https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... s-20765995 The article mentions that in addition to Hastings and Gildart (officially confirmed as leaving) along with Bullock (rumoured to have signed for Wire) listed below are 7 players out of contract with the club at the end of the season: Bevan French (potential 1 year option in players favour) Dom Manfredi Jake Bibby Tommy Sam Powell Willie Isa Tony Clubb Obviously it's unlikely that we will be seeing all 7 leave (making it a mass exodus of 10 in total), but I think a few will leave/retire. At best I think 5 will be offered new deals (French, Manfredi, Bibby, Powell and Isa). I think Tommy will retire and Clubb will be released. Whats people's thoughts on where we could end up for next year? By the way I'd like to think the club are looking at a few new quality signings as well.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... s-20765995 The article mentions that in addition to Hastings and Gildart (officially confirmed as leaving) along with Bullock (rumoured to have signed for Wire) listed below are 7 players out of contract with the club at the end of the season: Bevan French (potential 1 year option in players favour) Dom Manfredi Jake Bibby Tommy Sam Powell Willie Isa Tony Clubb Obviously it's unlikely that we will be seeing all 7 leave (making it a mass exodus of 10 in total), but I think a few will leave/retire. At best I think 5 will be offered new deals (French, Manfredi, Bibby, Powell and Isa). I think Tommy will retire and Clubb will be released. Whats people's thoughts on where we could end up for next year? By the way I'd like to think the club are looking at a few new quality signings as well.

Bevan French (potential 1 year option in players favour) - I think he'll take the year due to his injury maybe temporarily putting off NRL interest
Dom Manfredi - will leave IMO
Jake Bibby - Surely on for a new contract
Tommy - retire
Sam Powell - New contract surely
Willie Isa - will leave IMO
Tony Clubb - Gone

Is Clark not off contract?

We HAVE to keep Clubb

Love to keep-French

Should keep-Bibby, Powell and Isa

Undecided-Manfredi

Let go- Leuluai to the coaching staff and Clubby to Greggs.

Won’t be popular but I’d love to see us bring in another hooker. Powell can never be faulted for effort and tackles like a Trojan but he offers very little in attack. The odd try from acting half isn’t enough for me. Manfredi is 50/50 too. If we could attract Tom Johnston that would be ideal but I accept it’s highly unlikely. Bibby will be offered a new deal but as I’ve said before, I see him as a good utility cover player and not good enough as a first choice centre. That’s not detracting from his excellent start to this season covering the wing spot.
Isa worth another season for back row cover.
Clubb and Leuluai to retire. Hastings and Gildart going and we still have a marquee spot. We definitely have potential to really improve in key areas, starting at prop, half back and centres. Hooker if we have cap space.

Yes because Tom Johnstone's injury record is spot on.

Players recover. Look at Lee Mossop who I think has developed into an excellent prop and there was nobody with a worse injury record. You can add Johnny Lomax to that too.

So why wouldn't Dom recover?

Nobody will splash out a transfer fee on Johnstone at the minute given his concussion issues. It’s such a shame that he’s struggling but you can’t lay out money when the lad could go the same way at Stevie Ward (I really hope that doesn’t happen). That’s before you even factor in his history of serious knee troubles.

I’d keep Manfredi if possible and would be frustrated if he goes and a quality replacement isn’t brought in. The obvious option would be to try and get Tom Davies back but how realistic that would be is hard to say.

Agree

I agree mate but his injury record may be the reason we wouldn’t need to break the bank for him. He may have ambitions to win things and that’s very unlikely at Wakey.
I’m praying like mad that Dom can stay fit and justify another contract, if anybody deserves a good run of luck it’s him.

He’s a cracking player Johnstone when fully fit and playing but so is Manfredi. I just don’t see us not renewing a guy with a history of injury problems to then replace him with a guy with a history of injury problems and who now has some real issues with concussions. Even if a potential asking price went down, I still think Johnstone would cost more in wages than Manfredi and then you’re spending more money to sign a player with probably more injury risks and who isn’t any better than Manfredi when both are at their best (both players top level is extremely high).

If the Manfredi decision is a financial one, I expect Bibby will be on the right wing next season. If it’s a case of having an option to sign a player in his place, than I’d expect a move for a Tom Davies or an NRL winger ahead of Johnstone.

I think the next few months is a really important time for our squad development. If we get it right, with some real talent, the club can really put bums on seats and compete at the highest level again for years to come. However, I fear if we get it wrong then we’ll go on a downward spiral again that could take a very long time to recover from.

We've got too much leadership going/gone to let Powell go as well IMO. We need some level of continuity

I think we are already on it and have been for 3 seasons. We haven't improved in any area in that time.