Well if he's as good as you are suggesting, then we can't afford to keep him can we?! I think he needs to play at 7 for 2 or 3 seasons before he can be judged properly. He still has bags of potential, and has been great since he was given the gig at scrum half properly for an extended run, and no doubt his stock has gone up. Still lots of rumours as to who's going where next year, but if we can't keep him I don't see us falling in a heap next season, and i'm not sure there's a place for him at one of the perceived top 4 clubs next season. So does he go to a team who finished below us, for possibly more money???

The last sentence is correct - the rest is hyperbole or patently untrue; Gale is by far the best 7 in SL, with Powell and Richardson probably close seconds. Now admittedly, they're generally showcased by having a better team around them, but Hampshire, purely by virtue of being nomadic and not having had a chance to nail a starting 7 spot for a full season, can in no way be described as being better than any of those three.

I don't disagree that he has the potential to be outstanding, but it's exactly this kind of talk that has young players and their agents prepared to make inflated and unreasonable wage demands, before they can justify it.

I like Hampshire - he'll probably have a long and successful career and could easily play for England at some point in the future; but now is not the future.

Can only spend what we have and it will be a real shame to lose Rocky if so Drinkwater would be nice
However I can think of 2 players I would get off the wage bill to finance keeping Rocky 1 is too old the other always injured both will be on decent money and it would not weaken the side one bit.

So you would offload people to meet the wage demands of a young player? What about the other players who then form an orderly queue outside MC's office to demand similar treatment - many of whom would probably have a more powerful argument than he currently has? Before you know it, you've inflated your entire wage bill to keep one person happy, or you've overpaid one person (in relative terms) and hacked off everyone else.

You have to be careful with this stuff - paying people what they're worth is a balancing act between what *they* think they're worth, what *you* think they're worth, and what you've already decided other people are worth; sometimes, the circle can't be squared and you have to part ways.

You gare obsessed with this player, he's nowhere near as good as you make out - why over do it?

He's a young talent, but is still a work in progress. I'm sure the club will have offered him a fair deal based on his experience in the role and his progress in it, now his choice is to accept that deal in the knowledge that he's going to be a starting 7 in a top half club, or he takes his chances at another club where he may not get the game time or position he desires. I'm not too fussed either way, I want players who are committed to the vision of the club to pull on the shirt, if that's not him, so be it.

Who have we got in the U19s in the halves now?

i would have offloaded them before now Trinity have lacked a good 7 for 3 seasons now when we have one hes away
I appreciate we have a limited budget but a good club knows when to get rid and we have a few who should have gone 2 years ago

Sounds like you know something the rest of us don't, don't suppose you know who his replacement is by any chance.

Maybe it's because he's watched the kid quite a lot over the years while watching plenty of junior rugby which I'm sure your aware of, it doesn't make him right or wrong on the matter, as it does not make you right because your opinion differs to his, he's clearly got a different opinion to you on him as simple as that, is doesn't make either of you wrong.

Chiz ,


No idea mate, however I have my optimistic hat on today and quite honestly think we will come out of this OK whatever happens.

The Reynolds rumour refuses to lie down.

We still need a squad though.
I get the offloading thing but you can't reduce your squad size.
That is a big risk for a super league team. Injuries always happen and you need decent cover.
So offloading doesn't give us the money for a single fee unless you reduce quality.

It's been announced that Drinkwater is leaving Catalans. Wonder where he'll end up?

Disappointing if Hampshire/Hampshire's agent is pricing him/them out of a deal. As for Reynolds, as a back up option I'm still not sure about, never mind as first choice partner for Miller.

If the rumours have been right, Leeds.