New contract

Good luck to him, I don't think we've seen the best of him yet but if he gets a really solid pre-season in, maybe he can push for a place in the starting team. I just hope we haven't paid over the odds to retain him.

I want to see us tie up McDonnell to a longer contract as a priority, I'd be really happy if we got him on a 2-4 year deal.

Should have been either Bentley or Donno, not both. He really needs to recapture the form he showed at Saints if he wants to be a regular starter for us, otherwise we have better options.

Agreed. I imagine Donno is not on much money, and he's a good influence to have around the place. I actually think he still has more positive impact on games and is more tight and disciplined than Bentley but that's just me.

Part of my concern about this is whether he's on a decent wedge and that leave us less money to recruit a more valuable player into the side, when we're desperate for quality.

Also if he gets picked ahead of Gannon and McDonnell, who I think we should retain as real core players, I don't want their heads getting turned like happened with Walters. Bentley is a good scrappy player and young enough to get better still but I just don't think he's as good as probably three other back rowers we already have.

Basically I know he has fans on here but I think the lad is overrated from what I've seen so far. Admittedly he hasn't shown us his best yet due to bans, form and injury.

Whilst it can be probably be said about the bill of the squad, the run in to last years GF Bentley was outstanding. That semi away at Wigan in particular. He’ll always be guaranteed to put in a decent tackling stint. If he could develop a bit of attacking nuance then he could be an excellent player for the next two years. Time will tell!

Poor resigning, cant ever recall a player with so many deficiencys to his game, get rated like he does because of one positive trait, workrate.


Should be 4th/5th choice second row, hopefully getting paid like one

Resigning Donaldson was a stupid decision. But having him here full stop was a stupid decision to begin with.

Bentley I'm torn on. It was very similar to Sutcliffe. Had Bentley left would I be bothered? Not so much. Bentley signs a new deal. Am I bothered? Not so much

You're wrong with Donaldson.

Am I

Yes.

Time will tell, but I think Bentley is better retention than Fusitua.
Young, English, plenty to learn and develop. But absolutely has the right attitude.
Fusitua is a big risk.
Good player, but we can't afford an OQ spot sat in the stands for 50% of the games.

Thing is mate we have Martin, Goudemand, McDonnell, Gannon, Donaldson already here in the second row and Bentley adds what to that list?

Fusitu’a by contrast is our best winger. We have him, Handley, then we’re into awfulpherts ir academy lads pretty much next year. On the basis that he is our best player in position and we have much less depth there, he is a far better retention than Bentley.

How many games has Bentley played this year compared to Fus? I don’t know but with injuries and bans wouldn’t surprise me if Fus has played the same ish.

Yes so season so far Fus has played 14 and Bentley 13 with a few games to play.

Fair point, but Fusitua has proved season after season that he is injury prone.
I agree, he's our best winger, but given his injury record, we need a better back up than Olpherts.
Especially now McDonald has gone.

Maybe the retention of Bentley suggests that Martin might move to the centre.

Goudemand ays prop or 13 for catalans doesn’t he?

Even last year Bentley played 7 more games than Fus and looks like Fus will play more than Bentley this year… I do get your point though, playing 50% ish of games for 2 years isn’t great and he does have precious form for injuries through his career.

My problem is with what you said, back up bc awfulpherts just makes me angry. Fus is a risk but ok on 1 year while the young kids develop - we have a few wingers at the club who are good prospects behind Tindall (Tchambe, Frater, Webster, Turner). Another year or two we might well have at least one of those make the grade.

He isn’t a prop according to KaeruJim’s rugby league dictionary.

Either way Id say hes a direct (and better) replacement for Tetevano, tough, doesn’t make errors, hard working and can score trys.

I like his skill level from the little I’ve seen; seems solid but not star quality.

Still looks more back row than front row.

Goudemand is 5' 10" and 15st 6lbs, that looks a fair height for prop but at least a stone underpowered to me. He's a back rower (any of the three) to me in terms of size. Whenever I've seen him play he's looked steady and competent, not many mistakes, but also doesn't seem to break the line much either.

I'd describe him as squad filler material and I suspect that's what he will be, a first or second interchange.

Bentley has had a stop start time while at Leeds but was excellent in the run in last season. He has contributed more in the last two seasons than Fusitua. I would have had both Handley and Macdonald on the wing before Fusitua this season. He is good at taking the high kick over the tryline, and has come up with a couple of tries from that play. Pity it's taken our halfbacks 2 years to realise that it's his strength.

And I would say Bentley is good at scrapping and competing in the middle and has great commitment, but is also good at giving silly penalties away and making mistakes at times.

Sorry I just disagree I’d pick three other of our back rowers over Bentley but probably pick Fus as first choice wing.

Handley not been on top form this year for some reason - probably not helped by inconsistent halves and centres.

Isn't it likely that Bentley will be on less than his current deal? He was signed as an up and coming star, but aside from a few games at the end of last season hasn't lived up to that. Based on the fact he was apparently sounding out offers elsewhere but stayed we might have been the only half-decent offer going.

I read somewhere he was one of the better paid players - if he still is we need to give our heads a wobble.

He is marginally first grade starting quality in the second row and James McDonnell is the better player.

Bentley looked good in a dominant Saints side - not the same player in a weak Rhinos side. Take it he didn't get any offers from the NRL?