Just noticed that Benji Marshall can't get a gig in the NRL for 2017 (yet). That should keep the thread going for a few weeks.

Isn't Cronk off contract this year? He is the type of player we need, and who GH should be asking to name his price imo.

Id prefer us to ask Todd Carney to name his price.

Can't get a work permit in UK.

That just makes me even more attracted to him. Why do I always fall for the bad guys?

I believe he is and would be a good option for us right now.

What kind of wage would Cronk want? Bet he's on a f-cking fortune over there at the minute.

If Cronk leaves the Storm for another NRL club he can get more cash than the bucket load of cash he is on right now. There is no way Cronk moves here for his next contract. Maybe the one after that when he Loses his origin place (£10,000 a game) and his test spot (£10,000 a game).

Realistically about £600,000 a year on a four year deal might get someone like Cronk now.

Realistically nothing is going to get Cronk. There's only talk of him leaving Melbourne because his wife/gf works in TV in Sydney so he wants to move there.

The guy who's going to be available next year is Benji Marshall. He's nowhere near the player he was a few years ago, but he's still better than Sandow in the NRL and Sandow is looking like the best player in Super League.

Really? No wonder he didn't sign for us

No - Carney is on a different planet to Widdop

I would agree Widdop is better than anything in SL - Carney apart - but that isn't a real indication as to his quality/ability.

Widdop is no where near somebody like Sandow , he was lucky to be part of a great team who made him look good and now gets shown up to be a bang average player, as he looks when playing for England

That is true, but I wouldn't want him on big money, which I think is what it would take to get him.

There are a number of options I'd rather have who are already over here as well.

It annoys me when people take the line that someone who plays in the NRL is instantly a world beater. It annoys me even more when someone suggests my opinion on a player is based on what others have said rather than what my own eyes (glass or otherwise) have seen.

Widdop is average, yes he'd be an improvement, but he's not worth big bucks, nor is he imo a great leader, I think that side of his game is developing but he has always had good leaders around him.

Hodgkinson(sp) plus wouldn't be on quota.

Still non-Federation trained, of which Leeds have their maximum capacity at the moment.

Does that count if you have a British passport? He qualifies for a British passport as his father is English.

Yep, still counts as non-Fed trained unless he'd played something like 3 years here between the ages of 16 and 21? Something like that anyway.

Carney is on a different planet to Widdop. But not in playing terms. Lad's a fruit loop

Who would you like us to sign who's already here mate?

I agree with you he is bonkers but he is a much better player the Widdop his game has more diversity he is a better passer, better strategist and significantly more skill and game awareness.

Gale would be my first choice, has everything you need in a modern halfback. I wouldn't have minded Myler last year either. Carney would be the stand out but I think his visa is a problem.

One less experienced option would be to go after Hampshire from Wigan, the lad is going to be quality and seemingly isn't wanted as a half by Wane.

I would agree Gale looks a good shout to move us around, kick well and can create. I also think he would go well with mags while we figure out if sutty and lilley have futures with us (Lilley yes, sutty no for me).

I think it's definitely a factor amongst other things. I would say many things have changed from last season regarding Leeds, some within our control, some we can have no influence over. Sinny and JP were always leaving, it could be argued a bad decision has been made to go with what we have for this season in the halves, and that JP's replacement has had nowhere near the impact expected. The 20 minutes Kyle gave us in the big games has not been matched by other replacements. The training ground disaster has had a detrimental effect, nobody can quantify just how much, but is another problem we didn't need. Other external factors have exacerbated our situation, namely the improvement in other teams players, and their better recruitment. Two cases would be Warrington (better recruitment), and Wigan, their younger players like Bateman, Manfredi, Sarginson, Gildart etc are all a year older and seemingly better for that experience and physical development. In short, for various reasons, most teams have improved while we have deteriorated. A lot of our older players are a year older, slower, with less impact, while our youngsters have not lived up to unrealistic expectations, and our players in the prime of their careers are performing like spent forces. I think there is no doubt the influence exerted by Sinny and JP around the club would have lessened our current traumas, but it's only one of a few problems currently affecting the club.