Whilst I’m sure we aren’t awash with cash if he has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave we could be the richest club in the world and he could still leave. There is nothing to suggest anything else at the moment

Correct.

So these players from Leeds that have been rumoured to be joining for months wouldn't have joined if this deal hadn't happened? Or has it just been sold to look like we are getting something when really we were already getting some loan deals regardless? In any case we are still woefully lacking experience..

How it was explained to me this morning was that Rhys has a clause in his contract that should a Super League club make him an offer he can activate that clause in his contract.

Obviously, Rhys has a close relationship with Richard Agar from their Warrington days, so it's a no brainer for him to take this opportunity which initially is a year loan with the option to join Leeds permanently IF such a move benefits both parties.

Im sure someone will correct me if im wrong but by my reconing regarding outside backs we have lost

Ryan
Webster
Evans
Hitchcox
Grant
Gibson
Rickett (he did play one game at barrow)

And signed
Johnson

Absolutely brilliant...

Yip that’s what you call balancing the books, and even Johnson looks like a over grown pudding

I'm not disputing the clause, I simply wouldn't know if that was true or otherwise. I'm just curious about the linking of the young Leeds players to the deal when it's been rumoured for weeks that we would be taking some young Leeds players. Unless of course this was always the deal but the club just chose to delay the announcement for some reason..

It's this type of BS that I find off putting.

My personal opinion is that if this deal was always on the cards then Evans doesn’t play at Cas. We couldn't afford an injury on Boxing Day to scupper a deal even if the incomings weren’t included. If Evans was going you don’t risk playing him in case he gets injured and then we end up footing his wages as Leeds pull out

So basically he's invoked a clause, we've cut costs further but for some reason made out we are getting these players when they were always likely coming.

The young players: Tom Holroyd, Corey Johnson, Muizz Mustapha etc...

Were indeed rumoured to be outside of this deal.

That's exactly what it is.

If he had a clause in his contract to say he could leave if a Super League team comes knocking, I doubt that clause had a "Providing said club give Bradford a couple of players in return" sub-clause.

Clauses to leave for SL are fairly common place (and understandable). I'm sure if that was just quoted, people would understand and accept it is what it is while the club are in the lower leagues. Making out they're getting something in return is presumably just there to try and appease the outraged that someone may want to leave their beloved club to play at a higher level.

how long was Agar there at Warrington when rhys wasnt on loan?

Let’s not forget that there’s always the possibility that if we don’t play ball over Evans they might decide not to send these lads, depends on how concrete the deal was for the youngsters in terms of signed or just verbal. We seem to have a good relationship with Leeds ATM so maybe both sides are working together. Let’s be honest with no DR looking likely we need a club willing to help us

Is Evans good enough for Leeds? No.

If you were him would you leave a chaotic Bradford if Leeds came knocking? This day and age you sure would...

Is the fact that Leeds want to sign him worrying? It sure is. Surely they can do better??? As our only real ally we don't want them following the path to obscurity.

How exactly we would we not 'play ball' over Evans?

If he has a clause in his contract, and apparently he did, then he has the legal option of just upping and leaving when a SL club comes. Nothing that we can do about it.

It's as Dilligraf says above. The press release links the departure to the Leeds kids coming as a means of assuaging the slavering hordes on Bulls Banter that we are, in some weird way, actually getting a good deal here.

The most worrying aspect of this whole thing is that Leeds have sunk to the level of needing someone like Rhys Evans