How dare he sign young talented players.

I think we have signed some very talented players for next season... there are some risks with regard to injury history... but injuries can happen anytime, to anyone.

I'm looking forward to seeing how things gel

Parcel would be a good coup for a season or maybe two. Still making very positive contributions to KR this season. Smith and Doyle could also benefit for a year.

Like has been mentioned I think if we were to sign a quality 9 then only a second row remains. Unless we renew Hood for a season and potentially extend Boothroyd who also looks like a good un at second row.

I think we'll go with

Hooker
Hood and Doyle with Smith backup

Halfback
Trueman and Russell with Lino backup

Fullback
Max with Rourke as backup

.

Don’t think Lino will consider himself back up and I’m not sure I do. Russell has a lot to prove imho, Trueman less so.

I’d be surprised if we don’t sign another hooker - plenty about - Hood knocking on and imho Smith is possibly two seasons from SL ready. Smith is talented but is really small by modern standards, so the only way he will succeed is by skill and grit and that takes time to develop. Think we might see him feature heavily in the run up to the play offs. He could be a Langer type player, but that’s asking a lot of an 18 year old, could of course be wrong.

Ok let me rephrase.
Trueman, Russell and Lino as halfbacks, best 2 on form play.

Also, Russell isn't really competing with Lino for me. He's taking Gale's place. Trueman and Lino are the similar players.
Of course they could all play both 6 and 7 but that's how I see it.

And Russell was selected for England Knights and is playing SL right now. So maybe he has to prove his form, but not his talent.

I can't see Parcell coming, I think we'll go with Hood, Doyle and Smith. I hope I'm wrong because he's a quality player, but I reckon we'll use the last quota spot on a second rower. There's Rourke and Matty Russell still to be announced and then, apart from a few renewals/extensions we'll be pretty much done. Whether Lino stays or not could give us some room for manoeuvre later on.

This is also why I can see something in the idea that Lino might be injured for the rest of this season. If Lino's fit come the semis, would Powell drop him for Trueman? Trueman's a better player, but management is about more than putting your most talented team out.

It's the same reason Olly Russell's signing has got me scratching my head a bit. He's not a bad player, but I haven't seen anything in his game to suggest he could steer around a top 6 side. And having followed his career a bit, everything he says is about playing regularly, which he never got to do at Huddersfield and Ian Watson was always apologetic about that. When he signed for us, Powell said something to the effect of 'He's ready to take charge of a team'. So if he's been signed on that proviso, how unhappy would he be playing backup again? It's awesome to have that competition for places to drive players - might bring the best out of all three.

I'd be happy either way next year. I like Hood, great defender, but lacking athleticism. We do need a replacement, but I think that's Doyle. If Hood gets shown up next year we could play Doyle and Smith, or Doyle and Lino. And if that doesn't work, we sign someone for 2026.

How confident are you on us signing Matty Russell? Seen it mentioned a lot on this forum but nowhere outside it. And I can't really make sense of it when he does a very similar job to Olpherts, who seems a good backup for us.

I don't think Hood is a top six hooker and we'll wait and see how Doyle and Smith develop before deciding what to do long term.

As far as I'm aware, Russell is a done deal. He's better than Olpherts in my opinion.

Not sure about the Matty Russel one, think i would give olpherts another year, think hes been great for us this year and should be rewarded with a squad player role next year.

re Russel, has he been playing recently? saw he moved to leeds on loan but dont think i've actually seen him named in the side for them? although i've not watched much of the rhinos this year

He picked up an injury back in May. Left the field with concussion but also confirmed he had a knee injury afterwards. That loan at Leeds expired in July, so assume he's either doing his rehab at Warrington, or can't get in over Ashton, Thewlis and Lindop.

I'm absolutely with you on this.
Olpherts over Russell for me.

I'm told that Matty Russell is a done deal, along with the NRL prop I mentioned last week (still don't know who though) and we are waiting on quota clarification so that we can then hopefully sign Parcell

Hooker is a key position,and whilst I like Hood would hope for better in SL this time round.Parcel is a no-brainer if he's available imo.