Yep, it's gone too far it would seem, can't see it myself sadly.

Sad to see Ryan go but tbh I had a feeling after last seasons will he won't he stay, then he ended up signing just a years contract that we'd go through this again. Unfortunate but as far as getting value for money these last few years, I can't argue with how MC's balanced the books.

He knew he didn't have a contract to stay at the club as he hadn't agreed it. So I would say he's the first to know.

Ryan was fortunate not to be one of the 22 players who suffered major injury this season and his versatility enabled him to be selected for every game. The problem is that his game management should have become good enough to push past Brough and claim the No7 for himself but despite Brough's poor season and injury, Ryan hasn't been able to do that.
He has been good enough to push Jowitt out but that must have been a fine call, balancing Max's safety at the back and better passing game against Ryan's fleet footedness and eye for a gap. Even then, we brought in Escare on loan and he pushed Ryan onto the wing. If Tom Johnstone hadn't picked up the long term injury, there wouldn't have been a vacancy to play him on the wing so he might not have made that many regular starts.
Overall he is replaceable within our squad but we are still crying out for the halfback to push past Brough and without him we are probably in for another rudderless season.

I can promise you that you couldn’t be more wrong on all counts.

Seen Ryan getting a bit of stick on social media for saying “we’re all bits of meat in this game”. Can anyone explain why this is offensive? Not about Wakefield at all just a comment about RL players in general which it would be hard to argue with.

This whole situation is depressing, feel Rocky was poorly advised to ignore the original offer, and the club probably did the right thing signing walker at that time. Although if the club really wanted to keep him I’m sure they would have had a sit down with him and his agent at that time, rather than issuing a contract offer that expires at the end of the month and that being the end of it. Also don’t see rocky as the bad guy for wanting a bit more money, he knows what everyone else is earning and can benchmark himself appropriately. It’s a short career and he’s coming into his prime so would be hoping for a decent contract.
I know we’re not meant to get into contracts on here but I’ve heard from a couple of reliable sources that Koppy is on £90k a year, also know that Rocky was not asking for that much so it’s not like he was asking to be the highest paid player.
Problem is now we’ve signed Walker he’s gonna be a utility back or cover for halfback, in which case it’s hard for the club to justify a high wage.

If you know you are not meant to talk contract money, why then do so?

The fact that you've herd those numbers doesn't make it true.

I rather doubt you can promise a single thing

recipe for disaster when salaries are branded about it only fetches unrest and disrupts the working environment, I've worked with others that have had bigger pay packages and was less skillful and had less responsibilities than me in the past and it hard to work in team when this happens

/This for me sums it all up

And i rather doubt you can prove your bs post to be true.

To be honest I'm not totally unhappy with this.

Clearly Hampshire is a gifted athlete and a good player. If the only choice was whether to keep him or not I'd have kept him.
However it isn't the only decision.

We have players already signed up for next year and we have positions we need to strengthen and most of all we have a limited budget.

He's perfectly entitled to ask for more but if it doesn't fit out budget we are correct to say no.

The club is not stronger for letting him go and the team is arguably weaker but the club IS stronger for sticking to its financial strategy and we're wise to act quickly to recruit a replacement.

Would've like him to stay, and I would play him in his preferred position. But alas things haven't worked out for one reason or another. He will find a club no problem. Trinity will move on. No need for hard feelings.

Pretty much everything on the psychology on teamwork suggests that what Hampshire was doing would have been a disruptive factor on the cohesion of the team.

As for being poorly managed, his team have obviously failed with both expectation management, and have failed to inform him of contract discussions. Remember, he was the one who didn't accept the contract offered, he should have been told by his team that this would mean he was out of a job

Personally I can't argue with any of that. Ateotd we'll know what kind of call it was when we line up next season and see what wheeling and dealing MC/CC can do in the off season.
Looking at Ryan's career so far, I worry a little that when he finds a new club, that will be his 5th by the age of 24. For one reason and another since making 1st team he's not settled for right long anywhere and imo that's what he potentially needs to do and really nail down his place and become less of a utility player if you like, which I think can hurt a player sometimes - I did think it was going to be at Trinity and was hoping last season we'd tie him down for 3 years but alas it isn't going to happen.

Slightly O/T We've got 2 overseas places left that I'd like get filled by a Prop and halfback.I'd have taken Green, as a bit of a like for like for England and I'd have signed Tangata if he'd have been British but imo he's not quite good enough for overseas spot but he'd did a good job while here.