Bit of a red herring is this one, and I think JM didn't mean it to sound that way.

Let's be clear about this. The reason no signings are being announced is because Applegarth is reviewing them as the new head coach, which is what you'd expect. What he isn't doing is sitting waiting for the WC, that's not the case at all. Any quota players he wants will now be in contract talks of some kind with the club. The WC refers to the fact that if we can't sign all the players we want then we can look at the WC and see if there is anyone who fits the bill. You have to remember that we often get outbid on players, even those we were in the running for first, it's how it is. So there is every chance that come the WC we may have a spot free. That spot may prove to be an absolute blessing or maybe not.

Do you know this or is this just a suggestion?

There’s a good chance we are looking at a few players who are at the World Cup… which might enable a few face to face chats…

In this case, a bit of both, or as close as you can get from what you hear without actually being part of the staff. But tbh it would make sense anyway. Applegarth is bound to want to review signing, you'd assume he was in agreement with Poching but he may wish to take another look, I would.

FWIW, I reckon we will have at least one or two spots still free whilst the WC is on, that by the way is speculation. That's not so much to do with the WC but historically we don't seem to have signed a lot of players right up November anyway. I think Whitbread came late?

That's all I can say.

I'd guess we already have a list of players to look at, during the WC, ones already on the list but who we'd love to see up close. I'd go with that, makes sense.

Funny, we have an obsession at this club about making signings ASAP, but when we did with Hood, Gaskell and Lineham, that didn't go down well or end up especially well. It's a no win for the club it seems.

It's not like all WC players are there for the signing. Some will be under contract and some will have no interest is SL. I guess the agents will have given the club a list of ones who might be available in our price range. I guess MA will be going through the lists.

All the clubs will be looking at the better players and a strong WC doesn't mean they will fit into our plans/budget.

Most of Tonga and Samoa are already in the NRL. PNG or Fiji maybe but it's not like the days when you could pick up an unknown livewire scrum half.

It's more about the WC freeing some up that wouldn't get visas previously.

I think that's about it.
I tend to agree having given it some thought, we can't just rely on the WC throwing a few gems up, although it would be good to pick up a Stanley Gene type!

Signings sell season tickets, quality signings will sell more.

Would like to see the proof of that..........

Says who, just another mindless cliche.

There are about a dozen players on the planet who would sell season tickets, maybe a few more after the WC. The former certainly aren't coming to SL or if they are probably not to us.

I know for a fact that when the last really big name signed in David Solomona there was no verifiable increase in ST sales.

The sooner the team is settled the better and that may make a few who are wavering take the plunge before Christmas, but a mass increase in sales, pure myth IMO.

So unless we can pull a Wally Lewis out of the bag, then it won't make a jot of difference.

Put it another way success sells, to increase the chance of this you need a successful squad, if we had then we would not see season tickets fall by 20%.

Not so. Yes ST sales fluctuate to a small degree based on success on the field. However the main reasons are COVID and the now the re-development work.

A lot of that 20% imo are either people who got out of the habit or didn't feel happy to risk it so soon after COVID. And those who don't want to understandably pay for games they may not wish to attend either due to fears regarding the weather or the position of the temporary seats.

ST sales will stabilise next year due mainly to the new stand, a good season will help but IMO will be marginal.

Add to that the current state of the energy market, fuel costs and now mortgages and possibly food it’s a challenging time for all sports clubs.

Just a thought but as the licenses will likely consider attendances to some degree I wonder if it would be worth having £10 tickets at some games in 2024? The year which licenses will be awarded at the end.

Obviously I know that there may be some lost revenue but if we can bump up our attendance that would also work in the clubs favour hugely come licensing decision time. Perhaps take a short term hit for a long term gain in some respects.

Is catering in the ground remaining outsourced? Or will this transition to club run? Obviously higher attendances would mean more money for the club you’d expect.

Attendances are one thing we will have to address over next 1-2 years and try to bring our average up through whatever means.

The problem with this idea is how do you compensate ST holders. It wouldn't bother me, I'm not rich but I can take a £15 hit for the odd game. However some people just don't see it that way.

I'd do it for the Catalan game obviously and perhaps controversially the Cas game. It's the latter that would get you a massive attendance. However I'm are assuming we will be back to full capacity at that point. Knowing the RFL they will go out of their way to have all our big attendance games at the start of the season, you just know it.