All three loanees offer strength in depth and are actually proving to be decent players at this level. Don't think Wood is likely to return as he seems quite low in the pecking order, as does Johnson. Bustin however looks a real handful and I could see him back in the fold at Cas if they pick up a few knocks in the forwards.

Thankfully Cas have just signed another prop. Although admittedly he'll probably be suspended for most of the season.

Plus they've got Mitch Clark out on loan as well.

A couple of changes this week. My lads starting on the bench

It is interesting that the idea of two SL groups of 10 seems to be getting accepted as a "done deal" (not by Frank) as if we are being told unofficially to get us ready.
Phil Caplan - who I really like listening to says it has been leaked that it will be 2 tens with one up and one down. Clubs also need to pass the criteria of reserve teams etc which is handy as AC is building ours up - what a coincidence! The rest of the clubs will get nothing and have to learn to survive which will be tough on them.
It was in the interview with the Keighley coach when he said it was vital they get into the top 20 which made me think at the time why would he give such a definitive statement like that out of the blue unless he was already aware of something.
This links nicely with the Doctors' statement that we will be back in SL within 3 years - although it looks like SL2.

Have you had a word with Kear to calm his try scoring down to stop it costing you money?

I don't see any comparison with 2017, to be honest. We've just three loanees - not half the team,(the better half at that) - and we could easily withstand losing one of them without falling apart. Though, with Alex Brown apparently off the books, it may well be that we have space on our self-imposed cap to bring in another body?

Huddersfield may be the biggest 'worry', given the way they played last night and the fact we have two of theirs..

This could do with it's own topic as its such a big topic of conversation which would have a massive impact on so many clubs. I just wanted to point a few things out.

If the top 20 thing does come about, I don't feel it would be necessarily the end of the remaining clubs. They would be in the same boat as every other true amateur club in the sense that they live off what they earn. The only difference with certain League 1 and NCL clubs is that one group heavily relies on central funding topped up with a bit of fundraising whilst the other group are heavily invested in finding ways to squeeze every opportunity to generate revenue.

The second thing is I don't believe AC was in the know as most believe. He may have been tipped off that changes were happening, but this is a new concept. At the first fans meeting AC said he believed SL would return to a franchise model and this was what he was aiming to build the club towards. A top 20 with one up/one down is not that and therefore another sign that we are not going to get any magic helping hand (just like after the rumours of league structures changing to accommodate us in the Championship this year).

Does anyone know if the game is still going ahead?
As the weather appears to be doing it's best to prevent it at the moment

No snow has settled in Leeds City Centre as yet. Whether it has in Beeston or not, I'm not sure.

Frozen pitch is the issue rather than snow.

Oh Frozen Shmozen. Back in my day we played on frozen fields for the fun of it.

Hunslet have borrowed Bulls
frost covers so that may help.

Good news. I am surprised given the forecast, and the need to play this game ASAP, they didn't rearrange the fixture for today or Friday.