Not signing a prop can't be an option. Most sides run with a minimum of six props and we now have four including Prior. It would be cruel (not to mention impossible) to ask four players to bare the brunt of a 30 game season. One solid Ava type prop and we can start to really rattle some cages this year, never mind next. Hands up who had heard of Ava before he was signed? There will be someone out there and I suspect Kev and Agar are talking to them.

Welcome Simmo. Good post that

Agree. Waiting until mid season is a big gamble and we could be up against it by then if injuries bite. Could be too late. We need to bring a good prop in over next month

Not a bad post Simmo apart from the Flower suggestion

If we bring someone in to fill the gap, it should be a loan or a 1 year deal. I agree that we need to stop with the short term signings. We had to make some short term signings 18 months ago to keep us afloat. Signings should to the most extent move the quality of the squad forward

What about an NRL loan?

Living in Australia I’ve seen a bit of Levi, very good player, good defender but has the odd brain fart in him, super league will suit his game more than the structure of the nrl, his last coach at Manly (Des Hasler) was the wrong type of coach for his game, a little bit of freedom will see him be a very good hooker for Leeds

Apparently struggling to get a visa

Sounds like we might not be getting Tetevano after all ffs.

Sorry Bob not that Levi i was asking about Levi Edwards who is a young second row prospect we have promoted to the first team squad.

Pete Smith tweeted Leeds are not expecting any problems. They’re in regular contact.

Fingers crossed

He's still being talked about in all the social media etc. - hopefully he's still coming.

Agree with previous poster: worst-case scenario is we push Prior up to prop and play Cam Smith at 13. We do have some options but Ava was really solid - at the moment we have just swapped one decent prop for a slightly better one, but we struggled last year up front.

Agree. We also had Ward playing well in the back row early doors and Cuthbo. Neither of which we have now

We also have a fit Holroyd who i expect will improve and play more minutes this season.

I'd want to start as big and aggressive as we can. I'd be tempted to start with thompson at loose.

Yes I would too. IMO playing that way suits early season conditions

Ward played around 65 minutes in the whole of the 2020 season didn't he?


I do understand your point though.

I dont know how you can say ward was playing well when he did less than 80 minutes.

More aggressive than Prior at Loose not convinced on that one?

Ah my mistake Christopher thought he’d played 4 games early doors.

No I only meant if prior had to start at prop.

I think we need to give Cam Smith game time this year, although I feel Prior is a better LF at this stage in their respective careers. Cam was playing very well before his injury last year. I think he's tightened up his D loads and added strength. Would like to see him promote the ball more but.. there is a very good player in there somewhere.

What we really need is a specialist prop, most of us agree there - but failing that either Thompson or Prior to partner Mik, Holroyd and Tet up front and some sharing of LF would have to do. God help us if Mik, Tommy or Tet get injured early doors though. We've let a couple of prop academy prospects go so I'm not sure what other credible options we have. We really shouldn't be cobbling front rows together at the start of a season, but I suppose Ava leaving came a little late in the day for replacement.

Assuming Tet shows up and we can eventually bring in another big prop then I think we look really strong at loose with prior, thompson and Smith. If Smith continues to improve I'm all for him getting big minutes but in the first 20 -30 mins especially I'd go with prior or thompson. Form and injuries will obviously play a big part.

With +1 good prop we would be contenders I think - injuries allowing.

We seem to have thin cover at prop and half back at the moment in particular. We could do with a few more pushing through the Academy in those positions.

The exciting thing for us is just how much improvement remains in so many of the first team. Walker, Newman, Mik, Tommy, & Cam all have significant improvement in them, plus of course the next wave coming through.

Tindall showed glimpses of brilliance last year, he obviously needs to work on his D and particular his positioning, but he is a real prospect. We know about O'Connor (I'm still to be convinced there but he has a good attitude), Walters, and now Edwards and Gannon. Really hope Broadbent can step up too, great lad with talent but he's a classic centre for me.

Anyway a really solid pre-season is just what we need with such a young side; gives us time to get structures into the side and really work on the physicality and fitness the young lads need.