You're making a huge assumption here.



You're assuming that plans are not already in place to strengthen the squad AND keep TJ.



This is clearly a transitional year.



By next season more funds will hopefully be online whilst other players will be OOC, most notably Bill and Fifita who are both huge earners. Freeing up Bill alone will give us a quality overseas place free.



There are many players who I'd let go before TJ.

I think Tom has proved that a world class winger isn't just a finisher. Everyone needs good wingers.

It is proved by the amount of grief Senior got when he couldn't get us off our line. In the clear he is faster than all but the daftest in super league. But that's not his only job.

And two of the 4 wingers you name have long term injuries, and the other is needed as hooker. So we have all the pressure on a kid in his debut season.

Let's keep Tom and Murphy as our strike weapons and work out a different way to get another prop.

The issues lay in my opinion run much deeper than just the props.



We need 2/3 props a 9 and 2 second row forwards.



It’s a bit ironic talking about long term injuries to wingers on a thread about TJ.



If there is the need to bring in another winger (I don’t think there is) then we can go to the market.



It all depends on what TJ’s salary expectations are though ultimately. We don’t know what he is on or what he is expecting and if we can make the signings we clearly need and retain him fantastic. If it’s a case of him or any of the above then in my opinion we sacrifice him.



I certainly would not upgrade his contact on what he is currently on.



I don’t like the tag “world class” because I don’t think he or any other players in SL at the moment are worthy of that tag.



He is a very good SL player and would we be weaker on the edges if he were to go? Yes.



IF that cap space can be used to improve out pack though it’s a no brainier in my opinion.



We also need to consider it isn’t just TJ that is out of contract so some big decisions to be made by the club as well as TJ himself on his and others futures.



I genuinely think we can survive this year by not being the worst team in the comp. Unless we improve in the areas above I don’t think we will be able to rely on others being worse than us in 2023, even with TJ in a Trinity shirt.

I can think of many players over the years who have awful bad luck with injuries like Tom but in the mid and later stages of there careers being pretty injury free



If that happened with Tom it would be immense for him and us

I don’t know Tom but he strikes me as a guy who really wears the shirt with real pride, I think it would take a lot to get him to leave



V much hope we can keep him, on his day and with the right ball he can beat teams on his own



I do think our main issue is purely lack of prop go forward and offload from our props and to a lesser degree movement from hooker



I think our backs are as good as we’ve ever had in sl but just get very little room to work

I'm sure you know what you mean, but for the benefit of those that aren't so sure, could you explain in simple terms.

Absolutely agree.

If we have to sell or, cant afford to keep our better players, we really are screwed, not least because of the message it sends to other SL clubs.

Every time we get a half decent player, other clubs (usually Leeds) would be sniffing round at the first opportunity..

TJ and Fifita are rare commodities in SL, they are box office and that is something we desperately need plus if they stay it may encourage others to join the squad (money permitting).

Non of us know what Tom is on although given when he was in demand and playing well when he signed his last deal it is likely he is one of our higher earners.



We don’t know his salary expectations moving forward for his next contract.



Personally we’re he to re sign with Trinity I would hope it would be on reduced terms given the injury issues he has had during his current contract and our financial challenges.



If we could get him on a reduced contract definitely sign him back up. If he is expecting an upgrade then personally I wouldn’t sign him back up.

Why would he accept reduced terms because he was injured in the past. That's a ridiculous suggestion.

Ridiculous? Really? Plenty do and have done over the years.



It all depends on the market though and his own feelings towards the club and wider ambitions.



It’s supply and demand. If he is in demand and his market value is pushed up and he chooses to go for the money fair play.



We don’t know the facts in relation to his salary so it’s pure speculation but you have to take into account his injury record, his ongoing issues and off set that against performance when making the decision.



Jonny Lomax took reduced terms at Saints after a couple of years of bad injuries a few years ago. Bevan French took reduced terms for 22 as he felt he owed it to the club after they supported him through his injury and issues in 21.



There is risk in every signing and contract renewal. To increase TJ’s wage is a higher risk than others given his history. If we had money to spend up to cap then of course we renew him. Another year on reduced terms with a view to extending on better terms in 24 would be an ideal solution.



In the situation we are in we can’t tie up significant cap space for it to be sat in the stands.

Even if the outcome turned out to be signing a cheaper, less good winger? Or are you presuming any saving would be invested elsewhere?