I would add to that and say every team last year appreciated how a big squad will help you through the season
Of course I'd quite happily have a couple of top quality players but the very fact that those players can be injured a la Hull KR you need plenty of above average if not top quality to come in and take over.
We were very lucky with Miller and Finn last year. The odds are stacked against us to go through a season with our best players on the field 100% of the time again.
We now have some cover at half back and certainly through the middle backs.
The numbers will hopefully push quality up as well as they fight for their place.

There is no doubt that you need a quality player or two in your team, but if you reduce your squad too much to get them, you'll come unstuck.
Cas is a good example of using their bigger squad. They however have extended their squad with some internal development as well which is helping them out a lot. We look to be progressing in a similar way, but are not quite at their level yet in numbers.

In my opinion a good squad should be able to handle a season long injury to a FB, 3/4, half back, Prop, hooker and back row, and be confident that the replacement in each case can continue the momentum without the team suffering badly. That is a 23 man squad to just turn a 17 out.
In worse case you lose more than one in the same position so more are needed. And the kids that you but in the squad need to be able to play. They are not there to learn, they should only get a number if you are confident that they could hold their own.

Wood is a key part of all that. I thought he got unnecessary stick first time round, and he has got better since then.

Last time around Wood creates a break from his own half that produces the try of the game and takes an offload from Raleigh against Leeds to score a try that turns the game which we win. You watch it on you know which channel - Wakefield v Leeds 2012 (we had that green stripe shirt on) Woods runs that game and is the best play maker on the park that day. We only need him to play like that 2 or 3 times a year and we'll win those three games which makes him worth every penny and assuming Williams, Miller and Finn do the same in other games we will do ok - it's called being part of a team.

If you think of it this way Wood has come into the squad as a back up 9 and half back. In that sense he's probably a better option than howarth and has therefore improved the squad.
I'm not convinced on the signing of Grix I feel it was unnecessary as there's already few players in the squad that can cover full back and there's other areas of the team we need to strengthen.

Well the Cas coach signed Egodo from London and Igbinedion from Oxford, what does that tell you. Apart from that they signed Patrick, Eden , Sene-Lefao & Hardaker. A decent SL prop.S/R, an inconsistent FB and a decent overseas forward and Hardaker who could be a very good signing, or could be bang average like last year.

Ateotd we needed another hooker and also needed another FB to take the pressure off Jowitt a bit.

Every team need a squad & you just can't have quality running through your squad. Not even the best teams with cash behind them manage that. Anyway give me Grix and Wood over Tansey and Howarth any day of the week.

I wasn't convinced at first tbh but the more I thought about it,I realised what he'd bring to the side and it's an improvement on last year, Plus he'll be a good back up player in a few positions if necessary, particularly at FB.

Ateotd who have we in the side that can competently cover F/B other than BJB but he'll be playing wing. We had Hall and Tansey that covered last year but they've gone and Grix is a better FB then they are. Having a guy who can do a decent job at F/B will take the pressure off Jowitt, who look spent towards the end of last year. Which wasn't a surprise to say the lad isn't even 20 and played 24 games.

Cas are a top four side, their back line is I think the best in the league. Gale, Roberts, Shenton, Webster, Miniken ( sp ) Solomona, Hardaker, Monahan, is pretty impressive. That said Vastman thinks that Grix and Wood would stroll into that team. Everybody has an opinion I suppose. That said I remember him banging on about how good Brent Todd was.

Absolute rubbish as ever - I say again why don't you spare us all and follow your heart and support Cas.

I'm to young to remember Brent Todd and your tips for the top were Anakin (how's that one going), Wallshaw and that lad last year from London just to name some of your better ones - I won't burden you with the ones you got catastrophically wrong!

Oi! Leave me out of it!

Cas is the last team on earth I would support, that said I do think that they have built an excellent squad and if Vastmans opinion is that their back line is Rubbish and that Grix and Wood are better than any player that Cas have then so be it, I believe like the rest of the world of RL that he is wrong on this. That said he is entitled to an opinion but we must all be aware when considering his past, present and future opinions that he is the man who believes that Gale, Roberts, Shenton, Webster, Solomona, Hardacker, Monahan is a `rùbbish `backline and that Grix and Wood would stroll into the Cas team.
My opinion is that on paper Cas are a top four side, Wigan, Warrington, Saints, Cas and Hull for me will be fighting for a top four finish and just have a sneaking feeling that Cas will edge Hull out. I think that Powell is a first class coach and he along with Wane is able to get the very best out of their players.

Where did "Vastman" say Cas were rubbish?

Where did he say Grix and Wood were better than any Cas player.

Come on Belly lets at least br grown up and honest.

Sorry but to me you're a Cas fan, you love everything about them yet on here at least you appear to show not an ounce of optimism or support for our own squad.

We have two young player of the year guys in our squad yet all you can do is wet yourself over anything Cas - bizarre IMHO - I honestly think you won't be happy until we finally get relegated then you can stand on the terraces lamenting how it used to be.

Don't know about being a Cas fan but since I first joined this site, it wouldn't be a new season without Belly going onto the Cas site to tell them how much better their side was than ours.

Indeed, it's genuinely sad.

I am right though,

That's not the point the sad bit is not whether you are right...

...the sad bit is you so desperately want to be even before a game is played and it's been that way for years including the good ones.

Indeed. St Helens, Warrington, Brisbane Broncos, Auckland Warriors, New South Wales, Fiji all have a better side than us.......yet you only pick Cas out.
You should ponder that for a second.