"A large contract" you say. Uncle Gary is not the CEO you are looking for. Del Boy at Leigh may make Benny's agent smile more

I disagree. We have seen very few good games from Roberts. I think the talent is there, but he has too many poor games.
A fit Rangi Chase offers more creativity and spark to our attack (in my opinion).
We need a good full back more than we need three halves.

I can't imagine he is on more than Hardaker though.
If Leeds aren't careful, they are going to have a very large chunk of the salary cap sat in the stands (actually, that's just a turn of phrase, I doubt Hardaker will even be there).

Hardaker for Roberts hahahaha.

The thing is, you have the same situation with Hardaker as we had with Justin Carney.
It is clear he has no future at the club. You need rid so you can use his salary on someone who will actually play.
Therefore, you are in an extremely weak negotiating position with any club willing to take him off your hands.
Getting a good half in return, even if he isn't as good a player as Hardaker, might be as good as it gets from your point of view.

He'll go out on loan if we cant offload him this year.

We are in an untenable position as you say, we don't want him and people know that but I'd be surprised that Gawwy would let Hardaker go for nothing.

As we found out, letting someone go on loan for a year means endless uncertainty about whether they will come back and cause unrest the following year.
It also means you can't replace him in case he comes back and you have to start paying him again.

Apparently coming to us on a one year loan.

Wouldn't mind that actually, Powell could coach some more skill into his game and we would get the benefits in a year

Having said that, if he wants to play in the NRL then why are we not loaning him to a club down there? He had a bad season but is still clearly better than anything the knights or bulldogs or eels have got, Bulldogs for a year would be the best move all round

I think he has burnt his bridges at Leeds!
If he comes to us on loan, I hope we agree a clause giving us the first option to sign him permanently at the end of next year.
How long does he have left on his current Leeds contract?

Ages

2019 I think

Makes a loan less likely I'd suggest, as Leeds risk him returning in 2018!
I'm guessing he's on a fair wedge too - far more than any club will be willing to pay him given the risk involved.

A loan would be a good move for all involved- you don't have to pay his wages and another club gets to see if he settles- if he does they are more likely to pay out next season to have him on a permanent deal.

Not 100% up on legal law, but if hardaker won't play for Leeds and has indicated he will not return, Leeds are perfectly entitled to keep him registered with them, and possibly not have to pay him, I think zach thinks there just going to get fed up and release him or sack him.

Zak thought he was coming back to Leeds until seeing the quotes from GH in the YEP basically implying he was no longer in their plans so instructed his agent to 'look around' He was more than willing to play for us next season until reading/being told of the GH press release

Need to get rid of this serial miscreant pronto.

It's more disruptive than SPOTY, the Kiwis and floods.

Pretty sure GH quotes in the press was that hardaker had indicated he was not returning to Leeds not the other way round, his agent was already shopping around else were, but it would appear he is not the hot property he thinks he is.

Or the hot property that his agent tells him he is.

Substitute the name Hardaker with the name Moon and you have a repeat of history. Both not wanting to be at a club they were happy to sign a contract with and both looking to get out of that contract

You are wrong.... Moon left Salford because he was home sick, Hardaker is leaving Leeds as he is constantly doing silly things.

Too true. Getting like footballers with agents telling their guys they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. They'll be the source of a lot of rumours you read on here about contract negotiations, bids made, wages etc. that always seemingly are critical of the club, especially the ones we've consistently heard about Hardaker over the years on here. Wouldn't trust their version of events if my life depended on it yet will are labelled a "reliable source" by some.

Don't think Hardaker doesn't want to be at Leeds but his little clique tell him he's amazing and could cut it in the NRL. If he can't get an NRL gig he'd probably want to stay at Leeds.

But GH's/McDermott's thing is about having guys who are committed to the club "show us loyalty first and we'll show it back with interest".....and dont want guys who will mess them about with his antics.

Well the fact that nothing has been announced yet tells me that we won't accept a loan deal, as whilst there will be plenty of NRL clubs willing to do a loan deal, much fewer (if any) will be willing to buy

Either that or we are making sure we have signed a replacement before we let him go (more likely a 7 than a 1 though, as Sutcliffe and possibly watkins would be good enough to be our top fullback)

Watkins has been nothing short of crap at full back whenever he's played there. not sure why people are obsessed with moving quality players out of their best position. moon is another one. quality centre, rubbish half back