Don’t disagree, fingers crossed we have another half of decent quality incoming Or worst case IF Miller can play in the halves, Myler is at FB. I know that is not what Smith has said about where Miller is signed to play.

A grandson of a Jedi, so he is, strong with him, the force must be.

Good assessment that. Agree.

For me we need to give our most senior specialist 9 a crack. We need to get that distribution better around the ruck to get the team organised and moving. The back line is looking decent (with a new senior centre) but we need to get it working.

Perhaps if the prop forwards provided a platform it would make it easier for the likes of O'Connor and Johnson. I guess it is a chicken and egg thing, but if Oledski and Holroyd played close to their potential the team moves forwards a lot better. Oledski hasn't been right since his injury (playing for England carrying a knock did him no favours), and Holroyd didn't re-capture the early season form that led to him getting England recognition.

This may be crazy, but I wonder when we lost Tetevano from the rotation, the pack never looked as dominant as it did in some of those early-mid season wins against the top teams (remember, we actually beat Saints, Wigan, and Catalans in 2023).

Holroyd has been overworked in D IMO and then had too little left in attack. Maybe that will end up being his style but he used to have more punch at the line. Something to do with his conditioning maybe - he looked for second half of the year like he could do with a pre-season. He’s a big guy, for me I’d double down a bit and get some mass on him.

Hudson might get games too if he can get and stay fit. Had a very quick rise from obscurity.

Quote ="rollin thunder"Highly rated lad Big unit mussed thus season through injury. Bit more than a project guess this is replacement for Walters https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 782225.amp'" The club havent announced this have they?

Quote ="rollin thunder"Highly rated lad Big unit mussed thus season through injury. Bit more than a project guess this is replacement for Walters https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 782225.amp'" The club havent announced this have they?

Don’t think so and nothing about the winger to HKR.

The silence is deafening....

Don’t worry, just trust Uncle Gary to get it right. Not with your recent record and lack of forward planning Gary, it’s a shambles.

Gary's most recent piece suggested the people within the club have some unique skills and contacts within the game to get the players we want. As has been said before he drew a line with that and if it doesn't come to fruition there really is no margin left for error.

Well he won’t be signing Jayden Nikorima, has just been announced by Catalans. The pool is getting smaller…

More like a puddle….

Keep saying it but I reckon someone like Eseh alongside Hudson would make a very handy prop rotation / cover for injury / replacements for Lisone or Sangare in due course…

It’s going to have to be a domestic product player I think.

The Prop must be GB qualified, the OQ spots must be the Centre and the Halfback otherwise it’s not even a puddle we are fishing in.

We’ve plenty to spend, we don’t have any Marquee players signed up yet.

Someone was saying we might need a marquee to retain Newman after next year if he stays fit… we’ll see.

Agree with you - which begs the question after Walters has gone and Hudson comes in, we’re still potentially backwards on this season. Sangare coming back from injury and Mik and Tom looking jaded too - we could do with someone else decent to give us 6 and some competition for places.

Oledzki
Holroyd
Lisone
Sangare
Goudemand
Donaldson
Hudson

That's 7.



Since 2017 he's played 2 games of NRL. Really?

Donaldson is definitely not a prop and Goudemand I don’t think is either . Being able to cover the position in an emergency is not the same thing as being a specialist there. So 5 for me. Also don’t think Hudson has played a single game of SL yet so very much a project, so only 4 experienced specialist props in the whole squad.

Unfortunately though Donaldson isn't a 2nd row either as he struggles laterally when defending especially out wide. So what is he?

Surplus to requirements but committed and a good influence around the place…

I don’t mind Donno too much I think we have bigger wastes of salary than him TBH.

A small man who tries hard. he would have been fine in the 70’s when grafting second rows were valuable.

Sadly leg tackles are not rewarded these days and lead to quick play the balls.

His main asset is now running the ball on an angle with his head up, sticking his chin out in a Bruce Forsyth stylee and hoping someone bangs him in the throat.

Nice to see Morgan Knowles, to see you nice.

Donaldson almost always plays at prop. Goudemand has played 40 games in the last two years, of which at most 5 were not at prop. That makes them both props.

On that basis does this make Martin a centre?
For me no, he`s a second rower.

I don’t really care where Donaldson tends to play, he is not a prop. Would he ever make the 4 prop rotation on game day if our real props are fit? No.

He is a committed tackler and runs hard but he is simply too small and lacks the mass required for heavy artillery.

If you think these two are good enough at prop that we’re fine in that position you do you.

Goudemand and Donaldson aren’t anything like big enough to be effective props. That might be where they play as they’re also not fast enough or have good enough hands to play in the back row, but it doesn’t mean they would be part of an effective Prop rotation.

Donaldson is well, just a Donaldson. I would never argue he was prop. Goudemand, on the other hand, has most definitely been part of a successful prop rotation at Catalans. I don't think you can really argue otherwise. Anyway, it would be nice if we judged on his performances in the blue and amber. Think he might surprise.