That must be tough to hear from your new boss - RL really is a tough business.

Obviously mr Gentle doesnt rate him!! like one of the players we released that a lot of people think should have been kept on

Tongia?

would be nice to know whats happening with Tongia. if he's waiting for visa you'd have thought it would have been announced by now, same if he's been released/not kept on. Seems to be going on a fair while without any news.....

The talk was he has a contract for next year but Agar wants rid.

Correct !!

Heard that on here too, but still no official update. If this is true, you have to wonder what Agar is playing at letting two good young prospects go already in Howarth and Tongia.

Ball playing forward and a flair fullback/winger? Not Agars style i'm afraid. Our new coach is unimpressed with a few of the signings prior to his appointment by all accounts.

everybody else seemed to be happy with the signings made before he arrived. There may be a few disappointed people if we let tongia go aswell, as there seems to be quite a few people anticipating whats happening with this one. Guess we'll have to wait and see what happens

How I was told the state of play, be it fact or fiction...

If Smith doesn't get a visa then Tongia will likely be announced and Obst will be our scrum half. If he does get one then Tongia is likely to be on his way if he can be found another club. The coach wants Obst in the squad but can't announce him as there isn't a quota place available with Tongia & Smith on the books. Whilst it sorts its self out theres a chance that Sam could sign for a local championship with a get out clause in place, although there is some interest from the other side of the pennines.

If Tongia can't be found a club and Smith arrives then I wouldn't be surprised if Ben Fisher is signed, not that either he or Obst are really needed.

Just to play devils advocate, we are rather loaded with overseas signings after the recent shopping spree, so if Tongia is deemed surplus to requirements, that's probably one we'll have to take on the chin.

Hmm, hoping I was wrong. I also got told that Obst trained with the team saturday morning and Tongias replacement would either be Richie Mathers or Paul Sykes?

So either way we are signing a hooker that we dont need. Unless were going to be fielding around 3 different teams on alternate weeks im not sure how the youth that hes supposed to be giving games and pathways to are going to get a game let alone a few.

to be honest i was happy to have obst back, but now i think we have far too many overseas players (quota or otherwise). we have a raft of good juniors, and agar had better well bloody use them rather than having them rot in the second team or all out on dual reg/loan deals.