If Tindall is to make it at Leeds, he needs to be the first reserve Winger at 20 years old. He might only get 4-6 games per year over the next 2-3 years, how does that improve with another Winger in front of him?

If Tindall is to make it, he needs to do it because he's better than the other players. Not through lack of competition. Olpherts signing doesn't mean he's automatically in front of Tindall. I get the impressions with Smith that he'll pick who deserves it. Hopefully Tindall sees this as motivation and not a reason to down tools

Not seeing it with Tindall just yet. I agree with the posters who say it is his job to force his way into the team by performing when he's selected. He's clearly fast and at times evasive but for some reason isn't getting over the try line as much as I'd expect a young winger to do. Reminds me a bit of Dave Halley at Bradford some years ago, but I hope I'm wrong.

Has this been confirmed by the club yet?

Saw nothing in Olpherts today that changes my view.

I fear if we sign Olpherts that at least one of Fusitua or Hardaker won't be with us next season.

Don't forget that butterfingers turnstile Sutcliffe should be leaving too.

Was at Headingley Stadium today doing his photos, so wouldn’t be surprised if it’s announced by the club in the next day or so.

A pointless signing especially if it means losing Hardaker , why on earth we need three wingers when we are desperate in other positions . Never mind his age , once again we have signed a limited ability player on a long contract , another salary cap howler .

Utterly pointless signing, I can't believe that given all the SC mess we have been in and still are we are handing out 3 year contracts to 30 year old back. He's not particularly quick, that's not going to be any better at 33...

Madness.

To be fair, our 2 first choice wingers are very injury prone and miss a lot of games.

Ash Handley isn't particularly injury prone

So its now announced, 2 year deal. I cannot for the life of me get my head around this. It's completely pointless. His best position is Wing and he's not better than Handley. He might be better than Fusitua but only because he is actually on the pitch. If he replaces Fusitua in the team we have one hell of a cap problem as Dave costs an arm and a leg.

We couldn't talk to him about joining until after Zak had already rejoined, so we've either disregarded signing Zak for longer, or broken the rules on talking to player.

Article in YEP talks about him as an option for Centre (he can't pass) or Fullback (he can't catch) so their just platitudes.

This is first class rubbish as a signing when we have desperate need elsewhere on the park. Massive mistake.

Seems like he's more a back up centre than a winger https://youtu.be/9tVveQBrafE

Seems like he's more a back up centre than a winger https://youtu.be/9tVveQBrafE

bats...
you are 100% correct

Agree. I quite like Olpherts, thought he was Cas best attacking threat against us in the last game of the season. His stats are very good and put him up there with some of the best attacking players in SL. Yes he has iffy hands, but lets hope Smith can make him a better player, it's amazing what a good coach can do as we've seen.

I think we can't keep Zak that's why he's been signed. On top of that Sutcliffe and Briscoe have gone and Newman and Fusitua injury issues have been huge. Nene McDonald coming in is a good signing.

Mate, I feel like I'm being hard on the bloke, but truth is I just don't rate him as highly as others do, and he offers nothing we couldn't have covered from within the squad already so it seems like a waste of cap space when we have much more pressing areas to address than reserve Winger or Centre (both of which push other younger contracted players further from the first team experience they need).

This signing makes no sense no matter how you look at it.

We can't keep Zak because of signings like Derrell Olpherts.

If that's correct then I agree with you completely but from what i am hearing that's not the case. There is no way Rohan would believe bringing in Olpherts is better than keeping Hardaker....

Ah but in Smith we trust!
Hooley another that I don`t understand but at least he has youth on his side.
With regards Olpherts, he is certainly an upgrade on Briscoe but I cannot understand how we sold it to him.
I`m sure he hasn`t come here on the basis that Fusitua gets a lot of injuries so you are likely to play.

I personally don't mind us signing Olpherts. One of our first choice Wingers in Fusitu'a missed half of the season last year and has a history of injury problems and there seems too be uncertainty about his future anyway so can see him leaving after 2023 season if not before.

Imo Tindall or Luis Roberts aren't ready too be first choice Wingers yet and it gives them another Season too develop and maybe try claim a starting winger spot in 2024.

Nobody knows the in's and Outs of the Hardaker situation apart from the club, Hardakers agent and himself. For all we know he could have been wanting XYZ amount of money we didn't think he deserves and could have wanted a lengthy contract again we didn't Justify.

He's an upgrade on Briscoe.

ZH gone by sounds of it.
Between DH,Fusitua,Handley,Tindall I assume one will be moved to centre? Or was that guy from Wigan a centre?

Olpherts mentioned he's played fullback and centre before joining Cas. Olpherts might be our utility back to cover 1-5, in which case he'll play a fair few games. Hardaker is a loss,but he's really a class fullback who is a solid centre. If Myler is first choice fullback, where would Hardaker play if everyone is fit?

Well, Hardaker has proven time and again he is a very competent Centre, he's an excellent Fullback (better than Myler IMO) and a useful stand in winger. Olpherts is probably better on the Wing than Zak, but has no SL track record at all in any other position.

This whole thing is dumb. The truth is we signed Olpherts months ago, and then got stuck with no space for a more useful player in Hardaker who was arguably our form back this season.