Maybe the big annoucements are being saved for when season tickets go on sale. On the other hand....

Read a rugby league article yesterday which showed all of the ins and outs of the championship clubs, The article stated that London had 5 new signings and 8 retained players. When you add the signings and retained together it does not come to 20. All so it was interesting to see the quality of the players Liegh and Featherstone in particular were signing they did not come from league one clubs.

Ok, I'll run with you on this one.

Two big issues,

One, I've had a number of discussions with fans on here and the misunderstanding regarding transfer fees still seems to elude them. How many times can you drag a horse (pun) to water, transfer fees are as rare as rocking horse (another pun) poop and have been since freedom of contract came in during the early 1990s.

For instance, Tom Johnstone, a truly awesome talent IMO will be out of contract this time next year. By that time he may finally be fit and of had a wow of a season, yet should he choose to leave we will get nothing for him unless a club breaks ranks and makes an early bid as Leeds did with Gareth Ellis. To rub salt into the wounds he will probably play brilliantly for his new club and never get injured, whilst for us through no fault of his own, he's spent 50% of his career on a sickbed. But we accept that, it's how it goes and tbf we have had the same good luck ourselves with certain players on occasions. Swings and roundabouts.

Two, London is supposed to be an expansion club and one of its more lofty aims was to brush away the 'Northern' stereotype, yet not for the first time one of your number chooses to actually do the opposite and stereotype other fans as 'Northerners'. I'm not a 'Northerner' not that it should matter. Counterproductive for a club that needs all the friends it can get wouldn't you say?

No not really.

Super, your wish is granted

On point 1 you’re pushing on an open door with me. I have taken the point. Any ‘ fees’ paid except in exceptional circumstances are, I suspect, purely nominal to assuage hurt feelings. If any ‘fee’ was paid for Battye it would have been of this type I am sure.

On point 2 I suspect most on here have fairly warm feelings to the North either having come from there originally or studied there or have friends or family there. I wouldn’t take it to heart. I found Wakefield and it’s people when I visited to be fine. As many have said the ground was not great but it had atmosphere which is the main thing.

Really? I must have missed that Memo.

The Northern Stereotype is entirely of the norths own making......

Yes it’s a fact that pretty much everyone else with any genuine play off ambition has been busy signing decent Championship/SL players, albeit a few have lost some. The only other clubs I haven’t seen picking up much players are Dewsbury, Sheffield and Workington. Whitehaven may, or may not, be a one season wonder but York and Newcastle look to have strengthened. Widnes too possibly so that’s us scrapping it out for 8th/9th. If so, move to Plough Lane looks, in a charitable interpretation, as high risk and/or ill timed.

Not sure why people think we could be promotion challengers. Seems.obvious the club has no interest this season

I can’t see it being feasible can you? In fairness in the fans chat I’ve seen on other fora about possible play off contenders, and there have been some pretty long lists, I haven’t seen us mentioned.
Our public statements make positive noises but if you read between the lines they appear to be talking more about “aiming for the playoffs” rather than “challenging for promotion” Its middle of the road for us this year (if lucky) unless we pull our finger out on the recruitment front, get lucky with injuries and some of our juniors and L1 recruits step up.

So far it is looking to be weaker than this season's squad which was probably the worst we have ever had. I can't see promotion being on the cards.

Even making top 8 will be a big challenge... If we avoid relegation that would count as a successful season with an unproven L1 coach bringing in L1 players who "could" be good in the champ, but also could be out of there depth.

If we finish 10th I'll be amazed TBH

Starting the season would be a plus. Finishing anywhere other than in a relegation spot will be a miracle....

No Deleting Comments! Please, let us Judge come Next May 2022!