www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ml&BID=480 so walker is in negotiations for a new contract ( hope we dont re-sign tbh ) and jeffries is definatley off quota. "not looking to make major changes " so that rules out a LF definatley. still think, as many otheres do that a big prop forward is in order. George Rose from Manly ? ashton simms from NQLD ? personally an easier option would have been Ben cross. always admired him while he was at newcastle and would have been relativley cheap

www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ml&BID=480 so walker is in negotiations for a new contract ( hope we dont re-sign tbh ) and jeffries is definatley off quota. "not looking to make major changes " so that rules out a LF definatley. still think, as many otheres do that a big prop forward is in order. George Rose from Manly ? ashton simms from NQLD ? personally an easier option would have been Ben cross. always admired him while he was at newcastle and would have been relativley cheap

I didnt think we'd be making drastic changes. Hopefully Sykes and Platt and Donno get released so we can sign a big gun though.

most concerning is the 'we are not looking for anyone else' part. Have we really signed enough for us to make the 8? at best, we will be looking to scrape in and that would need the players to settle, a good run with injuries and the youngsters to improve...

I think it's in situations like this where you just have to put your faith in the coach and trust him to know what he's doing.
We've said for the majority of the season that our halfbacks were crap and our back line was poor. The signings he has made so far have (hopefully) gone some ways to addressing both of those issues.
Fully fit, I'm actually reasonably satisfied with our pack. The only adjustment I would make is to bring in a decent LF and move Jamie to prop/second row.

The pack is probably the main area that could do with improvement IMO. If we can move a few more players on to other clubs it might make some more space to bring in another forward. It will be a big gamble to keep faith with the same pack as 2011, people like Scruton/Langley will need to be kept fit and find some of their better form.

I think what the article clearly says is that Potter doesn't fancy any of the players that are out of contract at other clubs. We had a list in a thread on here and lots of us speculated about potential targets - but it seems Potter isn't interested

'We're looking for anyone else at this stage' doesn't necessarily mean we won't sign anyone else. It means what it says - we're not interested in the players that are out there right now. If somebody worthwhile became available that could change.

Personally I don't see the point of bringing in people who are no better than the people we already have. And, surely, we cannot have such rotten luck with injuries next season. so with the 4 new signings it true, as Potter says, that we'll be better equipped next season

It reads to me that Potter isn't looking to start next season with 11 new players like he did this year.
He also isn't looking to sign any of the current OOC players currently available.

Clearly Potter is having to make do with what he can get. As such, another 12 months for Walker wouldn't be such a bad idea as he provides squad depth and his injury record over the past few years means he's likely to come relatively cheap.

In my opinion if no more players are introduced to the club we wont make the playoffs next season either. Sorry for being depressing but we are so far behind the competition the four names announced wont make the difference. The player market is slow this year and that is a problem for clubs like our's that have a shortage of talent.

Funny that in T&A other week, it was saying how we can expect both resignings and signings. i think we'll sign 2 more.

yes it is difficult to reconcile Hoods signings and resignings with Micks comments. resignings no problems, new signings I guess his emphasis is on "at this stage" so if Platt and Sykes get other clubs or a forward comes available that would be a new stage.

article also says Ainscough, Briggs and Olbison are back so interesting to see how the squad shapes up

Certainly the a problem we now face is the decline of the senior forwards. Lulia looks a great signing, Purtell fingers crossed, if Potter believes in Sammut and Gale then whilst I'm not convinced, I'm willing to see how it pans out. However, in Langley and Scruton we have two senior forwards whose fitness record over the last two years is a major concern. Add into this that Lynch is not quite the force of old, Hargreaves are Sibbit are honest squad men and no more. We have a good bunch of young up and coming forwards and both hookers are good players but unless we get the unlikliest run of luck with injuries this is a pack will not take us into the top 8

im not unhappy with the squad, but i feel at the moment, anything other than scraping the 8 seems unrealistic. That is cutting it a little fine, and will also mean another up and down year. IF we can add to the squad with a couple of quality additions we may be able to build on the crowds we have got back.