not uncommon, you've seen a few catalans players renege on contracts in england, i think semisoni langi most recently did an about turn on a wakey contract.

Ratchford has 4, Harrison has the 8 shirt which I find a little baffling, he's not a prop in my eyes, certainly not a starting one with the others we have. 7 shirt is not allocated.

The other one that caught my eye is longstaff given 33 which is the last number, doesn't appear to have a future with us. Bullock is below Vaughan, philbin, kasiano, dudson, mikaele and Harrison. I know that doesn't mean too much to be fair and he could well have asked for that shirt.

nope

I can't say i'm thrilled with our pack for next season . Our 4 starting props could be spending more time at the disciplinary than time on the pitch. Our spare props are basically rejects from other clubs .
And the club wants me to renew my season ticket ?

2023 SHIRT NUMBERS

1 Matt Dufty (Sponsored by Hayes Connor Solicitors)
2 Josh Thewlis
3 Pete Mata’utia (Sponsored by Brickstore Ltd)
4 Stefan Ratchford (Sponsored by Cockhedge Centre)
5 Matty Ashton (Sponsored by Top Mark Solutions)
6 George Williams (Sponsored by Sandstone Supplies UK)
8 James Harrison (Sponsored by Altum HR)
9 Daryl Clark (Sponsored by CTE Supplies)
10 Paul Vaughan (Sponsored by Baker Mallett)
11 Ben Currie (Sponsored by Pockex)
12 Matty Nicholson (Sponsored by Adele Carr Recruitment)
13 Josh McGuire (Sponsored by Wire Scaffolding)
14 Sam Kasiano (Sponsored by Ackerley Projects Ltd)
15 Joe Philbin (Sponsored by Birchwood Shopping Centre)
16 Danny Walker (Sponsored by Brickstore Ltd)
17 Gil Dudson (Sponsored by Ackerley Projects Ltd)
18 Tom Mikaele (Sponsored by Ackerley Projects Ltd)
19 Joe Bullock (Available to sponsor)
20 Connor Wrench (Available to sponsor)
21 Greg Minikin (Sponsored by CTE Supplies)
22 Riley Dean (Sponsored by Wirehouse)
23 Tom Whitehead (Sponsored by MWT Property)
24 Luke Thomas (Sponsored by North Star Vets)
25 Leon Hayes (Sponsored by CRS Building and Roofing)
26 Adam Holroyd (Sponsored by R Holroyd and Sons)
27 Aiden Doolan (Available to sponsor)
28 Jack Darbyshire (Sponsored by Club Driver Training)
29 Josh Lynch (Available to sponsor)
30 Jake Thewlis (Available to sponsor)
31 Jamie Reddecliff (Sponsored by Connex Education Partnership)
32 Bobby Shingler (Sponsored by Clear Rain Window Cleaning)
33 Ellis Longstaff (Available to sponsor)

On paper the pack is brilliant IMO. Massive improvement on every pack since carvell left us.

A few signs in there. Ratchford being the one that jumps out. Think that puts the pin in the talk of a centre being recruited in the short term.

But also, it looks like the Harrison to back row project is over, by him being awarded the 8. Mikaele and Bullock appear to be back up rather that part of the first choice plan. The 7 being vacant all but confirms that someone is on the way. And Longstaff is in the naughty step way down the list.

Ratchford at 4 would suggest no new centre signing, doesn’t surprise me given the lack of options open to us, but I don’t think we’re going to win anything with ‘strike’ centres of Ratchford and Mata’utia.

Harrison at 8 is a strange one, Powell talks him up A LOT, but I don’t see him as a starting prop next year, but a handy player to have on the bench, capable of playing prop, back row or loose.

Most pleasing thing is squad numbers 22 to 33, home grown as they should be.

Just wondering how long before the number 7 is going to be announced, saw a post on Guardian website that Drinkwater deal was done 10 days ago, well it’s near on 3 weeks or so now.

Yeah i assume it's all the legal mumbo jumbo that needs to be sorted out before the signing is official. I'm happy with our squad for next year and can't wait for the season to start

What a very unbalanced squad. Expect more of the same next season. Powell banking on sheer size + individual brilliance in the opposition 20 to get us home. Really poor centres and Harrison needs to improve a LOT.

Im also seeing (for the second season) hooker being a weak point for us.

Very pessimistic about next season but I am terrible with predictions so could be a good omen.

Clark didn’t get a pre-season last year and as lively as Walker is he can’t do much from play the balls in our own 20. If Clark can get back to form and we can spend a lot more time near the opposition line, it could be completely different next year. I guess we’ll have an idea from the first few games.

Matthew Shaw reporting that PNG flyer Jimmy Ngutlik is persuing a deal in the UK. We need to sign him, he is class.

He would be a quota player, and it looks like we will be signing Drinkwater, which will be our last quota space used -up.

Unless the rumour regarding Kasiano reneging on his contract has legs?