Bateman extension and i will be delighted. A key building block in our future plans.

If Bateman has signed an extension then that's great news.

Personally, I'd like the club to try and make him the face of the club. A Robbie Paul for a new era sort of thing

Regarding the non federation situation what about elima ? Was he federation couldn't it be that that hi the one gap we need and nas slips into that non fed spot ?

Great, we go from Robbie Paul to a guy with a rats tail and crooked teeth as a poster boy.

Lets leave John to just his best attribute, his rugby!

I suspect with a smaller pot to play with despite being able to use the full SC, the Club are concentrating on making sure the higher profile contracts are sorted first, Shaun for whatever reason may be down the order on that list. It's a difficult juggling act for the Club and with no actual RL experienced Manager negotiating the contracts Agents will be trying it on as well! Patience will be needed at the moment, but we forget we go through this every off season!

hopefully JB's contract extension a done deal will free up the log jam and we will see what the plans are for wingers props and half backs.

I am curious would it be worth snapping Joe Mellor up now as a stand off or seven he would provide some cover and competition even if not first choice - gaskell i agree could be the best option but AFAWK it could be a shot in the dark and not happening. I think maybe Gareth O'Brien (more of a 7 I know but he may be available for a loan) or there was the young 6-7 at catalan who impressed for france end of 2011 but i cant remeber his name.

I would like ideally Sammut but I understand that may be an impossible option and I like Cain but promoting him to first choice 6 with so little experience and nobody ready to help if needed it will be difficult.

Also curious - when the jeffries rumours were rife early on I remember hearing disco was retiring this year?? we have heard no more and I am hopefull he plays on but we will see.

I'm 99% sure Diskin's going around again in 2013.

french players count as fed trained so doesnt help sammuts non-fed trained status. Only reason we could fit both Nas and sammut under quota this year was because sammut had a dispensation, which made fed trained, but it only lasted for duration of the first contract he signed after leaving crusaders. If we'd known at time we signed him that RFL were going to give crusaders players dispensation we'd have signed him with an option for further years after the initial one to allow us to keep the dispensation going but we were caught out by the timing of us signing him a day or so before the dispensations were announced. Iirc we had to argue long and hard with RFL just to get them to give him the dispensation for 2012 season.

Other thing to remember is that this normally goes on behind the scenes over a much longer period and all we see off it are re-signings being announced during season. This year we couldnt start talking to the players agents until a couple of weeks ago so everythings being done in a higher pressure enviroment.

suspect there also might be an element of marketing in timing of announcements too. Players have been manning ticket office last couple of weeks but they all disappear next week for their annual breaks. Theres still 4 weeks till early bird deadline during which club need to keep interest up to keep people buying tickets. A steady trickle of signings/re-signings over that period certainly wont hurt in keeping clubs profile up.

Finch back to Melbourne, maybe we should move for Widdop? He is a Bulls fan after all

Elima began his career with Cas before moving to Wakey as a teenager so he would still have counted as fed trained regardless of whether French players count or not.

RE Sammutt, we had him signed this year off quota as granted by the rfl. Have they confirmed that if he is resigned (or any of the other ex crusaders players for that matter) that he is definitely on quota? I can't remember any official announcement from the rfl either way... I may be wrong though?

Was made clear at time the dispensations were only for the duration of first contract signed after crusaders. Extension would count as 2nd contract and would get dispensation.
Only way we can keep sammut is if we either don't re-sign nas OR one of Kearney,l'estrange,Lulia or purtell is released.

As Finch has re-signed for Storm, it would be harder for Widdop to get in the team. Gareth Widdop would be an amazing signing, and he plays in a position where we are short in numbers. I'd love him in a Bulls shirt.

By the way, doubt any of L'Estrange, Kearney, Lulia or Purtell would be released, all quality players.