Personally I’d look at Parcell or Judah Rhimbu for the 9 role. Rhimbu was on cusp of NRL this pre season. He’s a bit like Ipape in style.

As for halfbacks, I’d have looked at Sneyd when available but he got snapped up. There’s not too much available but I’m reasonably okay with Russell. Truman has an element of risk but could turn out to be a cracking signing if he can stay fit.

Think getting a couple of SL standard props in is required for next season or even earlier due to Trinity being so low on numbers…

McMeekan
Atoni
Rodwell
Uele

That's a great front row team.
We could do with some depth but I'm very happy with those four as our starters.

Will get shot down for this but would have gone for a quality half from Australia instead of buying back T J .Lot of TJ trys came from breaks down the middle of the park ,with TJ been there to finish of the move At Catalans this season because of spine struggling T J as been starved of chances When Gale had the pace to go along side his skill a lot of the time the Cas winger just had to finish of the move for a try , because of the over lap created by the spine of the team That was on the Cas ground as well that is well short of been standed size

Will McMeekan definitely be used in the front row and not back row replacing Ashurst?

Who would you have in mind? Nathan Cleary? DCE?

I suppose only time will tell but when you look at his time at dragons when he signed he had squad number 12 , but in this years squad he has squad number 8 , so his current club see (and have played him ) as a prop.

Given we also have Bain rodwell pitts and vagana plus storton possibly griffin who all are allegedly middles - whatever that means , but have all played in back row and with the exception of griffin have played in front row so can’t help but think bar an odd signing the squad is what it is.

Storton I d see as a straight swap for ashurst, rodwell sees himself as a back row forward suspect he may end up with squad 13 next year,

Personally still think we are an impact forward short but even if we sign parcell we still have a spare quota spot (possibly 2 as under new rules not sure parcell is overseas) squad for 2025 seems to be coming together

Now confirmed by the club. Loan until the end of the season

Not sure of your logic there, TJ is non quota and is an absolute steal with regards salary cap at £50k.I doubt very much the signing of TJ would influence the signing or not of an Australian "quality half"

You’ll only get shot down because your strait up wrong. Hardly any of TJs try’s have come down the middle. TJ is a game breaker and changer. It’s not a case of one or the other. TJ the actual amount that counts on the cap will be lower than you’d think as he’s come through Trinity academy.

alegend? More like abrokenrecord.

Delaney and Wood also off out to Hunslet, both promising players and good luck to them.

Delighted we're bringing Johnstone back but scared he'll be injured all the time and it'll be a big drop to our next best winger.

I'm pretty sure McMeeken will play in the middle. He's an international front rower. Hasn't played on the edge much for about three years. So if everyone's sticking around, that leaves us with McMeeken, Rodwell, Uele, Atoni, Bain, Vagana and Shaw.

That's enough middles (a middle is just a forward who 'acts' as a prop forward traditionally does. If you play a direct game, you need more middles - like Wigan, Saints and Melbourne prefer). If you play more expansively, you're more likely to put a traditional loose forward in - like Cas, Leeds and Penrith prefer.

Griffin isn't a middle.

As for a quality half in Australia - not many exist. Since I last banged on about it, Hastings has signed for Newcastle, Townsend for the Roosters, Keary for Catalans. Tyson Gamble's probably going to become available but I'd miles prefer Trueman.

Not strictly correct as I’ve watched Mckmeeken a few times this year and he’s played both prop and edge second row and every match he was the best forward on the pitch. Very excited to see him join.

Reality is we could use him in either.

If Vagana comes good then he could be used second row.

We do need a few more forwards though second row and probably another prop.

Parcell would be a cracking signing if Hood isn’t going to do one last year.

I did like the look of Judah Rhimbu though the PNG hooker who can play half who was given a trial at an nrl club in 2024.

Don’t think Bain, Boothroyd and Shaw are SL standard plus losing Bowden. I appreciate Trinity will have Storton,McMeeken and Corey Hall but think more quality is needed in the pack as it’s thin on the ground.

Rodwell and Uele will be very good in superleague.

Atoni has been much improved and is good enough for SL.

Mckmeeken is a current England forward.

Vagana has huge potential.

Bain’s future isn’t at prop imo and I genuinely think we will see him at 13 once we get a few props back and we will see him at 13 next year. He’s more of a defensive forward but I has a pair of hands on him so 13 would suit.

Boothroyd isn’t signed up as yet for SL though he’s more a second row and at 20 I’d challenge you to name any better forwards aged 20 in SL presently. There’s barely a handful.

Shaw I don’t think is signed up but I don’t know.

We do need another experienced prop for SL.

I’m not sure why you have so little faith in the middles who have dominated every pack in this league.