Always interesting to look at the signings for the coming season, think it may be fair to suggest that the market has been reasonably quiet to date, never the less I am keen to see how many of the `new`players get on.

Wakey : I am most looking forward to seeing how Keegan Hirst gets on, I love it when a player from the lower Leagues gets their chance and shows everyone what they can do, often these players have missed out on SL academy contracts and had to do things the hard way, so when they `make it` its brilliant. If as we hope Keegan proves to be a great signing then the word is that he is a team leader so we may be getting two for the price of one. Also excited to see Williams play, but we will need to sign a 9 if we want to see the best of Williams.

Cas : Would be great is the young lads from Oxford and London go well, Lefana has potential to be a beast, but the player I am most looking forward to watching is Geg Eden who may well prove to be a star in the style of Russel at Warrington and Shaul at Hull. Cas will need some serious bad luck to prevent them getting in the top 6, I actually think they will finish second to Warrington.

Catalans : lots of activity both in and out, I love watching Ian Thornely play, what a classy player, a top signing. But Greg Bird for me is the best player to come to SL since errrr Greg Bird. He is world class, I will go and watch Catalans play live just to see Bird play. First time in a few years that SL can boast a player of such start quality. Great news for SL fans.

Hudds : Can only think of Clough and Gaskill, two solid players, maybe this is the stage for Gaskill, credit to him its got to be tough for a club like Saints to let you go, he has stuck at it with Bradford and earned his chance,

Hull : Albert Kelly could be a fantastic signing, I suspect that it may have been a better move for him to move away from Hull. That said if fit he will set the League on fire.

Leeds : All quiet, think many were possibly expecting a few big name signings, I like McDermotts style he is basically saying to his squad `I trust in you` . Would be great if both Aston and Ormondroyd again proved that lower league players are plenty good enough for SL

Leigh : We all know that Glen Stewart is top quality, but I think the star signing will be Ryan Hampshire, I hope he gets to play 7, if he does he will well worth watching. A great player , lovely skill set.

Salford : Quiet ish on the signings front for Mr K, plenty of very good players already in the squad I suppose, Kris Brining who shone at York could well be an excellent bit of business.

St Helens : Tommy Lee ; Really ?? got to be the surprise signing of the close season. Player I am most looking forward to seeing is Adam Walker who I think may become a real fans hero at Saints, tough, no nonsense, hard grafter.

Warrington : Three quality players signed in Mike Cooper, Dom Crosby and Andre Savelio. I have really enjoyed watching Crosby play for Wigan, big heart and great attitude. That said I think of the three Savelio could prove to be the best. I think as a three they just may take Warrington to Grand final glory. I think my money will be going on Warrington to win the League, thinks that a certainty , they will also be worth a sneaky few quid to do the treble.

Widnes : Cant think of any new players. I like Betts as a coach, think he is the real deal right up there with Powell and Wane, he gets the best out of players.

Wigan : Love the Wigan attitude, the Wigan way of playing the game. Shaun Wane makes very very few mistakes when signing players, he has signed Liam Forsyth `back`from Bath RU. He obviously rates him and knows him well from his time with Wigan under 19`s . so I think it will be interesting to see this lad play, big boots to fill.

Overall I think Greg Bird will prove to be the best and most influential signing, after that I think Savelio and Hampshire will prove to be real quality captures. Kelly if he doesn`t implode could be great and Williams could be quality if we help him by signing a real 9 or a miricle happens and Moore isn`t sacked.

If you're gonna express an opinion & put yourself up there then expect to be shot at later mate. For what it's worth, I think it's good that people do, if everyone played it safe & sat on the fence then forums would be a pretty boring place (fair play to you on the opinion front, you have one on just about everything as far as I can tell)! Unfortunately the stereotypical inbred overreaction comment is what makes you look daft, not the fact you rated some wakey players better than Cas ones.

"McShane is a plodder imo."
Just shows how little you actually know about the game.
For what it's worth I'm really glad wakey are having a good year as I enjoy the rivalry as much as you do.unlike you tho I can give credit to a player who is having a great season regardless of the shirt they wear.
Maybe when I'm old and bitter like you vasty I will just concentrate on telling the rest of the world they are wrong

I don't particularly like Cas to be honest, I'd much rather they were in the Middle 8 or at least below us. I like to think I can at least give a somewhat objective opinion on them though. I expected them to finish 4th at the start of the season, as did quite a lot of people as far as I can remember as it was pretty obvious they were set for a good season after how they performed in the top 8 last year once they weren't playing a prop at half back.

For some reason though you have an absolutely huge chip on your shoulder about everything to do with them. If someone even slightly praises them then they clearly must be a closet Cas fan because we can't be going around praising all those horrible inbreds from Airedale. You're continuously absolutely miles off with pretty much anything you ever say about them.

When we beat them in the first game of the season in 2015 you were proclaiming how their bubble had burst after Wembley and that they weren't even that much better than us. They went on to finish 5th and we only won two more games all season in SL.

Then the hilarious predictions at the beginning of this thread. "McShane is a plodder". Proceeds to have a fantastic season. "Average pack". Yep, Millington, Moors, Sene-Lefao, McMeeken etc. are all rubbish. "Will miss Dorn hugely." Hardaker has probably been even better than Dorn was. "Top 8, top 6 at a push". Pretty much wrapped up the LLS before the Super 8 has even started. You've even said that you don't think Luke Gale is much better than Liam Finn, which is just completely absurd.

Then we had your hilarious claim just before the Good Friday game that no Cas players would get in the Wakefield team. Daryl Powell must be practicing some kind of witchcraft then to be that far clear at the top with a team of players that wouldn't even get in the side who are 5th.

The funny thing is that as soon as Wakefield win a few games you're all over the VT lauding it over everyone who predicted us to finish last asking them if they'll be changing their opinions now they've been made to look silly. But when the shoe is on the other foot you either try and deflect or just double down on all the nonsense.

Did a lass from Airedale break your heart back in the day? That's about the only thing I can think of that would explain how bitter you are about anything to do with Castleford.

I'm sure Vastmans opinion on McShane was was based on his performances for Wakefield. He clearly isn't the type of player you want in a struggling side like we were at that time. My main memory of him was the regular forward passes from acting half and dumb last play kicks. I don't think he was that hot at the start of his Cas career either. As bad as Scott Moore turned out, he gave more value to the team at the end of that disastrous season than McShane ever would have.
He's now being carried along on the coat tales of some pretty good players. Fair enough.

Seriously. Why is it so hard to discuss rugby without personal digs and insults.
I'll always take the Wakefield side against trolls but this isn't that.
The response was uncalled for.