Well with all the transfer activity you can't say the board aren't backing Powell.

I am rather perplexed though and can't see the overall strategy and how the existing players and new players fit together as a team.

It's easy to see we've got a big pack and smaller nippier backs but how Powell plays the younger players will be interesting to see.

Our back row had better start firing.

Ratch is not a no. 6/7. He's a full back for me, but then we buy Dufty and he's down to play in a week.....

No, can't see the overall strategy.
Powell obviously has one.
Let's see (hope?)

Unless Dean kicks on we still won't have an effective kicking game IMO. Ratchford I like but he's never been able to control a game and Williams the same really.

I see the strategy as, smack em up the middle and have whippets out wide.

I'm against Ratch at 6 or was until I'm now thinking Dufty has the pace to join in an attack more than Ratch. With Williams running the show, Ratch is the "just pass it" guy who can still do the odd special thing if the play is broken.

Ratch doesn't seem to strike me as a guy with an ego. He's a yard behind where he was but he's a good veteran and has good game knowledge.

In short an orrible pack, pace in the backs and a intelligent half

On the current options for squad selection, I do agree that Ratchford is a better Fullback. But given his age/experience, and experience in the halves over the last decade, he should really be better than what he's shown.

Perhaps he hasn't really bothered too much to manage games because he doesn't know what his place is with so many changes to the starting 13? Although, I don't fully buy that, there could be an element to it of not being settled.

I'd like to think that with 8 games to go, we can start to get players settled now. Dufty at FB, Thewlis on the wing, Ratchford in the halves, along with Harrison and Mikaele contributing to a better pack. And Bullock looks like he's really trying to lock down a spot before 3 new lads come in. I'd start him over Mulhern alongside Harrison for the next game personally.

Dufty could be the Sandow-like signing missed. He did join us mid-season in 2015 and couldn't get anything going but the season after, we had our Briers replacement at last. I think we have the squad to make playoffs. We only need to swing 4-6 points out of 16 available. Even if we don't I'm confident for next season.

I think Dufty will go really well for you. Might not see the best of him this year due to where you're at but he's a super attacking player - quick, good step and has a brilliant flat long pass in attack. His defence isn't the best but he won't be as exposed in SL as he has been sometimes in the NRL, and anyway I don't think its as bad as some make out.

Re his attitude I think a lot goes back to how he left the Dragons - he was still going pretty well but Griffin clearly didn't want him. The move to the Dogs was at the worst possible time, as they were utterly awful until Barrett got the chop. I imagine him leaving has a lot to do with making cap space for the rebuild that's underway under Phil Gould.

Anyway, SL needs more exciting players and hopefully Dufty will be one of them.

Well it's been an unprecedented SL season of comings and goings, which, now the deadline has passed, has come to an end. If we can pick up a win tonight, and against Toulouse, then that should help to remove some anxiety on and off the pitch. We need some continuity and an improvement in our performance, but getting the points in those two games is far more important. Doesn't look like Thewlis will get to play at FB any time soon, which is a pity, but if Dufty helps to make him a better player for the future and makes us a better team for the here and now, then fine.

Hopefully Thewlis on the wing - that's if Powell actually picks him ahead of his mate Minikin.

He has so far.

Thewlis at full back tonight. Minikin on the wing.

Will be interesting next week if he picks Wrench, Thewlis or Minikin on the right wing.

Thewlis at FB for one week only, I would have thought. It's already been flagged up that it will be interesting to see whether Minikin displaces Thewlis once Dufty is included in the side.

for me Minikin should ever be back up and not a first choice

Interesting the views on Minikin. I have not really watched him much. Thankfully, our Coach has seen loads more of him.

We have to be careful what we wish for in terms of playing young players ie. the first two tries v Cas last week were poor defensive efforts. As we're not safe from going down, I can understand Powell being cautious. We can't on the one hand bash him for not playing certain young players, then castigate him when the team concedes 2 early trys as a result of playing an inexperienced player.