Who do we think? Rumours of Lunt, Ballin, Houghton?

Not many available atm. think it will be a checkbook or bargin bin deal

I would like to have either Lunt, Houghton or Ballin. I wouldn't mind pelisser but can't see him coming also Milner at cas and that's about it for realistic options

Also beau faloon at titans has been told to find a new club for next season but don't really know how good he actually is

Think it will be a stop gap signing. Maybe bailin from Manly

I agree with this, until Josh Hodgson decides to return home.

Would certainly like Hodgson if he wanted to return to England,

Disappointed that Aiton is leaving as he seemed a good fit, and we paid a substantial fee for him in the first place,so dead money there.Good luck to him though , after all he is a professional,but I do feel it is a retrograde step for him career wise, and there are plenty of examples, aka Smith, Calderwood, BJB, Schoey Bai, Mckenna etc.
I was quite impressed with Ballin and he does seem to have the right credentials;not sure on Houghton, a poor mans Roby in my view, plenty of tackling but lacking in offence and umph and nouce, allied with the intimidation of a church mouse.I suppose he is ok if you want a hooker who slaps an injured player around the chops when he is in obvious pain from a croc roll.

I think Faux Baffoon from the Titans would be a great stop gap choice. Is that really his name?

I agree I would not be impressed by the acquisition of Houghton for the reasons you mention... Ballin would make the better 'stop gap' measure in the hope that Robbie Ward can be brought quickly up to speed. I'd prefer Lunt over Houghton because we know he would slot comfortably into the Leeds ethos given role and team spirit: he has done it before.

Maybe Leeds [ihave[/i signed Cameron Smith (the Aussie one)

Who else is likely for next season ? what team do we think he has signed for ? If it's a team with a decent hooker ,would we try for theirs ?.

ATM I'd say he's bound for cats or Salford.can't see any other team offering a better deal.
Would we be interested in Fages or Pellisier (sp?)

He's off to Catalans, henderson leaving. Fages isn't a hooker.

Cameron Smith. Can you imagine that.

He has signed for catalan.

can't see us getting a good signing at this stage. It would require Hetherington to get his checkbook out . If we don't sign any one then I think we will be hoping Burrow can improve his distribution from DH and that R Ward does as well as his namesake in the SR

Probably depends on whether Leeds see Robbie Ward as a future starter. If so then they'll rightly go for a stop-gap (I'd put Lunt in that class as well as Ballin). If they go for Houghton or similar it tells you all you need to know about how much they rate Ward.

BTW Ballin's OK but not all that. The main benefit he'd bring is coming from a club with a win at all costs mentality. He's way down the list of NRL hookers. If I could pick one it would be Josh Hodgson - he's been an absolute revelation for the Raiders and he's not an Aussie. I wouldn't be at all surprised if McNamara picks him as first choice for England at the end of the year.

Can't see McBanana picking anyone over the incumbent Roby. Same for Biscuit legs O'loughlin.

I think a good stop gap player for a few years is best. If we are going to get in a long term player they need to be class ,not last minute dross

Matt Ballin is saying he wants to fight for his future at Manly so don't think he is really interested in moving tbh

pPersonall I like Lunt but think it will be Ward

I'd rather have Houghton than Lunt.

Id take any of them

Can someone tell me what the 'HOOKER' does? apart from fill the middle of the front row.

Apart from being the person who has their hands on the ball more than any other player in the team?

I would think the hooker and full back positions are the two most crucial roles in the modern game.

Yes, I understand that.
But why is he called an 'HOOKER'???

Why not bring in Micky Mac from Wigoon? A bit of bite wouldn't come a miss (only joking)