Signings we made last year were pretty tame. No big names, or headline grabbing signatures.
Cas are being linked with both joe wardle and tom burgess.
Meanwhile we "might" keep on ridyard.
I feel that we should have made a couple of big name signings following 2014 to show we meant business.
Should we do so now- or is it not worth the money?

Gaskell, Ferguson Clough have done well, O'Brien and Mellor have great potential Mamo is potentially big star material, Turner is a class act and Wakeman is coming on leaps and bounds. Jordan Rankin has exceeded my expectations already

A lot of clubs have signed bigger names that haven't done as well.

I think Ricks signings Mamo, Wakeman, Turner, Rankin Ridyard on loan, O'Brien and Mellor have all improved what we had before so in this case we trust Rick as a big name doesn't always mean a big game.

Is "done well" good enough though? I don't think I can say Mamo is big star material as he hasn't really, IMO , been tested enough. Did our defence get any better with him organising it at the back? Don't think I could say so but we had so many swaps and changes it's hard to say what that was down to. O brien looks good- but I doubt it was really Rick who put that idea forward as he will have seen very little of him play as he'd only been in the country a short time - I suspect that was more down to Chris Thorman!

Apart from Salford away ,which was his first game i think the defence has improved significantly since Rankin's arrival,sign of a good full back i think.I would think if we sign him Ridyard will not be coming next year

yeh if we get rankin then dont see ridyard coming.

we have signed that salford prop havent we apparently

rapira is off so have his cap space to spend.

if we get ikahihifo and mamo on 5 year deals that would be better than any other signings!

The way I see it is:

Wakeman and Mamo will both get a full pre season with the team and be ready to hit the ground running come start of the season.

O Brien and Mellor will both be able to get a pre season in. Both were signed 2 weeks before start of this season. Mellor will be able to concentrate on been a 2nd rower in the pre season. Both young and will improve massively.

Rankin if signed will partner Brough which I think is a good move.

Adam Walne will be a decent signing British prop and will add some more depth.

I would then like to either sign another prop or a 2nd row and move Taai permanently to prop.

Taai Ive heard will be applying for a dual passport which takes him off the quotas as this is coming up to the end of his 5th year.

Regarding players leaving id say Rapira is a definite and probably Ormsby as well. Id also let Symonds go myself as I feel he will be on a good wage and is injury prone.

Up until Friday I would have let Smith go but he really impressed me against Wakefield and if can find that form regularly he could be a very good squad player.

Nathan Mason i think has gone backwards this season when hes played from his performances last year.

I hardly think Mason should be given any poor feedback- he's not had a decent run of games so he can't be expected to be pulling up trees. He needs a chance for me.

Mason runs in and stands up straight in the tackle which means he gets stopped easily and often driven backwards too easily. He needs to learn to turn as he gets into the tackle like Jamie Peacock did and use his height and shape to his advantage to win the collision not lose it.

He's slipped back in the pecking order for me....

Agreed doesn't use his frame enough. Still has age on his side....Adam Walker didn't improve much until his mid 20s when he went to KR.

Cas can have Wardle and T Burgess for my money

I'm not sure we need too many new signings, just some injury luck...wouldnt mind another prop though

Perhaps Walker not a good example atm

Kalifa fai fai loa has fallen through because of permits. And the walne deal is completed just yet...

I also wouldn't get too excited over Wardle or Burgess (Burgess reported to not be going to cas).

On paper a full strength giants squad looks very strong to me.

It's proven that your spine 1, 6/7 and 9 are your key players.

Does it get much stronger than Brough, mamo and Leeming?

Then you have Jerry, Leroy, Seb, Turner who are all top quality super league players.

Giants are in a good position for next year. But we need for players (and Brough to perform at his peak).

If we have cap to spend a real quality prop forward is where we need to spend it for me. Wakeman, whilst he has improved, is not worth an overseas spot. Ikahihifo has been magnificient, i still see Taai as in impact forward, so i would like to see another starting prop, who has plenty of size and mongrel to really take it to the opposition pack in big games from the off. Any up and coming Luke O'Donnels in the NRL Mr Stone?

Happy with our squad. Not sure a 'big name' is important as much as somebody who will put in a good shift every week. I don't follow the NRL too closely and hadn't heard of the likes of Mamo, Seb or Wakeman before they came and they did okay.
I would like to hope Stone will give our younger lads a bigger role. Looking at McIntosh and Leeming, and even Jerry, Cudjoe and Lawrence, they all had to start somewhere.
I wouldn't chop and change too much for next year. Keeping Rankin and signing up Mamo and Seb on bigger deals is where I would start.

Taken from the Keegan Hirst thread on the Wakey board.