They've certainly not announced the signing and did have him as a trialist on the squad list for the game. Could be that he was just wearing a random unallocated number, could be that it's the number he'll get if his trial is successful. I certainly wouldn't count it as nailed on, but looks likely if he's signed.

What position did King play and how did he do?

Alex Brown is 32.

So 14, 20, 21, 22 & 23 are all free, but they gave him 32?

Even if there's a couple of signings lined up for a couple of those numbers, that doesn't feel like a vote of confidence to Alex.

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There's still a couple of players to be announced, who I suspect will take those numbers.

He came on as sub and seemed to play in the backrow. He's a very tall lad. Looks like he could do with a bit more muscle but he went ok without standing out. Needs another few chances I think.

I've put them into number order for you, minus the Twitter and YouTube links cause I couldn't be pd finding them all, copy and pasting etc.

Seems we have 5/6 players missing from the squad. Let's hope Kear can bring them in.

(1) Lee Smith - 2018
(2) Ethan Ryan - 2019
(3) Ashley Gibson - 2018
(4) Ross Oakes – 2019
(5) Dalton Grant - 2018
(6) Joe Keyes - 2019
(7) Dane Chisholm – 2019
(icon_cool.gif Liam Kirk – 2019
(9) Sam Hallas - 2019
(10) Steve Crossley - 2019
(11) Matt Garside - 2019
(12) Elliott Minchella - 2019
(13) George Milton - 2019
(14)
(15) Callum Bustin - 2018 LOANEE - May be recalled
(16
(17) Ross Peltier - 2019
(1icon_cool.gif Liam Johnson - 2018 LOANEE - May be recalled
(19) Mikey Wood - 2018 LOANEE - May be recalled
(20)
(21)
(22)
(23)
(24) Brandon Pickersgill - 2019
(25) Josh Rickett - 2019
(26) Vila Halafihi - 2019
(27) Reiss Butterworth – 2020
(2icon_cool.gif James Davies - 2018
(29) Evan Hodgson – 2020
(30) Jamel Goodall - 2018
(31) Oliver Wilson – 2020
(32) Alex Brown - 2018
(33) Rowan Milnes - 2020

Are the players already signed or have we still to sign em?

Are you sure? John Keats interview in today's T & A does not give that impression.

To be fair, I'd be surprised if he said any different. "The kids are our future, and played incredibly in the friendly, but let's see who else we can sign...". Any player we sign will be "too good to pass up".

Bullnorthern is right though. Kear makes out like nobody else is signed and unannounced, which is in contrast to what Mick said.

All I know is that in the Friday forum aaron bower does say they should sign a couple more as he knows Kear does have a few irons in the fire.

It's also pretty much what the T&A were saying earlier on, though to be fair when there are squad numbers not filled, you have to assume there is a plan to fill them. Maybe the plan is to promote some of the young guns into starters after the 'friendlies' have sorted them out a bit?

To be fair, I would normally worry about putting too much pressure on the kids but I feel safe with the current management.

Yes, me too Bulliac, have done since they said the academy is the future and then put money into it, not just paying lip service to it because it was a requirement of getting RL membership. That implies a long term plan for the kids in that academy/squad. But it requires sufficient experienced players to ensure that they do not need to be called on too often, have we got enough of them across the positions?

It will be interesting to see if Kear does get anyone in, what I am not sure about as the squad numbers above 13 don't necessarily indicate, is how many out and out props do we have, not "utility" props ie could be LF or second row (or wing) . Anybody got any idea? Peltier of course, is Bustin a prop etc etc?

Interesting comment from Beattie on coaching the team last season, about it being a bit difficult when you only have 8 players available for training. might just explain a few performances that looked a bit less committed than usual, you can hardly put a "crocked rating" against each player in the squad announcement can you, an invitation to run at them and increase that rating from kick off.

On 30/12/17 Frank Whitcombe said “ New player coming in this week, not a loan I’m told” - see Strongest 17 thread. Looks as though both he and Mick could be in error.