There will be natural progression of those props and I don’t think you need to spend the earth to find a couple of decent ones from down under.

I just think if we can get a spine locked down for a number of years in Hardaker, Williams, Smith, Powell and Bateman then you have a long term advantage over your rivals. If we look at Saints spine, Coote is nearly ready for retirement, as is Roby, Lomax is older than any of our potential 5, Fages is always rumoured to be leaving and I could see Knowles wanting a crack at the NRL within 2 or 3 years.

As everyone else has said, Williams. NRL props tend to come over here already burned out anyway.

Warrington are favourites according to the Canberra Times apparently. I don’t think they have any evidence of that from what I read and it seems like they jumped on the back of the comments of Wire being interested from the NRL show on Aussie tv.

Wigan said they have first refusal on Williams if he comes back - does anyone know what this actually means in practice?

That's probably just the usual asumption. Decent level half going to Super League, wire usually sign them.

Granted in this case he isn't over 35 and past it.

You want to steer clear of Napa (past it) and Tolman (an average workhorse). Woods is still decent.

never has been

I'm hoping it means that we still hold his UK registration, with an agreement that if we match any other offer, he would come to us?

Is it like the Iestyn Harris situation where Wire would need to pay us a transfer fee if they wanted him?

More like John Bateman, presumably? Love to see George back.

I don’t think this first refusal thing is anymore than a handshake between the player and Rads tbh but could be wrong.

I’m confident he’ll come back here but we’ll see.

Always makes ground and has a decent offload. He'd go ok if he was committed.

Let's face it nobody better is likely to come over here!