Who would you retain/release?

Assumed salary (£-£££)

David Fusitu'a (£££) - Simply not value for money - Release.
Blake Austin (££) - Perhaps keep.
Aidan Sezer (£££) - See Fusitu'a.
James Bentley (££) - Retain.
Zane Tetevano (£££) - See Fusitu'a and Sezer.
Sam Walters (£) - Retain.
James Donaldson (£) - Release.
Liam Tindall (£) - I'm not a fan and would release. Expect he will be retained though.
Jack Sinfield (£) - Retain.

Agree with Sezar, Fusitua, Tetavano, and i will raise you Bentley.

Bentley was good at the back end of last year but McDonnell seems to be a very similar player without the potential to get himself banned for half a season, probably on a lot less money. If McDonnell keeps up these performances I'd happily let Bentley go.

Retain Bentley, Walters & Sinfield.

The rest can and should leave.

I’m torn on Bentley. He’s a good player but I’m not convinced he’s value for money.

I reckon Bentley will go to the NRL.

Id keep Austin for an extra year, I think he’s good to have around to help bring youngsters through.

Sinfield and Walters should definitely be kept.

Rest im not bothered about but none should be given high wages if kept. Still think theres a player in Fusitua but injuries are just getting in his way.

Retain Sinfield, Tindall, Walters for me.
Let fusitua, Austin, Sezer, Bentley, Tetevano, Donaldson walk.

Sinfield steps up to replace one of Austin or Sezer.
Tindall steps up into the place of Fusitua.
Walters steps up into the place of Tetevano.
McDonnell has and will step up into the place of Bentley.
That leaves Donaldson who is neither a 13 or a 12 or an 11 he is a bit of all.
So that would give us 4 quote spots. At least one marquee spot and a lot of cap.

I would then say we recruit a top half back. Probably from the NRL as I don’t see who we get or where we get them from in SL. I would also try and recruit a top full back or back 3 player with genuine pace - like a French or field type. Myler, Hooley both OOC the year anyway.

Lastly I don’t see the Austin thing. He has a good game ever so often, most on here are critical about the consistency of the team. Well Austin for me is a massive contributor to that inconsistency. Yet we retain him for another year? Makes no sense to me really. Rather play sinfield for a full year and see what he has got.

Sinfield is only 18, its a lot to ask for him to step up as one of the main halfbacks at that age.

That’s why id consider giving Austin another year because even if we manage to replace Sezer with an NRL halfback, just going with that person and Sinfield isn’t great, we need 3 halfback in the squad IMO, Austin has said he’s happy for one year contracts so as long as he isn’t on a huge salary id keep him.

I quite like Austins energy. Most of the time, even in poor performances he seems to running about and giving it a lot of effort which cant really be said for Seizer who i sometimes forget is on the pitch. Considering he is happy to sign 1 year contacts and has the potential to produce masterclasses like against Catalan it seems like a good idea to keep him imho.

Effort is the absolute minimum. It should not be a highlight of someone's game

Keep Austin , Sezer, Tet from that list. No issues with Donno staying either as utility and good trainer…….

We're not moving very far very fast if we don't replace one of the halves this year with an improvement. Likewise Tet

donaldson might be a good trainer but he doesn't cut it on the field. not even close

I think Donaldson served a purpose, and never gave less than 100%.

He’s rightly been replaced by bigger/better forwards.

As much as he’s a good trainer and role model etc, I now think keeping him wouldn’t be in the best interests of us or Donno.

He’ll want to play, and he should go with our best wishes.

Shame some of our players dont even have that, instead chosing to run away from balls and fumble sitters ( cough olpherts )

I'd release Tet and try to get Dupree back.

He is 18 mow. He will be 19 going into next year, he will actually be 19 and a half by season start. I use Dodd as a comparison, he is now 21 and has been (baring injury) playing for two seasons. So if he isn’t going to step up and play at 19 then is he ever going to?

Retain - Austin, Bentley, Field, Sinfield, Walters.

Release - Donaldson, Fusitua, Sezer, Tetevano, Tindall.

Im not saying he shouldn't step Im saying we should be going with 3 halfbacks in the squad.

FWIW Lewis Dodd is vastly overhyped at this moment, he will be a good even great player but he isn't their yet

Yes let's keep Donaldson as he.......

Trains well

And is probably on the lowest wages of all the senior players, plus is the best tackler…..
But hey ho…..

We aren't re-signing you James. No matter what you say mate.

Entry age into SL is generally a little bit higher than it used to be, apart from a few exceptions. Days of kids hitting 18 and expected to step up as a rule are over, the game has changed and so have coaches expectations.
Ongoing litigation cases are going to effect this even further in the future!

True. We need to enjoy the sport as it is, coz if these cases win (which you just know they will) sport will be unrecognisable even as early as next season.
Will be even worse than it got last year……

Yeah 3 halves could work, if we signed a fullback then myler could cover the position. I agree Dodd is overhyped, he will be a great player but isn’t fully there yet. The way they try to get him there is by playing and gaining the experience. That is what I would want us to do with young Jack. Realistically he may go to Union when he is 21/22 anyway