I think Briers and Hodgson should be given a pay as you play contract for next year. This will benefit the younger kids coming through but also ensures they are there when needed.

Morley and Solo im not so sure about. Always dangerous and worth a place in the team but we havent seen solo yet and morley has not been himself so far this season.

O'brien and Coops deserve new contracts as they have both played well especially Cooper.

Higham? well it all depends on what Smith wants from his hookers next season. M Monas & Dwyer as regulars? if so higham will not be needed even if he has had some stand out performances.

Laithwaite should be offered a new contract IMO. From whats been said about him and how he has performed for the u20's and for leigh. St Helens will be sniffing around shortly for him.

I'm still not convinced about Williams. He's built well and has pace but there is something that isnt quite there, his rugby brain isnt quite what it should be but he always tries.

Mitchell will probably go to Cas at the end of his loan as he has performed relatively well for them.

I think there's a dilemma with Higham. Before the start of the season most would want him shipped out but he's played his best rugby while with us so far in 2012. Thing is Dwyer isn't our only other option, a certain Simon Grix has being doing a pretty nice job at hooker lately. It's a tough call on quite a few but I would let go:

Solomona - Getting on a bit and with the emergence of Currie and apparent arrival of Bateman we're well stocked here. You never know though, could show some real form when he's back from injury and he really offers something different.
Higham - See the main bulk of the post
Mitchell - Not up to it and don't think he ever will be
Williams - Occasional flashes of something good but not sure he's up to it. God seems to rate him though so I wouldn't be suprised or that disapointed to see him here next year.

While I'm 50/50 on:
Morley - Would wait until the end of the season to see how his body and form is
Hodgson - Again I'm worried that he's injured a lot. Would probably give another year and give a bit of extra time for Ratch to learn at FB

It's nice to have such a dilemma in a way though, better than debating whether we should give Paul Noone another year.

As supporters and club we need to take sentiment out of the team selection, merit has to be the way forward and not sentiment.

Briers - He has proved a real asset since Smith came in and is worth an extra year but this has to be on merit.

Solomona - No way, too old and out of shape, which wont help on the injury front. Loads of young talent available at the club. He has been a good signing, but the time is right.

Higham - 50/50 here he is a good steady player without whom we would have been "in stuck" whilst Mona M is injured. Again we have good young talent emerging.

Mitchell - Liked this guy early on, but sadly he has not emerged as the talent i thought and as with Solo we have an abundance of talent waiting in the wings.

Williams - Not seen one spark in this kid. Let him go.

Hodgson - Been a great signing but is too injury prone for my liking.

Morley - This guy is a one off, still one of the only props in the world that strikes fear into the opponent. If he is up to it then extend for one more year but not out of sentiment. It has been an honour and privilage to have him at the club

People should seperate sentiment to the cold hard facts. Morley has been a great player but every which way you look at it, Stats wise he's falling away each year, he doesn't dominate in possesion or in the tackle like he used to, Hill looks like he makes more yards these days. I'd keep him on a vastly reduced contract so that we could bring somebody else in. I've always been of the opinion of letting a player go a year earlier rather than a year late.

I love Morley but I struggle to see the case for keeping him on purely as a player, he simply doesn't appear to have the dexterity to get down for the tackle these days and ends up waving his arm head-high at opponents.

Higham is touch and go for me, I certainly wouldn't be giving him two years but, if no-one better or cheaper is available, of course you give him another year because he's been a safe pair of hands this season.