-signs thread.

Now I can understand your thinking

Physical maturity plays a much bigger part in RL, though. Too many kids (unless they're physical freaks) in one squad mean they'll just get pushed off the park.

Am I correct in thinking that who ever you sign from now on has to be British, because you overseas quota for next year is already full?

I think so - Perry/Lance/Laffranchi/Soliola/TP = 5 non-fed.

Flannery/Meli signed pre-08 so don't count on the non-fed quota.

Anyone know what the 2008 non-fed cut off date was? TP signed in April 2008 I think. If TP is exempt, then we have a space, otherwise we're done.

I hope we're done anyway - 7 is 2 too many in my opinion and the sooner the exemptions all expire the better.

They don't need a game breaker, we just need someone who's heavy and hard working to carrythings on for 40 minutes a game. That why I mentioned Dowes, who's OOC.

Perry/LMS/Laffranchi/Clough are our front 4 and we certainly need someone else alongside Magennis/TP who can step in.

Starting pack and bench still v strong IMO, but sorely lacking after that (sound familiar?!)

Perry
Roby
Laffranchi
Soliola
Flannery
Wilkin

LMS
TP
Clough
Moore

2 or 3 injuries in the pack would cause problems.

Dowes is not a bad call. Does suffer from quite a lot of injury's though. Is that a quality you look for in new recruit's?

I think he can play both, but Royce likes to start a prop at 13, so I think you'll find Laffranchi starting here and playing up the middle, perhaps for extended minutes. Our lack of depth combined with the fact that royce starts 3 props means we're getting very little impact off the bench from our junior backrows.
You could get by with 3 props starting and 1 on the bench if your had 2 muscular backrows to bring on, but at the moment our bench is scott moore (who does up the auntie when he's introduce), a back and then two of Ashurst/Dixon/Magennis. This lack of strength is crucifying us in the big games imo.

Good post. I think looking at your pack next year, the above's the only way to go for you guy's.

OT: I know it's a tactic that's slowly creeping into our game, but I must say I'm not a fan of playing props at 13. I know Gallen plays it for club and country in Auz, and successfully. But good loose forwards are hard to find as it is. I really hope this isn't the death knell for lock forwards. It really would be a shame to see the likes of Farrel, Sculthorpe and Lockers disappear from our game.

After all there's already concerns that our games becoming to monotonous as it is. Another grunter at 13 isn't going to help rugby league's course.

Incidentally there's cracking article by Millward in this week's League Weekly about Lockers and the role a good 13 can provide to a team.

Royce has not ruled out any new signings but he needs to tie up the youngsters to new deals first before looking?