I was told last week (same bloke that told me Mullaney wasn't training, which proved correct) that a 7 hasn't been signed yet and that the club were on the lookout for one. I noticed Gledhill also tweeted something recently about the club looking in Australia for a new 7, so that would marry up with what I was told.

To me, it looks like Addy or Purtell are the current option for 7 (probably Addy), and if they can find the right available scrum half, that plan then changes. I personally would rather go with Addy at 7 than blow money on a panic buy like Siejka again, although I appreciate we're screwed as soon as we have an injury or two to Addy, Gaskell or Thomas.

Addy is nowhere near consistent enough, or quality enough to be one of our regular halfbacks to get us into SL. He may look good at Championship level but he’s not able to string quality performances together versus SL opposition – much like many of his teammates.

Purtell’s one good game at halfback away at Leigh looks increasingly like enough to get him the job fulltime. Mind you’ll he’s still a better option than Siejka.

Gaskell is more important than ever. I hope we do get a halfback in time for the season starting otherwise we’ll be in the same boat as last year.

It leaves us very dependent on Gaskell remaining fit too, especially when we hit the eights.

Addy would be a far better choice at half back if he would just trust himself more. As it is, he's always a little hesitant and seems in two minds sometimes on the pitch

Is Addy capable of improvng any more? Is Sammut still as good ashe was in 2012/13?

Agree about Addy. He's just a split second too slow in making a decision for HB.

Sammut I would still take. Some players just fit at certain clubs.

Elliott Kear has signed for Salford

I would of taken him back

This. Look at the competition, (including the likely Super 8s competition) and we simply will get nowhere uness our halves can at least compete with those combinations. Purtell is probably my favourite Bulls player, and he does a job wherever he plays, but having him at scrum half as a first choice is just ludicrous.

If we go into next season with the squad as it is in terms of half back, then we're in a worse boat than last season. Seijka didn't work out but he was a last minute gamble that might have paid off, and Mullany could play 7, but now we have no-one except Addy, who whilst I really like needs to be playing 13 and is not consistently good enough at 7 against Mid 8 level sides IMHO. Purtell is a great pro who will put a shift in wherever he's asked I suspect, but hes an outside back, and that's where he should be playing. Lets play our backrowers in the backrow, our outside backs in the outside backs, and lets sign a halfback to play halfback...If Workington or Dewsbury sign Sammut then they'll have one of the top 4 half backs in the league. There was an interesting tweet from JS the other night though regarding boot colours....

Recent HMRC shenanigans suggest that we’re not exactly flush so I’m bracing myself for Purtell and Addy at halfback when Gaskell’s inevitably injured before the 2016 middle 8s.

don't worry bout HMRC, that was 'incorrectly lodged'!!!