im sure tony smith has got some players in mind .think you need about 3 players too keep the momentum up too challenge for the major trophies next year

Which 3 players do we need? The team is looking good without buying in more players.

We're healthy in most position, probably only hooker and centre we a bit light but Currie in the centre until he fully develops, he's quick with a good step, and Dwyer in at hooker.

Unless we lose anyone long term or someone leaves unexpectedly then we don't need knew signings.
Solo missed most of the season so no big loss on that front.

Hodgson/Ratchford/Riley
Riley/Evans/Monaghan
Bridge/Atkins/Ratchford
Briers/Myler/Obrien/Ratchford
Monaghan/Higham/Dywer
Morley/Wood/Cooper/Carvell/Hill
Westwood/Waterhouse/MCcarthy/Grix/Currie
Harrison/Grix/Currie

Could even put a few youngsters in

Ben Evans
Broughton
Danny Birdge
James Salstonstall

Laithwaite probably needs to go into the mix. And I would be inclined to put Grix also at hooker cover.

Broughton has left.

Its totally unrealistic to expect all these academy lads to step up to the plate all at once - Some people on here seem to get a bit carried away with the idea that they are all just going to be able to make the step from academy to first team and be as good as those seasoned pros they will be replacing.

Just remember back to the Salford and London games - For all our excitement at our academy, what those games showed was that we have nowhere near the depth in squad that some imagine.

Realistically, out of every generation of academy players, any club will be lucky to get 3 or 4 genuine class players.....For every Paul Sculthorpe, there's probably 4 or 5 Paul Noone's.

I definitely agree that building and maintaining your academy is the way to go and we look to have a couple of potentially great players on our books at the moment, but looking at that squad of players that has been listed on here, I still hold the view that I had for most of this year and that is, if we have an injury crisis at any point (5 or 6 senior players out at any one time), then we will struggle.

Personally, what I would like to see, is the transition period that undoubtedly awaits Wire actually starting next year....Players like Evans and Currie are going to have to be persevered with at the expense of the likes of Briers, Monaghan and Morley, even if results take a negative turn, because if we don't, in the long term, the club will be deep in the mire in 18 months time.

When I hear reports of Monaghan being crocked and never being able to return to 100% fitness, I have to wonder why we are actually keeping him retained in the squad??....Surely letting him go and either promoting Dwyer or signing a younger, fitter replacement makes a lot more sense??

I think with this aging squad, we are definitely walking a bit of a tightrope....I think we should have been looking to have shed a couple of the oldies.

I would have to go with 90% of that. I would even go a little further ( as there are not many people reading the board at the mo) and say that TS has made a mistake in not retiring off older players. I think it simply leaves us with a bigger problem in 2014 as well as risking a trophy- less 2013. Great as this team has been, it can not go on forever. One real problem for me is the fact we have to ageing hookers. But perhaps TS will move Grix into the void.

Next year is a crunch season for Gob, and to a lesser extent Dwyer and Evans. They all need to show they can do the job in 2014.

Laithwaite has a 1 year contract, and if Harrison moves to prop for a few matches, ought to get a decent number of games at 2nd row. That would show if he is 1st team material or not. Personally I am more optimistic about him than Dwyer.

Currie will hopefully play a few more games than last year and will get more time to develop. Only my opinion, but I think he is the one young player that could be GB standard.
I suspect not many other youngsters will get a run out. Possibly Burke and Ormsby may get a run in the early rounds of the cc.

The games wire lost this year did not have any of academy or likes of Dwyer or currie playing

How many academy in the final?

TS has already stated he is not looking for anybody (into which you can add the caviot....."but if somebody were to become available"icon_wink.gif

I agree......Personally, I'd have retired one of Morley/Carvell (probably Morley) and also one of Higham/Monaghan (mainly based on Monas true state of fitness).

Also, I'm not entirely convinced by Hodgson getting a 2 year deal, unless the final year is on a reduced deal - He already looks shopworn, I'm not sure he can see through another 2 seasons at the standard that will be required.

Bert's an enigma. He looks like a rag doll, but he always bounces back from the hard knocks and tackles. I think everyone was surprised that he got a two year deal.

But he is an amazing player. His placement at foolback is uncanny, he knows where the ball is going to be every time, and whilst Ratchford will get sucked into the defensive line, Bert always seems to be there to pounce on the ball that is kicked through. Similar with coming into the attacking line. I certainly don't begrudge him his two years.