We have a couple of million each year........and we continue to waste it!

No we don't have anything.
Mr Hughes has a couple of million to spend each year, there is no we in it!
If he stops spending it, there is no club simple!!

Mr Hughes gives the club 2 million a year and insists on us wasting it year on year.....what Mr Hughes needs to do is give us the 2 million and then let the club build with it rather than simply waste it year in year out.....

Hear hear to that. Shame this has fell into a one on one in the last few days but I don’t see CMG saying I told you so here. Yes we are where we are, but action is urgently needed to prepare for a non Hughes future, and only David can do that,

Don't think anyone denies that new investment is required for the club to thrive. Everyone seems to assume that our current owner is doing nothing to plan for his departure. I just can't see the point of constant whinging and whining about past decisions and choices.
Like I say unless one of us wants to step up with a couple of million each year he is what we have.
As for suggestion that he should just give the club the money and have no input to the club, yep of course that's going to happen! If you were putting the money in would you do that?

Anyhow! Enough of that
Can't recall seeing Matt play last year, did he get much first team experience? I know not that many people seem happy that he has been signed back on, what do folk seriously think of his prospects?
It s good to see another local lad coming though and as a youngster he will not make a big hole in the salary budget

I don't think we've nurtured our young playmakers enough in recent years, and so I hope we stick with Matt and give him some time to grow. We'll hopefully see Alex Walker blossom in the next year or two, although this may make it difficult to keep him, but I'm sure we could have made a better job with Joe Keyes' development. He may well have had defensive shortcomings, but so did Cooper Cronk and look how he's gone over the years!
There is no doubt that the Academy of 2017 was our best crop for some time; superbly led by Jamie and the team. I hope there's more to come across to the first team squad in the next year to two.

I watched the juniors for years from LMS through to Sargy. McMeekin etc and there are 2 things that struck me with the teams year after year;

1 The tackling technique was poor
2 We lost our way on the last tackle in the opponents 20- I can't recall seeing a decent 6/7- Sargy and his half back partner both played for England in there younger days.

I think we've always had speed out wide, Caro, Dixon etc and backrowers who work hard. Some of the basic skills have been lacking at the junior level. To think they will be coached advanced skills like 13/6/7 need is probably beyond the coaching team or has been.

Sounds a bit harsh WQ thought the juniors did well this year? Sure I saw some surprising results so must be doing summat right

Without a decent half back combination, teams struggle - see Fiji today. They are underestimated, second string to forwards. That's what worries me about this season, decent 6, 7 and then ....

Don't think half back combination had anything to do with the Fiji result

if we are reduced to being "satisfied' with a signing because he'll be cheap then I fear for us moving forward. The Kid was deemed not good enough a couple of months back and now "he's an OK signing because he's cheap"?
The Mind Boggles.....