And merchandising is one of the key income streams that we are allowed to spend on the salary cap. I would have thought that would have been more of a priority rather than the utility switching bullpower thing.

Think until recently there wasn't much coordination of action in the back office. Communication wasn't the best.

From what I've heard recently that ought to change for the better soon.

Jay Pitts stays as number 14.

Little surprised at that. I half expected Addy to have the 7 shirt and Pitts to take 13.

Maybe Kavanagh is 13. Or perhaps Mellor may have been rewarded for his clear improvement with that 13 shirt. Or they've put someone else in 7. We'll see..... eventually.

Ok sack that theory. Ben Kavanagh Number 25.

Last one for today. Kris Welham is Number 4.

Number 27 is Jonny Walker.

From the announced numbers so far, I would expect Johnny Campbell will be 26 (since 25, 27 and 28 are all new players)

Hame Lauaki is 21.
Perhaps in honour of his weight in stones last season.

No, it's the length of time he spends on the pitch

I heard they wanted to do that, but Sidlow didn't want to give up his number 10 shirt.

I can only assume from what has been released so far that Mellor has the 13 shirt. If true then I'm pleased for him and that is a big vote of confidence from Jimmy. I'm hoping he has a cracking season and many more beyond that in a Bulls shirt. Another home grown talent that we absolutely need to keep hold of.

I'm assuming Addy will retain the 13 shirt, the idea he'll get no.7 is a joke, surely?

I thought that at first, but somebody needs to fill the 7 shirt and out of what we currently have, who is left? Oscar Thomas is 1 so he can't have it.

Precisely my thinking too. Unless a curve ball gets thrown along the lines of Purtell or Mathers getting 7, I can't see anyone else who could play there, so Addy is the logical one.
Unless they've left 7 free and Mathers will be 34 or something like that.

Jean-Philippe Baile is Number 17.