Fages is joining St Helens.

Undisclosed fee reluctantly accepted.

I'm reading Fages Carney Chase...we don't need any of them?!

Westerman I would see a good signing...2 years back he was the hottest property. Wheeler too, he's had a lousy injury season, very disappointing, but he still has the talent to play to play centre at the highest level. I'd be happy to put him as 1st choice while we have a talent like Toby we can fall back on.

For me, I not convinced over the depth of weight and quality in the front row. Looks vastly shy of biff.
We need teams to worry about our pack, when looking at Saints Warmsley Masoe and LMS I worry.
That is the difference. We haven't had that solid threat since Morley and Carvell were here.

I can see where you are coming from with regards to pack size, I'm not sure I see us adding to the front row though now. We have the following capable of playing prop/3rd prop for us contracted for next year, with contract expiry date:
(I'm expecting an announcement in this weeks Guardian with all the contract renewals, so these will change)

Hill 2019
Sims 2016
Dodds 2016
Harrison 2017
Westwood 2016

England 2016
B Evans 2017
G King 2016
Philbin 2015 (I assume his contract will be renewed)

That's a lot of players capable of playing front row, I'm not sure in a salary capped competition we can afford another? The first 5 will probably be playing every week, the bottom four in reserve.

Centre for me is a far more important position for us to bring in at present, with the front row evolving as we have players come off contract. The one nagging doubt I have about that, is that if Smith was expecting to play Ratch at 6 or full back next season, wouldn't he be playing him there now, so he can gel with Sandow? Instead he has him out in the centre. Maybe he has a new half to come in for 2016 and expects Ratch to be playing right centre next year....?

I'd also keep Wheeler, but only if his contract was minimal, he can't be relied upon to be a first choice anything following his injury record or performances this year.

What's going on with Wheeler for you guys next year? I expected him to be chopped after another injury ravaged season but has he been offered another deal? He's a good lad is Gary but I have never ever known a player so injury prone as he is in all my years of watching.

I think everyone bar RD wants rid of the biscuit.

Its not just his injuries. His performances weren't even good when he was fit (which seemed like never)

Can only assume he's on pittance.

it's not looking good at the moment, if he was going, i'm sure he would have been part of the send off last saturday.

Smith said a few weeks ago that he had the rest of the season to prove himself. He doesn't appear to have done that. I expect him to be announced as leaving next week, the same time as KP is hopefully given a new contract.

Pretty much my thinking, if he was going, think it would have been announced by now.

I'm not devastated by it, he can do a job for ten games a year covering at either centre or half back when pushed. Although I probably would prefer to give King or Patton the game time if I'm being honest.

His contract just needs to reflect his position in the squad.

"Although I probably would prefer to give King or Patton the game time if I'm being honest".

Never mind his contract reflecting anything, with up coming talent why do we need to keep a dead leg like Wheeler at the club? The above quote says it all.

The current clear out reflects what we need to know and that is players at the end of careers, injury prone players and those with little talent and/or showing no talent have to be released, there is no place for sentiment in a professional set up. Some of these guys may have been great servants, may have broken scoring records but when its time its time. that's why great teams win and continue winning for long periods. We on the other always have next year!

Here's a question, who goes into a game when wheeler is playing A; hoping he doesn't get injured today and B; wondering WHEN he will get injured.

I've never EVER had that mindset with any other player in my twenty odd years of watching, maybe woody and mark hilton when they were having specific shoulder issues but apart from that, no.

100% as soon as you see him in the 17

Never A, always B.

When he was at Saints I used to dread him being tackled, never seen a player get so many injuries in the whole time I have watched the game.

I heard on Saturday that GW may still be moving on but it's subject to other signings and he may not be the only one either.
All rumours but may have some truth in it.

Watching GW during the games (8 maybe 10) he's played, you half expect him to stay down after almost every tackle he's involved in. Ronnie Duane and Phil Sumner were the last players I thought of in a similar way. In fairness to him he played at Wakefield when he was clearly not fit but we had no one else and it didn't stop him trying to push up in support.