I didn't say that 2012 recruitment was going to be easy, just that it offers our best opportunity in some time to really improve the squad. We still have to make the most of that opportunity and IMO what we do during that recruitment/retention phase will give a clear indication of how focused on success we really are.

For me the most critical factor next season is not which players we may still bring in but how we make use of the squad that we have. Agar needs to prove that he can step up to the next level or else he needs to go.

Given that Rule has banged on about how close we were to 4th, and that he would have been happy with that, though, I get the impression that unless we fail to make the 8, Agar will be retained, which will mean he's in charge of the crucial 2012 recruitment. Compare with Wigan. Noble saved Wigan from relegation and took them consistently to play-off wins, but Wigan (some might say ruthlessly) got rid, recognising as far as Noble had taken them they needed a change to actually win something. By contrast, at the end of next season Agar will have had three and a half years in charge and if we make the 8 IMO is likely to be retained, regardless of whether or not we win a single play-off game in all that time.

Exactly and that's what splits most opinions on here. Some are happy with that , I'm not. I want us to be ruthless and to be a genuine challenger for trophies not a pretender.

Westerman would be a cracking signing, would allow us to use Fitzgibbon or Lauaki in the front row.

Westerman is a better player than Whiting and alot better than Washbrook.

Pack would look something like this for me :

Fitzgibbon
Houghton
O'Meley
Tickle
Manu
Westerman

Whiting
Lauaki
Radford
Moa

I would be pleased with the signing of Westerman , But it goes against the grain of Agars previous selections at 13. Maybe he's seen the light.

No he'd just play him at 6 or 9

even agar isn't daft enough to sign westerman and play him anywhere but 13. for me that would be addressing an issue with our gameplay which the is the lack of options in attack. hopefully we can play a more exciting brand of rugby

i've always preferred our game when washbrook is playing 13 so westerman wouldn't be any different if not better. If we sign him that is....

Some Cas fans say we have paid £175K for Westerman?

nobody on the forum will know for sure so speculation if rife. i'm not really too fussed how much we're paying for him because i think he would be a good signing long-term

Bookmarked.

IMO we'll struggle to make the 8 next season unless Agar manages a significant improvement in our play. The squad is unlikely to be significantly strengthened which will mean getting better performances out of the players that we have available. For me that's the test of a good coach so we'll get to see if Agar has what it takes or not.

I also happen to think that regardless of public pronouncements or popular opinion on here, getting to finals is important to the BOD - if only because it's another income stream and a significant boost to sponsorship and merchandising sales. If Agar looks like he's incapable of delivering finals then IMO he'll get the bullet.

What other teams are better than us...take away the top 4 and anything is up for grabs imo.....il wait until the "signings" are made and hope to god our half backs stay fit and we do have a back up 1....maybe then il make a prediction.