Where you heard about the Lasty thing?

Matty ashhurst and Iain thornley inbound …..

People are adamant certain things are happening by putting two and two together. People have said that Myler was such a left field appointment there’s no way his father in law isn’t ‘the investor’ and there’s no way he wouldn’t just buy the club outright. People are also adamant that we wouldn’t have sacked Smith/Gene and paid off the players we have if there wasn’t major money coming in from somewhere. I’m not sure I agree with this logic, we’ve made left field appointments and paid off poorly performing coaches and players off despite being skint before, reckless decisions like this are a major factor in why we are in such a financial mess in the first place.

Personally what I’ve been told doesn’t line up with any of that, but I don’t claim to be ‘in the know’ the only thing we have concrete is AP being very vague saying he’s in negotiations with different parties about a potential cash injection that he hopes will be completed by the end of the year. Interpret that how you wish. Call me a cynic but especially when trying to decipher AP waffle I don’t see that meaning he’s selling up to a mega rich new owner.

Again I hope I’m proven wrong and we have a big announcement and start spending the max cap like the big boys, just don’t see it.

Still can't believe that Myler, Last and Cartwright looks at our options and think they are good enough. Even if we added some depth, someone like Connor Wrench or Jayden Myers (or look to Union) I'd feel a bit better about that position. Looks the only position we are weaker in for 2025 compared to 2024.

I’m not fully convinced Rapana isn’t earmarked for centre. I did think at the time of the Chamberlain signing clubs don’t usually sign 29 year olds on 3 year deals to be a ‘backup’ like the consensus was on here at the time. Someone like Hampshire at Wigan is there just as a utility but they spend a lot more on the cap then we do and imagine he’ll only be on a one year deal. I think Chamberlain will at least start the season as first choice centre and maybe move Rapana around and use Moy as fulllback later on.

Rumour I heard yesterday, cut a long story short is that myler and his in-law got Pearson to spend money he hasn’t got for next season on the promise money / takeover will happen but have now backtracked on that , in the hope they’ll get the club cheap / free . How true I don’t know , but surely Pearson wouldn’t go along with that without nothing in writing . If true maybe why we are offering 3 year passes as he needs money asap . Does seem strange why nothing has happened so far .

If that was true then Pearson would have got rid of Myler in a flash

Caught up with the Hull FC house of league pod.

Shaw and Tomlinson expect the 2 signings mentioned in the pass letter to be Cust & a middle.

The investment is dragging on but it is on the way. Hopefully everything will be sorted by the time they host the fans forum.

No other gossip really

This could only happen to FC. Then again your record with rumours is abysmal, do you get them direct from The Cooke Report.

Everyone is essentially spending money they don’t have because as far as I’m aware every super league club is spending more then what’s coming in, seem to remember that from the 22/23 figures anyways.

We obviously paid off Smith/Gene/Hoy for this year but we’d have still had to pay them anyway had we kept them, apart from a few loan signings and Cartwright Jrn we didn’t exactly spend any extra this season, it’s fair to say we put the cue on the rack and Derek Beaumont will happily testify to that.

For next seasons outgoings fair enough we’ve added a couple of back room staff and a physio but again hardly been splashing the cash. Player for player is still think we’ll be spending less or at best similar to previous seasons. Had the supposed ‘huge’ Lam and Whitehead deals came off then maybe a scenario like that would be believable, I don’t buy it though.

I think if nothing was happening investment wise Pearson would've limped on with Smith until the end of the season. Like he did with Hodgson

If anyone has an hour, worth a listen, very honest chat, hard to argue with any of it.

Smith and Gene only ever signed 2 year deals though didn’t they in 22? Grix was already here and on the payroll so in effect it cost nothing to get rid really in hindsight.

FWIW I think the ‘investment’ will be an anti climax to what people think it will be but I’m sure it will happen, just think with the results/performances what they were leading up to April think he’d have given Smith the boot regardless of any investment situation. He simply had to do something.

I can see Thirkill eventually being the majority shareholder but to start I think it'll be a smallish buy in.

I don't think Pearson will be going anywhere soon, he'll stay on in some capacity. Agree that people wanting a full takeover and Pearson going will be left disappointed.

I wouldn't be surprised if there has been an initial investment in to the club by one or more parties but with a view to a much more significant investment/buy in subject to certain caveats, due to the apparent state & the way the club operated on & off the field this season.

It's still all very much up the air and open to rumour/speculation/conjecture until AP, RM et al come out and confirm what has/hasn't happened in terms of the club off the field.

There has actually been very little said/announced since news of Mylers arrival and his first few interviews, since that point we've heard very little officially which has surprised me as I'd have thought/expected some kind of news to come out just prior or in tandem with the release of the news re renewals/memberships etc.

Agree and we may have even saved a small amount of money with the payoffs, some would have taken a few months less money to just draw a line under it and move on.

I also dont get a sense we are cutting back for 2025, Asiata, Sezer and Rapana wont have been the cheapest options out there.

The mystery isnt helping the atmosphere though, im sturggling to see why we cant have a vague 'talks are ongoing with an investor' we all know who the likely investor is its no secret. I seem to recall the Wakefield owner was on SKY giving updates last year that a takeover was on the cards, it can be done.

Dan says its happening, he is as close to the club as anyone, if he says its happening I believe him, got every signing right and departure right (except Rimba)

Nope wouldn’t say cutting back but I don’t buy that we’re spending ‘promised’ money or anything like that like the rumour in the post I quoted. We look to have assembled a mid table squad on paper IMO. If we make the play offs it will be an overachievement if we finish bottom 2 again an underachievement, you’d hope the wage bill would reflect that there or thereabouts.

For a start players contracts don’t start until November anyways maybe whatever investment is coming might be sorted by then anyway. Fair enough Rapana and Asiata will be top level earners, but we’ve completely overhauled the squad and moved on our all of our biggest earners you’d imagine, Carlos, Trueman and maybe even the likes of Sutcliffe was quite a high profile signing when announced. They talked about getting value from the cap and I think Myler looks to have done that better than previous seasons. Certainly don’t think we’ve been splashing the cash about as suggested, maybe if the Lam deal came off with figures quoted then I’d be a bit worried the longer we went on with no announcement on investment and the Covid loans etc.

Jon Clarke confirmed as High Performance Consultant (whatever that means).
Sounds like he's good a decent pedigree having worked with England RU and more recently Manly

Yes very good appointment

I for one have been critical about the club. But that’s an excellent appointment, very well thought of an absolute guru by all accounts.

Looks to be a great appointment, though it sounds like a part time role - he speaks of working with the club rather than for the club.

Still, he clearly knows his stuff and has an impressive CV.

Good appointment and a good sign there is money afterall as we'd simply not hired anyone if money was tight again.

Hopefully he will bring some NRL standards across and upgrade our pre season from the 'piece of P' level Clifford experienced.

Pleased with this

Good to see it confirmed.
Think we started last season with a dozen injured , so let’s see what our new conditioning team can do with this playing group.