Happy about that, the whole situation of him not getting in the team then getting an extension was really odd. End of day could just not get my head around what is problem was. There were times we saw a decent player and other times it looked like he just turned up for his wages.

Why extend him recently and then get rid unless we are getting a transfer fee? Wierd.

Yeah, he's gone. Giving him a 2 year extension in April will always be a mystery. And one for my book when I get the lowdown on what, why etc.

I genuinely think his re-signing was a jump the gun moment, just put it down to a brain fart.
So with an estimate, with the 40k dispensation for next year, i'd say we're easily sat on 100k to try to find another Good English prop for next year.
But i suppose it depends on what Burgess wants to do, as he may put his faith in Wood, Okoro, Thomas, Whitehead next year.
I agree with most on here that i think we need a big bopper with some big punch to them, as Yates and Harrison are more defensive props with an ok go farward but good engines.
Philbin adds a bit of punch and lots of speed and energy, but would like a BMM, type player that can come on, cause damage and leave the opposition rattled.

I think we’re sitting on considerably more cap space than that, even without the new dispensations (assuming they are brought in).

Transfer fee and Salford does not go in the same sentence

we likely paid them.

There's very little dead wood in our squad now. If a couple of the forwards can kick on (Thomas, Wood, Whitehead) and we keep Vaughan and Fitzgibbon, we should be competing again and it will just come down to one or two games that we know we can win, but may not.

Talking of BMM and forwards in general I wish we could unearth another David Solomona.

It's such a shame that neither Bullock nor Dudson fulfilled their potential. I was quite pleased when we signed Dudson, as I thought he had looked like a really solid prop in his time at Catalans, but for whatever reason, he just seemed to waste his time with Wire. As for Bullock, well, that contract extension really is a case for Mulder and Scully.

I never realised Joe Bullock had played 50+ games for Wire. Felt much less.

Gil Duson managed 17.

So that's 5 including Sam Kasiano and Nicholson that have gone in 2024.

Wow, I'd actually forgotten about Kasiano. Yet another to file under 'what might have been'.

I thought the first 10 games of the season we had him he was superb, then the whole team just lost form an dropped off a cliff.
It's a shame as i would have loved to see what Burgess could have done with him.
Pure definition of a powerhouse big bopper but with good ball handling as well. Not many of those about now unfortunately.

Oh i thought they were in play from next year, i may have read it wrong and jumped the gun myself

Agreed. I love how the term "big bopper" now seems to have stuck.

We need a big bopper for 2025.

Out of interest - will Warrington be signing a replacement for Drinkwater or is the plan to run with Leon Hayes?

We have Oli Leyland from London, not sure if we going with just those 2 but would not make sense to sign a third halfback

I would say it's almost certain that Burgess is putting his faith in Hayes as first choice. He's intimated this all year.

Not so sure that stands now given the signing of Leyland. Think it will be what Burgess and the coaching team see during preseason.

A have a feeling Hayes will go the way of Riley Dean, Dec Patton, Morgan Smith, Gaz O'Brien, Gary Hulse, Jamie Durbin etc.

Steady. I like the look of Leyland but let's see what happens at the start of the season. Hayes looks a great positive influence & he played so well.

My thoughts are in the past we have had an experienced half who automatically starts and a youngster coming in if said half is injured or rested. Now we have two youngsters pushing for the spot neither will want to be the one that doesn’t start so will push each other to get it. I actually like this scenario both will be hungry.

We’ve had all the world class halfbacks and won nowt, while it was Patton that won a CC and got us to 2 GF.

Give me Hayes all day

I'd be delighted if he develops into a top halfback.

Hayes had the shirt before he was injured.

It was a very serious break that Hayes had and hopefully he will make a full recovery but only time will tell.

Leyland has signed for Wire with a view to playing 1st team rugby, so good luck to him.

I think both have real potential. However I don't think either address our long standing issue of deep kicking when we're struggling for yardage out from our own line. Hayes defends well and has a nice passing and short kicking game. Leyland is quite an exciting runner and also appear to have a reasonable short kicking game. Looking forward to see how they do in preseason games.