The WC is about to begin. Literally dozens of centres, wingers and halves to check out.

So why so I sense our recruitment team will either be watching repeats of Antiques Road Trip or on a road trip in Aus recruiting antiques?

I went to suggest this in my post then edited it out, as I was afraid of the backlash! I’m sure there’s a gem to be unearthed, I just don’t know enough of the championship to comment.

I have seen all the Monday night Premier Sports televised Championship games and found them to be a better watch than the Sky Sports Super League coverage.

There is latent talent in the Championship, with players who weren`t given a proper chance by their initial Super League clubs, or players who are late developers, that missed-out on the Academy system.

I don't have Premier Sports, but I'll be trawling the YouTube highlights. Anyone you can think of that stands out?

Every time I watch Premier Sports, Emma Louise Jones.

Local lass too, she is from Northwich.

INOUT
What i was thinking as well, could be looking at the likes of Fiji, Papua new Guinea, Cook islands etc to see if we can unearth a gem from one of those maybe?

Okay, so one from the left field since we don’t seem to be able to find our organising half.

We’ve seen how good Williams is behind a decent pack in today’s Samoa game. We need a strong defender, motivator and long kicker to complement him. What about Danny Walker? He’s played plenty of half in his early days I think, and is a decent tackler with a good long kicking game. He’s a real motivator on the pitch, and is not afraid to fire up his seniors when they’re failing. I seem to remember some decent 40/20s and good game management from him the last couple of years.

Could Powell find another McShane inside Walker? At least until Hayes is ready?

Mmmmmm....Definately one out of left field, but i don't think he'd be looked at with Ratchford, Mata'utia, Dean and Hayes on the books. I get what you mean though about him though, he does have attributes for it.
I'm 25 mins currently in to the Fiji vs Aus match, and Brandon wakeham has made about 3 tackles 1 attacking plays and seems to be hiding on the right side of the pitch so far. Not impressive in any aspect so far.

So preseason is only a few weeks away and we still none the wiser about a new half, I’m really concerned we will end up with Ratchford there and for me that’s disastrous. If we really can’t get someone in I would prefer Hayes to be given the shirt and at most Ratchford as back up.

Interested outsider looking in ... Yes! Bang on.

We had all of last season to give Dean a run of games to see if he was good enough, or not, same with Wrench at centre, Thewlis at full back etc. etc. Instead, we made a write off of a season a failure in looking towards the future in a number of cases. Add the continued inept recruitment that has left us with another unbalanced squad, that were trying to remedy at the 11th hour, yet again. this is akin to getting the last lad after the rest have been picked in a school playground match at break time. We've a coach who's had a full year, but nothing seems to have changed in taking a professional approach to planning for the future.

I'm far from convinced that we'll have the pack that will make us top four regardless of our backs, as I'm underwhelmed by Dudson and Kasiano. Vaughn and McGuire are going to have to be consistently very good for us to be competitive, and it'll only take a personality clash or two with DP for it all to go thrupenny bits up, again.

Hope I'm wrong and it will be a good season (for us) that approaches, but we've a lot to put right from the year that's, thankfully, now behind us.

I disagree mate, i think we've got a pack that's gonna trouble any team we play, McGuire i think will be a very steadying player for us and will lead by example. Williams,Dufty and Daz Clark behind our pack will find great form , and i think Currie will be better with our pack. We just need a controlling half now and decide on left centre and i think we look a full on threat. 2023 will tell us either way but i think we're in a great position for next year

Leeds have today announced that despite releasing Walker from a year of his contract to join Bradford to free up room to make Zach Hardaker an offer, he's now accepted a 'very lucrative offer' from a Super League club.

Cas wouldn't be stupid enough to have him back? Leigh? The Wire?

Hull FC?

No thanks, he has had mor clubs than Tiger Woods.

We have Dufty to play fullback for us which is Hardaker`s best position.

Thewlis will be our fullback, long term.

Also, Hardaker is nothing but trouble, and not worth the hassle.

Leigh probably. They've got a press conference booked in that will 'make you go wow'. Apparantly.

Powell has been there before with Hardaker, after the Grand Final fiasco in 2017 I can't see Powell going back there.

Didn’t he leave Wigan because of the travelling? Leigh is the same distance…

The lure of playing for a new franchise was too much apparantly. That and a 'significant financial offer'. Does make you wonder how a guy who couldn't be up for playing for Wigan is going to be up for doing it for the Leopards. A leopard never changes his spots they always say.

Although they'll be striped black and white according to press release. Sounds more like a white tiger to me.

There will be a (oce)lot expected of Zac. No lion around doing nothing they will expect him to be tigerish in his efforts.

Hardaker is the RL equivalent of Elton John. Soon as he kicked the drugs he went crap.

Leigh could be a complete fiasco, or actually turn into something semi-decent. If they can get Ferguson, Hardaker, Lam and Leutele interested and playing well, they will actually have a decent team. Players like O’Brien, Holmes, Hughes, Mulhearn, Mellor, Charnley and Briscoe have all been about at the top level and won’t be intimidated.

The problem is, it’s a powder (no pun intended, Zak) keg. It could be derailed at any point.