Agree lets give this one a chance. All the incoming players are in a similar age bracket and will provide squad depth. The last couple of years especially in the backs we have thrown players in who are not pyhsically ready due to their age. Smith is backing himself as a coach and has earned the right. As far as Zak is concerned it depends on how he values himself and if he thinks leeds offer is fair. Locally he probably will not get a better offer unless willing to travel.

Peter Smith still tweeting today that the club are keen to keep Zak but it's not a done deal.

Hardaker is surely pencilled in as the left centre following Sutcliffe going.

All the various rumours and comments seem to suggest ZH wants a longer deal but I can see why RS wouldn't want to.
We are partly struggling now due to long contracts thrown around a year or two ago

Surely not if McDonald, as rumoured, is on his way.

why hasnt Macdonald been announced if he is coming?

I imagine the Hardaker deal is all but agreed but the club need to manage the cap to make it happen (which they will). Hence there isn't a feeding frenzy of rumours about him negotiating with other clubs.

Pretty sure Lam has been quoted as saying he's contracted by Leigh for 2023. Could explain Hardaker's one year offer if MacDonald is earmarked for 2024.

I'm sure all will become clear in the fullness of time. Just frustrating to have to wait.

My thoughts too

Don`t Leigh have to get rid of 3 overseas players or is it 2 due to Lachlan Lam coming from Wigan St Pats?

Hooley may be seen as cover for both fullback, and indirectly the halves, as myler can be used as halves cover without the big reshuffle it took to but Hardaker there in some games this year.

Not sure how many but they need to lose some from what I've heard. I'm guessing they'd see MacDonald as a keeper if they've got a choice.

Macdonald will be announced by Leeds shortly

I'm surprised by this one if I'm honest. Usually if another club signs one of our ex-players I'm the first to say if they are good players and will do well, take it on the chin so to speak.

Yet I struggle here. All I can say is that he must have made a stunning improvement whilst at Batley. It's possible I suppose.

What struck me about Hooley in the two first team games he played for us (one incidentally the boxing day game against you) was as follows. Utterly out of his depth, like a rabbit in the headlights. Absolutely no pace. Much as I dislike Hardaker, Hooley is not in the same class on any level as a player.

Still as I say, he may have come on a lot since then.

I still say the one you want is Leon Ruan and if you don't I'd have him at BV.

I hope Smith can develop him further but in the games I've seen him I'm just not getting it, I can't see a top 4 super league player in him

Agreed, he looks a steady player but not a top half super league full back.

I hope to be proven wrong.

Rohan has coached him before at Bradford, so at least knows him. Hope he can really come on. Was he still part time at Batley? It can make a big difference going full time for a year with a good coach

I couldn't see a bottom four SL player in him

Is he on his way though ? Would have thought this would have been done by now.

Saw something in the local Leigh paper only this week suggesting this was going to happen. Look at it from Rohan’s point of view - if Zack stays (I think he will) he still has to allow for the fact that Newman, for all his potential, is extremely prone to injury. Without him you're down to an 18 year old in Edwards or weakening the second row by moving Martin. Sign McDonald and Zack and Myler compete for full back and Myler keeps Austin and Sezer honest in the halves. Makes sense to me.

Have to agree with Vastman here as having seen him play 4 times now he looks a reasonably good championship player but not SL level yet.
However if Smith sees something in him then so be it.
To me it doesn`t make sense unless Zak is moving on and even then he is not going to be ready to step up for some time.
Whilst Vastman states he has no pace that`s not my opinion as he looked to have pace but little in defence.

Nobody's expecting him to go straight into the first team so there's no real connection to Hardaker in this signing. Walker though...

He may have picked up some pace, it can go that way some times. I don't want to knock him because I know he had a top class attitude whilst at Trinity. Late bloomer.

It feels to me like we're building a really strong reserve grade team. Most signings so far won't be playing week in week out, and it seems like they're giving opportunities based on getting them into our system and then seeing if they can compete with first team counterparts without the pressure of being in the 17. That even includes Sangare. He seemed to do well at Toulouse, but wasn't even their best prop.

It seems like a commitment from the club to be on top in all levels of comp, from academy, through to reserves and first team.

The short term issue is that it will take a while for that success to filter through to the first team.