There is only so far he is going to go. He did the same thing two years ago, and the same thing the year before that.

Ben Jones-Bishop, Kylie Leuluai, Kevin Sinfield, Brad Singleton and Luke Briscoe out of contact at end of the season

Ben Jones-Bishop - with the signing of Tom Briscoe, i think he could leave at the end of the season.
Kylie Leuluai - Retirement
Kevin Sinfield - will sign a contract for at least another 3 years imo
Brad Singleton - believed to have signed a new 4 year deal.
Luke Briscoe - his retention is dependent on how his loan move to Wakefield Wildcats goes.

I hope Singleton has signed long term.he ought to be the priority at this stage when long term deals are being thrown about.

On JP,at least we now know when we will lose our talisman.it gives us 2 years to find 2 top class props to go alongside Singleton.

Good to see JP signed up again. People wrote him off after 2012, but he had a full pre-season and came back as the best prop in SL by a long way. Had he wanted to, he would have walked into the England squad ahead of Mossop.

Kylie will retire end of this season, when the likes of Ben Hannant, James Graham, Andrew Fifita and Brett White are OOC.

JP goes end of 2015, when Adam Blair, Jesse Bromwich, Luke Burgess, Brent Kite, Sam Rapira & Sam Kasiano are available.

There is a plan in place. Don't fret about it.

Not a chance we'll sign any of those names IMO

2 big more years from JP I expect.

Nice to know when he is bowing out. Out of our crop Singelton looks the obvious candiadte to take us forward. So game time and full integration of him in the match day 17 is a must.

For London game: www.therhinos.co.uk/news/22263.php#.UujwuPvFJkg Aiton bench hooker.

For London game: www.therhinos.co.uk/news/22263.php#.UujwuPvFJkg Aiton bench hooker.

Quote ="thebloodbath"For London game: www.therhinos.co.uk/news/22263.php#.UujwuPvFJkg Aiton bench hooker.'" Makes sense. Aiton's already had game time this preseason, Burrow hasn't.

Quote ="thebloodbath"For London game: www.therhinos.co.uk/news/22263.php#.UujwuPvFJkg Aiton bench hooker.'" Makes sense. Aiton's already had game time this preseason, Burrow hasn't.

hopefully, thats all there is to it. I don't want to see Burrow as starting hooker very often this seaosn

Don't bet against it though. If we had Cam Smith our coach would still probably start with Burrow

The coach reckons this will be his starting 13 for the HKR game. So yes Burrow likely to be the starting hooker with the pace at half back of Sinfield and McGuire what more can we want.

I can't believe anyone thought different.

It doesn't matter what happens in preseason, who stands out, who looks disappointing. His mind his made up on his team regardless, all of the time. Same players regardless of form. Such a poor coach.

Friendlies aside, who would you start at hooker when season kicks off? Our only hooker (Aiton) or our srcum half?

McDermott also says he is going to rotate our 3 wingers throughout the season.
Good thinking as they probably have the easiest shift during matches.
But we can`t rotate our ageing pack as we have shipped out players to London or got rid.
I am sure there`s a cunning plan somewhere but I am struggling to find out where it is at the moment.

Can't rotate the pack? I reckon there's nine matchday spots between...

Leuluai, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Delaney, Bailey, Singleton, Kirke, Achurch, Clarkson, Ward, Yates, Minchella.

So even without Foster, there's still plenty of opportunity and ample numbers to rotate players.

Andy when you consider that most of the 9 you listed will be in the 17 and Yates is out for 6 months. I really don't see who else he could bring in as part of the rotation you refer to. You could argue that Kirke and Clarkson are not good enough whilst the jury is still out on Achurch. JJB, Delaney and Ward seem to pick up injuries recently and Kylie and JP could struggle to last the pace due to their age. I for one think we are two or three decent players short in the pack to make a real impact this year. Hopefully I am proved wrong.

He listed 13.

Sorry I was deducting the likes of Clarkson, Kirke, Yates and Achurch as potentially not good enough leaving the 9. I do think we are 2 or 3 decent forwards short and should have snapped up at least 1 very good prop this year. Time will tell if the forwards of last year who did not perform will do it this year.

I agree to some extent, for example I'd rather we'd signed a very good prop - were one available - than a winger that I'm not sure we needed. But while the likes of Kirke and Clarkson may not set the pulses racing they are capable enough against most SL packs and provide scope for rotation. And Achurch I think will surprise a few.

JJB has a calf injury and will miss the start of the season.
Ryan Bailey off with an injury and could miss the start of the season.

I thought Bailey finished the game on the pitch?

McDermott has just said JJB out with a torn calf. Achurch hurt his knee but probably ok. Ward is very close but they didn't want to chance it.

Nothing about Bailey. He did go down the tunnel after his first stint but he came back on and finished the match.

Player power rules....otherwise McDermott is deluded that Burrow playing starting hooker then hiding on the fringes in defence will eventually work one day


. Burrow should defend where he does; he has the pace and tackling ability (unlikeMcGuire) out there to cope, but as for attacking hooker the cunning plan seems to be maybe - just maybe - once in a blue moon the opposition forwards will let Burrow duck under their tackles.
Same old same old this season> let's rely on the off the cuff flamboyance and electrifying pace from the half backs (cough) to break down resolute defences.
In the final 20 we will try - and fecking try again - for a miracle, without the tedium of any pre-planned moves or dummy runners to aid the forlorn efforts.

Agree mate. And if plan a doesn't work try try and try again.

I know, the squad is terrible and the coach really doesn't have a clue what he's doing. Sinfield and his cronies select the team. Hetherington is running the club into the ground with his recruitment and retention decisions.

I mean, just look at how unsuccessful we've been since McLennan left.