They clearly need a replacement for next season. Ryan Hampshire or Max Jowitt would be possible options?

Max has another year to run on his contract, so they'd have to buy him out of that. That's even if Wakefield want to sell, which I doubt they do. When MC was on Yorkshire Radio he spoke about those players who's contract's end in 2018 and getting them sorted out, I'd imagine Max would be part of that. Especially as Grix's deal runs out at the end of next season and will be 34, so will be 35 the season after.

Cas only signed him on a permanent deal a few months ago for a six figure sum.

Although no official statement from the club as to what hes done, or how long he will be banned for.

One question, will he pull on a Cas shirt again.

To me he has cost the club a lot of money, and whilst spending full cap probably, dont have a sugar daddy, probably arent cash rich.

Will they be in a position to buy someone out of a contract.

Depends what they did with the other £150k they got from Solomona fee. Then there's prize money for finishing top I assume, and maybe for reaching Grand Final? But they certainly won't get their money back for Hardaker that's for sure.

So happy to see Luke Gale revert back to his Bratfut Bulls form. Now he's had his season in the sun don't be surprised to see him back to normality from now on. That cocky swagger and bad hair was starting to wind people up. Ta ta Luke !! X

Gale was non existent yesterday - but to be fair to him same could be said for the majority of the Cas squad.
Losing Hardaker won't have helped at all mind - I can't see him pulling on a Cas jersey again now, no matter what he
has done. He certainly has a lot to answer to, idiot!

Car will be back next season and Gale will still have his swagger.
It was just one game.
They seemed caught in the headlights didn't they.

Agree with this.
The glare of the spotlight was just too much for some of their players and Hardaker was a huge miss, both in terms of his own ability and his place within the team.
His absence stifled their options down the left hand side and caused them to move Eden, one of their most potent attacking threats to FB.
The Sky commentary was about right when it said that, it would have helped if he (Eden) been playing their for a few games before hand.
Felt a bit sorry for young Milner, hero against Saints and couldn't catch a cold last night

Yesterdays final was a non entity to me because, probably for the first time I couldn't decide who I wanted to win!
I do admire Cas though, for taking a stand against Hardaker, much the same was MC did with Smith and Locke.
I haven't a clue what he's done but he's cost Cas dearly.

Hardaker has been the difference for Cas this year, he's the one who's given Gale the space to think, and sorted out the defence. Without Hardaker (or another international standard full back), I can't see Cas winning as many next season because they generally rely on fast flowing open play to score which usually starts from their full back

Yes Gale definitely won the hide and seek competition today, I’m sure Leeds will admit that they weren’t at their best, but Cas were awful. Worst grand final game I’ve watched. Regarding Hardaker, the comments he’s made to fellow professionals in the past, it couldn’t have happened to a better person

Tbf it was the worst grand final ever, cas were crap

Its a team game, the hardaker thing is just 1 factor in a long list, the idea that the result is all down to him or gale is daft.
We should know that better than anyone.
The writing was on the wall weeks ago, with or without hardaker, with or without Gale, they just haven't been hitting their own sweet spot for a while.
The nature of a GF and how you get there dictates that the best team by a country mile over the season, may not win the cigar, which is a bit naff if you ask me, but thats the way it is.

We lost Chase-cas are knackered next year everything goes through Chase

We lost Clarke-cas are going to miss the easy metres he makes from dummy half next year

We lost Denny-cas won't score as many tries as last year.

You don't learn do you?

Daft?
Hardaker's absence not only as a star player but also as part of a team that was majorly disrupted only 48 hours before a massive
game was a major factor IMO - the team had to be switched round and the gameplan will have been out of the window.

To say it wasn't a factor is daft - coupling with the fact that Gale is a pivotal part of that side who simply didn't turn were 2 very
major factors indeed.