I wouldn’t quite have him nailed on just yet, like I would Thompson and Havard. He’s very close and would definitely be in my best 17 at the minute but I’d just want a few more big performances, against the better sides to nail his shirt down. I’d say his best performances this season have come against the lesser sides (Cas and London) and his quieter ones have come against better opposition (Saints and Salford) we’ve played.

It’s not a criticism, his general level has been really high and he’s been a great signing. There is plenty of improvement still to come and me saying I wouldn’t quite have him nailed is only a sign of how many good options Matty Peet has.

I think it will all become a little clearer next season. I think Cooper and Isa will retire and Mago will move on which would promote Hill and Eseh up the squad. I think Chan will be trained as a second rower and will start to ply his trade as no4 second rower with him eventually covering Nsemba and Walters when Faz hangs up his boots *which i think will be the end of next season)

In terms of the other thread about Nicholson. I think Nsemba is in the spot that he would have been in by now and Nsemba would have been where Chan currently is. Signing Chan is a replacement for Nicholson i reckon.

Definitely don't want Paddy Mago to go anywhere now that he's got himself into good shape. Shame he's took this long but he's there now. Something will have to give somewhere with the front rowers eventually though and I'm not sure Cooper leaving will be enough.

In reality we have the following competing for 5 possibly 6 spaces depending on tactics as middles.

2 starting props and a 13 along with normally 2 sometimes 3 on the bench.

Cooper
Thompson
Dupree
Ellis
Byrne
Mago
Hill
Eseh
Chan
Havard

Basically 10 into 5/6.

Cooper is likely to finish this year so that’s 9 into 5/6 and I as others have already said think Chan had been signed as a project forward who will play that utility role but convert to second row.

That would leave us with 8 into 5/6.

It’s still heavy but with injuries and restricted minutes coming into the game I think it’s pretty reasonable for us to progress next year and only lose Cooper.

My gut feeling is, if we were to lose another it would be Havard to the NRL over Mago.

No, we are going to need them both.

I think Nicholson would be pushing for the loose forward berth

On a side note about Dupree, the life stories feature done on the Superleague/Our League site is excellent. He seems like a top lad and exactly the sort of character you'd want at your club.

Just been announced Eseh has got injured again

Is it the same leg?

Strong squad announced hopefully we have them on the rotation of props plus I don’t see whitbread as a prop