Based on the last 12 months previous to lockdown, Josh Jones > Mike McMeeken.

rlhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CABUammAWID/?igshid

The current list of players OOC from November 2020 stands at:

Ben Currie, Jason Clarke, Matt Davis, Declan Patton, Sammy Kibula, Ellis Robson and Harvey Livett (on loan HKR)
BBM is on his way to the Warriors in the NRL for 2021.

Realistically, for me JClarke and Davis offer the same - being harsh on this one we ought to choose between them. I would be disappointed if Currie did sign for one of our closest rivals, he was slowly I believe getting back to his best form before COVID. Patton and Kibula should be allowed to move on for me, Livett I’m undecided about as if he did join a HKR/Salford he would be guaranteed a spot in the 17 - he may want to seek an established spot like he has currently.

I can’t see the club keeping Harvey Livett based purely on him having been given a season long loan. There was a time when I would have been disappointed by this but I think his (Wire) ship has sailed.

Really disappointed with Livett. Not sure what has gone wrong here. When he first burst onto the scene I thought he showed signs of real class and huge potential. It was going to be Currie and Livett our second rowers for the next 10 years. Still have lingering, if fading, hope that Livett will still come good for us.

Yeah I understand the disappointment, Livett certainly showed plenty of early promise and looked like a very skillful backrower. Best thing for him now I think is to move on and get regular gametime as a first choice back rower.

Josh Jones and Currie would be a good partnership in my eyes, Currie very skillful, Jones plays a more powerful running / offload game. Together with Hughes playing 13 our back 3 would be set for 6 or 7 years.

If Patton can cover 6,7 and 9 he will be useful in an environment where we are financially constrained and need to look at running a smaller squad.

I'd let Jason Clark go and Keep Matt Davis.
Livett just isn't wanted by Price so he's never had a real chance to cement a spot so i'd say he'll be gone.
I don't think we'd sign Josh Jones AND mcMeeken, unless we ARE getting rid of Currie. I'd be happy with both if they came in but would be disappointed if Currie went as he was getting back his form and think he can recapture it.
Currie and Jones at second row with Hughes at 13 with McMeeken on the bench as he can cover second row and Easily cover Prop aswell.
I think Patton is definately gone as we were shopping him around earlier in the season.
Kibula i've never seen play and not heard anything good about his performances, so can't really comment.
Be interesting to see who we sign and what direction we go. I think we'll have a good chance with Jones as we have the money and he had no issues at Salford and we're only down the road so he knows the area etc
I'm just praying to god it won't be long before the season re-starts.

I think cap wise we'd be able to fit them both under, BMM & Clark swapped out for Jones & McMeeken seems doable? Helps the overseas quota too. However convincing Jones & McMeeken that they will play a key part of the squad may be difficult? You would imagine both would want a starting shirt, also its whether you would want to dedicate that amount of salary cap to the back row, or would you want to use some of it to strengthen the centre area should Gelling move on.

As Sally suggests above, this all assumes we can afford to run with the same squad value, given Morans exposure to the current crisis.

If Currie isn't willing to accept a reduced contract he should be moved on.

Back row is one of the more replaceable positions so I wouldn't fill up a lot of budget space on it. Good young back rowers emerge more often than good young props, halfbacks or centres.

It's going to be a difficult and worrying time for all players coming out of contract. They aren't mega rich like footballers so being asked to take a pay cut will have a big impact on their families' lifestyle and security. There may be a lot of movement because it will create bad feeling when a club tells a player they will resign them but on a reduced wage. Some might think they would rather sign elsewhere for a reduced wage than do that.

All the clubs will be facing financial hardship and they may have to reduce the number of experienced players in their squads and fill spots with Academy players on cheaper contracts. There will be a premium on players who offer versatility (cover more than one position) and reliability (good fitness record, consistent performer). Players who are single position, have injury history or blow hot and cold will be in a worse position. RU clubs are also struggling and squad-trimming so taking the gamble on whether a RL player will be a successful convert will be lower down their priorities, so it will be hard for agents to find back up options in RU.

The off-season business will probably be underwhelming compared to what we want but this year I will give the club the benefit of the doubt and not complain about recruitment ambition etc because they will be doing the best they can in the circumstances. Players might be putting their bodies on the line next season for less pay and they deserve respect and support.

According to the lads on 'What would Brian Bevan say', Currie has turned down the clubs contract offer.

Have heard that as well from a very good source. If any club is willing to pay him the same contract we gave him as one of the hottest young properties in the game then more fool them. This is a salary capped sport and the 2020 Ben Currie does not deserve to be taking up a large chunk of it.

They'd be taking a punt on talent, which has paid off sometimes before. When Saints signed Darren Albert, he'd missed one full season and two half seasons out of the past four in the NRL, and Newcastle Knights were only willing to offer him half his previous salary to re-sign. He hardly missed a game with Saints and was top class. We took a punt on Fozzard after missing the previous two seasons, and we stuck with Simon Grix after several serious injuries early on, those both paid off.

What clouds things for Currie is he missed the best part of 2 seasons then came back last year and looked ordinary. Him being fit last year has probably raised more questions in the minds of clubs than answers, because they are now not just wondering whether it's going to be a recurrent injury risk but also whether he's just not the same player. With Grix, he missed a lot of time, but whenever he came back he got back to form quickly. With Currie its a leap of faith to think that he is going to be the player of 2015-16. Clubs might look at him as a player who is just a steady SL back rower now, with a lottery ticket attached that he may return to his peak. Someone will surely be interested in taking a punt on his talent, but it's a big risk to commit to a big contract.

I'd rather we kept him than lost him but if the contract size forces us to make compromises elsewhere I'd be nervous.

Hypothetically - Saints (replacement for Zeb Taia) Wigan (replacement for Lockers/Greenwood) and Toronto (replacing Bodene Thompson) I suspect would be the clubs that are interested. Those players are also too out of contract at the end of the current season, it’s more than likely one of the clubs will offer above the odds if any of the above players retire/move on.