Tbh, the jack Hughes we got was the jack Hughes at Wigan and Huddersfield, he was never a powerful and dangerous runner, which is why he got shifted to centre a lot.

And that is why , in recent years , players have been encouraged to find something to fall back on when their playing days are over .

The huge clear out is such a risk.
Are our newcomers any better?
Powell has really put pressure on himself with this strategy. No one knows how this will pan out.

Exactly, Smiffy, hence folk are mostly not very optimistic at the moment.

Unless it causes them to skip training

I am very much hoping that we not finished recruiting yet.

I read this in a Darth Vader voice.

Cullen, TS and Price were all backed by the board in terms of being enabled to make big signings - Powell's incoming signings don't look out of place with the type of player we've been bringing in for a while.

Where Powell is different is it seems like the board have given him a remit (or at least endorsed his approach) of clearing out the vast majority of the underachieving Price squad and have been willing to tolerate everything falling apart during the transition.

As an Arsenal fan I've seen this situation with Mikel Arteta who was backed by the board through a lot of sticky times and backed when he created unrest by going up against big name players but on the evidence of the start of this season now he's built a squad to play the way he wants with the type of characters he wants he seems to have reset Arsenal in a much more positive direction. This is the blueprint I'm hoping for with Powell at Wire - but it might take a couple of years to get there so I'm not expecting us to be ripping up trees next season, I just want to see more stability and being competitive more consistently (which should enable us to compete for the playoffs).

I think we are more or less done. There cannot be much cap space left to play with, with the signings of Vaughn, McGuire, Dufty, Kasiano and Dudson. I can see Wardle (or another centre), and an extension for Minikin but not much else.

Minikin has already been quietly extended, guessing there was an option in the clubs favour.

Other than that I’d expect Wardle or Luetele to come in.

You make an interesting point, what is the minimum Powell has to do next year to remain in post. If it's finishing higher than 2nd/3rd bottom, will 3rd/4th bottom suffice? Probably one for a new thread tbh.

Arsenal finished outside of the top 4 last year on the last day or last few games was it (dont follow avidly) were many gooners calling for his head then or have they bought into the plan or as Powelly puts it "process"?

It has to be playoffs surely? We are only 8 points off the playoff spots now, if we aren't 4 wins better off at this stage next season I sincerely hope that we have a new coach in place.

Regarding the players leaving I wish them well, they're all honest professionals and I hope they find a good contract elsewhere.

So if we just make the playoffs next year then where is the progress under Powell?
We were doing that consistently under TS & SP without the accompanying dross in between.
Are you saying we have to wait until 2024 Sally?

We should be up there with the other clubs that spend as much as us.

Top 6 then? I always thought that Wigan, St Helens, Leeds, Catalans, Hull were at the cap. Maybe even Huddersfield.