Don't get me wrong. He's contracted till the end of next year. At that point I would say thank you and goodbye. Personally I think it was a mistake to sign him for 2018 and it was a mistake to resign him in 2020, when he was practically out of the door and packed for Toronto. That's not to say he hasn't been a good player, or had a bad attitude, he's just never been the calibre required to keep us at or near the top of the tree in the post "golden years." Just can't see us parting ways till the end of next year at this point.

But I would play Martin (who don't forget reverts to second row as soon as we land a new centre), McDonnell, possibly even Gannon ahead of Bentley for 2024. I'm not sure he even makes the bench for me in a first choice 17.

The lad is game and tries hard, he has some quality about him but he's also prone to penalties and brain farts, he's not physically imposing for a forward and neither is he especially quick. I literally prefer Donaldson to him and definitely McDonnel who in my humble is a better player.

I'm suggesting that retaining players like this just reduces our capacity to attract and retain the very talented ones who command a premium. So, yep keep him on at maybe £50-60k a year at a push - if he's on more than that absolute waste of money for me. I heard we signed him as one of the better paid players at the club - I don't know if that's true but it's madness if it was.

Yep absolutely.

My guess is there was no one better we could get and he was planning on NRL or catalans but that didn't happen.
Hopefully he has a big year and either earns his place or puts himself in the shop window better.

We really need some power and or offload in the pack, just don't have enough of either and too msny work horse types

I'm glad Bentley is staying ,also we need a revitalised Oledski next season, I suspect he is still troubled by injury but he has had a very average season

Genuinely interested, would you play Bentley ahead of McDonnell? I imagine unless Clueso is right, we sign a new centre (or Nene returns from walkabout), and Martin takes one back row spot. Or Gannon?

I'd have been much happier keeping Martin, McDonnell, Gannon, Donaldson, and possibly one or two academy lads next off the line, and freeing up more salary cap where we need it most, i.e. 7 and probably for me another proper prop. Having five first grade props makes far more sense than 5 second rowers to me - most games you use 4 props.

Sorry, of course I am forgetting Goudemand as well here, who also might get in the second row ahead of Bentley and isn't a real prop....

I think you’re forgetting that it’s a squad game, and it’s rare that you have every player available. Injuries and squad rotation mean you need more than the two second towers who start.

I’d be more skeptical of us signing another centre. I wouldn’t be surprised if Martin would just play there full time.

My issue with McDonnell, Gannon, Bentley, Donaldson is that they are all basically variations on the same skill set. Work hard, tackle well, reliable but not going to change the game. Having said that, maybe that is the plan. Trouble is, Nene has probably been our biggest line break threat, followed by Walters (leaving), Austin (gone), Newman (injuries). We don’t play a line breaking 9, and of the current signed up halves none are going to be line breakers either. I’m hopeful for Millar, and hope Fusitua can get some games together.

I made the point yesterday about the need for a hard running/ hitting prop and not playing one of our small backrowers there.

Martin,McDonnell,
Bentley,Gannon, Donaldson and Goudemand is too many. I would have dropped Donaldson or not signed or Goudemand when SR is stacked but HB is empty and short on props with tet abd Walters leaving

Gamnon has the build and the ability to be much more than that. Think he’s been a little bit forgotten this year but he has the potential to be an exceptional player.

Ok so where do you fit Bentley in?

I’d probs my go: Martin, McDonnell, Goudemand, Gannon, Bentley, Donaldson.

I’m not forgetting it’s a squad game at all, I’m pointing out we have 6 second rowers for 2/3 places in the 17 and 4 props for 4 places in the 17. 4 decent second rowers should be enough plus academy lads if you get an injury crisis.

Unless Martin is going to play centre.

Gannon is still very young (especially for a forward) and has had more than his share of knocks this year. Having the ability to rotate him will be valuable, tho we do seem well stocked in the back row I agree.

I also understand the need for a bit more punch there. I know he’s been out of position this year but I do think Martin offers that when in the back row. He has a nice offload too.

Donaldson is usually in the middles rotation and I imagine Goudemand will be too

Neither are props though and neither gives us what we need from a prop.

Going into next season with only Holroyd, Oledski (out of form), Lisone (bang in form), Sangare (injury cloud) for heavy artillery is crazy, especially when we have just lost one of the best young forwards in the country to a major rival. You are very likely to have at least one of your big bodies injured at a given time with the punishment they take, and as soon as you drop someone like Donaldson in there you lose punch immediately. We are struggling to make yardage and maintain pressure on the opposition down the middle.

I just don't understand the loading in the second row at Leeds. Maybe they feel one or two lads in the academy will progress but at prop I'm not sure who. And while Martin is decent cover at centre, his best position is as a fairly rapid back rower rather than a fairly slow outside back.

Agreed. I'm sure Smith has mentioned last offseason he wanted to increase the sizer of the team, our backrow recruitment says otherwise..

Smith Did increase the size of the team last off season with Lisone and Sangare.

I think we'll see another prop come in before next year

Yep, he's on the record as being a fan of big middles. Think he likes his second rows to be more workman like.

Oh what we'd give for another Ali Lauatiti...

It's OK having work men backrowers if you have a smart hooker to pinch metres when markers aren't square and powerful props/ centres.
Atm we don't, therein lies the problem

I don't mind having fairly mobile workers in the second row, but the lighter your back row is the more emphasis that puts on the really big boys to make yardage and provide some whack.

To be fair Smith almost plays like a ball handling prop and he is pretty good in centre field; for whatever reason our pack has not been dominant this season despite Lisone/Sangare addtions, and we're losing Walters who could have added something there (albeit more running in the second row channels currently).

Right now all four props are automatic picks when fit; I think another prop must be a priority for competition and so we have proper props on rotation and some cover for knocks before we're into Donaldson or academy lads.

Yep, I think we'll definitely get another. When we had that mid season run when most were fit he tended to go with five.

Hopefully there is another under-the-radar player out there we can unearth… I don’t actually know whether for me a new prop is more important than the centre; we do have Martin and Simpson already in the squad. Suppose it depends who’s available basically.

Prop imo. a team can't challenge for playoffs and trophies without a good pack and halves first and foremost.

Nice balanced Matt Shaw article on Frawley on Leeds Live. Points out the improvements he's made since his first SL stint and gives a bit of focus on what he's done in the NSW Cup (alongside NRL) this year. I think we've got a player who will do a good job for us and surprise a good few. Just need to pair him with a more dynamic half.