Got to agree with Alex Mc re opinion on Welham, had a cracking season for an ex Hull academy late developer, (he is definately not "young" nor a "prospect", see the likes of Wheeler, Eastmond, Tompkins, Myler, Watkins , T Briscoe for such a description, even Craig Hall is younger....)but he defo aint up to it against the class players, as to the last "bad" game he had, he had an absolute shocker against Wigan and he has a nightmare few minutes minimum in every single game, no coincidence his side is getting targetted every match...good squad player , but will never win you trophies...

And to be even more against the grain, i would wager anybody that Rovers will never win anything whilst Dobson is the scrum half and "general", massively overated and no coincidence he was a reserve in Aus, if the rumours are true i would snap Wigans hand off....a very good individual in the middle reaches of SL but again will never win anything...and not a top class scrum half by any stretch.

I think JM has made a large rod for his own back with these and others and was far too quick to hand out lengthy contracts to various players, tying Rovers into nearly the same (not quite good enough) squad for a few years...with the failure to get to Wembley knocking a massive hole in the income expectations i think this may well be Rovers peak season for a while....expect a " i have taken Rovers as far as i can" statement anytime soon...

Absolute tosh!!!

Are you for real, losing 10 players out of a 26 man squad is never going to happen

Surely Esders should be given another year? Went well last night against Cats.

I worry about our front row next year Vella hasnt had much game time this year and i wonder how the knee will hold up next season. Ive also been surprised by the huge amount of workload Fozzard has got through this season, im not so sure he could repeat again next year. With Aizue & Mills rumoured to be leaving front row is an area that needs addressing.

Oh and another hooker.

I'd be shocked if Lovegrove was let go at the end of this season. When he's been fit he's out performed both Fozzard and Vella this year.

I thought Esders did well last night, this month out could do him the world of good. Netherton should be kept on for back up purposes as well.

Possibley the biggest crock of poop not written by fcimp or mattyhfc I've ever read.

Even I'm not buying this bollox

The massive recruitment drives for 2007 and 2008, to create teams that could survive and the compete were exceptional - in every sense. New signings create excitement but continuity wins trophies. The team is still improving (despite the recent drop in form). Something on a similar scale to last years acquisitions is to be expected, I reckon.

Of the OOC:
Esders and I'anson. If they go they need to be replaced by youngsters from within the club.

Netherton. Solid, reliable. Unspectacular, fair enough - but we'd just be left looking for a similar player if he went, IMO.

Gene - unclear whether he will retire.
Aizue - I like him... but he's from overseas, is 32 before next season and is currently out of a team with a lot of options in his position.
Lovegrove - Has done well at prop. Probably worth another contract to see how he develops.
Fitzhenry - assumed to be going. Ideally should be replaced by a hooker.

Others.
Mills - Played every game round in 2008, but hardly involved this year. If he finds another club, I expect he'd be allowed to leave.
Walker - I'd keep him - especially if Gene does ride off into the sunset - but admit he is a backrower and promote a 3/4 from the reserves/academy.
Cooke/Dobson. In relation to the Brough rumour - he'd be an adequate replacement for Dobson if we cashed in and wanted to free up a qouta spot. But Dobson is top of the Albert Goldthorpe Medal rankings (only Brett Hodgson can catch him now, realistically) for a reason. I'd like to see some continuity at halfback. Cooke remains an enigma and anything could happen there, I guess.

Ins (which I'd like to see):
A hooker. If only there was club nearby with a surfeit of them.
A big, powerful, aggressive forward. Crabtree is unrealistic, IMO, with Hudds so much on the up. Someone from the NRL, perhaps.