With Doyle having a shoulder op and not be fit until start of season I would go for another hooker. Powell did say we might sign one more player so who knows. He did give Harvey lots of praise though but I feel he would be targeted in super league.

I think 3 x hookers is enough personally. Smith is a quality young player and needs exposure to the first team to progress. He is England academy’s number 9 and done it all at that level. You may not have the confidence in him but it’s about expectations being realistic. He should be getting a good 10 games or so this season to properly introduce him into SL.

Doyle will be fit for the start of SL. We have 2 x hookers so we don’t need another. We also can play Russell at 9 the odd pre season game.

To sign a 4th hooker to have them sat on the sideline through the season is wasteful imho.

If we are to sign another player then it must be a player who improves the starting 17.

A quality 9 is a must ahead of 2026.

I’m not sure where we get one from at this stage ahead of 2025 especially with no quota spots.

It’s not ideal but we may have to dip into the loan market again for 2025.

Tom Forber would be a potential realistic target. He’s been with us before, unlikely to be in the 17 at Wigan when everyone is fit and showed he’s far too good a player to not be playing SL when he took the starting 9 spot for Wigan in their run at the back end of the season and playoffs/Grand Final win.

I’m confident we will be targeting a more sustainable long term solution from 2026.

Well, it is (almost) Christmas.....

The key signings for 2026 will likely be at 9 and 13 I expect.

As you say quality at 9 isn’t around at the moment so I feel we may have to look outside UK for a quality 9. Though perhaps that depends on Doyle and Smith in 2025. They could end up being our 2026 partnership.

Personally so long as whoever comes in will challenge for a starting spot and improve us I will be happy.