Let’s be honest these signings represent no better quality then the type of signings we’ve made in the years between 2018-2023, it’s bargain basement shopping of what’s available on a low budget. The stupidly long length of the contracts we are handing out for these players that nobody else would indicates that we are still struggling to compete financially. I’ll exclude 2024 from that as this seasons recruitment has to stand alone as the worst in the history of the sport, it will be better than that but hardly a high bar.

To be fair, Pearson did say that any investment will help add a couple of quality players to a squad of workman like players but that won’t be sorted until the end of the year. Maybe it will be sorted in time to add a bit of quality come season ticket renewal time? I still think we’ll be restricted by quota places, but hopefully Cartwright seems as better placed as anyone in the game to come up with a couple of gems.

I really hope we can come up with something exciting at season ticket time as we need it. I don’t think you can underestimate the damage that going a full season winning only 2 points against a part time outfit amongst years of dreadful home form is going to do to this club. 5K home crowds in a 25K stadium is going to make for a terrible atmosphere next season. Serving up some decent rugby with exciting players is the only way to start building again.

[quote="bonaire"]Dont think Cartwright has had any imput on any of those signings[/I bet he has. There’s a lot of things to consider- who’s available, cost, who’s leaving, duration of contract, fitness record, attitude etc I think of it as rolling stock. There are few that stay around for 450 games. New players will be looked at all the time. But I think the nucleus has to be consistent for there to be success. The spine and forwards ought to be regular names on the team sheet to win games. That said it’s a squad game with a scattering of young lads getting opportunities. I guess it illustrates that success is piecing a jigsaw together then watching someone pinch some pieces then having to find new ones that fit

The title of the end of the season review is sorted.

I take your point, but I doubt they’d have signed on 12 month deals. Abdull has/had a contract with Rovers through 2026. There’d maybe be competition for Hardaker if Hull only offered 1 year.

While you you may not feel inspired, imagine how worried you’d be relying even more heavily on the 2024 squad going into 2025. Got to start somewhere.

It’ll be interesting to see how many new quota recruits Myler can make space for.

Hardraker is better than any of centres.
Abdul is better than the 4 scrumhalfs who have played there this year.
Holmes is better than all of our backrowers
Asista is better than any of our forwards
Borough is a wildcard, but I'd say he looks a better option offthe bench than we have now. Can't offer much less than ant of our current hookers.

Add in Satae, Whitehead and 3 quota players, maybe a domestic winger too and we are streets ahead of this season Nd that's without the off field changes.

Also Martin, Charles, Staveley and a few others will be better with the game time they've had this season.

Agree 100%. People saying we are bargain basement shopping and that we are not giving this any thought or showing ambition need a bit of a reality check in my opinion. The club is (hopefully!) at rock bottom. We can have all the thoughts and ambition in the world but if the players don't want to come to us because of our present state then we have to re-align those thoughts and ambitions, temper our expectations. We have to go with who is available and who is interested but that also comes with a cost in that we aren't in a position to sign anyone solely on our terms so we'll be forced into offering longer deals than we would like right now. But as long as they improve us then that's moving us in the right direction for better recruitment in the long term. And these signings we have made or are rumoured to have made improve us in my eyes even if they're not necessarily the most exciting of signings. I'm happy for the club to sign small improvements in the short term to build us up to something better in the long term.

Having my hand chopped off is better than having my foot chopped off but doesn't mean I want either

We have to walk before we can run and it is possible to compete in this league with a team of solid journeymen, which is what we seem to be assembling right now.
Competing without being blown away is an improvement on our current situation and frankly I'll take it for a year or two after this dross.
It's a case or dealing with the how the world actually is rather than how I'd like it to be.