Gone alittle quiet on this front. With a squad currently of 24 I thought we might add at least one or two more. Any news/rumours on the grapevine??

Think we were spoilt with the club getting so much of their act together so early. Plenty of other teams haven't signed or announced their squads yet, some having many key positions still to be secured. Agree it's quiet but not too worried yet, pre-season training starts in just over a weeks time and an announcement around then wouldn't be a surprise.



Question is what position do we need the cover for?

Wing & Back row

Props!

Half back after today.

Be a bit more specific, BG. Do you mean Oscar Thomas was crap, or Barthau is crocked?

Hopefully neither of the above!

Was Dan ever in the Royal or Merchant Navy ?

Saw Rhys Williams play and score for Wales against France on Saturday, quality performance as a winger/centre.



Think Rhys Lovegrove is a quality back row too or further forward, will also be helpful for guiding the young forwards too.



Do think another big prop would be useful.



..... We've got more Rhys than you ....

Some people call me more Rhys

Bathau reports are not looking good for the season....ligament damage was the initial report

Typical, a crucial position. If he is out for a substantive spell we need to look to find another stand off and quick!

He's a scrum half!



We still have Thomas, Keyes & Foran

Bathau out until April . ACL injury apparently.

Given the business end of the season doesn't start until august, plenty of time for a recovery

OOps, i meant half-back. But he was surely planned to be in the starting line up so a serious loss? However - April isnt the end of the world. Just think we have 3 tricky games out of our first 4 and we could do with our strongest team out on the pitch!

Looking at last years Championship results, regardless of injuries, the games we need to be most worried about should be March 1st (Leigh Away) April 12th (Bradford Away) and then May 31st/June 7th Bradford then Leigh at Home.

This is not being disrespectful to the other 9 teams in the comp, but other than shock results (such as our victory over leeds B in 2013 ) we should deal comfortably with part-time outfits.

Leigh Lost 1 League game last year and we have a stronger squad than they did last year....Bradford look to have recruited with 1 thing on their minds and that is an immediate return to the top tier, so for us to stand a chance, we must target 3 wins minimum from the 4 games highlighted above. IMHO that is

You're discounting Fev and Donny completely then?

Given our squad will be (should be) eating, sleeping and breathing nothing but RL in a professional sports environment, coupled with the understanding that "this is their job" I would expect us to be able to deal with plucky semi-professionals and amateurs. I did allude to the "one off" surprise that can happen in any sport, but given Hughes's desire to correct the wrongs he still doesn't accept were his fault, we will be at the top end if not at the cap next year and as such, anything less than 19 victories from 22 regular season games, + 1 if we get a semi-pro in the bash would be a disappointment IMHO.

Being spanked for the last 5 years in SL should not mean we should welcome "mediocrity" with grateful arms.



I don't doubt that the fans of Fev, Donny and the other 7 will rub their hands with glee at the thought of "gutters" getting it wrong and being able to vent their internet spleens on here, but the fact is, we should be 2nd to only Bradford next year.

I hope you are correct. I think your assessment is broadly right, its the away games that will be the weorry for me. We have never been the greatest travellers and..........................................

I agree that we should end up in the top three but to not expect us to lose one match to a semi-pro team is unrealistic IMO.

I did leave the door ajar on a loss.....Leigh lost 1 game last year.

Remember 2013? We were crappier than a 3 day old nappy but saw to the 2 best teams in the championship with ease and I think the team we have put together for 2015 is as good if not better than the side we had in 2013. It is certainly more "balanced"

Loving the positive posts, Gutterfax. Keep them coming

its coming into summer down their he is getting more sunshine!



The championship comp seems pretty skewed with a couple of teams dominating, at least with the 12 and 12 us and Bradfurt will provide some decent competition. I think what will be a leveller will be the early part of the season if some of the pitches are not the usual SL standard slogging it out in a mud fest equals things out a bit. Thats not a dig at any of the championship teams just an observation.

The squad we have got looks pretty decent, but getting through the season the way Leigh did I think is highly unlikely for any team.

Theres no doubt it will be close between Bradford London and Leigh and then one from the also rans will become the whipping boys in the middle eight Featherstone and Halifax would have been in with a shout but money troubles have put an end to that