Is abdull playing in a loose forward/playmaker role a possibility,always struck me that position would suit him,obviously tackling would possibly be a weakness.As a matter of interest,kavanagh signed for halifax.

No news yet on either Tim Sheens extending his contract, or Blair or Carney(if they are staying or going) which is a bit of a concern.
Plus other clubs seem to be making signings and strengthening, but as yet it,s very very quiet for us. I,m not counting the three we know about as has already been mentioned they were made public after the Widnes game.
The question is how many teams do we currently seem stronger than, and at the moment I think the answer is not many, London maybe, but who else?. TWP, a Championship side, make six signings (including Thomson) who we were apparently looking at, and admittedly Canada must be an attractive option, but are we being outbid?
It,s been said we want quality over quantity, easy said, but admittedly not easy to get, but I am uncomfortable with the deathly silence, maybe I am been impatient.
Really hope we have some coming. getting thoroughly fed up of battling near the bottom, especially when some other teams have a smaller support base and seem to prosper.
I suppose we have no option but to trust the club, but some positive news would be welcome.
Maybe I am just being a miserable old timer, but I have been lucky to see our good times, but that was a long long time ago.
I want them back!

I would be very disappointed if we signed carney,past his best and plenty of fitness issues among other things and imo a total waste of a quota spot,but as you say no news either way,so patience is a virtue i suppose.

I hope we get Abdul. Quality player. Our second best behind Lunt n his season here. Broke his leg then played in a shambles of a side for the last dozen games. Still set up their scores in the derby. Great option to have in any squad. Halves are not easy to come by and he has a good future in front of him.
On other signings we appear to be doing the same as last year. Appear to be being used and outbid for players. Don't appear to have anything concrete sorted and look like picking up the left overs. Could have 4 overseas spots. If we had anything in the bag would Blair and Carney still be being talked about....looking grim at this point.

I simply don't think that we have genuine ambitions to challenge the top sides. NH enjoys getting column inches with negative soundbites like the game is withering on the vine and foundations of sand plus handbags comments about other chairmen. However nothing solid and positive about OUR club and direction - marquee signings, more investment in back room, Peacock's achievements and aims of our reserve grade and plans. It would be refreshing to hear exactly what the Board see us as because I don't see anything other than survival and a couple of Derby wins on our wish list for next year.

We have released at least 9 players maybe more depending on Blair and T Carney plus Heffernan and J Carney gone and Quinlan injured. Our only signings so far from other qualifier clubs.

I think we will have some signings up our sleeves but they need to be big names like when we had the set your alarm announcement a few years ago.

In previous years the benefits of leaving recruitment later have been mentioned on occasion. If you’ve allocated your budget and somebody comes available, you miss that chance. Those players are in a weaker negotiating position because they have fewer options, and if you can save a couple of months wages for a small handful of players that frees up money to be spent elsewhere.

On the other hand, you’d like players to join preseason training sooner rather than later, especially those most important to the playing structure, and we’ve equally heard that delayed recruitment owing to the uncertainty of being in the 8s has been problematic. Also, for all that they both turned out to be excellent signings in their own ways, the announcement of Tickle and Vaivai was a sobering moment - gambles can pay off, but that’s all you’re maybe going to get as we get closer and into 2019.

Ateotd, Sheens seemed to have pretty clear idea of what he needs in his recent radio interview, and while getting it may be difficult there are advantages to a slower, more considered approach. Although we released 9, some were definitely from the homegrown fringes of the squad and will be replaced by academy graduates. With 3 new players already confirmed, it is only maybe 3 or 4 more that we need, and we need to get them right. My hope is that a couple are the type that make people sit up and take notice, as statements of intent - no idea where we find them, unfortunately.

Jesus Zook why so negative?

What are you expecting next year. We are not going to go from promotion, to surviving to top 4 in 3 years are we. However idealistic that sounds it’s not realistic. The aim of the club is to continue growing year on year and improving year on year. We aren’t a rich club, we aren’t one of the top 4 and fishing in the same small pool of players makes it difficult. Regardless of who we sign this pre season the biggest signings we have done in years is to sign up our young talent on long deals, that’s how we will progress but it’s not a quick fix.

Set your alarm clocks folks, massive signing! It’s Willie Mason!! That went well.

Signing names and big players for the sake of a name is not how recruitment is done. Look at Toronto this year achieved nothing. If TS signs players who he thinks brings value to the team then I will trust his judgement not exactly been wrong so far as he. This expectation of unreal signings with the mentioned factors and not forgetting a weak exchange rate nowadays is just pie in the sky ultimately.

Konrad Hurrell is a good signing, but let’s not pretend he’s a susperstar of the game similar to how players of previous years such as Lyon, Ridley, johns etc were when they signed

Don’t understand some of the negativity on here. I looked on TS appointment as a new beginning. The aim in the first season was promotion. That was achieved without the million pound game. The aim in his second season was SL survival. That again was achieved without the million pound game. Finishing tenth in the regular season showed progress and I don’t think realistically a promoted club could expect more than that. Who knows what the future holds but I would hope to get into the top eight and therefore show further progress.

Toronto and others before them have shown you cannot just buy success, you need good foundations, a good team spirit and a willingness to play for each other not just a team of individual good players.

I believe TS has a vision of our future and think that his achievements over his first two seasons entitle him to our support and trust in 2019. Time will tell.

I don’t think many doubt Sheens or fail to appreciate what he has helped us do since arriving.

However, taking the next step will be difficult, and in some ways it feels like it has taken us seven years to get back to square one. So, we do have to be realistic, but I think sometimes we’ve managed expectations in a way that has become self-fulfilling. It’d be a lot to ask for us to do a Cas, but surely we can have a crack at mid-table?!

Top 6 of Warry Wigan Sts Catalan Wakey Cas looks nailed on in whichever order.Places 7 to 11 look a bun fight between Salford Hudds Leeds and the 2 Hull sides at present.Always the possibility of a team overachieving or a big side having a poor season but unless these new signings really are top notch then it is really about consolidation for us. The rumours of 2 big name Aussies was doing the rounds last season as long as we stayed up.Just have to be patient. On a side note, got my Poppy shirt on Thursday.Nice bit of kit imo.