This seasons squad is two players away from challenging imo, a top centre and halfback. At the moment, for next season we are 4/5 players away from that so lots of wirk to be done, the new team has spoke about ambition enough times, time to back it up.

The fact is that the previous regime and Agar ruined the youth set up at our club and so the production line of talent that should be there simply isnt or isnt good enough so we have to fill the gap till in maybe three yaers it starts coming through hence the reason we are after Crookes, Arundel and Johnson. None are the finished article just like an under 21 player wouldnt be but all have potential

I also think we lack depth in the squad and it may take some time to rectify this

This season's squad is further away than that IMO. We have a severe lack of forward cover which we are suffering from right now. Hudds are proving how important a big pack with plenty of cover is.

I trust our new regime to get it right but with recent rumours about Manu, Turner, O'Meley, Moa etc.. next season is starting to worry me very much as it will be very difficult indeed to replace all of those players (and more).

Next season is starting to look more like another one of "transition" to me. I don't know what they sold to Ellis in order for him to sign but our new regime is going to have to find a lot more quality for next season that I imagined they would have to.

My guess, fwiw, is that you'll make a couple (at least) of impressive(-ish) Aussie signings from the NRL, alongside the youngsters that have been touted. It might not quite offer the value it once did, but with one overseas spot already free, plus questions over the futures of Moa, O'Meley and McKinnon, you'd look to have a fair bit of scope.

Plus, rumours of departures, is different to actual departures. I'm really not sure now, but in my occasional role of a cut-price anti-Barista, I half-suspect the Manu thing to be a manufactured emergency, with a last minute reprieve eliciting lots of ecstatic