Nail on the head for me! I've been saying this for 2 seasons now. Hame as a player under Agar is a waste of talent and quota spot, yet under a coach that utilised his assets, he just might be worth keeping. As Agar seems to be glued to his coaching position at Hull, we may as cut our losses with Hame - sad i know but true!

If Fitz and Lauaki leave, and we want to replace Dowes for better, where on earth do we find three forwards who have the sufficient quality when we have no quota places available?

For me, the answer to that question will make or break our 2012 season.

Being a Nulla fan he was really good in 2008 when they finished 3rd, Nulla were known for their defence though more than their attack but in SL i think he'll do fine.
Does have a drinking problem though,and i mean a proper drinking problem, i think he goes to their version of AA, hopefully though he's turned a corner.

Mckinnen potentially ,The best signing of the them all ...if he stays fit. Seymour is a decent signing without popping corks . Heremaia is a waste of a spot.

I think the seymour signing was a result of long's injury problems. Had long stayed fit then he would have got another year to ease ellis in.

None of his previous coaches have got much out of him. He should be a world beater with his physique but just doesn't put it all together for some reason

The fact that Seymour has played for teams that are lacking the stars of some other teams is a good thing as he has a proven track record of making 'average' players seem better unlike Orford who was surrounded by stars at Melbourne and then Manly.

As for Lauaki his problem was that he has never enjoyed defending and has proved that time and time again when playing and is a passanger for most of the time he is on the field.

Dowes will stay I should think, so we only have to find two.

Spot on Paul as you say if Fitz does goes Tickle is ready to step up and cover his workload. I actually think Tickle is our most under appreciated player.

I've said before, but I'd still like to see us make a move for Johnson from Wakefield. Would provide good competition for Dowes and Radford and is potentially longer term.

If Wakey lose their franchise he could become hot property due to the lack of quality available.

as good as it gets when it comes to kicking !!!
with all the other halves and thought process we now have for next year FC have a full compliment of pivots and playmakers all over the squad for the first time in years!!!

We just need to make sure they aren't playing behind a dominated pack.

For 2012, for SO, SH and 9 we have the following

Horne
Obst
Ellis
Heremaia
Seymore
Houghton
Nicklas

Would Ellis have moved to Hull had he known there were to be so many senior players vying for the No. 7 shirt?

Will Horne be used more sparingly?

Good to have competition for places, but where we have not recruited well in the halves in the past, have the club gone over board this time?

So it's possibly worthwhile getting in early to try and tempt Wakey to take the money. Or I personally would try and offer Obst back if we could, they've lost Jeffries again and we don't have that much use for him next season by the look of it.