Presumedly the 2 Welsh lads will be pushing for their debut next year too, which pushes Dawson further down the pecking order! Least Charnock has some extra value covering the spine (in particular hooker).

Just makes the contract extension baffling! Reserve team captain?

It depends if they want a "regular" captain or just pick and choose the most senior player each week. I can see someone like Thompson being good for that role in the weeks he isn't in the 1st team.

I'm really hopeful Thompson can re-find his form next year, it would put us in a really strong position in the backrow.

The reserves thing is interesting - by my count we have 32/33 players on the books full time next year as it stands, so we need to pick a few more players, or play u19s

I had huge hopes for Thompson for 2015 and it hasn't panned out. Hopefully he will kick on for next year.

You are so right. He would only come if 2016 was included in the deal.

Why am I not surprised ?

Also hoping we sign a new centre to finish off our squad for next year, but with what we currently have I'd guess our top 25 something like:

1. Lomax
2. Makinson
3. Turner
4. Percival
5. Swift
6. Burns
7. Walsh
8. Walmsley
9. Roby
10. Amor
11. Vea
12. Wilkin
13. LMS
14. Tasi
15. Peyroux
16. Fages
17. Savelio
18. Greenwood
19. Richards
20. Thompson
21. McDonnell
22. Dawson
23. Charnock
24. Knowles
25. Davies

1. Lomax
2. Makinson
3. Turner
4. Percival
5. Swift
6. Burns
7. Walsh
8. Walmsley
9. Roby
10. Amor
11. Vea
12. Wilkin
13. LMS

14. Fages
15. Greenwood
16. Tasi
17. Savelio

18. Richards
19. Thompson
20. McDonnell
21 Dawson.
22. Peyroux
23. Flemming
24. Charnock
25. Ashworth

No point upsetting a player because of a squad number. Percy gets Jones 4 and Walmsley gets Moses 8.

The rest don't have any significance, it will be interesting how high the numbers go up to at the start of the season. We have a pretty big squad next year!

I'm a new poster to the site. It's interesting to see thoughts on our squad composition for 2016.One young player that we saw very little of last year ( I think just the one game v Hull where the whole side were below par ) was Jack Ashworth.Watching him in the under 19's in 2013 & 2014 he was outstanding and very consistent. If we can get him to recapture the form he showed then he could solve our lack of another quality centre.

Hi Jack/Jack's Dad, how are you

My goodness Saddened you caught us / me out how very astute of you!!!

Don't encourage him!

As a point though Ashworths name wasn't among the many many kids announced with new contracts - is he still at the club?

He got a 3 year deal last year, so didn't need a new deal. Maybe Jack's Dad is right, maybe he's quite good if he got a three year deal so young without making an impact on the first team?

I expect the reserves team to be able to answer that question, but I thought he was seen more as a second row?