It makes no difference having just moved here for him to be de-registered. All it does is take him off the cap for the year. He still gets his money as he is legally entitled to if I think that's where your thinking has gone towards.

A shame for Watts but Phelps to 6 seems a fair bet when he finally gets here having had some spells there at Wigan.

A shame really that two of our most natural replacements of our own in Gore and Tom Gilmore have been so unlucky with injury and illness as it may have been nice to throw one in. Not alot else to lose at the moment in what must rank as the ultimate 'worst case scenario' start to a season.

Hopefully Briscoe is back for this week and then Craven can push into the halves and White back to an interchange hooker. If he isn't then go with the same and give Jack Owens his SL debut.

Things really are getting tough at the moment.

Reading Briscoe's interview in the programme it doesn't sound as though he's too confident about getting back for next Sunday.He want's to make sure the injury has healed properly and maybe in the long run that will be a wise decision.

With respect to players like O'Brien and Mellor at Wigan, if we're going to sign anybody it'd have to be experience. We're crying out for it in the halves. And I'd see little long term benefit to developing other clubs' youngsters at the expense of our own.

Agreed Rich, remeber last superleague we were here, we had Steve Carter in the halves. Some quality talent is crucial there as helped us gain a spot just outside the playoffs.

De-registering Watts, if the lad was paid wouldn't be a bad idea at all if he could replace him. It would however be nice to have him still around at the club giving our backs advice. He sure has got the passion for the game hes just been very unlucky with injuries

I thought that de-registering a player just affected the O/S quota, by allowing you to fill the extra O/S quota spot gained by doing so, but didn’t allow you to wipe his wages from the Salary Cap?

I don't think we are anywhere near the SC anyway though.

When we de-registered Hulse that was to free up salary cap space IIRC.

I suppose it would make sense then. I had hoped that we were nowhere near the S/C though. But, if we need to de-register players to reduce it, we must be.

Seems as though Cullen and Betts have taken my advice.

I believe Gareth will be joining up with you soon.

We always knew you'd come good in the end John