The club looked at McNally when Huddersfield signed him and decided he wasn't good enough. I believe Leeds also made the same decision, don't see what will have changed since then.

Precisely why you shouldn't read the T&A forum.

Was it posted by "Birkybull" if so disregard immediately!

Giants were creaming their pants when they signed him too.

nope wasnt that idiot. realised ages ago he doesnt have a clue. was someone I havent seen before, digby I think. Just seemed interesting because if true it would make sense of sibbit signing. cant see point off adding another 2nd row to salary cap given number we already have.

Paul Cooke has been released by Wakefield, but haven't heard where he's going - it's not us by any chance is it?

I bloody well hope not. Rather stick with Sykes and Addy in the halves that sign that @rse.

Wonder if Sherwin could be in the frame if Orford is leaving.
He's been a good SH.

Let's not ruin this year recruitment by signing wasters like Paul Cooke. I don't think he is the sort of player Mick Potter will be looking for.

was adecent SH. too injury prone to my mind and not getting any younger these days. If we really cant do any better wouldnt like to see him on anything more than a 1 yr deal, purely as a stop gap.

Decent is an understatement IMO. Deffo knocking on, but could do a lot worse.
Do we go for a low grade tryer like Obst or a proven player like Sherwin, or a different route altogether, Aussie reserves/NL1?

I'd probably opt for someone like Sherwin, who's been there and done it.

which route we go down depends a lot on how much store the club sets by southernwood imo. If they are confident that he will be ready to step up in 2012 then someone like sherwin would be ideal, although with his recent injury record I have doubts he would last a full season leaving us in same boat we've been in this year. If they arent that confident on how well southernwood will develop or how long he needs then my preference would be a relatively unknown aussie. Even there relatively unknown players tend to come over here with a point to prove and do well eg. dobson,chase,henderson etc. plus if we got a young aussie we could potentially keep him longer term and have a halves pairing of him and southernwood.
I tend to think we're better biting the bullet now and putting players in place in the core positions who we can build round long term. We wont be challenging for top four next year but it wont take a massive improvement in our squad to get a solid playoff position which I think would be seen as a genuine step forward and realistic aim for potters 1st year.