Some light at the end of the tunnel for you gloomsters on the late signings front . Listening to Agar on the heritage podcast when he took the reins at our club to be basically told he’s got diddly squat to buy players with , but as he says coming late to the party help tremendously with getting quality players in on a shoestring , clubs would actually pay part of the wages to take players off their hands as they were finalising their squads and pay for the privilege, big Ali , Collis , Ayton , Tim Smith , players that were surplus to requirements at their respective clubs and we couldn’t afford at the full price . That’s the gist of the story but a fascinating listen from a very modest , humble man and his time with us amongst other things RL related .

I’ve never held with this notion that a squad needs to be complete and every penny spent before the seasons kicks off.

I suppose I’m helped by the fact that I don’t think a single season ticket is ever sold on the back of 99.9% of signings.

Only a Wally Lewis level signing would do that and I’m not sure that would help the team.

The amount of mid season signings we have had through the years who’ve taken the team up a notch is astonishing. Many have gone on to be hugely successful in the game. Amor off the top of my head.

I’ve stated before, if we can’t find all the Aussie we need keep a spot open and see what rocks up. Sort from the quality you’re basically not fighting anyone else, all there money is gone.

Ditto domestics.

Best of all are the Aydins of other team and there are plenty. Wigan and Saints must be chocka with young players who can’t get a chance. Loan or signing doesn’t matter. It’s these players who will fill gaps and add enthusiasm. There are just loads.

These players fill the gap between our own youngsters coming up and the inevitable attrition of the first team.

Not surprised Agar said this tbh.

Well, according to the Wakefield Express we're looking at a deal for Shaul, Gale and Tom Briscoe at Leeds.
Wouldn't have thought we needed him him, I'd much rather keep Evans.

They've picked that up from serious about rugby site. We'll now be linked with anyone out of contract.

I'm hopeful that the Gale rumour will blow over.....but Briscoe is a new one.

Can't see where Briscoe would fit in?

Gale is finished, been a good player, but signing a 34 old whose legs have gone is not ideal. Briscoe will not let anyone down but we do not need a winger, Kershaw, Murphy and Evans are better than Briscoe, Not idea about the Aussie who broke his arm he may turn out well, then we also have Lineman. So unless we are selling or not signing two of our existing wingers it would be madness to sign Briscoe.
Shaul would be a great signing but Hull getting a new coach may have urinated on our chips.

We have got to stop been a dumping ground for past it players and teams who want to get rid so they can strengthen there team .We got to go down the root of finding players like Butler 24 and getting better as he gets fitter .If the club as not learnt from the last 3 years of Chesters signings there is no hope for us .Please no more panic buying

Said the same about Finn, although Finn never had legs to start with.

Ditto Ashurst this seasons MOS who was apparently not worth a three year deal. So fans know nothing and age and injuries are utterly irrelevant - players either work or they don’t regardless of age and reputation etc.

At 34 Gale easily has a season left. Lino is still young and if we take a punt on another young HB that’s a good mix.

The only reason I can think for taking Brisco is if Evans isn’t staying or worse we cash in on Murphy.

Who knows but these dodgy web sites are notoriously wrong.

FWIW I think there are some big surprises on the way and god ones at that.

Hardly call , Ali, Collis , Ayton ,Tim smith , past it players ,in fact I’d go so far as to say they are some of the best signings we’ve ever made ,. The main point he was alluding to was you can pick up some right quality if your patient, and just like him at that time we have no choice either just as he didn’t all those years before , but it doesn’t mean we’re getting everyone’s dregs .

Think alegend is talking about Luke Gale

Recruit now or later?
Tough decision....
Don't see the rush to sign players tbh.....
Its a marathon not a sprint......

Hope it's just paper talk re Bristoe.He was a decent player years ago but watched him against Cas and he has very little to offer these days and hasn't done for quite a while and i'm surprised Leeds didn't offload him years ago.At this moment in time Evans looks twice the player IMO.Hope we've learned from the Lineham debacle which still has 2 years to run.

While I agree patience is a good thing we will have to accept more than likely that Leigh will come in wanting to spend full cap or close an having to shed some players will certainly be in the market for similar to us.

We just need to sign the right players but if there’s any wheeling and dealing to be done we may get some surprise good deals.

Yes, you surmise well there.
Problem being is that as you say Leigh will probably spend close to or the full cap, so they will be in a better position than us anyway with the ability to pay higher wages.
I do think we will get some opportunity to still sign good players who have been released from other clubs (Will Maher springs to mind from HKR) or possibly pick them up on loan deals.

I agree to a point, but.....

Leigh currently pay Championship money to all but there overseas players, many of whom are not that good. Added to that two of there overseas players will have to go to meet the quota.

Leigh as a promoted club will also have to pay over the odds, especially for British players to replace the ones who simply aren't good enough.

So yes they will be in there for loads of players because they need loads of players. We don't. We only need about 6-8, of which 3 are quota players. We can afford to start the season short then catch up, Leigh have to start engines running with a fully rebuilt squad and they will have no idea what their SL squads make up will actually function like at SL level.

FWIW I think Leigh will start off like a house on fire and then after about five games the real team will surface and who knows what that will be like - history is not on there side if previous forays are anything to go by.